Systems, methods and devices for providing an indication of an amount of time a wagering game may be expected to be played given a specified bankroll or an estimated bankroll which may be expected to be necessary to fund play of a wagering game for a specified amount of time

• US 8,512,149 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Smith, Zachary T., Fincham, Magdalena M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US12/891,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463 25- 26, 463/42
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method provides for providing a game advisory notice to players of a wagering game. The game advisory notice may comprise, for example, an estimated amount of play time that can be expected to be achieved given a specified bankroll for the wagering game. In another example, the game advisory notice may comprise an estimated bankroll that is expected to be sufficient to fund a specified amount of play time for the wagering game.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining by a processor of a computing device and for a particular wagering game an estimated amount of time a player can expect to play the wagering game with a specified bankroll, thereby determining a duration of a session that can likely be funded by the specified bankroll, wherein the estimated amount of time is determined based on a payback percentage for the wagering game and an assumed value for at least one wagering session parameter;

outputting for display on a remote game device, over the Internet and via an online casino, an indication of the estimated amount of time for the wagering game, thereby outputting an indication of the duration of the session that is likely to be, but is not certain to be, funded by the specified bankroll; and

wherein after the outputting for display, the session is playable by the player providing a distinct wager for each round of a plurality of rounds of the wagering game during the session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one wagering session parameter comprises:

an wager amount per game play;

a number of decisions to be made by the player during the estimated amount of time;

a level of risk taking assumed to be employed by the player during the estimated amount of time; and

a number of paylines per game play wagered upon during the estimated amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated amount of time is further based on a volatility of the wagering game.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated amount of time is further based on historical game play data of the wagering game.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a particular player, an indication of the particular player'"'"'s intention to play the wagering game for the estimated amount of time by employing the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter;

determining, during the particular player'"'"'s playing of the wagering game, that the particular player has or is about to deviate from the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter by a magnitude above an acceptable threshold; and

outputting a message to the particular player which indicates that the deviation will result in the estimated amount of time no longer being applicable to a current wagering session.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

preventing the player from implementing a wagering decision for the wagering game that deviates from the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter by the magnitude above the acceptable threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining for the particular wagering game the estimated amount of time comprises determining for the particular wagering game the estimated amount of time a particular player can expect to play the wagering game with a specified bankroll.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, from the particular player over the Interact and prior to determining the estimated amount of time, an indication of at least one of the specified bankroll and the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the estimated amount of time comprises retrieving from a database the estimated amount of time, wherein the retrieving is based on the specified starting bankroll and the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter received from the particular player.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting for display comprises outputting for display on a remote game device, over the Internet and via the online casino, an indication of the estimated amount of time to players prior to the players initiating play of the wagering game and prior to the players providing an indication of the specified starting bankroll or the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which, when read by a computing device, causes the computing device to:

determine for a particular wagering game an estimated amount of time a player can expect to play the wagering game with a specified bankroll, thereby determining a duration of a session that can likely be funded by the specified bankroll, wherein the estimated amount of time is determined based on a payback percentage for the wagering game and an assumed value for at least one wagering session parameter;

output for display on a remote game device an indication of the estimated amount of time for the wagering game, thereby outputting an indication of the duration of the session that is likely to be, but is not certain to be, funded by the specified bankroll; and

wherein after the outputting for display, the session is playable by the player providing a distinct wager for each round of a plurality of rounds of the wagering game during the session.

12. A method, comprising:

determining by a processor of a computing device and for a particular wagering game an estimated bankroll a player can expect to fund in order to play the wagering game for a specified amount of time defining a session, the estimated bankroll being determined based on a payback percentage for the wagering game and an assumed value for at least one wagering session parameter defining the session;

outputting for display on a remote game device, over the Internet and via an online casino, an indication of the estimated bankroll that is likely to be necessary, but is not certain to be sufficient, to fund a session comprising the specified amount of time for the wagering game; and

wherein after the outputting for display, the session is playable by the player providing a distinct wager for each round of a plurality of rounds of the wagering game during the session.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one wagering session parameter comprises:

a wager amount per game play;

a number of decisions to be made by the player during the estimated amount of time;

a level of risk taking assumed to be employed by the player during the estimated amount of time; and

a number of paylines per game play wagered upon during the estimated amount of time.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the estimated bankroll is further based on a volatility of the wagering game.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the estimated bankroll is further based on historical game play data of the wagering game.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, from a particular player, an indication of the particular player'"'"'s intention to fund play of the wagering game with the estimated bankroll by employing the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter;

determining, during the particular player'"'"'s playing of the wagering game, that the particular player has or is about to deviate from the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter by a magnitude above an acceptable threshold; and

outputting a message to the particular player which indicates that the deviation will result in the estimated bankroll no longer being sufficient to fund a current wagering session for the specified amount of time.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

preventing the player from implementing a wagering decision for the wagering game that;

deviates from the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter by the magnitude above the acceptable threshold.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein determining for the particular wagering game the estimated bankroll comprises determining for the particular wagering game the estimated bankroll a particular player can expect to need to fund play the wagering game for a wagering session lasting the specified amount of time.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, from the particular player over the Internet and prior to determining the estimated bankroll, an indication of at least one of the specified amount of time and the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the estimated bankroll comprises retrieving from a database the estimated bankroll, wherein the retrieving is based on the specified amount of time and the assumed value for the at least one wagering session parameter received from the particular player.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the outputting for display comprises outputting for display on a remote game device, over the Internet and via the online casino, an indication of the estimated bankroll to players prior to the players initiating play of the wagering game and prior to the players providing an indication of the specified amount of time or the assumed value of the at least one wagering session parameter.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which, when read by a computing device, causes the computing device to:

determine for a particular wagering game an estimated bankroll a player earl expect to fund in order to play the wagering game for a specified amount of time defining a session, the estimated bankroll being determined based on a payback percentage for the wagering game and an assumed value for at least one wagering session parameter defining the session;

output for display on a remote game device, over the Internet and via an online casino, an indication of the estimated bankroll that is likely to be necessary, but is not certain to be sufficient to fund a session comprising the specified amount of time for the wagering game; and

wherein after the outputting for display, the session is playable by the player providing a distinct wager for each round of a plurality of rounds of the wagering game during the session.