SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONDUCTING A SWEEPSTAKES IN A GAMING ENVIRONMENT
First Claim
1. In a gaming system having one or more gaming devices, each of said one or more gaming devices facilitating a play of a game of chance, and a central computer coupled to said one or more gaming devices, a method that awards promotional awards, said method comprising:
- configuring, at said central computer, a sweepstakes eligibility criterion and a sweepstakes entry criterion;
determining whether said sweepstakes entry criterion has been met by a player at one gaming device based on a monitored activity related to play of said gaming device;
if it is determined that said sweepstakes entry criterion has been met based on said monitored activity, then;
determining whether said sweepstakes eligibility criterion has been met by said player of said one gaming device;
issuing a virtual sweepstakes entry with respect to said player of said one gaming device, said virtual sweepstakes entry defining a ticket of a pool of tickets;
closing said pool of tickets from receiving any additional virtual sweepstakes entry;
randomly selecting at least one virtual sweepstakes entry from said pool of tickets to obtain a winning ticket; and
awarding at least one of said promotion awards in response to said winning ticket.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for sweepstakes awards in a gaming environment. Certain embodiments provide a method including accumulating sweepstakes entries for a player based on at least one sweepstakes entry criterion and randomly selecting a winner from the pool of sweepstakes entries. The sweepstakes entries are associated with the player and incorporated in a pool of sweepstakes entries. In certain embodiments, the at least one sweepstakes entry criterion comprises at least one of one entry per player, accumulating points based on play, accumulating points based on machine outcome, and coin in. In certain embodiments, the method further includes determining eligibility of a player for the sweepstakes. In certain embodiments, eligibility is determined based on at least one of a player group, a machine group, a machine denomination, a machine type, a machine manufacturer, a game manufacturer, a game theme and a game title, for example.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. In a gaming system having one or more gaming devices, each of said one or more gaming devices facilitating a play of a game of chance, and a central computer coupled to said one or more gaming devices, a method that awards promotional awards, said method comprising:
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configuring, at said central computer, a sweepstakes eligibility criterion and a sweepstakes entry criterion; determining whether said sweepstakes entry criterion has been met by a player at one gaming device based on a monitored activity related to play of said gaming device; if it is determined that said sweepstakes entry criterion has been met based on said monitored activity, then; determining whether said sweepstakes eligibility criterion has been met by said player of said one gaming device; issuing a virtual sweepstakes entry with respect to said player of said one gaming device, said virtual sweepstakes entry defining a ticket of a pool of tickets; closing said pool of tickets from receiving any additional virtual sweepstakes entry; randomly selecting at least one virtual sweepstakes entry from said pool of tickets to obtain a winning ticket; and awarding at least one of said promotion awards in response to said winning ticket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A gaming system in communication with one or more gaming devices for play by players for providing sweepstakes awards, said system comprising:
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a central authority including a computer processor and a data structure; a network in communication with said gaming devices and said central authority; a configuration manager in communication with said network that configures sweepstakes eligibility criterion and sweepstakes entry criterion to award a sweepstakes award to a player; said central authority configured to monitor activity related to play of said one or more gaming devices with respect to a game being played by a player in order to determine satisfaction of a sweepstakes entry criterion, if it is determined that said sweepstakes entry criterion has been met based on said monitored activity, then determine whether said sweepstakes eligibility criterion has been met by said player of said gaming device, generate an entry with respect to said player of said gaming device, and store storing said entry in a pool at said data structure, randomly select from said pool at least one entry as a winning entry and issue an award based upon said winning entry. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification