Multiplayer gaming incentive

• US 8,118,667 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games LLC (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Holdings Ltd (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEODHAR, OMKAR A
• Application Number:
  US12/473,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20100016069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A system and method is provided for incentivizing players to visit a gambling location. In one aspect, a qualified person is invited to play in a multiplayer game which has a stated jackpot award. In one embodiment, the qualified person may be required to accept the invitation at a gambling location. According to one embodiment, a player may be required to maintain their qualified status through play of games at the gambling location. According to another embodiment, the multiplayer game is capable of accommodating an almost unlimited number of players. In one example, the multiplayer game is a bingo game with a large number of participants.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a player incentive, the method comprising:

providing, via a display device, an invitation to a player to enter a multiplayer game;

determining, by executing instructions stored in a memory device, a threshold associated with providing the invitation;

determining, by executing instructions stored in a memory device, a player satisfies the threshold;

displaying, via the display device, to the player a status of an entry into the multiplayer game that includes an indication that the player is qualified to participate in the multiplayer game;

determining, by executing instructions stored in a memory device, if the player meets a requirement necessary to maintain the qualified to participate status during play of the multiplayer game such that the player may continue to play the multiplayer game as long as the qualified to participate status is maintained wherein the requirement comprises at least one action the player must perform during play of the multiplier game that is separate from and unrelated to play of the multiplayer game; and

determining, by executing instructions stored in a memory device, a winning entry from a plurality of entries into the multiplayer game.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of displaying further comprises displaying the status of the entry in response to play of another game.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the play of the another game occurs at a gambling location.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the winning entry is determined independently of game play of the another game.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the requirement is based, at least in part on gambling metrics, including at least one of time spent gambling, size of wager, number of credits wagered, number of credits wagered over time, average number of wagers over time, average size of wager, coin in, average coin in, player club status, money lost, money won, a number of trips to the gambling location, duration of a trip to the gambling location, and average duration of a trip to the gambling location, time spent gaming, and average time spent gaming.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining a frequency for execution of the multiplayer game.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing occurs in response to at least one of play of an online computer-based game and play of a game at a gambling location.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining a requirement for redeeming the invitation.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the requirement comprises at least one of redeeming the invitation according to a time constraint, playing a game specified in the invitation according to a time constraint, redeeming an invitation at a specified location, playing a game at a specified location, redeeming an invitation at a specified location and according to a time constraint, and playing a game at a specified location and according to a time constraint.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining the winning entry into the multiplayer game at the gambling location.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining a plurality of qualified entries into the multiplayer game.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the act determining a winning entry from a plurality of entries into the multiplayer game occurs in response to at least one of determining the plurality of qualified entries and determining that the player met a requirement to maintain the entry status.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of displaying to the player the status of the entry into the multiplayer game in substantially real time.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the acts of:

updating the entry status; and

displaying the entry status in response to updating.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of updating the entry status until the act of determining the winning entry from the plurality of entries into the multiplayer game occurs.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

determining a plurality of qualified entries into the multiplayer game; and

updating the entry status until the act of determining the plurality of qualified entries occurs.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of displaying a message associated with the status of the entry to the player, wherein the message includes at least one of an indication that the player is close to qualifying for the multiplayer game, an indication that the player is close to losing qualification for the multiplayer game, an indication of how the player may maintain the status of the entry for the multiplayer game, and an indication of an opportunity to qualify for another multiplayer game.

18. The method according to claim 2, wherein the multiplayer game is funded separately from the another game.

19. The method according to claim 2, wherein the multiplayer game is funded independently from player contribution to the another game.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiplayer game includes a large number of entries.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing the invitation occurs across a large population of players for each multiplayer game.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of invitations exceeds a maximum number of players associated with conventional casino table based games.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of players participating in each multiplayer game is at least on the order of a number of players participating in a progressive type game.

24. The method according to claim 15, further comprising an act of disqualifying the player based on the updating of the status of the entry.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the player may requalify for entry into the multiplayer game after being disqualified from participating in the multiplayer game.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein the player may requalify for entry into the multiplayer game after failing to maintain the qualified-to-participate status during play of the multiplayer game.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method providing a player incentive, the method comprising:

providing an invitation to a player to enter a multiplayer game;

determining a threshold associated with providing the invitation;

determining a player satisfies the threshold;

displaying to the player a status of an entry into the multiplayer game that includes an indication that the player is qualified to participate in the multiplayer game;

determining if the player meets a requirement necessary to maintain the qualified to participate status during play of the multiplayer game such that the player may continue to play the multiplayer game as long as the qualified to participate status is maintained, wherein the requirement comprises at least one action the player must perform during play of the multiplier game that is separate from and unrelated to play of the multiplayer game; and

determining a winning entry from a plurality of entries into the multiplayer game.

28. A system for providing a multiplayer incentive game, the system comprising:

a storage component adapted to store criteria associated with an invitation to a multiplayer game;

an analysis engine adapted to determine satisfaction of a threshold associated with the invitation to a multiplayer game;

a communication component adapted to deliver in invitation to a multiplayer game in response to the determination that a player satisfies the threshold;

a redemption component adapted to accept the invitation;

a game engine adapted to display to a player the status of an entry into the multiplayer game that includes an indication that the player is qualified to participate in the multiplayer game;

the analysis engine adapted to determine if the player meets a requirement necessary to maintain the qualified to participate status during play of the multiplayer game such that the player may continue to play the multiplayer game as long as the qualified to participate status is maintained, wherein the requirement comprises at least one action the player must perform during play of the multiplier game that is separate from and unrelated to play of the multiplayer game; and

wherein game engine is further adapted to display the multiplayer game and a winner of the multiplayer game.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the game engine is further adapted to conduct the multiplayer game for a large number of entries.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein the communication component is further adapted to deliver invitations across a large population of players for each multiplayer game.

31. The system according to claim 28, wherein the redemption component is further adapted to require redemption at a gambling location.