Gaming method and apparatus for employing negative outcomes

• US 9,142,087 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Walker, Jay S., Jorasch, James A., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Tulley, Stephen C., Zucker, David F., Rogers, Andrew D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Assistant Examiner(s): PINHEIRO, JASON PAUL
• Application Number:
  US13/281,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463/22, 463/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for providing a negative outcome at a gaming device. The system determines that a player of a gaming device has equity which may be debited. An outcome of the gaming device is determined, and it is also determined that the outcome is a negative outcome. The balance (e.g., of the gaming device or another gaming device) is reduced by more than the wager amount.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including;

(i) an acceptor,

(ii) a validator, and

(iii) a cashout device;

a display device supported by the housing;

a processor; and

a memory device storing a program which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to operate with the display device and the plurality of input devices to;

(a) if a physical item is received via the acceptor;

(i) identify, via the validator, the received physical item, and

(ii) establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received and identified physical item,

(b) display the credit balance having a first amount of credit greater than zero;

(c) after displaying said credit balance, receive from a player a placement of a wager amount greater than zero from the credit balance; and

(d) for each wager amount received;

(i) deduct said wager amount from said displayed credit balance such that, after said deduction of said wager amount and prior to displaying any outcome resulting from said wager amount, said displayed credit balance has a second, different amount of credit;

(ii) determine one of a plurality of different game outcomes for a play of a game, the plurality of different game outcomes including a negative comp point outcome;

(iii) display the determined game outcome for the play of the game; and

(iv) if the determined game outcome of the play of the game is said negative comp point outcome, cause a deduction of a designated quantity of comp points greater than zero from an amount of comp points of the player, said comp points being in addition to said credit balance; and

(e) if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the game is a primary wagering game.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the determined game outcome is a randomly determined one of the plurality of different game outcomes.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated quantity of comp points is based on said wager amount.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different game outcomes includes a plurality of different negative comp point outcomes.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the determined game outcome is determined from one of a first payout table and a second different payout table, said first payout table including one of the negative comp point outcomes and said second different payout table including a second different one of the negative comp point outcomes.

7. A non-transitory memory device storing a program which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to operate with a display device to:

(a) display a credit balance having a first amount of credit greater than zero, wherein the credit balance is;

(i) increasable via;

(A) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and

(B) a validator configured to identify the physical item, and

(ii) decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance;

(b) after displaying said credit balance, receive from a player a placement of a wager amount greater than zero from the credit balance; and

(c) for each wager amount received;

(i) deduct said wager amount from said displayed credit balance such that, after said deduction of said wager amount and prior to displaying any outcome resulting from said wager amount, said displayed credit balance has a second, different amount of credit;

(ii) determine one of a plurality of different game outcomes for a play of a game, the plurality of different game outcomes including a negative comp point outcome;

(iii) display the determined game outcome for the play of the game; and

(iv) if the determined game outcome of the play of the game is said negative comp point outcome, cause a deduction of a designated quantity of comp points greater than zero from an amount of comp points of the player, said comp points being in addition to said credit balance.

8. The memory device of claim 7, wherein the game is a primary wagering game.

9. The memory device of claim 7, wherein the determined game outcome is a randomly determined one of the plurality of different game outcomes.

10. The memory device of claim 7, wherein the designated quantity of comp points is based on said wager amount.

11. The memory device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of different game outcomes includes a plurality of different negative comp point outcomes.

12. The memory device of claim 11, wherein the determined game outcome is determined from one of a first payout table and a second different payout table, said first payout table including one of the negative comp point outcomes and said second different payout table including a second different one of the negative comp point outcomes.

13. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing a processor to operate with a display device to;

(a) display a credit balance having a first amount of credit greater than zero, wherein the credit balance is;

(i) increasable via;

(A) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and

(B) a validator configured to identify the physical item, and

(ii) decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance;

(b) after displaying said credit balance, receive from a player a placement of a wager amount greater than zero from the credit balance; and

(c) for each wager amount received;

(i) deduct said wager amount from said displayed credit balance such that, after said deduction of said wager amount and prior to displaying any outcome resulting from said wager amount, said displayed credit balance has a second, different amount of credit;

(ii) determine one of a plurality of different game outcomes for a play of a game, the plurality of different game outcomes including a negative comp point outcome;

(iii) display the determined game outcome for the play of the game; and

(iv) if the determined game outcome of the play of the game is said negative comp point outcome, cause a deduction of a designated quantity of comp points greater than zero from an amount of comp points of the player, said comp points being in addition to said credit balance.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the game is a primary wagering game.

15. The method device of claim 13, wherein the determined game outcome is a randomly determined one of the plurality of different game outcomes.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the designated quantity of comp points is based on the wager amount.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of different game outcomes includes a plurality of different negative comp point outcomes.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determined game outcome is determined from one of a first payout table and a second different payout table, said first payout table including one of the negative comp point outcomes and said second different payout table including a second different one of the negative comp point outcomes.

19. The method of claim 13, which is performed through a data network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data network is an internet.