Simulcast pari-mutuel gaming machine with casino and lottery styled wagers for continuous play

• US 7,803,046 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantor Index LLC
• Original Assignee: Cantor Index LLC
• Inventors: Scott, Kenneth A., Krause, Lawrence A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): D'AGOSTINO, PAUL ANTHONY
• Application Number:
  US10/616,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20040009812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,637 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 28, 463/1, 463/6, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/28
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/323 wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds, instructions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3246 involving coins and/or banknotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/106664 Blood serum or blood plasma standard or control

Abstract

An gaming machine for and method of par-mutuel wagering that allows individuals to continuously place multiple casino and lottery styled pari-mutuel wagers on simulcast live and/or recorded pari-mutuel race events. The gaming machine includes a display screen to provide a graphic display of a plurality of pari-mutuel gaming options to a player, and a selection device operable by the player to select at least one of the pari-mutuel gaming options displayed on the screen, the selection device operable by the player to input a wager corresponding to the selected at least one pari-mutuel gaming option. The gaming machine has the ability to be linked to a network of gaming machines in pari-mutuel and/or other wagering venues.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying to a player a game selection frame, wherein the game selection frame includes a plurality of games associated with pari-mutuel wagering;

receiving from the player a selection of a first one of the plurality of games;

based at least in part on receiving the selection of the first game, displaying to the player a track selection frame, wherein the track selection frame includes a plurality of tracks at which the first game is available for play;

receiving from the player a selection of a first one of the plurality of tracks at which to play the first game;

receiving from the player a first wager on a first event at the first track, wherein the first wager corresponds to a playing of the first game;

displaying to the player at least a first option and a second option, wherein;

a selection of the first option by the player allows the player to replay the first game at a track, different from the first track, without redisplaying to the player the game selection frame and as such, causes the track selection frame to be redisplayed to the player, wherein the redisplayed track selection frame includes at least a second track, different from the first track, at which the first game is available for play; and

a selection of the second option by the player allows the player to select a game, different from the first game, at the first track without redisplaying to the player the track selection frame and as such, causes the player to remain at the first track and further causes the game selection frame to be redisplayed to the player, wherein the redisplayed game selection frame includes at least a second game, different from the first game, that is available for play at the first track;

receiving from the player a selection of the second option; and

in response to receiving the selection of the second option;

redisplaying to the player the game selection frame but not the track selection frame, wherein the redisplayed game selection frame includes at least the second game;

receiving from the player a selection of the second game; and

receiving from the player a second wager, wherein the second wager corresponds to a playing of the second game.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein displaying at least the first option and the second option further comprises displaying to the player at least a third option,

wherein a selection of the third option by the player allows the player to replay the first game at the first track without redisplaying to the player the game selection frame or the track selection frame.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

in response to receiving the selection of the first game, displaying to the player an instructional option for the first game,

wherein a selection of the instructional option by the player causes an explanation frame for the first game to be displayed to the player, and

wherein the explanation frame comprises;

a plurality of rules for playing the first game; and

at least one simulated play of the first game;

receiving from the player a selection of the instructional option; and

in response to receiving the selection of the instructional option, displaying to the player the explanation frame.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

in response to receiving the selection of the first track, displaying to the player track information associated with the first track, wherein the track information comprises post times and odds for a plurality of events at the first track.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying to the player a video of at least a portion of the first event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording data to a reward card associated with the player, wherein the recorded data is based at least in part on the first wager.

7. The method of claim 3,

wherein the explanation frame further comprises an option to play the first game;

wherein the method further comprises the step of receiving from the player a selection of the option to play the first game; and

wherein displaying to the player the track selection frame comprises displaying to the player the track selection frame based at least in part on receiving the selection of the option to play the first game.

8. The method of claim 5,

wherein the method further comprises the step of recording the first event;

and

wherein displaying the video comprises displaying to the player at least a portion of the recorded first event.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory communicably coupled to the at least one processor and having stored thereon software instructions, in which the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor operable to at least;

cause a display screen to display to a player a game selection frame, wherein the game selection frame includes a plurality of games associated with pari-mutuel wagering;

receive from the player a selection of a first one of the plurality of games;

based at least in part on receiving the selection of the first game, cause the display screen to display to the player a track selection frame, wherein the track selection frame includes a plurality of tracks at which the first game is available for play;

receive from the player a selection of a first one of the plurality of tracks at which to play the first game;

receive from the player a first wager on a first event at the first track, wherein the first wager corresponds to the first game;

cause the display screen to display to the player at least a first option and a second option, wherein;

a selection of the first option by the player allows the player to replay the first game at a track, different from the first track, without redisplaying to the player the game selection frame and as such, causes the track selection frame to be redisplayed to the player, wherein the redisplayed track selection frame includes at least a second track, different from the first track, at which the first game is available for play; and

a selection of the second option by the player allows the player to select a game, different from the first game, at the first track without redisplaying to the player the track selection frame and as such, causes the player to remain at the first track and further causes the game selection frame to be redisplayed to the player, wherein the redisplayed game selection frame includes at least a second game, different from the first game, that is available for play at the first track;

receive from the player a selection of the first option;

in response to receiving the selection of the first option;

cause the display screen to redisplay to the player the track selection frame but not the game selection frame, wherein the redisplayed track selection frame includes at least second track;

receive from the player a selection of the second track; and

receive from the player a second wager, wherein the second wager corresponds to a replaying of the first game;

receive from the player a selection of the second option; and

in response to receiving the selection of the second option;

cause the display screen to redisplay to the player the game selection frame but not the track selection frame, wherein the redisplayed game selection frame includes at least the second game;

receive from the player a selection of the second game; and

receive from the player a third wager, wherein the third wager corresponds to a playing of the second game.

