Ticket drawing games having escalating discrete prize levels

• US 20060252501A1
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: deWaal, Daniel, Bullard, Bryan, Little, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players

Abstract

Ticket drawings having escalating discrete prize levels within a gaming environment are provided. A gaming system having an automated random ticket drawing game module provides ticket drawing bonus games in conjunction with primary wager based games. Ticket drawings can include base, intermediate and ultimate prize levels, with each level corresponding to a specific prize and range of ticket entries. The prize level escalates as more ticket entries are granted. Ticket entries can be awarded for various events, such as a 3-of-a-kind at a primary wager based game. Drawings include a time period for the acceptance of ticket entries, including a predefined start and end. Award and drawing mechanisms and multiple display devices facilitate each drawing. Multiple drawings can occur simultaneously, such as an hourly and daily drawing. Drawings may also be part of an ongoing series of continuous ticket drawings, such as 24 hourly drawings in a given day.

Claims

1. A gaming machine adapted for accepting wagers, playing primary games based on the wagers and granting monetary awards based on the results of the primary games, comprising:

an exterior housing arranged to contain a plurality of internal gaming machine components therein;

a master gaming controller in communication with at least one of said plurality of internal gaming machine components, said master gaming controller being adapted to control one or more aspects of said primary games;

a player tracking device in communication with said master gaming controller and adapted to track both player activity and primary game results at said gaming machine, wherein said player tracking device is further adapted to facilitate the play of a first automated ticket drawing bonus game based at least in part on one or more of said primary game results, said first automated ticket drawing bonus game having a plurality of ticket entries and structured to have escalating and discrete prize levels, wherein graduation from at least one of said discrete prize levels to the next prize level requires a plurality of additional ticket entries; and

at least one display device in communication with said master gaming controller, said player tracking device, or both, wherein said at least one display device is adapted to display information regarding said first automated ticket drawing bonus game having escalating and discrete prize levels.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said first automated ticket drawing bonus game is conducted with respect to said gaming machine and a plurality of additional gaming machines distributed across a gaming network.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein one or more ticket entries to said first automated ticket drawing bonus game are granted based on one or more particular outcomes of said primary games.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein at least one of said one or more particular outcomes of said primary games are selected from the group consisting of 3-of-a-kind, straight, flush, full house, 4-of-a-kind, straight flush, 2 matching reel symbols, 3 matching reel symbols, 10 coin payout, 20 coin payout, 50 coin payout and 100 coin payout.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the prize drawing for said first automated ticket drawing bonus game is scheduled to take place at a particular time regardless of the number of entries at that time.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein said first automated ticket drawing bonus game comprises a first predefined and scheduled period during which ticket entries may be accepted.

7. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein said particular time for said prize drawing defines the end of said first predefined and scheduled ticket entry period.

8. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein said first predefined and scheduled ticket entry period is selected from the group consisting of one hour, one day, one week, one month and one year.

9. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein said player tracking device is further adapted to facilitate the play of a second automated ticket drawing bonus game based at least in part on one or more of said primary game results, wherein said second automated ticket drawing bonus game comprises a second predefined and scheduled period during which ticket entries may be accepted, and wherein said second predefined and scheduled ticket entry period overlaps at least partially with said first predefined and scheduled ticket entry period.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein said first automated ticket drawing bonus game comprises an hourly game and wherein said second automated ticket drawing bonus game comprises a daily game.

11. The gaming machine of claim 9, wherein a particular outcome of one of said primary games results in a ticket entry to both of said first and second automated ticket drawing bonus games.

12. The gaming machine of claim 6, wherein said first automated ticket drawing bonus game comprises one game of an ongoing series of continuous automated ticket drawing bonus games, wherein each of a plurality of games in said ongoing series of games begins immediately after a prior game ends and ends immediately before a subsequent game begins.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein said first automated ticket drawing bonus game comprises an hourly game and wherein said ongoing series of continuous automated ticket drawing bonus games comprises 24 games on a particular day.

14. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the prize drawing for said first automated ticket drawing bonus game takes place immediately following a particular predefined triggering event.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein said predefined triggering event is selected from the group consisting of royal flush, straight flush, 3 or more bars, 1000 coin payout, 10,000 coin payout and linked progressive jackpot.

16. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein said player tracking device is further adapted to facilitate the play of a second automated ticket drawing bonus game based at least in part on one or more of said primary game results, wherein each of said first and second automated ticket drawing bonus games comprise periods during which ticket entries may be accepted, and wherein said ticket entry period for said second automated ticket drawing bonus game overlaps at least partially with said ticket entry period for said second automated ticket drawing bonus game.

17. The gaming machine of claim 16, wherein a particular outcome of one of said primary games results in a ticket entry to both of said first and second automated ticket drawing bonus games.

18. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said escalating and discrete prize levels comprise a base prize level, one or more intermediate prize levels, and an ultimate prize level, wherein graduation from each of said base and one or more intermediate prize levels to the next respective prize level requires a predetermined plurality of additional ticket entries.

19. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein said display device is adapted to display at least a main display screen containing current bonus game information, a ticket entry creation animation screen, and a ticket prize drawing animation screen.

20. The gaming machine of claim 19, wherein said display device is further adapted to display at least an advertisement screen, a scrolling ticker at an edge of a displayed screen, or both, wherein said scrolling ticker provides current bonus game information.

21. A gaming system adapted for accepting wagers, playing primary games based on the wagers and granting monetary awards based on the results of the primary games, comprising:

one or more master gaming controllers adapted to control one or more aspects of said primary games;

a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal having at least one input device in communication with one of said one or more master gaming controllers and adapted to accept input regarding the placement of said wagers, the play of said primary games, or both, a player tracking unit adapted to accept identification indicia from players, and at least one display device in communication with said at least one master gaming controller and adapted to display information regarding said primary games; and

a player tracking system in communication with each of said player tracking units and adapted to track both player activity and primary game results at each of said plurality of gaming terminals, wherein said player tracking system is further adapted to facilitate automated ticket drawings based at least in part on one or more outcomes of said primary games, wherein one or more of said automated ticket drawings includes a plurality of ticket entries and is structured to have escalating and discrete prize levels, wherein graduation from at least one of said discrete prize levels to the next prize level requires a plurality of additional ticket entries.

22. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein one or more of said display devices of said plurality of gaming terminals are further adapted to display information regarding said automated ticket drawings.

23. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein one or more of said display devices of said plurality of gaming terminals are adapted to display one or more of a main display screen containing current ticket drawing information, a ticket entry creation animation screen, a ticket prize drawing animation screen, an advertisement screen, and a scrolling ticker at an edge of a displayed screen.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein a first display device at a first gaming terminal and a second display device at a second gaming terminal are adapted to display simultaneously first and second screens respectively regarding the same automated ticket drawing, and wherein said first and second screens are substantially different with respect to each other.

25. The gaming system of claim 24, wherein said first screen at said first display device comprises a main display screen containing current ticket drawing information and said second screen at said second display device comprises a ticket entry creation animation screen.

26. The gaming system of claim 21, further including:

at least one additional ticket drawing display device in communication with said player tracking system and adapted to display information regarding said automated ticket drawings.

27. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the prize drawing for one or more of said automated ticket drawings is scheduled to take place at a particular time regardless of the number of ticket entries at that time.

28. The gaming system of claim 27, wherein a first automated ticket drawing comprises a first predefined and scheduled period during which ticket entries may be accepted.

29. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein said player tracking system is further adapted to facilitate a second automated ticket drawing based at least in part on one or more of said primary game results, wherein said second automated ticket drawing comprises a second predefined and scheduled period during which ticket entries may be accepted, and wherein said second predefined and scheduled ticket entry period overlaps at least partially with said first predefined and scheduled ticket entry period.

30. The gaming system of claim 29, wherein said first automated ticket drawing comprises an hourly drawing and wherein said second automated ticket drawing comprises a daily drawing.

31. The gaming system of claim 29, wherein a particular outcome of one of said primary games results in a ticket entry to both of said first and second automated ticket drawings.

32. The gaming system of claim 28, wherein said first automated ticket drawing comprises one drawing of an ongoing series of continuous automated ticket drawings, wherein the ticket entry period for each of a plurality of ticket drawings in said ongoing series of ticket drawings begins immediately after the ticket entry period for a prior ticket drawing ends and ends immediately before the ticket entry period for a subsequent ticket drawing begins.

33. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein the prize drawing for one or more of said automated ticket drawings takes place immediately following a particular predefined triggering event.

