System gaming

• US 8,622,806 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kelly, Bryan M., Crowder, Robert W. Jr., Lockard, Dennis, Luciano, Robert A. Jr., Talcott, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsu, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/158,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20110281654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 40- 42, 463/16, 463/20, 463/25, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament

Abstract

A system provides a player tracking system and system gaming apparatus for playing non-base games by funding the credit side of a gaming cycle. The system further includes at least one gaming device having a base game. The player tracking system and system gaming apparatus includes a player tracking user interface. The player tracking user interface provides a player with an opportunity to select and play a non-base game that may be promotional-funded or player-funded.

Claims

1. A system for providing an instant-close casino tournament such that an actual casino player is always the last casino player to enter the tournament, comprising:

a plurality of casino gaming machines, wherein at least a first gaming machine enables play of a first base game that has a first theoretical payout percentage, and wherein at least a second gaming machine enables play of a second base game that has a second theoretical payout percentage;

a communication link connecting the plurality of casino gaming machines, wherein the instant-close casino tournament has a number of player spots;

a casino tournament controller connected to the communication link, wherein the casino tournament controller is configured to execute the casino tournament; and

a casino tournament history table that stores previous casino tournament information for a plurality of previous players in the casino tournament, wherein, when determined by the system, the previous casino tournament information is selected by the casino tournament controller to configure one or more simulated casino players in the casino tournament to fill each player spot in the tournament, except for a final player spot that is filled by the actual casino player, thereby ensuring that the actual casino player is the last player to enter and join the casino tournament;

wherein calculation of each tournament score uses the theoretical payout percentage from each respective base game.

2. A system for providing an instant-close casino tournament, comprising:

a plurality of casino gaming machines, wherein each gaming machine enables play of a base game that has a theoretical payout percentage;

a communication link connecting the plurality of casino gaming machines, wherein the instant-close casino tournament has a number of player spots;

a casino tournament controller connected to the communication link, wherein the casino tournament controller is configured to execute the casino tournament; and

a casino tournament history table that stores previous casino tournament information for a plurality of previous players in the casino tournament, wherein, when determined by the system, the previous casino tournament information is selected by the casino tournament controller to configure one or more simulated casino players in the casino tournament to fill in multiple player spots in the tournament to conclude the tournament more quickly;

wherein calculation of each tournament score uses the theoretical payout percentage from each respective base game.

3. A system for providing an instant-close casino tournament such that an actual casino player is always the last player to enter the casino tournament, comprising:

a plurality of casino gaming machines, wherein at least a first gaming machine enables play of a first base game that has a first theoretical payout percentage, and wherein at least a second gaming machine enables play of a second base game that has a second theoretical payout percentage;

a communication link connecting the plurality of casino gaming machines, wherein the instant-close casino tournament has a number of player spots;

a casino tournament controller connected to the communication link, wherein the casino tournament controller is configured to execute the casino tournament; and

a casino tournament history table that stores previous casino tournament information for a plurality of previous players in the casino tournament, wherein, when determined by the system, the previous casino tournament information is selected by the casino tournament controller to configure one or more simulated casino players in the casino tournament to fill each player spot in the tournament, except for a final player spot that is filled by the actual casino player, thereby ensuring that the actual casino player is the last player to enter and join the casino tournament, wherein the casino tournament is displayed in a player tracking user interface that is embedded in each of the plurality of gaming machines;

wherein calculation of each tournament score uses the theoretical payout percentage from each respective base game.