PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES FOR GAME PLAY BASED ON ACQUIRED POINTS

• US 20080195481A1
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2006
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: LUTNICK, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US11/857,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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

Methods of entering wagers using incentive awards. Points associated with incentive award programs may be used to play games. Outcomes of the games may determine further point awards. Points may be used to redeem prizes. Incentive award points may be separately maintained from redeemable points. Products and other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of an incentive award;

determining an amount of first points that may be used to place a bet in a wager based on the incentive award;

providing an interface through which at least a portion of the amount of the first points may be bet in a wager; and

determining an amount of second points based on an outcome of the wager, in which the second points may be redeemed for a prize.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the incentive award is redeemable only for first points and, in which the first points may not be redeemed for a prize.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the indication of the incentive award includes at least one of an indication of a code, an indication of loyalty to a merchant, and an indication of a sale.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interface through which the second points may be exchanged for the prize.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the outcome of the wager is determined based on an outcome of at least one of a house-based casino-style game, a non-house-based casino-style game, a game of skill, a game of chance, a sporting event, a video game, a card game, a table game, a world event, and a random event.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the interface includes at least one advertisement, the method comprising:

determining an amount of at least one of the first points and the second points earned with a display of the at least one advertisement; and

increasing at least one of a balance of first points and a balance of second points with the amount of points earned with the at least one advertisement.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of an amount of first points bet with the wager; and

adjusting a balance of first points by at least a portion of the amount of first points bet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a balance of first points by the amount of the first points determined based on the incentive award; and

adjusting a balance of seconds points by the amount of the second points determined based on the outcome of the wager.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the first points may also be redeemed for the prize.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising maintaining a balance of first points that is non-decreasing in response to the wager.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a wager from at least one user;

determining whether the at least one user has a balance of first points sufficient for the wager;

determining an outcome of the wager;

determining an amount of second points associated with an outcome of the wager; and

adjusting a balance of second points to reflect the amount of second points associated with the outcome of the wager, in which second points may be redeemed for a prize.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing an interface through which the second points may be exchanged for the prize.

13. The method of claim 11, in which the outcome of the wager is determined based on an outcome of at least one of a house-based casino-style game, a non-house-based casino-style game, a game of skill, a game of chance, a sporting event, a video game, a card game, a table game, a world event, and a random event.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

Providing an interface through which the wager may be placed.

15. The method of claim 14, in which the interface includes at least one advertisement, the method comprising:

determining an amount of at least one of the first points and the second points earned with a display of the at least one advertisement; and

increasing at least one of a balance of first points and a balance of second points with the amount of points earned with the at least one advertisement.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving an indication of an amount of first points bet with the wager; and

adjusting a balance of first points by at least a portion of the amount of first points bet.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

adjusting a balance of first points by an amount wagered.

18. The method of claim 11, in which the first points may not be redeemed for a prize.

19. The method of claim 11, in which the first points may also be redeemed for the prize.

20. The method of claim 11, comprising maintaining a balance of first points that is non-decreasing in response to the wager.

21. A method comprising:

receiving registration information about a user;

providing an interface through which the user may wager an amount of first points;

selecting an advertisement to include in the interface based on the registration information; and

maintaining a balance of second point that are redeemable for a prize, based on the wager.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the registration information includes demographic information about the user.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the interface includes a web page, and the advertisement includes a banner ad.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising awarding the user an amount of first points for providing the registration information.