Dynamic side wagering system for use with electronic gaming devices

• US 7,980,948 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Pleasant, Darryll, Rowe, Richard E., Schneider, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US11/642,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/25, 463/29, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A technique is disclosed for facilitating side wagering activities conducted at a casino which includes a casino gaming network and a plurality of gaming machines. In at least one embodiment, a casino side wagering system may be utilized to enable casinos operators to provide side wagering opportunities to non-primary players of electronic gaming machines, electronic slot machines and/or other types of gaming machines.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating side wagering activities conducted at a casino, the casino including a casino gaming network, the gaming network including a plurality of gaming machines, including a first gaming machine, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface operable to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in gaming network; and

memory;

the system being operable to;

receive first side wager request for placing a first side wager relating to a first gaming machine;

determine an identity of a first player associated with generating the first side wager request;

determine at least one side wager opportunity available to the first player based on the identity of the first player; and

automatically initiate a first side wager session, wherein the initiation of the first side wager session includes;

automatically place the first side wager at the casino gaming network, wherein the first side wager includes first side wager criteria; and

associate the placed first side wager with the identified first player;

wherein a first criteria of the first side wager specifies that an outcome of the first side wager is related to at least one event associated with game play at the first gaming machine.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first player is different from a second player who is engaged in game play activities at the first gaming machine at a time when the first side wager was placed.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first player corresponds to a non-primary player of the first gaming machine.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein control of game play decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein control of wagering decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

6. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

determine a current location of the first player within the casino; and

determine at least one available side wager opportunity using information relating to the current location of the first player within the casino.

7. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

detect wagering activity at the first gaming machine that is being conducted by a second player different from the first player;

automatically identify a first wager placed at the first gaming machine by the second player, the first wager including first wager criteria; and

automatically generate the first side wager using the first wager criteria.

8. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

detect that the first gaming machine is currently being used by a second player different from the first player; and

providing side wager opportunity information to the first side wager, the side wager opportunity information including information relating to at least one available opportunity for placing a side wager on game play associated with the first gaming machine.

9. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

receive second side wager request for placing a second side wager relating to the first gaming machine;

determine an identity of a second player associated with generating the second side wager request; and

automatically initiate, concurrently while the first side wager session is active, a second side wager session, wherein the initiation of the second side wager session includes;

automatically place the second side wager at the casino gaming network, wherein the second side wager includes second side wager criteria; and

associate the placed second side wager with the identified second player;

wherein a second criteria of the second side wager specifies that an outcome of the second side wager is related to at least one event associated with game play at the first gaming machine.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the first side wager relates to a wager on a game of chance being played at the first gaming machine.

11. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

identify the first gaming machine as a side wager candidate for which one or more side wagers may be placed;

automatically determine at least one available side wager opportunity for placing a side wager on game play associated with the first gaming machine; and

automatically provide side wager opportunity information to the first side wager, the side wager opportunity information including information relating to the at least one available side wager opportunity.

12. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

provide a second player who is engaged in game play activities at the first gaming machine with an option to elect to allow or prevent side wagering during game play.

13. The system of claim 1 being further operable to:

provide a rating for a second player who is engaged in game play activities at the first gaming machine such that the first player is able to determine a skill level of the second player.

14. The system of claim 13 being further operable to:

vary the odds of a side wager based on the rating for the second player.

15. A method for facilitating side wagering activities conducted at a casino, the casino including a casino gaming network, the gaming network including a plurality of gaming machines, including a first gaming machine, the method comprising:

receiving first side wager request for placing a first side wager relating to a first gaming machine;

determining an identity of a first player associated with generating the first side wager request;

determining a current location of the first player within the casino;

determining at least one available side wager opportunity based on the current location of the first player within the casino; and

automatically initiating a first side wager session, wherein the initiation of the first side wager session includes;

automatically placing the first side wager at the casino gaming network, wherein the first side wager includes first side wager criteria; and

associating the placed first side wager with the identified first player;

wherein a first criteria of the first side wager specifies that an outcome of the first side wager is related to at least one event associated with game play at the first gaming machine.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first player is different from a second player who is engaged in game play activities at the first gaming machine at a time when the first side wager was placed.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first player corresponds to a non-primary player of the first gaming machine.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein control of game play decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein control of wagering decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining at least one available side wager opportunity using information relating to the identity of the first player.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting wagering activity at the first gaming machine that is being conducted by a second player different from the first player;

