System and Method for Increasing Player Participation

• US 20140087811A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Herrmann, Mark E., Taylor, John E., Weller, Scott N., Hardy, Dow K., Lichtenberger, Francis J., Lightman, Michael C., Ross, Matthew S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,324,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• 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

Abstract

A system and method are provided to combine a gambling establishment player club with one or more second chance games. Players are thereby given multiple opportunities and incentives to interact with the gambling establishment and player club. The gambling establishment is thereby able to gather valuable player data, build player profiles, and incentivize players to take actions desired by the gambling establishment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for conducting a game of chance, the method comprising acts of:

providing, by a computer system, a second chance identifier to a player from play of a primary game, wherein the second chance identifier corresponds to additional play opportunities for the player;

requiring that the player provide the second chance identifier to a game interface in order to play the additional play opportunities;

permitting, by the computer system, the player to play one or more of the additional play opportunities in response to providing the second chance identifier;

tracking, by the computer system, player activity with respect to play of the additional play opportunities;

determining a player affinity based at least partially on the tracked player activity; and

customizing the additional play opportunities according to the player affinity, wherein an outcome of the game of chance is revealed during play of the additional play opportunities.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising requiring the player to enter into a membership club in order to participate in the additional play opportunities.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising permitting the player to select one of the additional play opportunities to play.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising associating the second chance identifier with one or more predetermined benefits, wherein the one or more predetermined benefits are provided to the player during play of the additional play opportunities.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of tracking player activity with respect to the additional play opportunities includes an act of storing player activity information in a database.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the second chance identifier to the player regardless of whether the player wins or loses the primary game.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of permitting the player to redeem the outcome of the game of chance.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of permitting the player to play the additional play opportunities occurs in response to an activity performed by the player.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the activity performed by the player includes visiting at least one of gambling activity, activity in a gaming establishment, activity in a redemption location, activity in an affiliated location, activity in a partner location, or activity in a predetermined online or physical location.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of associating game detail of the primary game with the additional play opportunities.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the game detail includes at least one of nature of game, type of game, value of game, time play, location of play, place of purchase, theme of game, storyline of game, point in time of storyline of game, or other details associated with the primary game.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of awarding game credits during the primary game, wherein the game credits are required to play the additional play opportunities.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the act of awarding game credits occurs in response to at least one of receiving the second chance identifier, reaching a scheduled distribution period, reaching a predefined event associated with a gaming establishment, or reaching a predefined event associated with the player'"'"'s information.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of printing the second chance identifier on at least one of an issued ticket, a receipt, a scratch ticket, a lottery ticket, a receipt for purchase, a receipt for an award, a ticket to an event, another receipt, a direct market mailing, an electronic communication, a cellular network communication, a wireless device communication, or a newspaper advertisement, and/or conveying a second chance identifier verbally via at least one of a telephone network, an advertisement, or a public address system.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of collecting player information during play of the additional play opportunities.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the player information includes at least one of information associated with play of the primary game, play of the second chance game, activities performed by the player associated with the second chance game, player preferences, player affinities, demographic information, or personal information.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising an act of generating a player profile from collected player information.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the act of collecting player information includes acts of:

associating information on the primary game with the second chance identifier; and

storing information on the primary game in response to access of the additional play opportunities.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the act of collecting player information includes acts of:

associating non-gaming activity with the second chance identifier; and

storing information on the non-gaming activity in response to access of the additional play opportunities.

20. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of establishing the outcome of the game of chance to conform to the player affinity.