Wagering Game With Unilateral Player Selection For Developing a Group

• US 20110124393A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Wark, Matthew J., Hornik, Jeremy M., Casey, Michael P., Flemming, Peter W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,403,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A wagering game system includes a service for conducting a group-wagering game for a group of players under the control of a gaming control system and a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal connected to the service and being configured to conduct a group-wagering game in combination with the service. The gaming control system is configured to permit a player in the group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of the group of players.

Claims

1. A wagering game system, comprising:

a service for conducting a group-wagering game for a group of players under the control of a gaming control system; and

a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal connected to said service and being configured to conduct a group-wagering game in combination with said service, wherein the gaming control system is configured to permit a player in the group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of said group of players by moving another player from said group of players into another group of players.

2. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein said another group of players comprises all of the members of said group of players except for said player.

3. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein the group-wagering game comprises a basic wagering game.

4. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein the group-wagering game comprises a supplemental game.

5. The wagering game system according to claim 4, wherein the supplemental game comprises a bonus game, a secondary game, or a progressive game.

6. The wagering game system according to claim 2, wherein the gaming control system is configured not to disclose to said another player that said player moved said another player from said group of players into said another group of players.

7. The wagering game system according to claim 1, wherein each player in the wagering game system is provided an opportunity to unilaterally choose players who will play in a group-wagering game comprising said each player.

8. A wagering game system for conducting a group-wagering game involving a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal connected to a service and being controlled by a gaming control system, the gaming control system comprising instructions borne on at least one physical memory and configured so that execution of said instructions by said one or more controllers cause acts comprising:

enabling a player of a gaming terminal participating in said group-wagering as part of a defined first group of players in the group-wagering game to form a second group of players in the group-wagering game from said first group of players, the second group of players comprising all members of the first group of players save for one other player that is excluded from the second group of players but is retained within the first group of players for continued play in the group-wagering game;

processing a player input from a player input device to identify said other player associate with said input; and

defining, responsive to said input, said second group of players comprising all members of the first group of players save for said one other player that is excluded from the second group of players but is retained within the first group of players for continued play in the group-wagering game.

9. The wagering game system according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of gaming terminals comprise slot machines.

10. The wagering game system according to claim 8, wherein the outcome of the group-wagering game is randomly determined by the one or more controllers.

11. A wagering game system according to claim 9, wherein the gaming control system is configured to form said second group of players responsive to a player input from a player input device on said slot machine.

12. A wagering game system according to claim 8, wherein the gaming control system is further configured to display, on a gaming terminal display, selectable elements corresponding to players or gaming terminals eligible to participate in the group-wagering game.

13. A wagering game system according to claim 12, wherein the gaming control system is further configured to display on the gaming terminal display information corresponding to said selectable elements, the information comprising game play statistics.

14. A wagering game system for a plurality of slot machines, comprising:

a plurality of slot machines; and

a network interface unit for connecting said a slot machines to a network in which a group-wagering game is conducted;

a wagering game controller configured, responsive to a player input by a player in said group-wagering game, to unilaterally alter a membership of a group of players participating in said group-wagering game and form two separate groups having all members in common except for one player.

15. The wagering game system according to claim 14, wherein said one player is a different player than said player.

16. A method of conducting a wagering game at a plurality of slot machines connected to a service, comprising:

receiving wager inputs at one or more of said plurality of slot machines;

defining at least one group of players from a plurality of players inputting wagers on a group-wagering game using said slot machines; and

permitting at least one player in said at least one group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of said at least one group of players in said group-wagering game.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the act of:

permitting said at least one player to unilaterally alter a membership of said at least one group of players by adding or removing at least one player.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the act of:

permitting said at least one player to unilaterally alter a membership of said at least one group of players during a group-wagering game comprising a basic wagering game.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

permitting said at least one player to unilaterally alter a membership of said at least one group of players during a group-wagering game comprising a supplemental wagering game.