System and method for rewarding game players

• US 8,360,858 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games LLC (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Holdings Ltd (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaRocca, Paul, Kane, Steven N., Hardy, Dow, Herrmann, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): PIERCE, DAMON JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/374,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20060205461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,514 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/16, 463/42, 463/43, 463/21, 705/14.12, 705/14.13, 705/14.14, 700/90, 700/91, 700/92, 700/93
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A system and method are provided for rewarding players of games of chance. The game of chance may include, for example, a lottery-type game or a casino game. Individuals are provided the opportunity to earn extra rewards by forming teams or special groups of individuals; the team or special group must perform a particular task to obtain the extra reward. Such methods may help to maintain or increase the interest of a frequent lottery or game player, may provide a new or different incentive to attract new players, and may offer a means for a game operator to differentiate its player'"'"'s club or rewards program from those of other operators. These organizations may include bingo hall operators (such as churches, senior centers, and charitable organizations), lottery agencies (such as those of United States of America state governments, or multi-state agencies like those for PowerBall and the Big Game, and Native American nations), and on-line and/or land-based casinos.

Claims

1. A gaming system having a rewards program associated with at least one game and comprising:

a storage element that stores information identifying at least two program members;

a team identifier that links the at least two program members as members of a team;

the storage element configured to store information identifying a team goal requiring that the members play a predetermined number of game sessions of the at least one game within a predetermined time period that is completed at an end of a first game session of the at least one game and linked to participation in the first game session of the at least one game by one or more of the members of the team;

a reward counter that stores rewards earned by any member of the team to accumulate a team reward based at least in part on the team goal, wherein the team reward is accomplishment oriented and awarded independent of and free from game play results, wherein a level by which the team reward improves odds of winning within the at least one game of which the first game session is a part is determined by the team goal and at least one of the team size or activity when the team accomplishes the team goal;

wherein the team gains better odds on the at least one game of which the first game session is part when the team accomplishes the team goal at the end of the first game session, wherein the team goal is accomplished after completion of the first game session of the at least one game; and

the game system configured to notify at least one of the members of the team of the team reward.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one game is a game of chance.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the rewards program is operated by a game operator that is an organization offering the at least one game.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the at least one game includes one casino betting game.

5. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the at least one game includes at least one of poker, blackjack, keno, bingo, slots, or roulette.

6. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the at least one game includes a lottery.

7. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the organization is at least one of a lottery agency, a land-based casino, an on-line casino, or a bingo hall.

8. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the team reward is evenly divided among the team members by the game operator.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the team reward is provided to the team as a whole.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the team reward is provided to the team members on a prorated basis.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the team reward is time-dependent or time constrained.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the team reward is not dependent upon winning of the at least one game by any of the team members.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the at least one game includes multiple games and wherein the team reward is game dependent.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the team reward includes at least one of money, credit, merchandise, an adjustment in rules of play of at least one game, or loyalty points.

17. The game system of claim 1, further comprising an individual reward counter that stores individual rewards earned for actions associated with the team.

18. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a reward adjustment counter that modifies the reward based on predefined characteristics.

19. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein the game of chance is purely a game of chance.

15. A method of team gaming comprising acts of:

providing a gaming system for a first player to join a rewards program;

providing, by the gaming system, for a second player to join the rewards program;

identifying the first and second players as members of a team;

providing, by the game system at least one team goal requiring that the members play a predetermined number of game sessions of the at least one game within a predetermined time period goal that is linked to the players participation in a first game session of at least one game and completed at an end of the first game session;

storing, by use of a storage element of the gaming system, information identifying the team goal;

accumulating, by use of a reward counter of the gaming system, a team reward based on the players achieving the at least one team goal, wherein the team reward is accomplishment oriented and awarded independent of and free from game play results, wherein a level by which the team reward improves odds of winning within the at least one game of which the first game session is a part is determined by the team goal and at least one of the team size or activity when the team achieves the team goal at the end of the first game session of the at least one game;

gaining, when the team accomplishes the team goal at the end of the first game session, better odds on the game of which the first game session is a part; and

notifying the players of the team reward via the gaming system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the team goal includes an act of requiring that the players play a predetermined number of game sessions of the at least one game within a predetermined time period.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising acts of:

providing for the first player to invite the second player to become a member of a team; and

providing for the second player to accept an invitation to become a member of a team.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of providing for a player to join a preexisting team.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one game includes at least one of a game of chance, a game of skill, a casino betting game, or a lottery.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the method of team gaming is performed by a game operator that offers the at least one game.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the game operator includes at least one of a lottery agency, a land-based casino, an on-line casino, or a bingo hall.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of adjusting the team reward based on predefined characteristics.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of providing an individual reward for actions associated with the team.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of distributing the team reward.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising an act of displaying to the members of a team progress of the team towards the team goal.

29. 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 of team gaming, the method comprising acts of:

providing for a first player to join a rewards program;

providing for a second player to join the rewards program;

identifying the first and second players as members of a team;

providing at least one team goal requiring that the members play a predetermined number of game sessions of the at least one game within a predetermined time period that is completed at an end of a game session of at least one game and that is linked to the players participation on the game session of the at least one game;

accumulating a team reward based on at least one of the players achieving the at least one team goal at the end of the game session of the at least one game, such that the team reward is accomplishment oriented and awarded independent of and free from game play results, wherein a level by which the team reward improves odds of winning within the at least one game of which the game session is a part is determined by the team goal and at least of the team size or activity when at least one of the players achieves the at least one goal at the end of the game session of the at least one game; and

gaining, when the team accomplishes the team goal at the end of the game session, better odds on the game of which the first game session is a part.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the at least one team goal is limited by a predetermined time interval.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises acts of:

providing for the first player to invite the second player to become a member of a team; and

providing for the second player to accept an invitation to become a member of a team.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of providing for a player to join a preexisting team.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method of team gaming is performed by a game operator that offers the at least one game.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of adjusting the team reward based on predefined characteristics.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of providing an individual reward for actions associated with the team.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises an act of displaying a record of progress toward the team goal and an act of distributing the team reward.

37. A system for playing a team game on a computer system, the system comprising:

a gaming system configured to provide for a first player to join a rewards program;

the gaming system configured to providing for a second player to join the rewards program;

the gaming system configured to identify the first and second players as members of a team;

the gaming system configured to provide at least one team goal requiring that the members play a predetermined number of game sessions of the at least one game within a predetermined time period that is linked to the players participation in a first game session of the team game and completed at an end of the first game session of the team game; and

the gaming system configured to accumulate at team reward based on the players achieving the at least one team goal, such that the team reward is accomplishment oriented and awarded independent of and free from game play results, wherein a level by which the team reward improves odds of winning within the team game of which the game session is s part is determined by the at least one team goal and at least one of the team size or activity when at least one of the players achieves the at least one team goal, wherein, when the team accomplishes the at least one team goal at the end of the first game session, the team gains betters odds on the team game of which the first game session is a part.