PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE GAMING PAYOUTS
First Claim
1. A gaming apparatus comprising:
- a display for providing game images to a player;
a value input interface for receiving a wager from the player;
a memory area for storing a threshold value; and
a controller coupled to the display, the value input interface and the memory area, said controller programmed to;
control a game for display to the player on the display;
determine a payout value associated with an outcome of the game, wherein the payout value is based at least partially on the wager received by the value input interface;
compare the determined payout value with the threshold value stored in the memory area; and
determine a plurality of payment options based on the comparison, wherein at least one of the determined plurality of payment options has a cash payout value less than the threshold value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided including a display unit configured to provide game images to a player, an input unit for receiving a wager from a player, a memory area for storing a threshold value and a processor coupled to the display, input unit and memory area. The processor is programmed to control a game for display to the player, determine the outcome of a game, determine the payout value based at least partially on a wager placed by the player, compare the determined payout value with the threshold value and determine a plurality of payout options where at least one of the options includes a cash payout less than the threshold value. Embodiments of the invention may reduce a player'"'"'s tax liability, attract players to a particular machine, attract repeat players, and enable a gaming operator to offset a cash payout by offering non-cash prizes.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A gaming apparatus comprising:
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a display for providing game images to a player; a value input interface for receiving a wager from the player; a memory area for storing a threshold value; and a controller coupled to the display, the value input interface and the memory area, said controller programmed to; control a game for display to the player on the display; determine a payout value associated with an outcome of the game, wherein the payout value is based at least partially on the wager received by the value input interface; compare the determined payout value with the threshold value stored in the memory area; and determine a plurality of payment options based on the comparison, wherein at least one of the determined plurality of payment options has a cash payout value less than the threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A gaming system, comprising:
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a plurality of gaming machines coupled to a network; a controller coupled to the network, said controller programmed to; control one or more games for display on one or more of the plurality of gaming machines; determine outcomes for the controlled games; identify one or more of the determined outcomes having a payout value exceeding a predefined threshold corresponding to the game; determine a plurality of payout options for each of the identified one or more outcomes, wherein at least one of the plurality of payout options for each of the identified one or more outcomes has a cash payout less than the defined threshold; and provide the determined plurality of payout options to each of the gaming machines corresponding to the identified one or more outcomes. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for providing a plurality of payout options in a gaming apparatus, the method comprising:
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defining a threshold cash payout value for a game; controlling a session of the game for a player, wherein said controlling generates a payout value associated with the session; comparing the generated payout value to the defined threshold cash payout value; determining the plurality of payout options for the session as a function of said comparing, wherein the determined plurality of payout options includes at least one non-cash payout option; presenting the determined plurality of payout options to the player; receiving a selection of at least one of the presented plurality of payout options from the player; and altering the generated payout value based on the received selection. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification