GAMING SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT PLAYER-SELECTABLE WAGER ALTERNATIVES WHEN A CREDIT BALANCE IS LESS THAN A DESIGNATED WAGER AMOUNT AND GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO A LOWEST ELIGIBLE CREDIT BALANCE

• US 20150045112A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Donavan, Arthur A., Gerchak, Christian D., Abbamonte, Stephen M., McAll, Kenneth J., Strader, Christopher P., Ginac, Christopher W., Hare, Timothy C., Tremblay, Amanda M., Mueller, Dave W., Yu, Xin, Maddox, Robert W., Sorreta, Gianpaulo M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,293,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• 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 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives if a credit balance of a player is less than a designated wager amount (such as a cost to cover a play of a wagering game or a maximum wager amount for the play of the wagering game) and greater than or equal to a lowest eligible credit balance (such as 1 credit). Generally, selecting one of the different wager alternatives when the player'"'"'s remaining credit balance is less than the designated wager amount and greater than or equal to the lowest eligible wager amount enables the player to utilize the player'"'"'s remaining credit balance (or any suitable portion thereof) in a manner that is different than, separate from, and in addition to wagering on one or more plays of the wagering game.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device to display at least one play of a wagering game, each play of the wagering game being playable upon a wager by a player, an amount of the wager being at least a minimum wager amount and at most a maximum wager amount;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a credit balance of the player;

(c) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine if the player'"'"'s credit balance is less than a designated wager amount and greater than or equal to a lowest eligible credit balance, the designated wager amount being less than or equal to the maximum wager amount; and

(d) if the player'"'"'s credit balance is less than the designated wager amount and greater than or equal to the lowest eligible credit balance;

(i) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display a plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives, wherein each of the different player-selectable wager alternatives is;

(A) different from any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game,

(B) separate from any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game, and

(C) in addition to any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game;

(ii) enabling the player to select one of the different player-selectable wager alternatives; and

(iii) if the player selects one of the different player-selectable wager alternatives, providing the selected wager alternative.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the designated wager amount is one of:

(a) a cost to cover a play of the wagering game, and (b) the maximum wager amount.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lowest eligible credit balance is one credit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives include a bonus wager alternative and a drawing wager alternative.

5. The method of claim 4, which includes, if the player selects the bonus wager alternative:

(a) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with at least one display device to display a play of an alternative game;

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display an outcome of said play of the alternative game;

(c) if the displayed outcome is a winning outcome, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to increase the player'"'"'s credit balance such that the player'"'"'s credit balance reaches at least the designated wager amount; and

(d) if the displayed outcome is a losing outcome, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the player'"'"'s credit balance by an amount risked.

6. The method of claim 4, which includes, if the player selects the drawing wager alternative:

(a) providing at least one drawing entry to the player in exchange for at least a portion of the player'"'"'s credit balance; and

(b) causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to reduce the player'"'"'s credit balance by the portion of the player'"'"'s credit balance exchanged for the at least one drawing entry.

7. The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data network is an internet.

9. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) display at least one play of a wagering game, each play of the wagering game being playable upon a wager by a player, an amount of the wager being at least a minimum wager amount and at most a maximum wager amount;

(b) display a credit balance of the player;

(c) determine if the player'"'"'s credit balance is less than a designated wager amount and greater than or equal to a lowest eligible credit balance, the designated wager amount being less than or equal to the maximum wager amount; and

(d) if the player'"'"'s credit balance is less than the designated wager amount and greater than or equal to the lowest eligible credit balance;

(i) display a plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives, wherein each of the different player-selectable wager alternatives is;

(A) different from any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game,

(B) separate from any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game, and

(C) in addition to any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game;

(ii) enable the player to select one of the different player-selectable wager alternatives; and

(iii) if the player selects one of the different player-selectable wager alternatives, provide the selected wager alternative.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the designated wager amount is one of:

(a) a cost to cover a play of the wagering game, and (b) the maximum wager amount.

11. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the lowest eligible credit balance is one credit.

12. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives include a bonus wager alternative and a drawing wager alternative.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to, if the player selects the bonus wager alternative:

(a) display a play of an alternative game;

(b) display an outcome of said play of the alternative game;

(c) if the displayed outcome is a winning outcome, increase the player'"'"'s credit balance such that the player'"'"'s credit balance reaches at least the designated wager amount; and

(d) if the displayed outcome is a losing outcome, reduce the player'"'"'s credit balance by an amount risked.

14. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, if the player selects the drawing wager alternative:

(a) provide at least one drawing entry to the player in exchange for at least a portion of the player'"'"'s credit balance; and

(b) reduce the player'"'"'s credit balance by the portion of the player'"'"'s credit balance exchanged for the at least one drawing entry.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) cause at least one display device to display at least one play of a wagering game, each play of the wagering game being playable upon a wager by a player, an amount of the wager being at least a minimum wager amount and at most a maximum wager amount;

(b) cause the at least one display device to display a credit balance of the player;

(c) determine if the player'"'"'s credit balance is less than a designated wager amount and greater than or equal to a lowest eligible credit balance, the designated wager amount being less than or equal to the maximum wager amount; and

(d) if the player'"'"'s credit balance is less than the designated wager amount and greater than or equal to the lowest eligible credit balance;

(i) cause the at least one display device to display a plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives, wherein each of the different player-selectable wager alternatives is;

(A) different from any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game,

(B) separate from any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game, and

(C) in addition to any wagers that can be made on any plays of the wagering game;

(ii) enable the player to select one of the different player-selectable wager alternatives; and

(iii) if the player selects one of the different player-selectable wager alternatives, provide the selected wager alternative.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the designated wager amount is one of:

(a) a cost to cover a play of the wagering game, and (b) the maximum wager amount.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the lowest eligible credit balance is one credit.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of different player-selectable wager alternatives include a bonus wager alternative and a drawing wager alternative.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, if the player selects the bonus wager alternative:

(a) cause the at least one display device to display a play of an alternative game;

(b) cause the at least one display device to display an outcome of said play of the alternative game;

(c) if the displayed outcome is a winning outcome, increase the player'"'"'s credit balance such that the player'"'"'s credit balance reaches at least the designated wager amount; and

(d) if the displayed outcome is a losing outcome, reduce the player'"'"'s credit balance by an amount risked.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to, if the player selects the drawing wager alternative:

(a) provide at least one drawing entry to the player in exchange for at least a portion of the player'"'"'s credit balance; and

(b) reduce the player'"'"'s credit balance by the portion of the player'"'"'s credit balance exchanged for the at least one drawing entry.