Method and apparatus for employing flat rate play
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
- causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive an input indicating a wager to be placed on a wagering game of a gaming device;
causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a balance of credits available for placing wagers at the gaming device;
causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine that the deduction of the wager results in the balance being an amount that is less than zero;
causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to deduct the wager from the balance; and
causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable play of the wagering game to continue while the balance is less than zero such that additional wagers may be deducted from the balance that is less than zero without a player associated with the balance that is less than zero being required to provide payment for the additional wagers.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided allowing a player to play a gaming device and receive a predetermined number of outcomes in exchange for a payment. The gaming device generates at least the predetermined number of outcomes, and adjusts a balance of the player device based on the outcomes. The player can continue playing regardless of whether the balance is less than zero.
104 Citations
94 Claims
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1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive an input indicating a wager to be placed on a wagering game of a gaming device; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a balance of credits available for placing wagers at the gaming device; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine that the deduction of the wager results in the balance being an amount that is less than zero; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to deduct the wager from the balance; and causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable play of the wagering game to continue while the balance is less than zero such that additional wagers may be deducted from the balance that is less than zero without a player associated with the balance that is less than zero being required to provide payment for the additional wagers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for facilitating a wagering game, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory for storing a program to facilitate a wagering game; and a processor operable with the memory to; receive an input indicating a wager to be placed on the wagering game; determine a balance of credits available for placing wagers on the wagering game; determine that the deduction of the wager results in the balance being an amount that is less than zero; deduct the wager from the balance; and enable play of the wagering game to continue while the balance is less than zero such that additional wagers may be deducted from the balance that is less than zero without a player associated with the balance that is less than zero being required to provide payment for the additional wagers.
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33. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program comprising instructions, the program, when read by a computer, causing the computer to:
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receive an input indicating a wager to be placed on a wagering game of a gaming device; determine a balance of credits available for placing wagers at the gaming device; determine that the deduction of the wager results in the balance being an amount that is less than zero; deduct the wager from the balance; and enable play of the wagering game to continue while the balance is less than zero such that additional wagers may be deducted from the balance that is less than zero without a player associated with the balance that is less than zero being required to provide payment for the additional wagers.
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34. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive from a player a payment for a plurality of game plays of a wagering game such that the player prepays for the plurality of game plays and thereby purchases a session of game plays; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine, upon receiving the payment, a balance of credits available for drawing wager amounts from for the plurality of game plays; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate a respective outcome for each of the plurality of game plays, without requiring further payment for any of the game plays beyond the payment, by deducting a wager amount for the outcome from the balance of credits associated with the plurality of game plays; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine, during the generation of the outcomes, that a deduction of a wager will result in the balance of credits being less than zero; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to deduct the wager, thereby causing a balance of credits that is less than zero; and causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to continue to deduct wagers from the balance of credits that is less than zero for additional game plays of the session without requiring the player to provide additional payment therefore. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. An apparatus, comprising:
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a memory for storing a program to facilitate a wagering game; and a processor operable with the memory to; receive from a player a payment for a plurality of game plays of a wagering game such that the player prepays for the plurality of game plays and thereby purchases a session of game plays; generate an outcome for each of the plurality of game plays, without requiring further payment for any of the game plays beyond the payment, by deducting, prior to a generation of an outcome, a wager amount for the outcome from a balance of credits associated with the plurality of game plays; determine, during the generation of the outcomes, that a deduction of a wager will result in the balance of credits being less than zero; deduct the wager; and continue to deduct wagers from the balance of credits that is less than zero for additional game plays of the session without requiring the player to provide additional payment therefore.
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81. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program comprising instructions, the program, when read by a computer, causing the computer to:
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receive from a player a payment for a plurality of game plays of a wagering game such that the player prepays for the plurality of game plays and thereby purchases a session of game plays; generate an outcome for each of the plurality of game plays, without requiring further payment for any of the game plays beyond the payment, by deducting, prior to a generation of an outcome, a wager amount for the outcome from a balance of credits associated with the plurality of game plays; determine, during the generation of the outcomes, that a deduction of a wager will result in the balance of credits being less than zero; deduct the wager; and continue to deduct wagers from the balance of credits that is less than zero for additional game plays of the session without requiring the player to provide additional payment therefore.
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82. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to operate with at least one input device to receive a payment from a player for a predetermined number of outcomes; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to generate at least the predetermined number of outcomes; causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to adjust a balance based on the outcomes; and causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to enable play regardless of whether the balance is less than zero. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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Specification