System and method for rewarding game players

• US 20060205461A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Herrmann, Mark E., Kane, Steven N., Hardy, Dow, LaRocca, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A system and method are provided for rewarding players of games of chance. The game of chance may include, for example, a lottery-type game or a casino game. Individuals are provided the opportunity to earn extra rewards by forming teams or special groups of individuals; the team or special group must perform a particular task to obtain the extra reward. Such methods may help to maintain or increase the interest of a frequent lottery or game player, may provide a new or different incentive to attract new players, and may offer a means for a game operator to differentiate its player'"'"'s club or rewards program from those of other operators. These organizations may include bingo hall operators (such as churches, senior centers, and charitable organizations), lottery agencies (such as those of United States of America state governments, or multi-state agencies like those for PowerBall and the Big Game, and Native American nations), and on-line and/or land-based casinos.

Claims

1. A rewards program associated with at least one game and comprising:

a storage element that stores information identifying at least two program members;

a team identifier that links the at least two program members as members of a team; and

a reward counter that stores rewards earned by any member of the team to accumulate a team reward.

2. The rewards program of claim 1, wherein the at least one game is a game of chance.

3. The rewards program of claim 1, wherein the rewards program is operated by a game operator that is an organization offering the at least one game.

4. The rewards program of claim 3, wherein the at least one game includes at least one casino betting game.

5. The rewards program of claim 3, wherein the at least one game includes at least one of poker, blackjack, keno, bingo, slots, and roulette.

6. The rewards program of claim 3, wherein the at least one game includes a lottery.

7. The rewards program of claim 3, wherein the organization is at least one of a lottery agency, a land-based casino, an on-line casino, and a bingo hall.

8. The rewards program of claim 3, wherein the team reward is evenly divided among the team members by the game operator.

9. The rewards program of claim 1, wherein the team reward is provided to the team as a whole.

10. The rewards program of claim 1, wherein the team reward is provided to the team members on a prorated basis.

11. The rewards program of claim 1, wherein the team reward is time-dependent or time constrained.

12. The rewards program of claim 11, wherein the team reward is not dependent upon winning of the at least one game by any of the team members.

13. The rewards program of claim 1, wherein the at least one game includes multiple games and wherein the team reward is game dependent.

14. The rewards program of claim 1, wherein the team reward includes at least one of money, credit, merchandise, an adjustment in rules of play of at least one game, and loyalty points.

17. The rewards program of claim 1, further comprising an individual reward counter that stores individual rewards earned for actions associated with the team.

18. The rewards program of claim 1, further comprising a reward adjustment counter that modifies the reward earned based on predefined characteristics.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the game of chance is purely a game of chance.

15. A method of team gaming comprising acts of:

providing for a first player to join a rewards program;

providing for a second player to join the rewards program;

identifying the first and second players as members of a team;

providing at least one team goal that is linked to the players participation in at least one game; and

accumulating a team reward based on the players achieving the at least one team goal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the team goal includes an act of requiring that the players play a predetermined number of game sessions of the at least one game within a predetermined time period.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising acts of:

providing for the first player to invite the second player to become a member of a team; and

providing for the second player to accept an invitation to become a member of a team.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of providing for a player to join a preexisting team.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one game includes at least one of a game of chance, a game of skill, a casino betting game, and a lottery.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the method of team gaming is performed by a game operator that offers the at least one game.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the game operator includes at least one of a lottery agency, a land-based casino, an on-line casino, and a bingo hall.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of adjusting the team reward based on predefined characteristics.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of providing an individual reward for actions associated with the team.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of distributing the team reward.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of displaying to the members of a team progress of the team towards the team goal.

29. 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 team gaming, the method comprising acts of:

providing for a first player to join a rewards program;

providing for a second player to join the rewards program;

identifying the first and second players as members of a team;

providing at least one team goal that is linked to the players participation in at least one game; and

accumulating a team reward based on the players achieving the at least one team goal.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the at least one team goal is limited by a predetermined time interval.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises acts of:

providing for the first player to invite the second player to become a member of a team; and

providing for the second player to accept an invitation to become a member of a team.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of providing for a player to join a preexisting team.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method of team gaming is performed by a game operator that offers the at least one game.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of adjusting the team reward based on predefined characteristics.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of providing an individual reward for actions associated with the team.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of distributing the team reward.

37. A system for playing a team game on a computer system, the system comprising:

means for providing for a first player to join a rewards program;

means for providing for a second player to join the rewards program;

means for identifying the first and second players as members of a team;

means for providing at least one team goal that is linked to the players participation in at least one game; and

means for accumulating a team reward based on the players achieving the at least one team goal.