Methods and systems for determining and selling wagering game outcomes for a plurality of players

• US 20060240890A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Robert C., Patterson, Michael W., Walker, Jay S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/23
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated and used to create a video presentation of representative outcomes for one or more players. The video presentation is recorded onto a tangible medium (e.g., DVD or CD-ROM) or otherwise provided to one or more players (e.g., a player may access the video presentation online). This allows one or more players to purchase a video presentation of (e.g., predetermined) outcomes in a jurisdiction in which gambling is legal yet view the presentation at the player'"'"'s convenience (e.g., from any jurisdiction and at any time). At least one player who is associated with such a video presentation may subsequently redeem it for a redemption value associated therewith.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a plurality of outcomes of a wagering game,

in which a first outcome of the plurality of outcomes is associated with a first player, and

in which a second outcome of the plurality of outcomes is associated with a second player;

storing an indication of the plurality of outcomes; and

selling, after the last of the plurality of outcomes has been generated, the plurality of outcomes to a purchaser in exchange for a price.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the second outcome based on the first outcome.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the second outcome independently of the first outcome.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the first outcome and the second outcome are interdependent.

5. The method of claim 1, in which determining the plurality of outcomes comprises:

generating the second outcome on a gaming device operable to simulate outcomes for a multiplayer game.

6. The method of claim 1, in which determining the plurality of outcomes comprises:

executing a plurality of game sessions.

7. The method of claim 1, in which determining the plurality of outcomes comprises:

determining the first outcome in a first game session; and

determining the second outcome in a second game session.

8. The method of claim 1, in which determining the plurality of outcomes comprises:

determining the first outcome and the second outcome in a game session.

9. The method of claim 1, in which determining the plurality of outcomes comprises:

executing at least two game sessions concurrently.

10. The method of claim 1, in which selling comprises:

providing at least one receipt to the purchaser.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first receipt that is associated with the first player; and

providing a second receipt that is associated with the second player.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first receipt that is associated with a first final balance; and

providing a second receipt that is associated with a second final balance.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first receipt that is associated with a first redemption value; and

providing a second receipt that is associated with a second redemption value.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a receipt having at least one separable portion, each separable portion being associated with a respective player.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a receipt including a plurality of identifiers, each identifier being associated with a respective player.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a receipt having at least one separable portion, each separable portion being associated with a respective final balance.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a receipt having a plurality of identifiers, each identifier being associated with a respective final balance.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a receipt having at least one separable portion, each separable portion being associated with a respective redemption value.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a receipt having a plurality of identifiers, each identifier being associated with a respective redemption value.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein storing comprises:

storing the indication of the plurality of outcomes on a tangible medium, and

wherein selling comprises;

selling, after the last of the plurality of outcomes has been generated, the tangible medium to the purchaser in exchange for a price.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the tangible medium comprises a multiplayer game disc.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the tangible medium comprises at least one of:

a DVD;

a CD-ROM;

a floppy disk;

a VHS tape;

a flash memory; and

a portable viewing device.

23. The method of claim 1, in which the purchaser is a casino.

24. The method of claim 1, in which the purchaser is a person.

25. The method of claim 24, in which the purchaser is the first player.

26. The method of claim 1, in which the first player is a person.

27. The method of claim 26, in which the second player is a simulated player.

28. The method of claim 26, in which the second player is a person.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for the plurality of outcomes from the purchaser; and

causing the plurality of outcomes to be generated in response to the request.

30. The method of claim 11, in which the request specifies a number of players.

31. The method of claim 1, in which determining the indication of the plurality of outcomes comprises determining an indication of a plurality of outcomes generated by a plurality of gaming devices.

32. The method of claim 1, in which determining the indication of the plurality of outcomes comprises determining at least one indicia representative of the first outcome of the plurality of outcomes.

33. The method of claim 32,

in which the purchaser is the first player, and

in which determining the at least one indicia comprises determining at least one indicia as it is to appear to the first player once the first player purchases the plurality of outcomes.

34. The method of claim 1, in which storing comprises:

storing an image on a tangible medium, the image representing at least the first outcome and the second outcome of the plurality of outcomes.

35. The method of claim 1, in which storing comprises:

storing an image on a tangible medium, the image representing an indication of the first player and an indication of the second player.

36. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the plurality of outcomes; and

receiving a request from the purchaser to purchase the stored plurality of outcomes, in which the request is received subsequent to the plurality of outcomes being determined.

37. The method of claim 36, in which the request defines at least one characteristic of the plurality of outcomes, the at least one characteristic governing a manner in which the plurality of outcomes is determined.

38. The method of claim 36, in which the at least one characteristic defines a number of players for whom outcomes are to be generated.

39. A method, comprising:

causing a plurality of actual outcomes to be generated on a gaming device operable to facilitate a wagering game;

determining data indicative of the plurality of actual outcomes;

determining, based on the data, a plurality of images,

each image representing an outcome and a respective player associated with the outcome,

each image to be stored on one tangible medium, and

each image thereby comprising a representative outcome;

causing the plurality of representative outcomes be stored on one tangible medium; and

making the tangible medium available for sale.

40. The method of claim 39, in which determining data indicative of the plurality of actual outcomes comprises determining at least one of:

an identifier that identifies a player who is associated with at least one respective actual outcome of the plurality of actual outcomes;

a set of indicia comprising a particular outcome of the plurality of actual outcomes;

a payout corresponding to a particular actual outcome of the plurality of actual outcomes;

a sum of payouts corresponding to the plurality of actual outcomes;

an identifier corresponding to at least one actual outcome of the plurality of outcomes;

a time at which an actual outcome of the plurality of outcomes was generated;

a gaming device at which an actual outcome of the plurality of outcomes was generated; and

at least one characteristic of the plurality of actual outcomes.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

selling the tangible medium prior to a payout corresponding to any one of the outcomes generated on the gaming device having been provided to any player.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

receiving, after the selling, a request from a player for the payout corresponding to at least one of the actual outcomes;

verifying the player is one of at least one player associated with the tangible medium; and

authorizing the payout corresponding to at least one of the actual outcomes.

43. The method of claim 39, in which determining, based on the data, a plurality of images comprises:

determining a sum of payouts corresponding to the plurality of actual outcomes; and

determining a plurality of images, each image corresponding to a payout, such that the sum of payouts corresponding to the plurality of images equals the sum of payouts corresponding to the plurality of actual outcomes.

44. The method of claim 39, in which the tangible medium comprises a multiplayer game disc.

45. The method of claim 39, in which the tangible medium comprises at least one of:

a DVD;

a CD-ROM;

a floppy disk;

a VHS tape;

a flash memory; and

a portable viewing device.

46. A method, comprising:

selling a plurality of outcomes as a package,

in which the plurality of outcomes is based on at least one random number result generated by a computing device operable to simulate play of a multiplayer wagering game, and

in which the selling occurs after the at least one random number result has been generated and prior to a payout for any outcome of the plurality of outcomes having been provided to any player.

47. A method, comprising:

selling a plurality of outcomes as a package,

in which a first outcome of the plurality of outcomes is associated with a first player,

in which a second outcome of the plurality of outcomes is associated with a second player, and

in which the selling occurs after plurality of outcomes has been generated and prior to any payout for any outcome of the plurality of outcomes having been provided to any player.