SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLAYING A ROLE-PLAYING GAME

• US 20080220845A1
• Filed: 03/20/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games LLC (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gamelogic Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kane, Steven N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,980,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/18
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

A method and apparatus for playing a variation of keno in which the game player pays to play through any number of methods, reveals whether the player has a winning number of matches by playing a solitaire game, and then receives the appropriate winnings if any. The solitaire game may be played, for example, over the Internet or other network using a computer system. The computer system may be, for instance, a cell phone, a personal computer, a set-top box, kiosk, or other computing system.

Claims

1. A keno game having an associated game session, the keno game comprising:

a selection of a plurality of numbers associated with a player;

a selection of a plurality of winning numbers associated with the keno game; and

a computer-based game, wherein play of the computer-based game by the player reveals one or more matches between the plurality of numbers associated with the player and the plurality of winning numbers.

2. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player pays to play with at least one of money and loyalty points.

3. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player pays by at least one of cash, debit card, credit card, account credit and loyalty program credit.

4. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player may subscribe to play multiple game sessions.

5. A game according to claim 4, wherein the player may automatically renew the subscription.

6. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player pays to play at a casino.

7. A game according to claim 6, wherein the player is issued a ticket upon paying.

8. A game according to claim 7, wherein the player enters ticket information into the gaming computer to play the game.

9. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player plays against the game operator.

10. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player does not need to play the computer-based game to play the keno game.

11. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player does not need to play the computer-based game to win.

12. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player may play the computer-based game to reveal the one or more matches.

13. A game according to claim 1, wherein the computer-based game is a solitaire game and wherein each of a plurality of specified cards in the solitaire game represent the respective ones of the plurality of numbers associated with the player.

14. A game according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the specified cards that is revealed during play of the solitaire game also reveals whether a number represented by the at least one of the specified cards matches one of the plurality of winning numbers.

15. A game according to claim 13, wherein all of the specified cards are revealed at least by a completion of the solitaire game.

16. A game according to claim 15, wherein it is revealed how many of the plurality of numbers associated with the player match the plurality of winning numbers.

17. A game according to claim 12, wherein the player plays by at least one of an interactive television, a personal computer, a kiosk, a handheld device, and a telephone having a display.

18. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player may play the computer-based game off-site from a casino.

19. A game according to claim 1, wherein a payout for winning the keno game depends upon the number of matching numbers between the player'"'"'s numbers and the winning numbers.

20. A game according to claim 19, wherein the payout for winning increases as the number of matching numbers increases.

21. A game according to claim 1, wherein the payout for winning to a player increases with increased payment by the player to play.

22. A game according to claim 1, further comprising one or more progressive jackpots.

23. A game according to claim 1, further comprising a payout table, wherein the payout table is not directly determined by the odds of winning with or without a fee to the gaming operator.

24. A game according to claim 1, wherein a payout for winning the keno game includes at least one of money, credit, merchandise and loyalty points.

25. A game according to claim 1, wherein the payout for winning money is by cash, check, debit card, or account credit.

26. A game according to claim 1, wherein the payout for winning loyalty points is loyalty program credit or account credit.

27. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player may receive the winning only at a casino.

28. A game according to claim 1, wherein the game sessions run continually.

29. A game according to claim 1, wherein a game playing computer system randomly picks the plurality of numbers associated with the player from a predetermined set of numbers.

30. A game according to claim 1, wherein a game playing computer system randomly picks the plurality of winning numbers from a predetermined set of numbers.

31. A game according to claim 1, wherein after the plurality of winning numbers and the plurality of numbers associated with the player are drawn, the computer system performs acts of:

determining how many numbers match between the numbers associated with the player and the plurality of winning numbers; and

determining a payout based upon a predetermined payout table.

32. A game according to claim 31, wherein the payout is determined independently of play of the computer-based game by the player.

33. A game according to claim 31, wherein the payout table is based solely on number of matches between the plurality of winning numbers and the plurality of numbers associated with the player.

34. A game according to claim 1, wherein a game playing computer system displays to a plurality of players when there is a winner.

35. A game according to claim 1, wherein a game playing computer system displays to a plurality of players, a winning player among the plurality of players.

36. A game according to claim 1, wherein the computer system automatically notifies the player of the game result.

37. A game according to claim 1, wherein the computer system automatically notifies the player of winnings.

38. A game according to claim 36, wherein the computer system notifies a player by at least one of a group including a telephone, a pager, a fax, a mail message, a television notification, a personal computer message, a handheld device, and a kiosk.

39. A game according to claim 28, wherein the game sessions run continually with advertising streams inserted into the display during the game session.

40. A game according to claim 28, wherein the game sessions run continually with advertising streams displayed between individual game sessions.

41. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player may enter a game session through an alternative method of entry (AMOE).

42. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player pays to play through a lottery agent.

43. A game according to claim 42, wherein the player is issued a ticket upon paying.

44. A game according to claim 43, wherein the player enters ticket information into the gaming computer to play the game.

45. A game according to claim 1, wherein the player pays to play through the Internet.