automatically identifying a first wager placed at the first gaming machine by the second player, the first wager including first wager criteria; and

automatically generating the first side wager using the first wager criteria.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting that the first gaming machine is currently being used by a second player different from the first player; and

providing side wager opportunity information to the first side wager, the side wager opportunity information including information relating to at least one available opportunity for placing a side wager on game play associated with the first gaming machine.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving second side wager request for placing a second side wager relating to the first gaming machine;

determining an identity of a second player associated with generating the second side wager request; and

automatically initiating, concurrently while the first side wager session is active, a second side wager session, wherein the initiation of the second side wager session includes;

automatically placing the second side wager at the casino gaming network, wherein the second side wager includes second side wager criteria; and

associating the placed second side wager with the identified second player;

wherein a second criteria of the second side wager specifies that an outcome of the second side wager is related to at least one event associated with game play at the first gaming machine.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the first side wager relates to a wager on a game of chance being played at the first gaming machine.

25. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

identifying the first gaming machine as a side wager candidate for which one or more side wagers may be placed;

determining at least one available side wager opportunity for placing a side wager on game play associated with the first gaming machine; and

providing side wager opportunity information to the first side wager, the side wager opportunity information including information relating to the at least one available side wager opportunity.

26. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

tracking side wagering activities of the first player and allowing the first player to make expedited side wagers based on pre-set criteria selected by the first player.

27. A handheld device for facilitating side wagering activities conducted at a casino, the casino including a casino gaming network, the gaming network including a plurality of gaming machines, including a first gaming machine, the handheld device comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one interface operable to provide a communication link to at least one other network device in the gaming network; and

memory;

the handheld device being operable to;

receive, via the first handheld device, a first side wager request for placing a first side wager relating to a first gaming machine;

determine a unique identifier for use in identifying a first player associated with generating the first side wager request;

automatically determine a current location of the handheld device within the casino;

automatically determine at least one available side wager opportunity based on the current location of the handheld device within the casino;

automatically perform at least one operation for facilitating initiation of a first side wager session;

automatically perform at least one operation for facilitating placement of the first side wager at the casino gaming network; and

automatically perform at least one operation for facilitating association to be formed between the placed first side wager and the identified first player;

wherein the first side wager includes first side wager criteria includes a first criteria specifying that an outcome of the first side wager is related to at least one event associated with game play at the first gaming machine.

28. The handheld device of claim 27 wherein the first player corresponds to a non-primary player of the first gaming machine.

29. The handheld device of claim 27 wherein control of game play decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

30. The handheld device of claim 27 wherein control of wagering decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

31. The handheld device of claim 27 being further operable to:

automatically identify the first gaming machine as a side wager candidate for which one or more side wagers may be placed;

automatically determine at least one available side wager opportunity for placing a side wager on game play associated with the first gaming machine; and

provide side wager opportunity information to the first side wager, the side wager opportunity information including information relating to the at least one available side wager opportunity.

32. A method for facilitating side wagering activities conducted at a casino, the casino including a casino gaming network, the gaming network including a plurality of gaming machines, including a first gaming machine, the gaming network further including a first wireless handheld device operable to facilitate side wagering activities, the method comprising:

receiving, via the first handheld device, a first side wager request for placing a first side wager relating to a first gaming machine;

determining a unique identifier for use in identifying a first player associated with generating the first side wager request;

determining a current location of the handheld device within the casino;

determining at least one available side wager opportunity based on the current location of the handheld device within the casino;

automatically performing, at the first handheld device, at least one operation for initiating a first side wager session, wherein the initiation of the first side wager session includes placing the first side wager at the casino gaming network, and associating the placed first side wager with the identified first player; and

wherein the first side wager includes first side wager criteria includes a first criteria specifying that an outcome of the first side wager is related to at least one event associated with game play at the first gaming machine.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the first player corresponds to a non-primary player of the first gaming machine.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein control of game play decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein control of wagering decisions at the first gaming machine is unavailable to the first player.

36. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

identifying the first gaming machine as a side wager candidate for which one or more side wagers may be placed;

determining at least one available side wager opportunity for placing a side wager on game play associated with the first gaming machine; and

providing side wager opportunity information to the first side wager, the side wager opportunity information including information relating to the at least one available side wager opportunity.