SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INCREASING PLAYER PARTICIPATION

• US 20110081958A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Lightman, Michael C., Ross, Matthew S., Lichtenberger, Francis J., Herrmann, Mark E., Taylor, John E. JR., Weller, Scott N., Hardy, Dow K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,597,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games

Abstract

A system and method are provided to combine a gambling establishment player club with one or more second chance games. Players are thereby given multiple opportunities and incentives to interact with the gambling establishment and player club. The gambling establishment is thereby able to gather valuable player data, build player profiles, and incentivize players to take actions desired by the gambling establishment.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for conducting a game of chance, the method comprising acts of:

associating on a computer system a primary game having a primary win opportunity with a second game;

providing a computer environment hosting the second game having a second chance win opportunity;

requiring that a player of the second chance game be uniquely identified in order to participate in the second chance win opportunity;

providing a second chance game interface accessible online; and

permitting the player to play the second game online through the second chance game interface, wherein the second chance game reveals an outcome of the second chance win opportunity.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary game includes a portion of the primary game played offline and a partial game result obtained offline, and a portion of the primary game played online and a remaining portion of a game result obtained online.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the portion of the primary game that is played offline including one or more areas of a game ticket capable of being revealed offline, the portion of the game result obtained online including one or more outcomes corresponding to one or more areas of the game ticket that cannot be revealed offline.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second game includes a portion of the second game played offline and a partial game result obtained offline, and a portion of the second game played online and a remaining portion of a game result obtained online.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of requiring the player be uniquely identified includes an act of requiring that the player enter into a membership club.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising an act of permitting the player to redeem the outcome of the second chance game, and wherein the act of requiring the player be uniquely identified occurs in response to the act of permitting the player to redeem the outcome.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of requiring the player be uniquely identified includes an act associating an anonymous identifier with the player.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of requiring the player be uniquely identified includes an act associating an anonymous identifier with the second chance opportunity.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of requiring that the player of the second chance game be uniquely identified occurs before the player is permitted to play the second chance game.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of providing a second chance identifier to the player, wherein the second chance identifier is used to access the second chance game.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the act of providing the second game having a second chance win opportunity occurs in response to an activity performed by the player.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the activity performed by the player includes visiting at least one of gambling activity, activity in a gaming establishment, activity in a redemption location, activity in a affiliated location, activity in a partner location, and activity in a predetermined online or physical location.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of associating the primary game having a primary win opportunity with a second game includes an act of associating game detail of the primary game with a second chance identifier.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the game detail includes at least one of nature of game, type of game, value of game, time play, location of play, place of purchase, theme of game, storyline of game, point in time of storyline of game, and other details associated with the primary game.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of permitting the player to select from a plurality of second chance games.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of awarding game credits, wherein the game credits are required to play the second chance game.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the act of awarding game credits occurs in response to at least one of receiving a valid second chance identifier, reaching a scheduled distribution period, reaching a predefined event associated with a gaming establishment, and reaching a predefined event associated with the player'"'"'s information.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the act of awarding game credits includes an act of identifying a range of game credits awarded, and further comprising an act of requiring a player action to determine a number of the game credits awarded.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of adjusting the outcome of the second chance win opportunity based at least in part on player status information.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the player status information includes at least one of a membership level, historical gaming activity by the player, predicted gaming activity by the player, tracked player behavior, predicted player behavior, and observed player preferences.

21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of permitting the player to accumulate second chance win opportunities.

22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of printing a second chance identifier on at least one of an issued ticket, a receipt, a scratch ticket, a lottery ticket, a receipt for purchase, a receipt for an award, a ticket to an event, an other receipt, a direct market mailing, an electronic communication, a cellular network communication, a wireless device communication, and a newspaper advertisement, and/or conveying a second chance identifier verbally via at least one of a telephone network, an advertisement, and a public address system.

23. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of collecting player information.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the player information includes at least one of information associated with play of the primary game, play of the second chance game, activities performed by the player associated with the second chance game, player preferences, player affinities, demographic information, and personal information.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising an act of generating a player profile from collected player information.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the act of collecting player information includes acts of:

associating information on the primary game with a second chance identifier; and

storing information on the primary game in response to access of the second chance game.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the act of collecting player information includes acts of:

associating non gaming activity with a second chance identifier; and

storing information on the non gaming activity in response to access of the second chance game.

28. The method according to claim 25, including an act of generating player preferences from collected information.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the collected information is associated with an anonymous identifier.

30. The method according to claim 25, further comprising an act of customizing the second chance game to the player profile.

31. The method according to claim 25, further comprising an act of customizing the primary game to the player profile.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the act of customizing the second chance game to the player profile includes an act of establishing the outcome of the second chance win opportunity to conform to a player preference or affinity identified at least in part by the player profile.

33. The method according to claim 29, further comprising an act of generating a player population profile, wherein the player population profile includes aggregate information from a plurality of players.

34. The method according to claim 1, further comprising acts of:

associating a plurality of second chance entries into a group; and

permitting the player to register the group of second chance entries.

35. The method according to claim 13, further comprising an act of continuing at least one aspect of the primary game in the second chance game based at least in part on the second chance identifier.

36. A non-transient computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, as a result of being executed by a processor, instruct the processor to perform a method for conducting a game of chance the method comprising the acts of:

associating a primary game having a primary win opportunity with a second game;

providing the second game having a second chance win opportunity;

requiring that a player of the second chance game be uniquely identified in order to participate in the second chance win opportunity;

providing a second chance game interface accessible online; and

permitting the player to play the second game online through the second chance game interface, wherein the second chance game reveals an outcome of the second chance win opportunity.

37. A system for conducting a game of chance, the system comprising:

an association component configured to associate a primary game having a primary win opportunity with a second game;

a second game system configured to provide the second game having a second chance win opportunity, wherein the second game system further comprises a second chance game interface, wherein the second chance game interface is configured to permit the player to play a second game, and reveal an outcome of the second chance win opportunity; and

an identification component configured to uniquely identify the player, wherein the player is required to be uniquely identified in order to complete the second chance win opportunity.