Systems and methods for playing a game of chance with selectable matrices

• US 8,647,196 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gaming Arts LLC
• Original Assignee: Gaming Arts LLC
• Inventors: Colvin, David, Colvin, Eric D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/788,045
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 463/19, 463/26, 463/27, 463/28
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0645 Electric lottos or bingo games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• 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 17/326 Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• 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 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Systems and methods enable players to play games of chance using gaming devices to win a progressive prize, a pari-mutuel prize, and a plurality of gaming device specific player prizes. A first gaming device enables a first player to win the progressive prize, the pari-mutuel prize, and a gaming device specific first player prize that is independent of the first player. A second gaming device enables a second player to win the progressive prize, the pari-mutuel prize, and a gaming device specific second player prize that is independent of the second player. The second gaming device prevents the second player from winning the gaming device specific first player prize while the second player is using the second gaming device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer configured to provide a game of chance in which a plurality of prizes are able to be won by matching player indicia to randomly determined house indicia, wherein the plurality of prizes includes at least one gaming device specific player prize, at least one progressive prize and at least one pari-mutuel prize;

a first gaming device coupled to said computer, said first gaming device configured to enable a first player to win;

at least one gaming device specific first player prize that is independent of the first player;

the at least one progressive prize; and

the at least one pari-mutuel prize based on a first plurality of player indicia; and

at least one second gaming device coupled to said computer, said at least one second gaming device configured to enable at least one second player to win;

at least one gaming device specific second player prize that is independent of the at least one second player;

the at least one progressive prize; and

the at least one pari-mutuel prize, but not the at least one gaming device specific first player prize, based on at least one second plurality of player indicia.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one second gaming device is included within a plurality of gaming devices, wherein each gaming device of said plurality of gaming devices enables a respective player to win the at least one progressive prize but not the at least one gaming device specific first player prize.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said plurality of gaming devices does not include said first gaming device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein each gaming device of said plurality of gaming devices enables a respective player to win the at least one pari-mutuel prize but not the at least one gaming device specific first player prize.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer is configured to award the at least one pari-mutuel prize to the player or players who first satisfy a win criteria associated with the at least one pari-mutuel prize.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a plurality of gaming devices includes said first gaming device and said at least one second gaming device, each gaming device of said plurality of gaming devices is coupled to said computer through a network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each gaming device of said plurality of gaming devices enables a respective player to play to win the at least one progressive prize or the at least one pari-mutuel prize.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of gaming devices enables a plurality of players to win the at least one progressive prize or the at least one pari-mutuel prize during the game.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the game continues after the at least one gaming device specific first player prize or the at least one gaming device specific second player prize is won.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of gaming devices is a first plurality of gaming devices coupled to said computer by a local area network.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second plurality of gaming devices coupled to said computer by a wide area network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said second plurality of gaming devices enables respective players to play to win the at least one progressive prize or the at least one pari-mutuel prize during the game.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said second plurality of gaming devices prevents respective players from playing to win the at least one gaming device specific first player prize and the at least one gaming device specific second player prize.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the game continues after the at least one progressive prize is won.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the game continues after the at least one pari-mutuel prize is won.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one third gaming device, wherein said computer is configured to enable the first player to start the game on said first gaming device and to finish the game on said at least one third gaming device.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one third gaming device, wherein said computer is configured to enable the first player to start the game on said first gaming device and to receive a result of the game on said at least one third gaming device.

18. A method of providing a game of chance, said method comprising:

providing a game of chance in which a plurality of prizes are able to be won by matching player indicia to randomly determined house indicia, wherein the plurality of prizes includes at least one gaming device specific player prize, at least one progressive prize and at least one pari-mutuel prize;

enabling, by a first gaming device, a first player to win;

at least one gaming device specific first player prize that is independent of the first player;

the at least one progressive prize; and

the at least one pari-mutuel prize based on a first plurality of player indicia; and

enabling, by at least one second gaming device, at least one second player to win;

at least one gaming device specific second player prize that is independent of the at least one second player;

the at least one progressive prize; and

the at least one pari-mutuel prize, but not the at least one gaming device specific first player prize, based on at least one second plurality of player indicia.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one second gaming device is included within a plurality of gaming devices, said method further comprising enabling a respective player of each of the plurality of gaming devices to win the at least one progressive prize but not the at least one gaming device specific first player prize.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising enabling a respective player of each gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices to win the at least one pari-mutuel prize but not the at least one gaming device specific first player prize.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising awarding the at least one pari-mutuel prize to the player or players who first satisfy a win criteria associated with the at least one pari-mutuel prize.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising coupling each gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices to a computer through a network.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising enabling a respective player of each gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices to play to win the at least one progressive prize or the at least one pari-mutuel prize.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising enabling a plurality of players of the plurality of gaming devices to win the at least one progressive prize or the at least one pari-mutuel prize during the game.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of gaming devices is a first plurality of gaming devices coupled to the computer by a local area network, said method further comprising coupling a second plurality of gaming devices to the computer by a wide area network.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising enabling respective players of the second plurality of gaming devices to play to win the at least one progressive prize or the at least one pari-mutuel prize during the game.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising preventing respective players of the second plurality of gaming devices from playing to win the at least one gaming device specific first player prize and the at least one gaming device specific second player prize.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising continuing the game after the at least one progressive prize is won.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising continuing the game after the at least one pari-mutuel prize is won.

30. A system for providing a game of chance in which a plurality of prizes are able to be won by matching player indicia to randomly determined house indicia, wherein the plurality of prizes includes at least one first prize, at least one second prize, and at least one third prize, said system comprising:

a computer configured to communicate with a plurality of gaming devices;

a first gaming device coupled to said computer, said first gaming device configured to enable a first player to win the at least one first prize and the at least one second prize based on a first plurality of player indicia, wherein the at least one second prize is specific to said first gaming device and is independent of the first player; and

at least one second gaming device coupled to said computer, said at least one second gaming device configured to enable at least one second player to win the at least one third prize and the at least one second prize but not the at least one first prize based on at least one second plurality of player indicia, wherein the at least one third prize is specific to said at least one second gaming device and is independent of the at least one second player.