Systems and methods for playing games of chance or skill using an alternate method of entry

• US 20050208989A1
• Filed: 02/02/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gamelogic Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Mark E., Kane, Steven N., Sabet, Bijan, Hardy, Dow, LaRocca, Paul, Yanowitz, Jason, Roseman, Stuart
• Granted Patent: US 8,147,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of and systems for playing tournament-style games, such as the World Series of Poker, and other games of skill or chance. The present invention additionally is systems and methods for using an alternate method of entry to enable a player to participate in a wagering game of skill or chance.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a tournament-style game, the method comprising acts of:

providing for an entry of at least one player into the tournament-style game; and

providing, to the at least one player, an alternative method of entry (AMOE) into the tournament-style game.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tournament-style game is a wagering game of skill.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the wagering game of skill is one of poker, blackjack, dominoes, bridge, and mahjongg.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tournament-style game has fixed odds of winning the tournament-style game.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tournament-style game has non-fixed odds of winning the tournament-style game.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of conducting the tournament-style game over a communication network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing an entry of the at least one player in the tournament-style game includes an act of entering the at least one player in a game session following a processing of an entry request of the at least one player by the alternative method of entry (AMOE).

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of providing to the at least one player an indication of a game session to be entered by the alternative method of entry (AMOE).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing for the alternative method of entry (AMOE) includes providing for an entry of the at least one player in at least two game sessions.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the AMOE is performed by an act of submitting an entry to the wagering game by mail.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the AMOE is performed by an act of submitting an entry to the wagering game over the Internet.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the entry fee for the AMOE entry is taken from either the total purse or the game operator'"'"'s purse.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the winner'"'"'s purse is reduced due to the AMOE entry.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the entry fee for the AMOE entry is paid for by no party, with no moneys or goods exchanged between any parties for this transaction.

15. A wagering game of skill wherein a game player is eligible to play the wagering game of skill through the use of an alternative method of entry (AMOE).

16. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the wagering game of skill is available to be played on a communication network.

17. The wagering game of skill according to claim 16, wherein the communication network includes at least one of a cable system, the Internet, or wireless network.

18. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the AMOE is performed by an act of submitting an entry to the wagering game of skill by mail.

19. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the AMOE is performed by an act of submitting an entry to the wagering game of skill over the Internet.

20. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein a game session associated with the wagering game of skill is provided with an entry by AMOE.

21. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the game session entered is the next starting game session after the AMOE is received and logged by the game operator.

22. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the game session entered is the next starting game session designated for AMOE game players after the AMOE is received and logged by the game operator.

23. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the wagering game of skill is one of poker, blackjack, dominoes, bridge, and mahjongg.

24. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the wagering game is played in a tournament.

25. The wagering game of skill according to claim 15, wherein the alternative method of entry (AMOE) includes an entry of the at least one player in at least two game sessions.

26. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method for conducting a world series of poker (WSOP) game, the method comprising acts of:

providing for an entry of at least one player into the WSOP game; and

providing, to the at least one player, an alternative method of entry (AMOE) to the WSOP game.

27. The computer-readable medium according to claim 26, wherein the method further comprises an act of conducting the WSOP game over a communication network.

28. The computer-readable medium according to claim 26, wherein the act of providing an entry of the at least one player in the WSOP game includes an act of entering the at least one player in a WSOP game session following a processing of an entry request of the at least one player by the alternative method of entry (AMOE).

29. The computer-readable medium according to claim 26, wherein the method further comprises an act of providing to the at least one player an indication of a WSOP game session to be entered by the alternative method of entry (AMOE).

30. The computer-readable medium according to claim 26, wherein the alternative method of entry (AMOE) includes an entry of the at least one player in at least two WSOP game sessions.

31. The computer readable medium according to claim 26, wherein the AMOE includes implementing a method comprising acts of:

entering a player into a game;

entering a winner of the game into the WSOP game.

32. The computer readable medium according to claim 26, wherein the game is a game of chance.