Wagering game with unilateral player selection for developing a group

• US 20060100019A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Hornik, Jeremy M., Casey, Michael P., Flemming, Peter W., Ward, Matthew J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A wagering game system includes a service for conducting a group-wagering game for a group of players under the control of a gaming control system and a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal connected to the service and being configured to conduct a group-wagering game in combination with the service. The gaming control system is configured to permit a player in the group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of the group of players.

Claims

1. A wagering game system, comprising:

a service for conducting a group-wagering game for a group of players under the control of a gaming control system; and

a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal connected to said service and being configured to conduct a group-wagering game in combination with said service;

wherein the gaming control system is configured to permit a player in the group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of said group of players.

2. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein the gaming control system is configured to permit a player in the group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of said group of players to add or remove at least one player.

3. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein the group-wagering game comprises a basic wagering game.

4. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein the group-wagering game comprises a supplemental game.

5. The wagering game system according to claim 4, wherein the supplemental game comprises one of a bonus game, a secondary game, and a progressive game.

6. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein the gaming control system is configured not to disclose alteration of a membership to a removed player.

7. The wagering game system according to claim 6, wherein the alteration of a membership of said group of players to remove said player is achieved by forming a second group containing said removed player.

8. The wagering game system according to claim 7, wherein subsequent group-wagering game play by the remainder of said group of players is replicated within the second group until such time as said removed player in the second group unilaterally requests, through the removed player'"'"'s gaming terminal, that the gaming control system alters a membership of said second group of players to alter a membership of said group of players to remove players in said remainder of said group of players.

9. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein information regarding the alteration of a membership of said group of players is disseminated at least to a removed group member.

10. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein each player in the wagering game system is provided an opportunity to unilaterally replace a player in the group with a computer generated player.

11. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said group comprises at least one player having a wager on an outcome of said group-wagering game and at least one player whose game play at a respective gaming terminal influences an outcome of said group-wagering game, but does not participate in any award received by the group arising from said outcome of said group-wagering game.

12. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein each player in the wagering game system is provided an opportunity to unilaterally choose players who will play in a group-wagering game and influence an outcome therein.

13. The wagering game system according to claim 12, wherein said gaming control system prohibits players in a group who do not unilaterally choose to be a part of such group from receiving any part of any award received by the group.

14. The wagering game system according to claim 13, wherein said gaming control system is configured to provide players with an option of being a member of more than one group and to share in any award received by the group upon satisfaction of a pre-condition.

15. The wagering game system according to claim 14, wherein the pre-condition comprises at least one of the input of an additional wager into the wagering game system and the input of an additional wager into the wagering game system for each group in which the player wants to be a part.

16. A method of conducting a group-wagering game involving a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal connected to a service and being controlled by a gaming control system, comprising the acts of:

defining at least one group of players from a plurality of players placing wagers on the group-wagering game; and

permitting at least one player in said at least one group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of said at least one group of players by adding or removing at least one player.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the act of:

permitting said at least one player to unilaterally alter a membership of said at least one group of players during a group-wagering game comprising at least one of a basic wagering game and a supplemental wagering game, wherein the supplemental game comprises ay least one of a bonus game, a secondary game, and a progressive game.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the act of:

disclosing alteration of a membership of said at least one group of players to a removed player.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

withholding disclosure of alteration of a membership of said at least one group of players to a removed player.

20. A method of operating a gaming terminal, comprising:

receiving a wagering input from a player to play a group-wagering game;

displaying a separate indicia for each player in a group of players who will be participating in a group-wagering game with said player;

conducting a group-wagering game on said gaming terminal, wherein each player in said group of players inclusive of said player provides a separate input to the group-wagering game;

using the inputs by each player in said group of players to determine an outcome of the group-wagering game;

displaying an outcome of the group-wagering game on said gaming terminal, and

permitting said player to unilaterally alter a membership of said group of players prior to said conducting of a group-wagering game or subsequent to said displaying of an outcome of the group-wagering game.