METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A BONUS TO A PLAYER

• US 20080272541A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Friesen, Scott T., Sammon, Russell P., Walker, Jay S., Jarasch, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,277,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/139
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games

Abstract

A method, system, device and computer readable medium are described, in which a wagering game and a secondary game may be provided at a gaming device, wherein the secondary game comprises detecting an occurrence of a trigger; determining, responsive to the trigger, a player number based on a first criterion; determining, responsive to the trigger, a match number based on a second criterion; and determining if the match number meets a third criterion with respect to the player number.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a wagering game and a secondary game at a gaming device, the secondary game comprising;

detecting an occurrence of a trigger;

determining, responsive to the trigger, a player number based on a first criterion;

determining, responsive to the trigger, a match number based on a second criterion; and

determining if the match number meets a third criterion with respect to the player number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criterion is a credit meter balance associated with the player.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the player number comprises the credit meter balance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criterion is at least one characteristic of the player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one characteristic includes biometric data associated with the player.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first criterion includes player data from a player account associated with the player.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising accessing the player data using a player tracking card associated with the player account.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first criterion is a personal number associated with the player.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the personal number is a social security number.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the personal number is a player account number.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the personal number is a credit card number.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criterion includes a randomly generated number.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the match number is selected at random by a random number generator.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criterion is a progressive jackpot value associated with the gaming device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises a cashout request received from the player.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event includes comprises completion of the wagering game by the player.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the trigger event comprises a win of the wagering game by the player.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the trigger event comprises a loss of the wagering game by the player.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises completion of a predetermined number of wagering games by the player.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the player number comprises a credit meter balance associated with the player.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit comprises a monetary payout.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit comprises the addition of credits to a credit meter balance associated with the player.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit comprises a non-cash prize.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit comprises a discount on a purchase of a good or service.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the third criterion comprises a requirement that at least one digit of the match number correspond to at least one digit of the player number.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the third criterion comprises a requirement that at least one digit of the match number be equal to a corresponding at least one digit of the player number.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one digit of the match number is the last digit of the match number and the corresponding at least one digit of the player number is the last digit of the player number.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the at least one digit of the match number is the last two digits of the match number and the corresponding at least one digit of the player number is the last two digits of the player number.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the third criterion comprises a requirement that the match number be equal to the player number.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the third criterion comprises a requirement that the match number be within a predetermined magnitude of the player number.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the third criterion comprises a requirement that the match number be greater than the player number.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the third criterion comprises a requirement that the match number be less than the player number.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the third criterion is selected from a database.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the database is located on an external device in communication with the gaming device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the external device is a server.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit is provided to the player.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the benefit is provided to a third party associated with the player.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the third party is selected by the player.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device comprises a slot machine.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the gaming device is configured to resemble a pinball machine.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is configured to resemble a pinball machine.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the first criterion is a comp point balance associated with the player.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is a video poker terminal.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is a video lottery terminal.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is a personal computer.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is a handheld device.

47. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a benefit if the match number meets the third criterion.

48. An apparatus comprising:

a gaming device configured to facilitate a wagering game and a secondary game, the secondary game comprising;

detecting an occurrence of a trigger;

determining, responsive to the trigger, a player number based on a first criterion;

determining, responsive to the trigger, a match number based on a second criterion; and

determining if the match number meets a third criterion with respect to the player number.

49. A system comprising

a processor;

and

a device in communication with the processor and configured to facilitate a wagering game and a secondary game, the secondary game comprising;

detecting an occurrence of a trigger;

determining, responsive to the trigger, a player number based on a first criterion;

determining, responsive to the trigger, a match number based on a second criterion; and

determining if the match number meets a third criterion with respect to the player number.

50. A method comprising:

providing a wagering game and a secondary game at a gaming device, the secondary game comprising;

selecting an player number responsive to a first criterion associated with a player of the wagering game;

detecting an occurrence of a trigger event;

generating a random match number by a random number generator in response to the trigger event; and

providing, if the match number is equal to the player number, a benefit to the player.