Raffle game system and method

• US 8,038,519 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Luciano, Robert A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deodhar; Omkar
• Application Number:
  US10/630,104
• Time in Patent Office: 3,003 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/22, 463/25
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems

Abstract

An automated raffle game and method making use of prize pools, the prize pools having elements, the elements representing one of: winning prizes; or, both winning prizes and no-win (0 value) prizes. Raffle tickets are associated with a prize pool. Upon closure of the game, either by a time-out or by number of tickets sold, a number of elements are taken from the pool. The number of elements taken from the pool is directly related to the number of tickets associated with the pool and further depends on which type of pool is being used (one having only win-elements or both win and 0-value elements). The results are sent to the player terminal, where a player may simply take a winning voucher or ticket, or, may chose to view an entertainment display.

Claims

1. In an automated raffle game system including a central raffle server and at least one player terminal, a method of providing automated raffle game sessions on the at least one player terminal, the method comprising:

creating at the central raffle server a prize pool comprising at least one prize and a win frequency;

selling at the at least one player terminal a group of electronic tickets during a game session as sold tickets, each sold ticket being associated with the game session and the prize pool;

determining a number of sold tickets that are declared as winners based on the number of sold tickets and the win frequency;

randomly drawing from among the sold tickets the number of tickets declared as winners as winning tickets;

randomly drawing a number of prizes from the prize pool equal to the number of winning tickets;

assigning a drawn prize to a winning ticket;

distributing to the at least one player terminal the results of the selling of the group of electronic tickets;

displaying the results of the selling of the group of electronic tickets at the at least one player terminal;

repeating game sessions until the prize pool is exhausted.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the results at the at least one player terminal comprises simulating the operation of a Nevada-style gaming machine.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the Nevada-style gaming machine is at least one of:

(a) a slot-style game, (b) a poker-style game, (c) a blackjack game, (d) a keno game, and (e) a bingo game.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning a drawn prize to a winning ticket comprises sequentially assigning a drawn prize to a winning ticket.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning a drawn prize to a winning ticket comprises randomly assigning a drawn prize to a winning ticket.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein in the prize pool a relatively higher win frequency is accompanied with relatively smaller individual prize values.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the prize pool further comprises at least one target wager amount, and creating a prize pool comprises creating at least one prize pool for each target wager amount.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein selling a group of electronic tickets comprises associating an electronic ticket with a game session and one of the at least one prize pools.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the duration of the game session is based on a fixed time period and the number of tickets sold during that time period.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the win frequency is numerically manifest over a series of game sessions.