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Gaming system and method for selectively providing an elimination tournament that funds an award through expected values of unplayed tournament games of eliminated players

  • US 9,361,754 B2
  • Filed: 03/22/2013
  • Issued: 06/07/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A tournament gaming system comprising:

  • a plurality of gaming machines each including;

    a housing;

    a display device supported by the housing;

    a plurality of input devices supported by the housing and including an acceptor configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value to facilitate establishment of a credit balance;

    a processor; and

    a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the plurality of input devices; and

    a controller configured to operate with the plurality of gaming machines to;

    provide a first tournament and a second tournament, wherein values of tournament awards for the first tournament and the second tournament are different;

    wherein each of said first tournament and said second tournament include;

    (a) for each of the plurality of gaming machines, causing said gaming machine to;

    (i) determine a designated quantity of tournament games available to be subsequently played by a player of said gaming machine in said tournament, and(ii) for each of said tournament games played, randomly generate and display a tournament game outcome;

    (b) tracking tournament game play of each player;

    (c) when a player elimination triggering event occurs, eliminating a designated number of players from the tournament, said designated number being at least one and less than all of the players in said tournament;

    (d) after said player elimination triggering event occurs, for each eliminated player, determining any unplayed tournament games said eliminated player has remaining when eliminated;

    (e) determining a tournament winner from the plurality of players based on the tracked tournament game play;

    (f) determining a value of the tournament award based, at least in part, on an average expected payout value of each of said determined unplayed tournament games; and

    (g) notifying said tournament winner that said tournament winner wins the tournament award.

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