PROMOTIONAL GAMING EVENTS AND AWARDS

• US 20170372559A1
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronnie W. Harris
• Original Assignee: Ronnie W. Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Ronnie W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,445,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• 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 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Wagering games include promotional events and promotional awards, such as the award of free or reduced cost goods and services. Promotional awards may be reward by the receipt of property logo symbols during game play. Promotional awards rewarded at one casino may be redeemable only at a second casino. Promotional awards may be rewarded based upon game play metrics of identified or anonymous players.

Claims

1. A method of awarding a gaming promotional award at an electronically operated gaming machine comprising:

accepting a wager from a player to play at least one wagering game at said gaming machine having a base configuration wherein one or more combinations of at least one game symbol are designated as winning outcomes having an associated monetary value credit award which is funded from wagers made to play said game;

displaying one or more symbols to said player at said gaming machine, said symbols selected from a set of symbols comprising game symbols and at least one unique symbol, said at least one unique symbol comprising the name or logo of a third party company or its goods or services;

determining an outcome of game with reference to said displayed symbols;

in the event a winning combination of game symbols is displayed, awarding said monetary value credit award for said winning outcome; and

in the event at least one of said unique symbols is displayed, awarding said player a promotional award of free or reduced goods or services, which promotional award is supplied by said company, whereby said gaming machine provides promotional awards to said player in addition to said monetary value credit awards, which promotional awards are not funded from said monetary wagers made to play said game.