34. The gaming system of claim 21, wherein said escalating and discrete prize levels comprise a base prize level, one or more intermediate prize levels, and an ultimate prize level, wherein graduation from each of said base and one or more intermediate prize levels to the next respective prize level requires a predetermined plurality of additional ticket entries.

35. The gaming system of claim 21, further including:

a separate ticket drawing controller within or at least in communication with said player tracking system and adapted to accept input, facilitate the storage of pertinent information and generate results regarding said automated ticket drawings.

36. A method of facilitating a ticket drawing within a gaming environment including wager based games, the method comprising:

providing a gaming machine or system having at least one player tracking device adapted to track both player activity and wager based game results at said gaming machine or system, and one or more displays adapted to present information regarding the play of said wager based games, said ticket drawing, or both;

establishing a ticket drawing having specifically designated prizes at escalating and discrete prize levels including a base prize level and one or more subsequent prize levels, said ticket drawing also having a period for the acceptance of ticket entries, said period including a predefined start and a predefined end;

setting the initial prize of said ticket drawing at the specifically designated prize for said base prize level;

accepting at least one first indicia of identification from a first player at said gaming machine or system;

linking said first player with a stored first player account on an associated player tracking system;

presenting a first wager based game based on a first wager tendered by said first player;

awarding said first player a first ticket entry to said ticket drawing based upon the result of said first wager based game, wherein the award of said first ticket entry does not result in any change in the prize of said ticket drawing;

accepting at least one second indicia of identification from a second player at said gaming machine or system;

linking said second player with a stored second player account on said associated player tracking system;

awarding said second player a subsequent ticket entry to said ticket drawing;

resetting the prize of said ticket drawing from said specifically designated prize for said base prize level to the specifically designated prize for a first intermediate prize level as a result of said subsequent ticket entry;

conducting said ticket drawing after said predefined period for the acceptance of ticket entries has ended, wherein a winning ticket is selected from all awarded ticket entries; and

granting the appropriate specifically designated prize to the player having said winning ticket.

37. The method of claim 36, further including the steps of:

awarding a plurality of additional ticket entries to said ticket drawing after said awarding of said subsequent ticket entry; and

determining that said additional ticket entries do not comprise a sufficient number of ticket entries to further reset the prize of said ticket drawing.

38. The method of claim 36, further including the steps of:

awarding a plurality of additional ticket entries to said ticket drawing after said awarding of said subsequent ticket entry; and

resetting the prize of said ticket drawing from said specifically designated prize for a first intermediate prize level to the specifically designated prize for a second intermediate prize level as a result of said additional ticket entries, wherein at least one further prize level can be reached if still further ticket entries are awarded.

39. The method of claim 36, further including the steps of:

awarding a plurality of additional ticket entries to said ticket drawing after said awarding of said subsequent ticket entry; and

resetting the prize of said ticket drawing from said specifically designated prize for a first intermediate prize level to the specifically designated prize for an ultimate prize level as a result of said additional ticket entries, wherein no further prize level exists beyond said ultimate prize level regardless of the number of further ticket entries that may be received.

40. A ticket drawing within a gaming environment including wager based games for players of said wager based games, comprising:

a base prize level having a corresponding base prize to be awarded where the number of total ticket entries to said ticket drawing ranges from one ticket entry to an established first threshold number of ticket entries;

one or more subsequent prize levels, each subsequent prize level having a corresponding prize to be awarded where the number of total ticket entries to said ticket drawing ranges from a minimum threshold number of ticket entries to a maximum threshold number of ticket entries;

a period for the acceptance of ticket entries, said period including a predefined start and a predefined end;

an award mechanism adapted to award ticket entries for said ticket drawing to players of said wager based games, said ticket entries being awarded for predefined player activities, predefined wager based game results, or both;

a drawing mechanism adapted to facilitate the drawing of a winning ticket from all of said awarded ticket entries; and

a display apparatus adapted to present information regarding said ticket drawing, said presented information including at least a current specific prize to be awarded and the number of additional ticket entries required to advance the prize to be awarded to the specific prize at the next prize level.

41. The ticket drawing of claim 40, wherein said presented information further includes the specific prize at the next prize level and said predefined end of the period for the acceptance of ticket entries.

42. The ticket drawing of claim 40, further including:

an ultimate prize level having a corresponding ultimate prize to be awarded where the number of total ticket entries to said ticket drawing ranges from a minimum threshold number of ticket entries to an unlimited maximum number of ticket entries.