10. The apparatus of claim 9,

wherein to cause the display screen to display at least the first option and the second option further comprises to cause the display screen to display to the player at least a third option,

wherein a selection of the third option by the player allows the player to replay the first game at the first track without redisplaying to the player the game selection frame or the track selection frame;

and

wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to;

receive from the player a selection of the third option; and

receive from the player a fourth wager, wherein the fourth wager corresponds to the selection of the third option and thereby a replaying of the first game.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to:

in response to receiving the selection of the first game, cause the display screen to display to the player an instructional option for the first game,

wherein a selection of the instructional option by the player causes an explanation frame for the first game to be displayed to the player, and

wherein the explanation frame comprises;

a plurality of rules for playing the first game; and

at least one simulated play of the first game;

receive from the player a selection of the instructional option; and

in response to receiving the selection of the instructional option, cause the display screen to display to the player the explanation frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to:

in response to receiving the selection of the first track, cause the display screen to display to the player track information associated with the first track, wherein the track information comprises post times and odds for a plurality of events at the first track.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to cause the display screen to display to the player a video of at least a portion of the first event.

14. The apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to record data to a reward card associated with the player;

and

wherein the recorded data is based at least in part on the first wager.

15. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the explanation frame further comprises an option to play the first game;

wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to receive from the player a selection of the option to play the first game; and

wherein to cause the display screen to display to the player the track selection frame comprises to cause the display screen to display to the player the track selection frame based at least in part on receiving the selection of the option to play the first game.

16. The apparatus of claim 13,

wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to record the first event;

and

wherein to display the video comprises to display to the player at least a portion of the recorded first event.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory communicably coupled to the at least one processor and having stored thereon software instructions, in which the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor operable to at least;

display to a player a game selection frame, wherein the game selection frame includes a plurality of games associated with pari-mutuel wagering;

receive from the player a selection of a first one of the plurality of games;

based at least in part on receiving the selection of the first game, display to the player a track selection frame, wherein the track selection frame includes a plurality of tracks at which the first game is available for play;

receive from the player a selection of a first one of the plurality of tracks at which to play the first game;

receive from the player a first wager on a first event at the first track, wherein the first wager corresponds to the first game;

display to the player at least a first option and a second option, wherein;

a selection of the first option by the player allows the player to replay the first game at a track, different from the first track, without redisplaying to the player the game selection frame and as such, causes the track selection frame to be redisplayed to the player, wherein the redisplayed track selection frame includes at least a second track, different from the first track, at which the first game is available for play; and

a selection of the second option by the player allows the player to select a game, different from the first game, at the first track without redisplaying to the player the track selection frame and as such, causes the player to remain at the first track and further causes the game selection frame to be redisplayed to the player, wherein the redisplayed game selection frame includes at least a second game, different from the first game, that is available for play at the first track;

receive from the player a selection of the first option;

in response to receiving the selection of the first option

redisplay to the player the track selection frame but not the game selection frame, wherein the redisplayed track selection frame includes at least the second track;

receive from the player a selection of the second track; and

receive from the player a second wager, wherein the second wager corresponds to a replaying of the first game;

receive from the player a selection of the second option; and

in response to receiving the selection of the second option;

redisplay to the player the game selection frame but not the track selection frame, wherein the redisplayed game selection frame includes at least the second game;

receive from the player a selection of the second game; and

receive from the player a third wager, wherein the third wager corresponds to a playing of the second game.

18. The apparatus of claim 17,

wherein to display at least the first option and the second option further comprises to display to the player at least a third option,

wherein a selection of the third option by the player allows the player to replay the first game at the first track without redisplaying to the player the game selection frame or the track selection frame;

and

wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to;

receive from the player a selection of the third option; and

receive from the player a fourth wager, wherein the fourth wager corresponds to the selection of the third option and thereby a replaying of the first game.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to:

in response to receiving the selection of the first game, display to the player an instructional option for the first game,

wherein a selection of the instructional option by the player causes an explanation frame for the first game to be displayed to the player, and

wherein the explanation frame comprises;

a plurality of rules for playing the first game; and

at least one simulated play of the first game;

receive from the player a selection of the instructional option; and

in response to receiving the selection of the instructional option, display to the player the explanation frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 19,

wherein the explanation frame further comprises an option to play the first game;

wherein the software instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, make the at least one processor further operable to receive from the player a selection of the option to play the first game; and

wherein to display to the player the track selection frame comprises to display to the player the track selection frame based at least in part on receiving the selection of the option to play the first game.