System and method for conducting a game

• US 20050233791A1
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Kane, Steven N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,641,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/6
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A game system is provided that conducts a game having one or more players. In the game, players compete in a number of gaming sessions to achieve an ultimate goal. In one example, the ultimate goal is to win a race, with the players'"'"' progress in the race being influenced by each players'"'"' success within individual game sessions. In one example, at least one of the game sessions is a guts poker game played among a number of players.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a game comprising acts of:

providing for an entry of a player into a plurality of game sessions;

providing for a race between the player and one or more other players; and

playing, by the player, in at least one of the plurality of game sessions having at least one outcome, wherein the at least one outcome of at least one of the plurality of game sessions determines an advancement of the player in the race.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of purchasing, by the player, the entry of the player into the plurality of game sessions.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the player pays to enter into the plurality of game sessions with at least one of money, credit, debit, and loyalty program credit.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining at least one winner among the player and one or more other players.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of assigning a random number to the player, the random number determining the advancement of the player in the race.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of game sessions is a poker game, and wherein the method further comprises an act of assigning to a plurality of possible poker hands, respectively, a score for each of the respective possible poker hands, dealing a first poker hand to the player, and, based on the poker hand and the assigned scores, determining a score of the hand, and determining the advancement of the player in the raced based at least in part on the score of the hand.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising an act of determining a player score over a period of time, the player score being based at least in part on the score of the hand.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the period of time is at least one of a predetermined period of time.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined period of time is at least one of a day, a week, a month and a year.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising an act of awarding a prize to a player having a highest score over the period of time.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of game sessions is a fixed-odds game.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining a payout to the player from a predetermined payout table.

13. The method according to claim 6, further comprising an act of awarding a prize to the player if the first poker hand matches a predetermined poker hand.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the act of awarding a prize further comprises an act of, if the player receives the first poker hand within a predetermined period of time, awarding the prize to the player.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the prize is funded through a percentage of a subscription fee paid to the gaming operator.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the act of awarding a prize further comprises an act of, awarding a plurality of prizes to a top percentage of scores.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein an amount of the plurality of prizes awarded to the top percentage of scores is paid from a predetermined percentage of revenues derived from purchases of player subscriptions.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of selecting, from among a plurality of players, a winning player that wins at least one of the plurality of game sessions.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of representing, in a visual manner to the player, the advancement of the player in the race.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the act of representing further comprises an act of displaying to the player in an interface of a computer system, the advancement of the player in the race.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the act of representing the player further comprises an act of representing the player as a token displayed in a race track, and representing the advancement of the player visually to the player as a progression along the race track.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of game sessions is a card game.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of game sessions is a game of guts poker.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of game sessions includes a session of guts poker.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of representing the player as a token in the race.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the token is advanced based on one or more outcomes of the plurality of game sessions.

27. The method according to claim 3, wherein the player is permitted to purchase the entry to the plurality of game sessions in a jurisdiction that permits gambling.

28. The method according to claim 3, wherein the player is permitted to view at least one of the game sessions in an interface at a location outside of a jurisdiction that permits gambling.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one player is not required to observe at least one of the plurality of game session to play the at least one of the plurality of game sessions.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein the player is permitted to observe at least one of the plurality of game sessions.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein the player is permitted to observe the at least one game session from a location remote from a system that is adapted to conduct the at least one game session.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the player is permitted to observe the at least one game session on at least one of a television, a personal computer, a kiosk, a handheld device, and a telephone having a display.

33. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining a payout to at least a winner of the race.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the act of determining the payout further comprises an act of determining the payout based on the number of players participating in the race.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the act of determining the payout further comprises an act of determining a hold percentage to be retained by a gaming operator.

36. The method according to claim 33, wherein the act of determining the payout further comprises determining a payout to at least one winning player from a predetermined payout table.

37. The method according to claim 1, wherein the player is permitted to enter at least one of the plurality of game sessions through an alternative method of entry (AMOE).

38. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of conducting at least one of the plurality of game sessions, the act of conducting comprising acts of:

choosing, for the at least one of the plurality of game sessions, winning game content from among game content associated with a plurality of players playing the at least one of the plurality of game sessions and determining at least one winning player;

indicating, to the at least one winning player that he/she has won the at least one of the plurality of game sessions; and

providing a payout to the at least one winning player.

39. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing an entry includes an act of entering the player in a series of game sessions of guts poker.

40. The method according to claim 2, wherein the series of game sessions of guts poker are played daily, wherein a new hand is dealt at least one of every M minutes and D times per day.

41. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing for an entry of a player into the plurality of game sessions, wherein the entry of the player does not begin until a game session following the entry.

42. The method according to claim 33, wherein the act of determining a payout further comprises determining at least one fixed odds payout.

43. The method according to claim 33, wherein the act of determining a payout further comprises determining at least one payout to at least one of a plurality of players of a group of top scorers.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the group of top scorers within at least one of the plurality of game sessions includes players that finish within at least one of a predetermined ranking of players and predetermined percentage of top scorers.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein the at least one of the game sessions is a poker game, and wherein the act of determining at least one fixed odds payout comprises an act of determining a payout for a plurality of goals, at least one of which goals occurs if the player achieves a certain hand during a predetermined period of time, and at least another of the plurality of goals that occurs if the player achieves a particular hand.