Systems and methods for playing games of chance or skill using an alternate method of entry

• US 8,147,325 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2005
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Kane, Steven N., Hardy, Dow, Herrmann, Mark E., LaRocca, Paul, Roseman, Stuart, Sabet, Bijan, Yanowitz, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US11/049,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20050208989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,617 Days
• Field of Search: 463 13- 20, 463 25- 29, 463 40- 43, 463 9- 10, 700 90- 91
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of and systems for playing tournament-style games, such as the World Series of Poker, and other games of skill or chance. The present invention additionally is systems and methods for using an alternate method of entry to enable a player to participate in a wagering game of skill or chance.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a tournament-style game by a game operator using a computer system including a processor coupled to a computer-readable medium, the method comprising acts of:

providing, by the processor to at least one first player, a paid method of entry into a session of the tournament-style game, the paid method of entry requiring at least one of payment and previous game play;

receiving, by the processor from the at least one first player, a first entry into the session of the tournament-style game via the paid method of entry;

recording, by the processor, the first entry on the computer-readable medium;

providing, by the processor to at least one second player, an alternative method of entry (AMOE) into the session of the tournament-style game, the AMOE requiring neither payment, previous game play, previous payment, or previous wagering or gambling, such that no existing or previous relationship with the game operator is necessary, and being accessible via a free Internet website that allows the at least one second player to determine the session from a plurality of specific game sessions to which AMOE entries are assigned; and

receiving, by the processor from the at least one second player, a second entry into the session of the tournament-style game via the AMOE; and

recording, by the processor, the second entry on the computer-readable medium allowing, by the processor, the at least one player and the at least one second player to compete, within the session, for at least one prize pool funded by entry fees.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tournament-style game is a wagering game of skill.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the wagering game of skill is one of poker, blackjack, dominoes, bridge, and mahjongg.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tournament-style game has fixed odds of winning the tournament-style game.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tournament-style game has non-fixed odds of winning the tournament-style game.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of conducting the tournament-style game over a communication network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of recording the second entry includes an act of entering the at least one second player in a game session following a processing of an entry request of the at least one second player by the AMOE.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of providing to the at least one second player an indication of a game session to be entered by the AMOE.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing, to the at least one second player, the AMOE includes providing for an entry of the at least one second player in at least two game sessions.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the AMOE is performed by an act of submitting an entry to the tournament-style game by mail.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the AMOE is performed by an act of submitting an entry to the tournament-style game over the Internet.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a fee representing an entry fee for the second entry is taken from either the total purse or the game operator'"'"'s purse.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a winner'"'"'s purse is reduced due to the second entry.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein a fee representing an entry fee for the second entry is paid with no moneys or goods being exchanged.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method for conducting a WORLD SERIES OF POKER (WSOP) game, the method comprising acts of:

providing, to at least one first player, a paid method of entry into the WSOP game, the paid method of entry requiring at least one of payment and previous game play;

providing, to at least one second player, an alternative method of entry (AMOE) to the WSOP game, the AMOE requiring neither payment, previous game play, previous payment, or previous wagering or gambling, such that no existing or previous relationship with the game operator is necessary, and being accessible via a free Internet website that allows the at least one second player to determine the session from a plurality of specific game sessions to which AMOE entries are assigned; and

providing, the second entry into the session via the AMOE, to the at least one second player; and

providing for the first player and the second player to compete for at least one prize pool funded by entry fees.

16. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises an act of conducting the WSOP game over a communication network.

17. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the act of providing, to the at least one second player, the AMOE includes an act of entering the at least one second player in a WSOP game session following a processing of an entry request of the at least one player by the AMOE.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises an act of providing to the at least one second player an indication of a WSOP game session to be entered by the AMOE.

19. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the AMOE includes an entry of the at least one second player in at least two WSOP game sessions.

20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the AMOE includes implementing a method comprising acts of:

entering the at least one second player into a game;

identifying the at least one second player as a winner of the game; and

entering the winner of the game into the WSOP game.

21. The computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the game is a game of chance.