Player reward system for activity on a computer system

• US 7,815,506 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomahawk Merger LLC
• Original Assignee: Youbet.com, Inc. (Churchill Downs Incorporated)
• Inventors: Franklin, Jeff, Pegorer, Ruben M., Horowitz, Jeffrey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US11/684,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20070281790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A system and method for rewarding a player for activity through a computer system relating to a racetrack track event. The computer system is operatively connected with a remote device to display a player interface to transmit and receive information and requests from the player. The request may be for various player activity through the computer system, including wagers, purchases for products or services, and various other activities relating to wagering on a racetrack event. The computer system tracks the player activity and determines an award amount for the player activity. The award amount is dependent on the reward level of the player as determined by a set of predetermined criteria inputted into the computer system. The player can accumulate the award amount in an award total or redeem the award total for prizes, products, services or a cash value.

Claims

1. A method for rewarding a player for activity related to a plurality of racetrack events through a computer system, the racetrack events occurring at different locations, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a player account for the player, the player account including an award total, player identification and a usage class associated with the player;

displaying a player interface for the player on a remote device connected to the computer system, the remote device being remote from the different locations;

identifying the player at the remote device through the player interface;

storing information on the racetrack events on the computer system including a location of the racetrack event;

allowing the player to place a wager on the racetrack event on a request by the player on the remote device;

storing wager information on the computer system, the wager information including the wager and past wagers on the computer system;

establishing a base reward level as a function of the location of the racetrack event;

establishing a usage reward level as a function of the usage class associated with the player;

determining an award amount as a function of the wager, the base reward level, and the usage reward level, the award amount being independent of an outcome of the racetrack event; and

adding the award amount to the award total in the player account.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a step of logging in the player account player activity by the player on the remote device, the player activity including the wagers and/or usage amount on the remote device and/or products or services purchased.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a step of determining the base reward level as a function of the racetrack event.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising of calculating the base reward level as a function of a market base of the racetrack event, a racetrack contract and/or a wager category of the racetrack event.

5. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a step of determining the usage reward level as a function of the player activity logged in the player account compared to the set of predetermined criteria.

6. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a step of programming on the computer system the market base, the racetrack contract, and the wager category for determining the base reward level for the racetrack event.

7. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a step of establishing a time and/or event to determine the reward level for the player.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a step of allowing the player to redeem all or a portion of the award total in the player account for a product, a cash value, or a service on a request by the player on the remote device.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a step of connecting a catalog server to the computer system for updating the products and services for redeeming the award total in the player account.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a step of managing the player account by expiring the award amount after a set duration.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a step of creating an audit trail including all the award amounts, expired amounts and redeemed amounts from the player account.

12. A system for rewarding a player for activity related to a plurality of racetrack events through a computer system, the racetrack events occurring at different locations, said system comprising:

a remote device for displaying a player interface to the player, the remote device being remote from the different locations; and

a computer system operatively connected to said remote device for creating a player account for the player, the player account includes an award total, player identification and a usage class associated with the player, for storing information on the racetrack events on the computer system including a location of the racetrack events, for identifying the player at the remote device through the player interface and allowing the player to place a wager on the racetrack event and storing wager information on said computer system, the wager information includes the wager and past wagers on the computer system, for establishing a base reward level as a function of the location of the racetrack event and establishing a usage reward level as a function of the usage class associated with the player, and for determining an award amount as a function of the wager, the base reward level and the ease reward level and adding the award amount to the award total in the player account, the award amount being independent of an outcome of the racetrack event.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12 further comprising a server interface for use by a user for establishing a market base of the racetrack event, a racetrack contract of the racetrack event, and a wager category of the racetrack event for determining the reward level of the player and the award amount based on the player wager and player activity by the player at the remote device, and for managing the player account.

14. A system as set forth in claim 12 further comprising a catalog server operatively connected to the computer system for updating product and/or services available to the player for redeeming the award total in the player account.

15. A method for rewarding a player for activity related to a plurality of racetrack events through a computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a player account for the player, the player account including an award total, a player identification, and a usage class associated with the player;

displaying a player interface for the player on a remote device connected to the computer system, the remote device being remote from the different locations;

identifying the player at the remote device through the player interface;

allowing the player to place a wager on the racetrack event at the remote device;

storing in the player account player activity by the player on the remote device, the player activity including the wager and past wagers and usage amount on the remote device and products or services purchased;

establishing a base reward level as a function of the location of the racetrack event;

establishing a usage reward level as a function of the usage class associated with the players;

determining an award amount as a function of the wager, the base reward level and the usage reward level, the award amount being independent of an outcome of the racetrack event;

adding the award amount to the award total in the player account;

allowing the player to redeem redeeming all or a portion of the award total in the player account for a product, a cash value or a service on a request by the player at the remote device; and

managing the player account by expiring the award amount after a set duration.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising of calculating the base reward level as a function of the racetrack event, the function including a market base, a racetrack contract and/or a wager category.

17. A method as set forth in claim 15 further determining the usage reward level as a function of the player activity in the player account compared to a set of predetermined criteria.