Method, apparatus and article for hierarchical wagering

• US 7,427,234 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital Table Systems LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Soltys, Richard, Huizinga, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn; Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US11/337,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20060121975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 463/40, 463/42, 463/16, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players

Abstract

A primary wager is placed by a primary player regarding an outcome of a gaming event, and a secondary wager is placed by a secondary player regarding an outcome of the primary wager. Tertiary wagers may also be placed regarding an outcome of the secondary wager. The outcome of the gaming event is determined. The outcome of the primary wager is determined based on the determined outcome of the gaming event. The outcome of the secondary wager is determined based on the determined outcome of the primary wager. The outcome of the tertiary wager is determined based on the outcome of the secondary wager. Winnings and losses are paid and collected, respectively. Wagering can be local or remote. Statistics and/or odds can be generated and displayed.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating gaming, the method comprising:

determining an outcome of a primary wager by a primary player based at least in part on an outcome of a gaming event; and

determining an outcome of a secondary wager by a secondary player based at least in part on the determined outcome of the primary wager and a set of odds associated with the primary player indicative of a success rate of the primary player'"'"'s previous play.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the set of odds associated with the primary player based at least in part on a number of outcomes of primary wagers previously placed by the primary player.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the set of odds for at least the primary player to at least the secondary player.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

paying out the secondary wager at the set of odds, if the secondary wager is successful.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

paying out the secondary wager at the set of odds, where the primary wager is successful and the secondary wager is that the primary wager will be successful.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

paying out the secondary wager at the set of odds, where the primary wager is unsuccessful and the secondary wager is that the primary wager will be unsuccessful.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an outcome of a primary wager by a primary player based at least in part on an outcome of a gaming event comprises determining the outcome of a hand of blackjack played by the primary player.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an outcome of a tertiary wager by a tertiary player based at least in part on the determined outcome of the secondary wager and a set of odds associated with a secondary player.

9. A system to facilitate gaming, the system comprising:

means for communicating a set of odds associated with a primary player to at least a secondary player, the set of odds indicative previous successes of the primary player at a type of wagering game; and

means for resolving a secondary wager placed by the secondary player based at least in part on an outcome of a primary wager by the primary player and the set of odds associated with the primary player.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for determining the outcome of the primary wager by the primary player.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for communicating a set of odds associated with a primary player to at least a secondary player comprises a display located proximate a location where the primary player places the primary wager.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for communicating a set of odds associated with a primary player to at least a secondary player comprises a display located remotely from a location where the primary player places the primary wager.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the means for communicating a set of odds associated with a primary player to at least a secondary player comprises a network.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein means for resolving a secondary wager placed by the secondary player based at least in part on an outcome of a primary wager by the primary player and the set of odds associated with the primary player comprises a host computing system processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the host computing system processor and communicatively coupled to the host computing system processor.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the memory further stores the set of odds associated with the primary player.