Tournament game system and tournament method
First Claim
1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
- (a) receiving, from a player, a selection of one of a plurality of different tournament time slots for a tournament;
(b) determining, by at least one processor, a fee associated with the selected tournament time slot, wherein at least two of the tournament time slots are associated with different fees;
(c) transmitting, by the at least one processor, a request for payment of the determined fee;
(d) receiving an indication of payment of the determined fee;
(e) generating an admission ticket permitting the player to play the tournament during the selected tournament time slot;
(f) enabling a printer to print the generated admission ticket;
(g) thereafter, receiving, from a gaming machine and after an acceptor of the gaming machine has received the admission ticket, a request for admission to the tournament, the acceptor also configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value to facilitate establishment of a credit balance to enable play of a wager-based game on the gaming machine;
(h) enabling, by the at least one processor, the gaming machine for play in the tournament during the selected tournament time slot; and
(i) disabling, by the at least one processor, the gaming machine for play in the tournament before and after the selected tournament time slot.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an embodiment of a gaming method, an identifier may be received from a first gaming unit, wherein the identifier is associated with a tournament game card, wherein the tournament game card is provided to a player in response to paying a fee. Whether the identifier received from the first gaming unit is authentic may be determined. A duration the player may play in a tournament may be determined based on the identifier, and the first gaming unit may be enabled for play in the tournament for the duration if the identifier is authentic. A tournament score of the player may be received, and a winning player of the tournament, if any, may be determined. Data indicative of a value payout to be awarded to the winning player may be generated if the winning player of the tournament is determined.
63 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
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(a) receiving, from a player, a selection of one of a plurality of different tournament time slots for a tournament; (b) determining, by at least one processor, a fee associated with the selected tournament time slot, wherein at least two of the tournament time slots are associated with different fees; (c) transmitting, by the at least one processor, a request for payment of the determined fee; (d) receiving an indication of payment of the determined fee; (e) generating an admission ticket permitting the player to play the tournament during the selected tournament time slot; (f) enabling a printer to print the generated admission ticket; (g) thereafter, receiving, from a gaming machine and after an acceptor of the gaming machine has received the admission ticket, a request for admission to the tournament, the acceptor also configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value to facilitate establishment of a credit balance to enable play of a wager-based game on the gaming machine; (h) enabling, by the at least one processor, the gaming machine for play in the tournament during the selected tournament time slot; and (i) disabling, by the at least one processor, the gaming machine for play in the tournament before and after the selected tournament time slot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A gaming system comprising:
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at least one processor; and at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to; (a) receive, from a player, a selection of one of a plurality of different tournament time slots for a tournament; (b) determine a fee associated with the selected tournament time slot, wherein at least two of the tournament time slots are associated with different fees; (c) transmit a request for payment of the determined fee; (d) receive an indication of payment of the determined fee; (e) generate an admission ticket permitting the player to play the tournament during the selected tournament time slot; (f) enable a printer to print the generated admission ticket; (g) thereafter, receive, from a gaming machine and after an acceptor of the gaming machine has received the admission ticket, a request for admission to the tournament, the acceptor also configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value to facilitate establishment of a credit balance to enable play of a wager-based game on the gaming machine; (h) enable the gaming machine for plain in the tournament during the selected time slot; and (i) disable the gaming machine for play in the tournament before and after the selected time slot. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
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(a) receive, from a player, a selection of one of a plurality of different tournament time slots for a tournament; (b) determine a fee associated with the selected tournament time slot, wherein at least two of the tournament time slots are associated with different fees; (c) transmit a request for payment of the determined fee to the player; (d) receive an indication of payment of the determined fee; (e) generate an admission ticket permitting the player to play the tournament during the selected tournament time slot; (f) enable a printer to print the generated admission ticket; (g) thereafter, receive, from a gaming machine and after an acceptor of the gaming machine has received the admission ticket, a request for admission to the tournament, the acceptor also configured to receive a physical item associated with a monetary value to facilitate establishment of a credit balance to enable play of a wager-based game on the gaming machine; (h) enable the gaming machine for play in the tournament during the selected time slot; and (i) disable the gaming machine for play in the tournament before and after the selected time slot. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification