U.S. patent application number 11/880228 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-22 for pre-paid game cards and lottery tickets providing access to online electronic games.
This patent application is currently assigned to Waterleaf Limited. Invention is credited to Martin Paul Moshal, Theo Naicker.
Application Number | 20090023490 11/880228 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40265285 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090023490 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moshal; Martin Paul ; et
al. |
January 22, 2009 |
Pre-paid game cards and lottery tickets providing access to online
electronic games
Abstract
A ticket or game card contains information such as a number,
code or password by which a player accesses an electronic wager
game on a web site using a computer. The ticket is associated with
some quantum of credit (non-cashable or cashable) which the player
uses to play turns of the game. The game has a pay table that
includes losing results, intermediate results in which the player
wins additional non-cashable resources (such as additional spins or
additional non-cashable credit) and winning results in which the
player wins credit redeemable for cash. The winning results can be
directly converted to cash on a one to one basis, or converted to
cash value by means of a second pay table. The systems and methods
can be used to implement a lottery in which case the ticket is a
lottery ticket. Alternatively, a player purchases the card and then
proceeds to play at a land-based or online casino.
Inventors: |
Moshal; Martin Paul;
(Gibraltar, GI) ; Naicker; Theo; (Durban,
ZA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCDONNELL BOEHNEN HULBERT & BERGHOFF LLP
300 S. WACKER DRIVE, 32ND FLOOR
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
Waterleaf Limited
Douglas
GB
|
Family ID: |
40265285 |
Appl. No.: |
11/880228 |
Filed: |
July 19, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/17 ; 463/22;
463/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/329 20130101;
G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/17 ; 463/22;
463/29 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method for managing access to a wager game, comprising:
providing a facility for issuing a ticket to a player in exchange
for value, the ticket containing information for use in providing
the player with access to an electronic wager game using a
computing device functioning as a gaming terminal, wherein the
ticket is further associated with non-cashable resources with which
the player may play one or more turns of play of the electronic
wager game.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a server
receiving a datagram from the gaming terminal associated with the
player, the datagram containing the information contained in the
ticket and responsively granting access to the electronic wager
game.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ticket comprises a lottery
ticket.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ticket is in electronic
form.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the
step of providing in the wager game a pay table associated with a
turn of play of the electronic wager game in which the player makes
a wager using the non-cashable resources associated with the
ticket, and wherein the pay table includes outcomes for each turn
of play of the game of at least three types: 1) a first type of
outcome in which the player loses their wager on that turn of the
game; 2) a second type of outcome in which the player wins
additional non-cashable resources with which to play additional
turns of the electronic wager game; and 3) a third type of outcome
in which the player wins a credit which is redeemable for money
either directly or through use of a second pay table.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises the
steps of: providing a client application for generating displays on
a display on the gaming terminal, the client application of the
electronic wager game on a gaming terminal used by the player,
wherein the displays includes a display comprising at least one of
the following elements: 1) a first element displaying the current
balance of credit, if any, won in accordance with the third type of
outcome in previous turn of play of the electronic wager game; and
2) a second element displaying the non-cashable resources, if any,
which were won on the previous turn of the game in accordance with
the second type of outcome.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the display further includes an
additional element comprising a display of the total amount of
remaining non-cashable credit available to the player.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the credit redeemable for money
is available to the player immediately after an outcome of the
third kind occurs.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the information is used to
provide access to an electronic wager game played over a computer
network, and wherein the non-cashable resources are useable to play
turns of a plurality of different electronic wager games over the
computer network, and wherein each of the different electronic
wager games has a pay table having the first, second and third
types of outcomes as recited in claim 5.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the electronic
wager games is selected from the group of games consisting of a
slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and a poker-type game.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-cashable resources
comprises a resource selected from the group of resources
consisting of a) a predetermined number of turns of play of the
electronic wager game with a fixed wager amount per turn of play
and b) a predetermined quantity of non-cashable credit available
for play in which the wager amount per turn of play is not
fixed.
12. The method of claim 5, wherein the credit, if any, won by a
player in accordance the third type of outcome in the pay table is
convertible into money by means of a second pay table.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the non-cashable resources are
useable to play turns of a plurality of different electronic wager
games, wherein each of the different electronic wager games have a
pay table having the first, second and third types of outcomes as
recited in claim 5, and wherein each of the plurality of different
electronic wager games has a different second pay table for
converting credit won by a player in accordance with the third type
of outcome into money.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the non-cashable resources are
useable to play turns of a plurality of different electronic wager
games, wherein each of the different electronic wager games have a
pay table having the first, second and third types of outcomes as
recited in claim 5, and wherein each of the plurality of different
electronic wager games uses the same second pay table for
converting credit won by a player in accordance with the third type
of outcome into money.
15. A method for managing access to a wager game, comprising:
providing a facility for issuing a ticket to a player in exchange
for value, the ticket containing information for use in providing
the player with access to an electronic wager game using a
computing device functioning as a gaming terminal, wherein the
ticket is further associated with cashable resources with which the
player may play one or more instances of the electronic wager
game.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the player may not withdraw the
cashable resources for money until a predetermined playthrough
requirement has been achieved.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined playthrough
requirement is met when the player has lost at least half of the
cashable resources associated with the ticket.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined playthrough
requirement P is determined as C multiplied by V/M, where C is a
number between 0.1 and 1.0, V comprises the value exchanged for the
ticket and M comprises the game margin for the electronic wager
game.
19. Gaming apparatus comprising a memory storing data for
processing by a gaming terminal, the improvement comprising: the
memory storing an electronic file containing data representing a
pay table for an electronic wager game for display on the display
of the gaming terminal, wherein the pay table includes outcomes for
each turn of play of the game of at least three types: 1) a first
type of outcome in which the player loses their wager on that
instance of the game; 2) a second type of outcome in which the
player wins non-cashable resources with which to play additional
turns of the electronic wager game in a normal mode of play of the
game; and 3) a third type of outcome in which the player wins a
credit which is redeemable for money, either directly or through a
second pay table.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the memory further stores a
client application for display on the gaming terminal, wherein the
display includes at least one of the following elements: 1) an
element displaying the current balance of credit, if any, won in
accordance with the third type of outcome in previous turn of play
of the electronic wager game; and 2) an element displaying the
non-cashable resources, if any, which were won on the previous turn
of the game in accordance with the second type of outcome.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the display further includes
an additional element comprising a display of the total amount of
remaining non-cashable credit available to the player.
22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the electronic wager game
comprises a game selected from the group of games consisting of a
slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and a poker-type game.
23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the gaming terminal
comprises a general purpose computer.
24. A system for administering a lottery, comprising, in
combination: one or more facilities for issuing a ticket to a
player in exchange for value, the ticket containing information for
use in providing the player with access to an electronic wager game
using an electronic gaming terminal over a computer network,
wherein the ticket is further associated with non-cashable
resources with which the player may play one or more instances of
the electronic wager game; a web server receiving a datagram from
the electronic gaming terminal containing the information contained
on the ticket and thereby providing access to the electronic wager
game; and a gaming server in communication over a computer network
with the web server and the electronic gaming terminal generating
datagrams associated with results of play of turns of the
electronic wager game and sending the datagrams to the electronic
gaming terminals.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more facilities
issue physical lottery tickets containing the information.
26. The system of claim 24, wherein the one or more facilities
comprises a computer generating an electronic ticket containing the
information.
27. The system of claim 24, wherein the web server provides access
to an electronic wager game having a pay table associated with a
turn of play of the electronic wager game in which the player makes
a wager of the non-cashable resources associated with the ticket,
and wherein the pay table includes outcomes for each turn of play
of the game of at least three types: 1) a first type of outcome in
which the player loses their wager on that turn of the game; 2) a
second type of outcome in which the player wins additional
non-cashable resources with which to play additional turns of the
electronic wager game; and 3) a third type of outcome in which the
player wins a credit which is redeemable for money either directly
or through use of a second pay table.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the web server provides a
facility for downloading a client application to the electronic
gaming terminal, the client application including code for
generating a display on the gaming terminal containing at least one
of the following elements: 1) an element displaying the current
balance of credit, if any, won in accordance with the third type of
outcome in previous turn of play of the electronic wager game; and
2) an element displaying the non-cashable resources, if any, which
were won in the previous turn of the game in accordance with the
second type of outcome.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the display further includes an
additional element comprising a display of the total amount of
remaining non-cashable credit available to the player.
30. The system of claim 27, wherein the credit redeemable for money
is available to the player immediately after an outcome of the
third kind occurs.
31. The system of claim 27, wherein the web server provides access
to a plurality of different electronic wager games and wherein the
non-cashable resources are useable to play turns of play of the
plurality of different electronic wager games, and wherein each of
the different electronic wager games has a pay table having the
first, second and third types of outcomes as recited in claim
27.
32. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the electronic
wager games is selected from the group of games consisting of a
slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and a poker-type game.
33. The system of claim 24, wherein the non-cashable resources
comprises a resource selected from the group of resources
consisting of a) a predetermined number of turns of play of the
electronic wager game with a fixed wager amount per turn of play
and b) a predetermined quantity of non-cashable credit available
for play in which the wager amount per turn of play is not
fixed.
34. The system of claim 27, wherein the credit, if any, won by a
player in accordance the third type of outcome in the pay table is
convertible into money by means of a second pay table.
35. The system of claim 27, wherein the non-cashable resources are
useable to play turns of a plurality of different electronic wager
games, wherein each of the different electronic wager games have a
pay table having the first, second and third types of outcomes as
recited in claim 27, and wherein each of the plurality of different
electronic wager games has a different second pay table for
converting credit won by a player in accordance with the third type
of outcome into money.
36. The system of claim 27, wherein the non-cashable resources are
useable to play turns of a plurality of different electronic wager
games, wherein each of the different electronic wager games have a
pay table having the first, second and third types of outcomes as
recited in claim 27, and wherein each of the plurality of different
electronic wager games uses the same second pay table for
converting credit won by a player in accordance with the third type
of outcome into money.
37. A gaming system comprising: one or more electronic gaming
devices for play of an electronic wager game, the wager game having
a pay table, a facility for issuing a ticket to a player containing
an amount of non-cashable resources for use in playing the wager
game in exchange for value; and wherein the wager game is
associated with a pay table which includes outcomes for each turn
of play of the game of at least three types, the turns of play
comprising turns of play using the non-cashable resources: 1) a
first type of outcome in which the player loses their wager on that
turn of the game; 2) a second type of outcome in which the player
wins additional non-cashable resources with which to play
additional turns of the electronic wager game; and 3) a third type
of outcome in which the player wins a credit which is redeemable
for money either directly or through use of a second pay table.
38. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the gaming terminal
includes a display having at least one of the following elements:
1) an element displaying the current balance of credit, if any, won
in accordance with the third type of outcome in previous turn of
play of the electronic wager game; and 2) an element displaying the
non-cashable resources, if any, which were won in the previous turn
of the game in accordance with the second type of outcome.
39. The gaming system of claim 38, wherein the display further
includes an additional element comprising a display of the total
amount of remaining non-cashable credit available to the
player.
40. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the credit redeemable
for money is available to the player immediately after an outcome
of the third kind occurs.
41. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the gaming terminal
accesses a plurality of different electronic wager games and
wherein the non-cashable resources are useable to play turns of
play of the plurality of different electronic wager games, and
wherein each of the different electronic wager games has a pay
table having the first, second and third types of outcomes as
recited in claim 37.
42. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the
electronic wager games is selected from the group of games
consisting of a slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and a
poker-type game.
43. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the non-cashable
resources comprises a resource selected from the group of resources
consisting of a) a predetermined number of turns of play of the
electronic wager game with a fixed wager amount per turn of play
and b) a predetermined quantity of non-cashable credit available
for play in which the wager amount per turn of play is not
fixed.
44. The gaming system of claim 37, wherein the gaming system is
incorporated into a casino.
45. A gaming ticket, comprising: a field on the ticket containing
information for use in providing the player with access to an
electronic wager game using a computing device functioning as a
gaming terminal, wherein the ticket is further associated with
resources with which the player may play one or more turns of play
of the electronic wager game.
46. The ticket of claim 45, wherein the ticket is embodied in a
lottery ticket.
47. The ticket of claim 45, wherein the ticket is a scratch-type
ticket and wherein the information is revealed upon scratching a
covering obscuring the information.
48. The ticket of claim 45, wherein the ticket comprises an
electronic ticket.
49. The ticket of claim 45, wherein the resources are
non-cashable.
50. The system of claim 24, wherein each ticket issued from the one
or more facilities is further identified in the system as either a
winning ticket or a losing ticket in advance of any play by a
player holding such ticket, and in the event that the ticket is
identified in the system as a winning ticket the gaming server
generates results of turns of play which are winning results and in
the event that the ticket is identified in the system as a losing
ticket the gaming server generates results of turns of play which
are losing results.
51. The system of claim 50, wherein in the event that the ticket is
identified in the system as a winning ticket the winning results
are randomly selected from a pool of winning results.
52. The system of claim 50, wherein in the event that the ticket is
identified in the system as a winning ticket the gaming server
selects winning results according to a predetermined prize
distribution schedule for such ticket.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to a prior application of the
same inventors, Ser. No. 11/373,748 filed Mar. 9, 2006, the entire
contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND
[0003] This invention is related to the field of methods and
systems for providing access to electronic wager games, such as
video slots, video blackjack, roulette, video poker and the like.
This invention is also related to the field of methods and systems
for administering a lottery. Unlike a conventional lottery
featuring instant win scratch tickets or participation in a prize
draw, lotteries in accordance with this disclosure feature a ticket
which provides a player with access to an electronic wager game
which is played over a computer network. The player plays with
non-cashable or cashable resources (credit) proportional to the
value of the lottery ticket.
[0004] Instant-win lottery scratch cards are well known in the
United States and elsewhere. Such scratch cards are issued by an
authorized lottery operator and are generally made available
through a plurality of distribution facilities, such as vending
machines, convenience stores, and other outlets. Each scratch card
includes an array of randomly-arranged concealed symbols that are
revealed by a player after purchase of the card. If the revealed
symbols on the card contain a winning combination of symbols, the
player wins a prize according to a pay table. The player may redeem
smaller prizes in the pay table directly from the distribution
outlet, while bigger prizes in the pay table are usually paid to
players by the lottery operator.
[0005] Such lottery scratch cards must have a profit margin that is
sufficient to remunerate various parties with an interest in the
lottery, namely the players, the lottery operator, the distributors
of the tickets, and any charitable beneficiaries of the
lottery.
[0006] It is desirable to provide a player with a more entertaining
way of arriving at a combination of symbols to compare against the
pay table, other than by revealing an array of concealed symbols on
a scratch card.
[0007] As will be described below, in accordance with one feature
of this disclosure a lottery ticket (or game card) provides the
player with access to an electronic wager game which is played over
a computer network and accessed at a web site operated by the
lottery operator. The electronic wager game may take the form of
video slots, video poker or other wager game, in which a
combination of symbols or playing cards is randomly generated by a
gaming server in a manner which is well known in the art. The
player plays the game on a personal computer or other computing
device. The player is able to cash out any prizes won from playing
the wager game.
[0008] Traditional video slots and video poker games typically have
payouts to players thereof of between 95 and 98% or, equivalently,
a profit margin of between 2 and 5%. This margin is too low to be
shared equitably amongst the other various interested parties in a
lottery based on such games, the reason being there are too many
entities involved in the lottery infrastructure which must be paid
from the profit margin. Accordingly, a method is needed for
reducing the player payout in order to enable such a lottery to be
economically viable, without adversely affecting the player
experience while playing the game. Aspects of this invention
address this need.
[0009] The use of a computer to play wager games offered by an
online casino is also known in the art and described in the patent
literature. See, for example, U.S. Patent publications 2007/0093297
and 2006/10287097. A player who wishes to place real-money wagers
on game play at an online casino is first required to register and
to create an account at the online casino. The player is then
required to pre-fund the account by purchasing credit. The player
is able to redeem all or part of a non-zero credit balance for
money at any stage.
[0010] There is a need to simplify the process a player must follow
in order to place real-money wagers at an online casino by
eliminating the registration and account-creation requirements.
This can be achieved through the use of the pre-paid gaming cards
or tickets and by having the online casino operator provide
electronic wager games that are accessed by means of the pre-paid
gaming cards as described herein.
SUMMARY
[0011] This disclosure features methods of providing access to
wager games, and lottery and game playing systems, that will
provide profit margins for game proprietors, such as lottery
operators and online casinos, that are far greater than the 2-5%
profit margin that is typically realized, yet still result in a
good gaming experience for the player. Thus, the features of this
disclosure overcome the difficulties presented in the prior art and
enable a new method for providing access to wager games, such as
games played in accordance with a lottery, that is particularly
suitable when a higher level of profit margin is necessary in order
to satisfy the revenue requirements for all the parties
participating in the operation of the game (e.g., the state, the
distributors of tickets, the providers of the wager game software,
charities associated with the lottery, and still others).
[0012] Access to the wager game is facilitated by means of a
pre-paid game card or ticket. The ticket may take the form of a
physical ticket, such as a scratch card, which is vended in the
usual fashion. Alternatively, the ticket may take the form of an
electronic ticket that is purchased or accessed online. The ticket
contains information, such as a code, ticket number or other data,
which is used to obtain access to the wager game using a computer
in the manner to be described below. The ticket is purchased for
value, i.e., cash, at a vending machine or convenience store or
other outlet, or purchased online, e.g., using a credit card. The
ticket is associated with a value of non-cashable "resources" with
which to make wagers in play of the electronic wager game. For
example, the ticket can be purchased for $10 and $10 in
non-cashable resources is available to play the wager games.
Generally, the amount paid for the ticket will be commensurate with
the amount of non-cashable resources that is available to the
player.
[0013] The non-cashable resource can consist of either one of: a) a
number of "transactions", e.g., "free spins" or hands of play, in
which the amount of the wager is fixed (e.g. at $1 or a
predetermined number of coins having an assigned value); and b) a
quantity of non-cashable credit, which the player may wager and in
which the amount of the wager is not fixed, i.e., can vary
depending on the whim of the player. If the resource is a number of
transactions, the number will depend on the amount paid for the
lottery ticket or game card. For example, if the player spends $10
for the ticket, 20 free spins of a slot machine are awarded to the
player. If the player spends $20 for the ticket, the player is
awarded 40 free spins. If the resource is a quantity of
non-cashable credit, the quantity will also depend on the value
exchanged for the ticket. For example, if the player spends $10 for
the ticket, the player has say 1,000 units of credit to play the
game. If the player spends $100 for the ticket, the player has
10,000 units of credit.
[0014] The player utilizes the non-cashable resources to play turns
of the electronic wager game. The result or outcome of each turn of
the game is reflected in the pay table for the game, and is either:
[0015] 1) a loss of the player's wager; [0016] 2) an intermediate
outcome in which the player wins more non-cashable resource, e.g.,
more free spins at a fixed wager, or more non-cashable credit; or
[0017] 3) successful outcome in which the player wins a prize
(credit) that is redeemable for cash according to standard payout
procedures, either directly, or by means of a second pay table
converting the credit to cash.
[0018] It is envisaged that intermediate outcomes 2) would
correspond to lower-level wins on the pay table of the game, while
successful outcomes 3) would correspond to higher-level wins on the
pay table.
[0019] The player cannot redeem any non-cashable resource other
than by using it to play the game. By having lower-level wins on
the pay table paid out in a non-cashable resource, the cash payout
made to players is reduced while still providing players with the
perception of winning by means of intermediate outcomes on the pay
table.
[0020] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method is
provided for managing access to a wager game. The method includes
the steps of providing a facility (e.g., kiosk, vending machine,
computer or other device or system) for issuing a ticket to a
player in exchange for value. The ticket can be in paper or
electronic form and may take the form of a lottery ticket. The
ticket contains information for use in providing the player with
access to an electronic wager game using a computing device
functioning as a gaming terminal. The information may take the form
of a unique ticket number, password, a bar code, an alphanumeric
code, or other data or information which is used to gain access to
the wager game. The ticket is further associated with non-cashable
resources with which the player may play one or more turns of play
of the electronic wager game. Such resources may take the form of
multiple turns of play at a fixed wager amount, or an amount of
credit which may be used to play the game, in which the amount
wagered per turn can be varied.
[0021] In one embodiment, the method includes providing a web
server receiving a datagram from the gaming terminal associated
with the player, the datagram containing the information contained
in the ticket and responsively granting access to the electronic
wager game. For example, the player uses the gaming terminal to
access a web site hosted on the web server. The player is prompted
to enter the code or ticket number presented on the ticket and a
datagram containing that code or ticket number is sent to the web
server. If the ticket number is an authorized number, the player is
provided with access to the wager game. For example, the server
sends a web page to the gaming terminal presenting a menu of
available wager games which are available for play using the
resources associated with the ticket.
[0022] In one aspect, the wager game has a pay table associated
with a turn of play. As noted above, the pay table includes
outcomes for each turn of play of the game of at least three types:
1) a first type of outcome in which the player loses their wager on
that turn of the game; 2) a second type of outcome in which the
player wins additional non-cashable resources, such as additional
spins, hands of cards or credit to make additional wagers; and 3) a
third type of outcome in which the player wins a credit which is
redeemable for money, either directly or through use of a second
pay table. The pay table will typically structure the three
outcomes depending on the probabilities of a successful outcome of
the game, taking advantage of the statistics of the game, and the
profit margin the game proprietor seeks to maintain for the
game.
[0023] In a game with this type of pay table, the method may also
include the step of providing a client application for generating
displays on a display on the gaming terminal. The displays includes
a display comprising at least one of the following elements: 1) a
first element displaying the current balance of credit, if any,
redeemable for money, won in a previous turn of play; and 2) a
second element displaying the non-cashable resources, if any, which
were won in the previous turn of play. The display may also include
an additional element comprising a display of the total amount of
remaining non-cashable resources available to the player.
[0024] In another aspect, a method is disclosed for managing access
to a wager game. The method includes the step of providing a
facility for issuing a ticket to a player in exchange for value.
The ticket contains information for use in providing the player
with access to an electronic wager game using a computing device
functioning as a gaming terminal. The ticket is further associated
with cashable resources with which the player may play one or more
turns of the electronic wager game. Whereas in the previously
described embodiments the ticket is associated with non-cashable
resources (the player cannot directly cash out the resources and
must win cashable credit from playing the game in order to win
money), in this embodiment the player plays with cashable credit.
However, in accordance with one aspect of this embodiment, the
player may not withdraw the cashable resources for money until a
predetermined playthrough requirement has been achieved. In one
possible embodiment, the predetermined playthrough requirement is
met when the player has lost at least one half of the cashable
resources associated with the ticket. In another embodiment, the
predetermined playthrough requirement P is determined as C
multiplied by V/M, where C is a number between 0.1 and 1.0, V
comprises the value exchanged for the ticket and M comprises the
game margin for the electronic wager game.
[0025] In another aspect, the invention contemplates an improvement
to a gaming apparatus comprising a memory storing data for
processing by a gaming terminal. The improvement comprises storing
in the memory an electronic file containing data representing a pay
table for an electronic wager game for display on the display of
the gaming terminal. The pay table includes outcomes for each turn
of play of the game of at least three types: 1) a first type of
outcome in which the player loses their wager; 2) a second type of
outcome in which the player wins non-cashable resources with which
to play additional turns of play of the game in a normal mode of
play of the game; and 3) a third type of outcome in which the
player wins a credit which is redeemable for money, either directly
or through a second pay table.
[0026] In any of the above embodiments, the electronic wager game
may take a variety of forms. In one form, the game is selected from
the group of games consisting of a slots-type game, a roulette-type
game, and a poker-type game.
[0027] In still another aspect, a system is disclosed for
administering a lottery. The system includes one or more facilities
(e.g., kiosks, vending machines, computer system) issuing a ticket
to a player in exchange for value, the ticket containing
information for use in providing the player with access to an
electronic wager game using an electronic gaming terminal (e.g.,
computer) over a computer network. The ticket is further associated
with non-cashable resources with which the player may play one or
more turns of the electronic wager game. The system further
includes a web server receiving a datagram from the electronic
gaming terminal containing the information contained on the ticket
and thereby providing access to the electronic wager game. The
system further includes a gaming server in communication over a
computer network with the web server and the electronic gaming
terminal. The gaming server generates datagrams associated with
results of play of turns of the electronic wager game, and sends
the datagrams containing the results of play to the terminals for
display.
[0028] In still another aspect, a gaming system is disclosed
comprising one or more electronic gaming devices for play of an
electronic wager game, the wager game having a pay table, a
facility for issuing a ticket to a player containing an amount of
non-cashable resources for use in playing the wager game in
exchange for value; and wherein the wager game is associated with a
pay table which includes outcomes for each turn of play of the game
of at least three types, the turns of play comprising turns of play
using the non-cashable resources: 1) a first type of outcome in
which the player loses their wager on that turn of the game; 2) a
second type of outcome in which the player wins additional
non-cashable resources with which to play additional turns of the
electronic wager game; and 3) a third type of outcome in which the
player wins a credit which is redeemable for money either directly
or through use of a second pay table.
[0029] Additionally, the present invention contemplates a gaming
card or ticket which includes a field on the ticket containing
information (e.g., number, password, code, etc,) for use in
providing the player with access to an electronic wager game using
a computing device functioning as a gaming terminal. The ticket is
associated with non-cashable resources with which the player may
play one or more turns of play of the electronic wager game. The
ticket may be in paper or electronic format. In one possible
embodiment the ticket is a lottery scratch-type ticket and wherein
the information allowing access to the game (e.g., ticket number,
authorization code, password, etc.) is revealed upon scratching a
covering obscuring the information.
[0030] In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments
described above, further aspects and embodiments will become
apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following
detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. It is
intended that the embodiments and Figures disclosed herein are to
be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
[0032] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a gaming environment in which
remote gaming terminals such as computers communicate with a
lottery web server and a central gaming server over a computer
network. Embodiments of this invention are suitable for
implementation in the environment of FIG. 1. The invention can also
be implemented on other environments, such as in a land-based
casino or an online casino.
[0033] FIG. 2 is a screen shot displayed on a gaming terminal when
the player accesses a web site of a lottery or game provider in
accordance with one embodiment of this disclosure. The player is
prompted to enter a ticket number in order to access the games
provided at the web site, whereupon validation of the ticket number
the player is presented with a menu of one or more games it may
play with non-cashable resources associated with the ticket.
[0034] FIG. 3 is a screen shot displayed on a gaming terminal when
the player has entered the ticket number in the screen of FIG. 2
and selected a video slots game to play from a menu of available
games. The screen shot includes a display of a pay table in
accordance with one aspect of the invention. Note that the pay
table includes three types of outcome of play: 1) the player loses
their wager on that turn of the game (inherent considering all the
possible outcomes from a spin of the slot machine reels which do
not result in one of the illustrated winning results); 2) an
intermediate outcome in which the player wins additional
non-cashable resources with which to play additional turns of the
electronic wager game (the bottom six winning results which have as
an award free spins); and 3) a winning outcome in which the player
wins a credit which is redeemable for cash (indicated by the top
two results, with awards of $300 and $150), either directly as in
the case of FIG. 3 or indirectly by means of a second pay
table.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a screen shot displayed on the gaming terminal
after one turn of the game of FIG. 3. In this instance, the left
hand slot machine reel indicates the player has a Cherry, which
results in an award of 2 free spins.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a screen shot when the player has entered the
ticket number in the screen of FIG. 2 and selected a different
video slots game to play from a menu of available games.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a screen shot after one turn of the game of FIG.
5. The player won $24 by virtue of the five Kings in one of the 15
available pay lines and three free spins (four Cherries in another
pay line, comprising two Cherry symbols and two Cash Splash
symbols, which are wild).
[0038] FIG. 7 is a screen shot showing the pay table for the game
of FIGS. 5 and 6, the pay table having three types of outcomes:
losing outcome (inherent), outcomes in which the player wins
non-cashable resources (free spins) and outcomes in which the
player wins cash.
[0039] FIG. 8 is a screen shot that is displayed when the player
has entered the ticket number in the screen of FIG. 2 and selected
a third type electronic game to play from a menu of available
games. The game includes a feature in which the player is given
non-cashable resources in the form of credit to play with. Winning
results redeemable for cash are added to a "Win Box." Wins in the
"Win Box" are converted to cash in accordance with a second pay
table.
[0040] FIG. 9 is a screen shot showing the results after one turn
of play of the game of FIG. 8.
[0041] FIG. 10 is a screen shot showing the results of play after a
second turn of play of the game of FIG. 8, in which the player won
18 units of cashable credit. The cashable credit is reflected in
the "Win Box."
[0042] FIG. 11 is a screen shot after the conclusion of play
showing the total cash winnings (conversion of Win Box credit into
cash by means of the second pay table.)
[0043] FIG. 12 is a screen shot showing the second pay table
converting Win Box credit to cash.
[0044] FIG. 13 is an illustration of a conventional lottery ticket
vending device for dispensing lottery tickets providing access to
the games of this disclosure in exchange for cash.
[0045] FIG. 14 is an illustration of an example of a lottery or
game card ticket providing a scratch area which reveals information
for gaining access to an electronic game room on a computer network
using the access features of FIG. 2. The value indicated on the
lottery ticket ($10) is converted to non-cashable resources to play
the wager games.
[0046] FIG. 15 is a screen shot of an electronic message containing
a virtual lottery ticket or game card providing access information
to an electronic game room, accessed with the features of FIG.
2.
[0047] FIG. 16 shows an example of a further embodiment, e.g., a
casino, where the game cards can be sold and used to provide access
to electronic wager games.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS
Overview
[0048] Aspects for this invention are particularly suited for use
in the context of playing of wager games. The preferred embodiments
will be described below in conjunction with the play of a wager
game associated with a lottery over a computer network. The
invention is not limited to a lottery scenario as will be
appreciated by the following discussion. All questions concerning
scope of the invention are to be answered by reference to the
appended claims.
[0049] As one example of how the invention may be implemented, a
player purchases a lottery ticket for cash. The ticket includes a
code or password which allows the player to log into a web site
operated by a lottery operator using a general purpose computer.
The lottery ticket is associated some value of credit (e.g., $10)
which can be used to play wager games that are accessed at the web
site. The value exchanged for the ticket can be coded into the
ticket number at the time of purchase or associated with the ticket
in some other manner. The credit that is available to the player
can take the form of non-cashable resources, or cashable resources,
as will be explained in the following discussion.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 1, a system suitable for implementing a
lottery in accordance with this disclosure is indicated generally
by reference numeral (1). The system (1) includes a central gaming
server (2), and a portal (3) in the form of web server on the World
Wide Web of the Internet which hosts a game playing web site. The
portal (3) is managed by the game proprietor, e.g., the lottery
operator. For convenience, embodiments of the invention will be
described with particular reference to one such portal (3). Other
portals operated by other lottery operators or online casinos may
be present. The system also includes facilities for issuing lottery
tickets (not shown in FIG. 1), which are described later in
conjunction with FIGS. 13-15.
[0051] The portal or web server (3) is accessible by a player (not
shown) through a player gaming terminal (4) in the form of an
Internet-enabled computer having a display monitor (5) and an
associated pointing device (5a) such as a mouse or, alternatively,
a touchpad. In this embodiment, web server (3) is shown as having
three computer gaming terminals (4) logically connected thereto. It
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the web server
(3) can be logically connected to any desired number of such
computer gaming terminals (4) simultaneously, which number is
physically limited only by considerations of processing power and
Internet access bandwidth.
[0052] The gaming server (2) functions to receive datagrams
containing amounts wagered and gaming action, such as activation of
a "spin" icon, from the gaming terminals (4). The server (2) also
functions to generate random outcomes for turns of play of the
electronic wager games played by the terminals (4). It also
functions to generate datagrams containing such outcomes and
transmits the datagrams to the terminals (4).
[0053] The web server (3) and the terminals (4) are capable of
communicating with each other by means of an open communication
network (7) that is, in this embodiment, the Internet. The Internet
is represented in FIG. 1 as separate logical communication networks
(6, 7, 8). The particular networking topology used and presence of
intermediate networks or switching equipment is not important, and
may make use of intervening communications networks such as the
public switched telephone network, cable networks, cellular
wireless networks, WiFi, WiMax, etc.
[0054] The gaming server (2) is associated with a database (14).
The database (14) maintains a credit account balance for each
player who participates in a game offered by the web server (3). In
the illustrated embodiment, therefore, if players are participating
in the game from each one of the gaming terminals or workstations
(4), the database (14) has one player credit account associated
with each of the player gaming terminals or workstations (4). The
credit account maintained in the database (14) maintains a balance
of non-cashable credit available to the player, any credits
redeemable for cash, and cash amounts, if any, due the player from
winning results of play. The database (14) also stores valid ticket
numbers (or valid access codes or other data) and the amount of
non-cashable credit that associated with each lottery ticket. The
database (14) is used to authenticate the tickets when the players
log onto the web site (3) using the features of FIG. 2.
[0055] Players at the gaming terminals (4) use a web browser to
access the web site hosted by the web server (3) and view the
available games for play, such as slots, poker, Black Jack,
Roulette and other games. Each of the available games has a
corresponding web application that includes display tools for
displaying on the user interface display (5) gaming symbols (e.g.,
slot machine reels, cards, Roulette wheels, etc.), displaying
gaming controls by which the player can place wagers, spin the
reels, etc., and displaying the results of play. The application
also includes gaming logic for facilitating the execution of a turn
of a game, and communications facilities for communicating player
actions using the user interface to the central gaming server (2),
and receiving datagrams from the gaming server containing results
of play. The data representing results of play are translated to
graphical symbols which are presented on the user interface display
(5). Further details are known in the art and described in the
patent literature, see e.g., U.S. application Ser. No. 10/540,744
filed Sep. 23, 2005.
[0056] Each gaming terminal (4) may take the form of a conventional
personal computer operating under a Windows XP, ME, 2000 or other
operating system, which is well known and commercially available
from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., or other operating
system such as provided by Apple Computer or a Linux operating
system. The gaming terminal (4) may also take the form of an
Internet-enabled portable computing device such as a personal
digital assistant, iPhone or the like, or cellular telephone.
[0057] A stored program in the gaming server (2) maintains a
dynamic register (not shown) in a database of all ticket codes
giving rise to active player participation in any instances of the
available games from time to time. The dynamic register also
contains data representative of an instance of the game in which
the player is participating and state information as to the status
of game play at each terminal (4). The gaming server (2) operates,
for example, under the Windows NT operating system.
[0058] The web application (not shown) executing in a client gaming
terminal (4) and the corresponding stored server program executing
in the gaming server (2) will be referred to, for convenience, as a
client process and a server process, respectively. The server
process generates one or more random events that determine the
outcome of turns of the game, such as determining the outcomes of
spins of the slot machine reels in the various slots games of the
participating players. The client process of any particular gaming
terminal (4) obtains the generated random events from the gaming
server (2) along the communication network (8) and displays them on
the display monitor (5) of the terminal in an intelligible manner
as a simulated game outcome, such as, for example, by causing the
player's set of slots reels to spin and to come to rest at a
position corresponding to the random event generated by the gaming
server (2).
[0059] In use, a player wishing to participate in a wager game uses
a terminal (4) to access the web server (3). The player will have
first purchased one of the pre-paid game cards or lottery tickets
for cash. The ticket includes preferably includes (1) a card
number, password, bar code, alphanumeric code, or other information
or data which is used to access the games (and thereby prevent
unauthorized access), and (2) the address (URL) of the web server
(3) indicating where player may access the games. The tickets and
the manner of purchasing them will be described in further detail
later in conjunction with FIGS. 13-16.
[0060] When the player navigates using their web browser to the web
site hosted by web server (3), a message is displayed on the
display (5). See FIG. 2. In this example, the message (20) prompts
the player to enter the ticket number presented on the lottery
ticket. The player places their cursor over a box (22) and types in
the ticket number, and then clicks on an OK icon (24). A datagram
is then sent to the web server (3) (FIG. 1) and the ticket number
entered by the player is checked against the database 14 (FIG. 1)
to see if it is a valid number and has not been used before to gain
access to the web site. If the number is valid, a web page is
served to the terminal (4) containing a menu of available games to
play. Obviously, other security precautions may be present to
prevent unauthorized access to the wager games.
[0061] The ticket number is associated with a value of non-cashable
credit that is available play. Information pertaining to the
validated ticket, including their network address of the terminal
(4), any network care-of address, available credit, etc. is
furnished from the web server (3) to the gaming server (2) and the
gaming server commences to communicate with the player's terminal
(4).
[0062] The website hosted by the web server (3) may be provisioned
as a virtual slots room where video slots is the only game
available to players. Alternatively, and more preferably, the
website may provide a plurality of different types of games in
order to satisfy the preferences of a variety of players.
Embodiments with Non-Cashable Resources in the Form of Free
Spins
[0063] As noted above, the games that are accessed as described
above can be structured in a manner in which a player is given
non-cashable resources in the form of a number of transactions with
a fixed wager amount. This embodiment will be described in
conjunction with FIG. 3-7.
[0064] FIG. 3 is a screen shot displayed on the display (5) when
the player has entered a valid ticket number in the screen of FIG.
2 and then proceeded to select a video slots game to play from a
menu of available games. The screen shot shows the reels (30) of a
three-reel slot machine. The display includes a pay table (32).
Note that the pay table (30) includes three types of outcome of
play. The first type is a losing outcome, i.e., player loses their
wager on that instance of the game. This is inherent in the pay
table by virtue of the game including many possible outcomes from a
spin of the slot machine reels which do not result in one of the
illustrated winning results.
[0065] A second type of outcome is an intermediate outcome
indicated at (34) in which the player wins additional non-cashable
resources with which to play additional turns of the game. In this
example, the bottom six winning results have an award of free
spins.
[0066] The third type of outcome is a winning outcome (36) in which
the player wins a credit which is redeemable for money (indicated
by the top two results, with awards of $300 and $150). In this
embodiment the winning outcomes 36 are available to the player
directly, without reference to a secondary pay table and with no
playthrough requirement. The outcomes (36) also include a jackpot
field (38) which shows the jackpot that is awarded in the event
that the player achieves three Cash Splash symbols. The jackpot can
be a progressive jackpot funded from a portion of the ticket
revenue. In one example, the winning cash outcomes can be redeemed
immediately by the player exiting the game. In this event, they
cannot re-enter the game room and play additional games.
Alternatively, they can continue to play until all their resources
are spent and then cash out their winnings, if any.
[0067] Suppose a player buys a prepaid game card or lottery ticket
for $10. Of the purchase price, consider the situation where an
average of $5 needs to be returned to the player, $3 must go to the
lottery operator or holder of the gaming license, while the
remaining $2 must be divided between the distributor and a software
provider who provides entertainment to the player. This enhanced
profit margin is enabled by virtue of replacing the intermediate
outcomes (elements (34) of the pay table) with awards of free spins
instead of awards of cash, as would typically be the case in a
prior art scenario.
[0068] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the $10 paid for the lottery
ticket entitles the player to 20 "free" spins of the video slots
game. The game has a pay table (32) in which higher paying prizes
can be redeemed for cash (portion of the pay table indicated at
(36)), while lower-paying prizes (indicated by the portion of the
pay table (34)) constitute more free spins of the game.
[0069] The player executes a spin by clicking on the SPIN icon
(40). A datagram is sent to the gaming server (2) indicating the
activation of the icon and the gaming server returns a datagram
containing a random result for spinning of the three reels 30.
[0070] The game display of FIG. 3 features elements providing
counters for the player's convenience: [0071] a) a SPINS element
(42)--shows the total number of free spins remaining; [0072] b) a
CASH ACCOUNT element (44)--showing the total amount that the player
can redeem for monetary value, in this case directly without
reference to a second pay table; [0073] c) a CASH WON element
(46)--showing the amount of cash, if any, won on the most recent
free spin of the game; [0074] d) a SPINS WON element (48)--showing
the number of additional free spins, if any, won on the most recent
free spin of the game.
[0075] In one embodiment, the player may redeem the CASH ACCOUNT
for monetary value at any time or, alternatively, only when all the
free spins have been utilized. The pay table (32) is designed such
that the lower-paying symbols do not provide the player with an
infinite number of free spins, thereby ensuring that the game has a
finite duration.
[0076] As a variation, the top-paying prize indicated by the
jackpot field (38) may be a progressive jackpot prize, which means
that a portion of the $5 that is paid out on average to the player,
say $0.50 is used to fund the progressive jackpot, while the
average player cash payout reduces to $4.50.
[0077] The player continues to execute spins by activating the spin
icon (40) until they have exhausted all the spins they were
initially furnished with plus and spins won in previous turns of
play and the spin count (42) is zero. The player then receives a
cash award as indicated by the cash account field (44).
[0078] FIG. 4 is a screen shot displayed on the gaming terminal
after one turn of the game of FIG. 3. In this turn, the left hand
slot machine reel indicates the player has a Cherry symbol, which
results in an award of 2 free spins according to entry (34A) in the
pay table (32). The spins that were won in the last turn of play,
if any, are reflected in the field (48) and current tally of
available spins (21) is reflected in the spins field (42). Had this
turn resulted in three sevens, field 44 would indicate a balance of
$300.
[0079] FIG. 5 is a screen shot displayed on a gaming terminal when
it has entered a valid ticket number in the screen of FIG. 2, and
then selected a different video slots game to play from a menu of
available games. This game features fifteen different pay lines
consisting of combinations of the symbols displayed going across
the field from one side to the other. The pay table for the game is
shown in FIG. 7. The game features the same fields (42), (44), (46)
and (48) as shown in FIG. 3 and a spin icon (40) to activate one
turn of the game.
[0080] FIG. 6 is a screen shot displayed on the gaming terminal
after one turn of the game of FIG. 5. The player won $24 by virtue
of the five Kings in pay line (60A) and three free spins in pay
line (60B) (four Cherries, formed by two Cherry symbols and two
wild Cash Splash symbols). The cash winnings for that turn are
shown in CASH WON field (46), the total amount won thus far is
shown in the CASH ACCOUNT Field (44) and the free spins won are
shown in the SPINS WON field (48).
[0081] FIG. 7 is a screenshot showing the pay table (32) for the
game of FIGS. 5 and 6. The pay table has three types of
outcomes--losing outcome (inherent, all possible results which are
not specifically illustrated in the pay table (32)), outcomes in
which the player wins non-cashable resources (free spins) indicated
at (34) and outcomes in which the player wins cash, indicated at
(36).
[0082] Note that the spins that are awarded as an intermediate
winning result are played in the normal mode of play. The game does
not enter a special "bonus mode" when executing such spins.
[0083] The concepts described in accordance with the embodiments of
FIGS. 3-7 can be extended to other electronic wager games, such as
Roulette, Blackjack, Poker, etc.
Embodiment with Non-Cashable Resources as Credit with Variable
Wager Amounts
[0084] Whereas the games of FIGS. 3-7 feature non-cashable
resources in the form of a predetermined number of transactions
(spins) of the game with the wager amount fixed, other embodiments
are contemplated in which the non-cashable resources take the form
of credit which is usable to play one or more turns of play of the
game and the player can adjust the amount of the wager per
turn.
[0085] FIG. 8 is a screen shot that is displayed when the player
has entered the ticket number in the screen of FIG. 2 and selected
a third type electronic game to play from a menu of available
games. The game includes a feature in which the player is given
credit to play with which is reflected in a credit field or box
(100). The credit is represented by 200 coins, which may correspond
to a value of say $10. The display also includes a display of a
full range of wager control icons (102) with which the player can
adjust the number of pay lines they wish to play, select the number
of coins to wager on a turn of the game, and a MAX BET icon in
which the player may place the selected number of coins (in this
case five coins) on all of the selected pay lines (in this instance
nine pay lines). The display also includes the SPIN icon (40) which
results in a turn of play. When the player clicks on SPIN (40) the
five by three array of symbols spin and come to rest in a randomly
selected pattern. The game has pay lines similar to the
configuration of FIG. 5.
[0086] The game of FIG. 8 will feature a pay table (not shown) that
includes results in which the wager was lost, intermediate results
which increase the size of the non-cashable resource (credit or
coins in this instance) and results that are redeemable for cash.
In this case, winning results redeemable for cash take the form of
cashable credits that are reflected in a separate WIN BOX field
(106). At the conclusion of play (no coins remaining in the coins
field (100)), the Wins in the "WIN BOX" are converted to cash in
accordance with a second pay table indicated in field (108).
[0087] FIG. 9 is a screen shot showing the results after one turn
of play of the game of FIG. 8. The player wagered 5 coins on 9 pay
lines (45 coins total wagered), and did not receive any winning
results at all. The coins field (100) indicates a balance of 155
coins available for play.
[0088] FIG. 10 is a screen shot showing the results of play after a
second turn of play of the game of FIG. 8. The turn resulted in a
pair of "scatter rams" (110) which flash on and off with animation
effects (lightning) to indicate to the player that a winning result
was achieved. According to the pay table for the game the player
wins 18 units of credit which is redeemable for cash in accordance
with the second pay table (108). The value of the win is reflected
in the "Win Box" field (106). The coins field (100) deducted an
additional 45 coins from the previous balance for that turn of
play, showing a new coin balance of 110 coins. The play continues
until all the non-cashable credit indicated in the field (100) has
been exhausted.
[0089] FIG. 11 is a screen shot after the conclusion of play
showing a message indicating the total cash winnings ($1). This
amount is determined by conversion of Win Box credit (36 total
credits indicated in field (106)) into cash by means of the second
pay table (108). The second pay table (108) is not entirely
displayed in FIG. 11 but is viewable by clicking the "show in
window" icon (112). FIG. 12 is a screen shot showing the second pay
table (108) which converts Win Box credit to cash. The second pay
table (108) can take a variety of forms depending on how the game
is structured and the payouts that are available. As another
example of a second pay table (108), consider the following
table
TABLE-US-00001 WIN BOX Total Cash Prize 10,001 and up $25,000
1,501-10,000 $5,000 1,001-1,500 $1,000 801-1000 $500 501-800 $100
201-500 $10 101 to 200 $5 0 to 100 $0
[0090] In a variation on this embodiment, the game can be
structured such that winning results of cash are awarded to the
player without reference to a second pay table. The winning results
of cash would be reflected in a "cash won" element on the screen
display. The player can then cash out and end play of the game
either as soon as they win cash, or alternatively after they have
exhausted the non-cashable credit (coins).
[0091] Note that in the previously described embodiments the cash
winnings are segregated from the playing credit. It would behoove
the player to continue to play until all their non-cashable credit
has been exhausted since as long as they can continue to play they
can in theory win again.
[0092] Thus, the player may redeem the Win Box credit at any time
or, alternatively only when all the game credit ("coins" in field
(100)) has been utilized. The pay table for the game of FIG. 10 is
designed such that the lower-paying results do not provide the
player with an infinite supply of game credit, thereby ensuring
that the game has a finite duration.
[0093] As a variation, the top-paying prize may be a progressive
jackpot prize, which means that a portion of the $5 that is paid
out on average to the player, say $0.50 is used to fund the
progressive jackpot, while the average player cash payout reduces
to $4.50. For example, the game of FIG. 8 could have a jackpot in
the millions of dollars similar to the jackpot shown in field (38)
in the game of FIG. 7. In this embodiment no reference is made to a
secondary pay table if they win the jackpot.
[0094] It is desirable to allow the player to choose one of a
number of different games with which to make use of the
non-cashable game credits (e.g., 2,000 to start for a $10 lottery
ticket). Suppose the player can choose either one of games A and B,
which have different pay tables and probabilities of winning. In
order not to prejudice the player in any way, the stated objective
can be achieved by: [0095] a.) having a common secondary pay table
(108) converting cashable credit to cash that applies to both
games, and compensating for the different game probabilities by
awarding a different quantity of cashable credits depending on the
particular game that the player chooses to play; or [0096] b.)
awarding the player the same number of cashable credits,
irrespective of game choice, and compensating for the different
game probabilities by having a different secondary pay table (108)
for each game.
Embodiment with Play of Cashable Resources
[0097] A further embodiment of the present disclosure is one in
which the player is provided with cashable credit to play the
games. In this embodiment, their cash winnings may or may not be
sequestered from the credit that is used play the games.
[0098] Consider for example the player purchases a game card or
lottery ticket for $10. The player is then provided with $10 of
credit, which the player can utilize to play the electronic wager
game. The player is prevented from cashing out the credit balance
until a predetermined play-through requirement has been achieved on
the game. In one embodiment the player is not permitted to cash out
until the player has lost at least one half of the amount of credit
they started with. In other embodiments, the player is prevented
from cashing out until a playthrough requirement P has been
reached. P is determined as C multiplied by V/M, where C is a
number between 0.1 and 1.0, V comprises the value exchanged for the
ticket (initial bankroll) and M comprises the game margin for the
electronic wager game. C may be 0.5 in one specific embodiment.
[0099] A theoretical basis for this solution is the following.
Suppose the player wagers his entire credit balance of $10 on a
game having a 95% payout (i.e. a 5% game margin), and continues to
do so repeatedly. On average, the player will lose 5% of his
initial bankroll on each turn of the game, i.e. the player will, on
average, lose an amount equal to his initial bankroll in 20 turns
of the game, that is, a total playthrough of 20*$10=$200. In
general, therefore, the playthrough required for the player to lose
his entire initial bankroll is given by equation (1):
Playthrough P = Initial Bankroll ( " V " ) / Game Margin ( " M " )
= $10 / 0.05 = $200 ( 1 ) ##EQU00001##
[0100] However, it is advantageous to allow the player to cash out
with some fraction of his initial bankroll (a constant "C" which is
between 0.1 and 1). As one example, it is desirable to ensure that
the player, on average, can exit the game with half of his initial
bankroll, that is, a $5 payout if the player was initially given
$10 to wager with. In this scenario, C=0.5 and the Playthrough
requirement P=0.5.times.$10/0.05=$100. Thus, a playthrough
requirement of $100 is set for the game, whereupon after reaching
this playthrough requirement the player's credit balance becomes
immediately cashable. A playthrough requirement of $100 means that
the player is required to make $100 in wagers, collectively. The
individual wagers can be of varying sizes. For example, $100 in
playthrough is achieved by five $10 wagers, four $5 wagers, and
fifteen $2 wagers, or some other combination of wagers that total
up to $100 in wagers.
[0101] It is envisaged that the player will be notified on the game
display when the playthrough requirement has been achieved and they
can cash out.
Facilities for Issuing Tickets and Game Cards
[0102] A variety of formats and instrumentalities may be used to
issue the tickets (game cards) as described herein. Several
possible examples will now be described in conjunction with FIGS.
13-16 and will be described in this section.
[0103] FIG. 13 shows a conventional lottery ticket vending machine
(200) of the type generally known. The machine (200) includes a
user interface (210) which prompts the person to insert a credit
card or cash and to indicate the value in lottery tickets they wish
to purchase. In this example all tickets issued by the machine have
a fixed value (e.g., $1.00) and are previously manufactured and
loaded into the machine. After receiving the money from the
purchaser the machine (200) vends the ticket (200). The ticket
includes a scratch area (222) which is scratched off to reveal a
ticket number and the web site address where the player is to go to
play the game. If the player purchases say $10 in tickets, the
vending machine (200) vends ten $1 tickets. Alternatively, the
vending machine is provided with tickets with different face
values, e.g., $1 tickets, $10 tickets, and $50 tickets and vends
combinations of these tickets in accordance with the amount
purchased by the player.
[0104] An example of a ticket (220) is shown in FIG. 14. The ticket
(220) includes the scratch area (222) which is scratched to reveal
a ticket number (226) and a password (228), both of which are used
to gain access to the games. Alternatively, the ticket just
includes a ticket number and no password. The ticket includes the
web site address where the games are available as indicated at
(230). The ticket includes a field (224) which indicates the amount
of credit available to play. In this instance, the ticket is a $10
ticket and the player is given $10 in non-cashable credit (or
alternatively cashable credit) to play with, depending on the type
of games that are provided by the operator.
[0105] The tickets can also be purchased online. For example, the
player goes to a web site and uses a credit card to purchase say
$100 in lottery tickets. The web site is associated with a ticket
distributing facility in the form of a computer system which
generates electronic lottery tickets and sends the tickets to the
purchaser via an electronic message such as an email or SMS
message. A message containing the ticket is sent to the purchaser.
FIG. 15 depicts an example of an electronic ticket (302) which is
part of the content of an email message (300) which is sent by the
computer system to the player ("Pete"). The electronic lottery
ticket (300) includes a field (304) which includes the value of the
ticket ($100 in this instance), a ticket number field (306) and a
field (308) containing the web site where the games are available.
The player navigates to the web site indicated in the field (308)
and the screen of FIG. 2 is presented. The player enters the ticket
number presented in the field (306) and starts playing as described
above.
[0106] Other types of systems can be used to generate electronic
tickets. In one example, a web server generates a web page
containing a ticket and serves the web page to a player's computer.
The player can print out the ticket. Alternatively, the web page
contains a link to the game web site and the player cuts and pastes
the ticket number into the ticket number field of FIG. 2. Still
other approaches are possible and within the ability of persons
skilled in the art in view of this discussion. As will be
appreciated, the term "ticket" is intended to be interpreted
broadly to cover any device (whether in electronic or tangible
form) which provides a means for access to a wager game as
described herein.
[0107] FIG. 16 is an illustration of an embodiment in which a
casino or other enterprise (400) includes desk or window (402)
where a player goes in person to purchase a game card or lottery
ticket (404) in accordance with the features of this disclosure.
The persons at the desk (402) take the player's money and give the
player a ticket containing a number. The ticket (404) in this
instance may contain a bar code as the information or data granting
access to the wager game. The player takes the ticket to a gaming
terminal (410), and inserts the ticket (404) into a bar code reader
attached to the terminal (410). When the bar code is read and
validated, the machine grants access to the wager game(s) offered
on the terminal. The gaming terminal (410), e.g., a video slots
machine or other electronic gaming device, is connected to a
computer network (406). A gaming server (408) is also connected to
the network (406) and serves to function as the gaming server (2)
described previously. The gaming server (408) serves other gaming
terminals that are present in the facility (400) and located on the
network (406). In an alternative embodiment, the ticket (404)
includes a ticket number and the terminal (410) includes a display
(412) prompting the user to enter their ticket number to play. The
terminal (410) includes user interface features to enter the
number, either a keyboard and mouse or a touch sensitive display.
In this example the terminal (410) includes a slot machine lever
(414) which is pulled to initiate a turn of play of a slots type
game.
[0108] The principles of the embodiment of FIG. 16 are also
applicable to an electronic, online casino. The player logs onto
the online casino, purchases a ticket for say $10 from the casino
(or from some other source), and is awarded $10 in cashable or
non-cashable resources with which to play electronic wager games
offered by the online casino. This approach simplifies the process
a player must follow in order to place real-money wagers at an
online casino by eliminating the registration and account-creation
requirements. In particular, the use of pre-paid gaming cards
allows the online casino operator to allow holders of such tickets
to play and only go through more cumbersome processes of
registration and account creation steps in the event the player
wins cash. Players who play but do not win any cash do not need to
be registered or have accounts created, other than the relatively
simple process of vending the ticket to the player in the first
instance.
[0109] In still another possible embodiment, the pre-paid game
cards or lottery tickets can be used in connection with a mobile
phone which is configured as a game playing terminal. In this
embodiment, the player goes online to purchase a lottery ticket and
the ticket is emailed to the player as an element in an SMS message
or other type of message format. The player then uses the access
information contained in the SMS message to access a lottery web
site to play the games, as explained above.
[0110] As another example, a player with an SMS phone purchases a
pre-paid game ticket via a distribution facility (e.g., online) and
the proprietor of the game sends an SMS message containing the
ticket to the player's phone. The ticket includes a bar code which
is in turn displayable on the screen display of the mobile phone.
The player presents the screen of the phone showing the bar code to
a gaming terminal of the proprietor, such as the terminal (410)
shown in FIG. 16. The bar code is verified and the player proceeds
to access the games presented on the gaming terminal (410) of FIG.
16.
Further Considerations Regarding Lotteries
[0111] The above-described lottery embodiments have used a gaming
server (2) to generate random events on which game outcomes are
based, as and when necessary. There are several alternatives to how
the gaming server (2) may be configured which are particularly
applicable in the lottery embodiments.
[0112] These alternatives stem from an appreciation that lottery
operators require some certainty about what their maximum payout
exposure will be. If the play associated with every ticket is
handled in a truly random manner, it would be possible, at least in
theory, for the lottery jackpot to be awarded more than once. For
this reason, in some prior art lotteries, physical lottery tickets
are produced with a predetermined number of them being winning
cards and with a predetermined distribution of prizes, i.e., the
lottery outcomes are generated in advance. It is desirable to have
lottery prizes in accordance with this disclosure also determined
in advance, in order to bring certainty to the maximum payout
exposure, e.g., eliminating the possibility of multiple winners of
the jackpot and the possibility that the sum of lesser,
intermediate winning results also exceeding the maximum payout
exposure.
[0113] Control over lottery prize distribution, such that it meets
a predetermined distribution expected by the lottery proprietor,
can be achieved in at least two ways.
[0114] Firstly, a finite number of the tickets (e.g., those having
particular ticket numbers or particular bar codes) are associated
with prizes according to a predetermined prize distribution, and
the remaining ticket numbers do not result in any wins for the
players. This identification of winning and losing tickets is
determined in the lottery system in advance of any play by a player
holding the ticket. The player holding a ticket will not know
whether theirs is one of the "lucky tickets" (a ticket earmarked
for payment of a prize according to the prize distribution for the
lottery) until they play. If they have one of the "lucky tickets",
the results for turns of the game are not truly randomly generated
by the gaming server, but rather are results which are generated in
a manner to meet the prize distribution objectives of the lottery.
As an example of implementation of this feature, when a player
holding a lottery ticket having a number which is designated to not
have winning results logs into the lottery web server (3), the
ticket number is checked against the database (14) and it is
determined that it is not a winning ticket. That fact is forwarded
from the web server (3) to the gaming server (2). The gaming server
(2) generates results for turns of the game that are selected from
a bin of results containing losing results and sends such losing
results to the gaming terminal. Conversely, in the event that a
player logs in with a ticket number which is associated in the
database (14) as being a winning ticket, that fact is forwarded to
the gaming server (2) and the gaming server (2) selects winning
results according to a predetermined prize distribution schedule
for such ticket and sends such results to the player's terminal.
The winning results are sent in accordance with the profile or
algorithm for prize distribution. The game server may mix in some
losing results in addition to winning results to maintain player
interest.
[0115] Alternatively, for each winning ticket number, the gaming
server randomly selects the prize to be awarded to that ticket
number from a finite pool or bin of prizes (without replacement).
The gaming server may also mix in some losing results with the
winning results to maintain player interest.
[0116] The following characterizing clauses are offered for further
support and description of the disclosed inventions.
[0117] 1. A method for managing access to a wager game,
comprising:
[0118] providing a facility for issuing a ticket (220/302/404) to a
player in exchange for value (FIGS. 13-16), the ticket containing
information (226/228/306) for use in providing the player with
access to an electronic wager game (FIGS. 3-12) using a computing
device functioning as a gaming terminal (4, 410), wherein the
ticket is further associated with non-cashable resources (42, 100)
with which the player may play one or more turns of play of the
electronic wager game.
[0119] 2. The method of clause 1, further comprising
[0120] providing a web server (3) receiving a datagram from the
gaming terminal (4) associated with the player, the datagram
containing the information (226/228/306) contained in the ticket
and responsively granting access to the electronic wager game.
[0121] 3. The method of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein the ticket
(220/302/404) comprises a lottery ticket.
[0122] 4. The method of clause 1, 2 or 3, wherein the ticket is in
electronic form (FIG. 15).
[0123] 5. The method of clause 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the method
further comprises the step of providing in the wager game a pay
table (32) (FIGS. 4, 7) associated with a turn of play of the
electronic wager game in which the player makes a wager using the
non-cashable resources associated with the ticket, and wherein the
pay table includes outcomes for each turn of play of the game of at
least three types: [0124] 1) a first type of outcome in which the
player loses their wager on that turn of the game (inherent from
the pay tables of FIGS. 3, 7); [0125] 2) a second type of outcome
(34, FIGS. 3, 7) in which the player wins additional non-cashable
resources with which to play additional turns of the electronic
wager game; and [0126] 3) a third type of outcome (36, FIGS. 3, 7)
in which the player wins a credit which is redeemable for money
either directly or through use of a second pay table (108, FIG.
12).
[0127] 6. The method of clause 5, wherein the method further
comprises the steps of:
[0128] providing a client application for generating displays on a
display on the gaming terminal (4), wherein the displays includes a
display comprising at least one of the following elements:
[0129] 1) a first element (46 in FIG. 3, 105 in FIG. 10) displaying
the current balance of credit, if any, won in accordance with the
third type of outcome in previous turn of play of the electronic
wager game; and
[0130] 2) a second element (48, FIG. 3) displaying the non-cashable
resources, if any, which were won on the previous turn of the game
in accordance with the second type of outcome.
[0131] 7. The method of clause 6, wherein the display further
includes an additional element comprising a display (42 in FIG. 3,
100 in FIG. 9) of the total amount of remaining non-cashable credit
available to the player.
[0132] 8. The method of clause 5, 6 or 7 wherein the credit
redeemable for money is available to the player immediately after
an outcome of the third kind occurs.
[0133] 9. The method of clause 5, 6, 7, or 8 wherein the
information (226/228/306) is used to provide access to an
electronic wager game played over a computer network (6, 7 8 in
FIG. 1, 406 in FIG. 16), and wherein the non-cashable resources are
useable to play instances of a plurality of different electronic
wager games over the computer network, and wherein each of the
different electronic wager games has a pay table having the first,
second and third types of outcomes as recited in clause 5 (see
FIGS. 3 and 7).
[0134] 10. The method of clause 9, wherein at least one of the
electronic wager games is selected from the group of games
consisting of a slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and a
poker-type game.
[0135] 11. The method of any of clauses 1-10, wherein the
non-cashable resources comprises a resource selected from the group
of resources consisting of a) a predetermined number of turns of
play of the electronic wager game with a fixed wager amount per
turn of play (FIGS. 3-7) and b) a predetermined quantity of
non-cashable credit available for play in which the wager amount
per turn of play is not fixed (FIGS. 9 and 10).
[0136] 12. The method of any of clauses 5-10, wherein the credit,
if any, won by a player in accordance the third type of outcome in
the pay table is convertible into money by means of a second pay
table 108 (FIGS. 9-12).
[0137] 13. The method of clause 12, wherein the non-cashable
resources are useable to play instances of a plurality of different
electronic wager games, wherein each of the different electronic
wager games has a pay table having the first, second and third
types of outcomes as recited in clause 5 (FIGS. 3 and 7), and
wherein each of the plurality of different electronic wager games
has a different second pay table (108) for converting credit won by
a player in accordance with the third type of outcome into
money.
[0138] 14. The method of clause 12, wherein the non-cashable
resources are useable to play instances of a plurality of different
electronic wager games, wherein each of the different electronic
wager games have a pay table having the first, second and third
types of outcomes as recited in clause 5, and wherein each of the
plurality of different electronic wager games uses the same second
pay table (108) for converting credit won by a player in accordance
with the third type of outcome into money.
[0139] 15. A method for managing access to a wager game,
comprising: [0140] providing a facility for issuing a ticket
(220/302/404) to a player in exchange for value (FIGS. 13-16), the
ticket containing information (226/228/306) for use in providing
the player with access to an electronic wager game using a
computing device functioning as a gaming terminal (4), [0141]
wherein the ticket is further associated with cashable resources
with which the player may play one or more instances of the
electronic wager game (see section above describing play with
cashable resources)
[0142] 16. The method of clause 15, wherein the player may not
withdraw the cashable resources for money until a predetermined
playthrough requirement has been achieved.
[0143] 17. The method of clause 16, wherein the predetermined
playthrough requirement is met when the player has lost at least
half of the cashable resources associated with the ticket.
[0144] 18. The method of clause 17, wherein the predetermined
playthrough requirement P is determined as C multiplied by V/M,
where C is a number between 0.1 and 1.0, V comprises the value
exchanged for the ticket and M comprises the game margin for the
electronic wager game.
[0145] 19. Gaming apparatus comprising a memory storing data for
processing by a gaming terminal (4), the improvement comprising:
[0146] the memory (resident in the terminal (4), e.g., hard disk
memory) storing an electronic file containing data representing a
pay table (32 in FIGS. 3 and 7) for an electronic wager game for
display on the display (5) of the gaming terminal (4), wherein the
pay table includes outcomes for each turn of play of the game of at
least three types: [0147] 1) a first type of outcome in which the
player loses their wager on that instance of the game; [0148] 2) a
second type of outcome (34) in which the player wins non-cashable
resources with which to play additional turns of the electronic
wager game in a normal mode of play of the game; and [0149] 3) a
third type of outcome (36, 38) in which the player wins a credit
which is redeemable for money, either directly or through a second
pay table (108).
[0150] 20. The apparatus of clause 19, wherein the memory further
stores a client application for display on the gaming terminal,
wherein the display includes at least one of the following
elements: [0151] 1) an element (46 in FIG. 3, 105 FIG. 10)
displaying the current balance of credit, if any, won in accordance
with the third type of outcome in previous turn of play of the
electronic wager game; and [0152] 2) an element (48, FIG. 3)
displaying the non-cashable resources, if any, which were won on
the previous turn of the game in accordance with the second type of
outcome.
[0153] 21. The apparatus of clause 20, wherein the display further
includes an additional element (42, 100) comprising a display of
the total amount of remaining non-cashable credit available to the
player.
[0154] 22. The apparatus of clause 19, 20 or 21, wherein the
electronic wager game comprises a game selected from the group of
games consisting of a slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and a
poker-type game.
[0155] 23. The apparatus of clause 19, 20, 21 or 22, wherein the
gaming terminal (4) comprises a general purpose computer.
[0156] 24. A system (FIG. 1) for administering a lottery,
comprising, in combination: [0157] one or more facilities (FIGS.
13-16) for issuing a ticket to a player in exchange for value, the
ticket containing information for use in providing the player with
access to an electronic wager game using an electronic gaming
terminal (4, 410) over a computer network (6, 7, 8, 406), wherein
the ticket is further associated with non-cashable resources with
which the player may play one or more instances of the electronic
wager game; [0158] a web server (3) receiving a datagram from the
electronic gaming terminal (3) containing the information contained
on the ticket and thereby providing access to the electronic wager
game; and [0159] a gaming server (2, 408) in communication over a
computer network with the web server (3) and the electronic gaming
terminal (4, 410) generating datagrams associated with results of
play of turns of the electronic wager game and sending the
datagrams to the electronic gaming terminals.
[0160] 25. The system of clause 24, wherein the one or more
facilities (FIGS. 13-16) issue physical lottery tickets (220)
containing the information.
[0161] 26. The system of clause 24, wherein the one or more
facilities comprises a computer generating an electronic ticket
(FIG. 15) containing the information.
[0162] 27. The system of clause 24, wherein the web server (3)
provides access to an electronic wager game having a pay table (32,
FIGS. 3, 7) associated with a turn of play of the electronic wager
game in which the player makes a wager of the non-cashable
resources associated with the ticket, and wherein the pay table
includes outcomes for each turn of play of the game of at least
three types: [0163] 1) a first type of outcome in which the player
loses their wager on that turn of the game; [0164] 2) a second type
of outcome in which the player wins additional non-cashable
resources with which to play additional turns of the electronic
wager game; and [0165] 3) a third type of outcome in which the
player wins a credit which is redeemable for money either directly
or through use of a second pay table (108).
[0166] 28. The system of clause 27, wherein the web server (3)
provides a facility for downloading a client application to the
electronic gaming terminal (4), the client application including
code for generating a display on the gaming terminal containing at
least one of the following elements: [0167] 1) an element
displaying the current balance of credit, if any, won in accordance
with the third type of outcome in previous turn of play of the
electronic wager game; and [0168] 2) an element displaying the
non-cashable resources, if any, which were won in the previous turn
of the game in accordance with the second type of outcome.
[0169] 29. The system of clause 28, wherein the display further
includes an additional element comprising a display of the total
amount of remaining non-cashable credit available to the
player.
[0170] 30. The system of any of clauses 27-29, wherein the credit
redeemable for money is available to the player immediately after
an outcome of the third kind occurs.
[0171] 31. The system of any of clauses 27-30, wherein the web
server (3) provides access to a plurality of different electronic
wager games and wherein the non-cashable resources are useable to
play turns of play of the plurality of different electronic wager
games, and wherein each of the different electronic wager games has
a pay table (32) having the first, second and third types of
outcomes as recited in clause 27.
[0172] 32. The system of any of clauses 24-31, wherein at least one
of the electronic wager games is selected from the group of games
consisting of a slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and a
poker-type game.
[0173] 33. The system of any of clauses 24-32, wherein the
non-cashable resources comprises a resource selected from the group
of resources consisting of a) a predetermined number of turns of
play of the electronic wager game with a fixed wager amount per
turn of play (FIGS. 3, 7) and b) a predetermined quantity of
non-cashable credit available for play in which the wager amount
per turn of play is not fixed (FIGS. 8, 9).
[0174] 34. The system of any of clauses 27-29, wherein the credit,
if any, won by a player in accordance the third type of outcome in
the pay table is convertible into money by means of a second pay
table (108).
[0175] 35. The system of clause 27, wherein the non-cashable
resources are useable to play turns of a plurality of different
electronic wager games, wherein each of the different electronic
wager games have a pay table (32) having the first, second and
third types of outcomes as recited in clause 27, and wherein each
of the plurality of different electronic wager games has a
different second pay table (108) for converting credit won by a
player in accordance with the third type of outcome into money.
[0176] 36. The system of clause 27, wherein the non-cashable
resources are useable to play turns of a plurality of different
electronic wager games, wherein each of the different electronic
wager games have a pay table (32) having the first, second and
third types of outcomes as recited in claim 27, and wherein each of
the plurality of different electronic wager games uses the same
second pay table (108) for converting credit won by a player in
accordance with the third type of outcome into money.
[0177] 37. A gaming system (FIGS. 1, 16) comprising: [0178] one or
more electronic gaming devices (4, 410) for play of an electronic
wager game, the wager game having a pay table, [0179] a facility
(FIGS. 13-16) for issuing a ticket to a player containing an amount
of non-cashable resources for use in playing the wager game in
exchange for value; and [0180] wherein the wager game is associated
with a pay table (32) which includes outcomes for each turn of play
of the game of at least three types, the turns of play comprising
turns of play using the non-cashable resources: [0181] 1) a first
type of outcome in which the player loses their wager on that turn
of the game; [0182] 2) a second type of outcome (34) in which the
player wins additional non-cashable resources with which to play
additional turns of the electronic wager game; and [0183] 3) a
third type of outcome (36, 38) in which the player wins a credit
which is redeemable for money either directly or through use of a
second pay table.
[0184] 38. The gaming system of clause 37, wherein the gaming
terminal (3, 410) includes a display at least one of the following
elements: [0185] 1) an element displaying the current balance of
credit, if any, won in accordance with the third type of outcome in
previous turn of play of the electronic wager game; and [0186] 2)
an element displaying the non-cashable resources, if any, which
were won in the previous turn of the game in accordance with the
second type of outcome.
[0187] 39. The gaming system of clause 38, wherein the display
further includes an additional element comprising a display of the
total amount of remaining non-cashable credit available to the
player.
[0188] 40. The gaming system of clause 37, wherein the credit
redeemable for money is available to the player immediately after
an outcome of the third kind occurs.
[0189] 41. The gaming system of clause 37, wherein the gaming
terminal (3, 410) provides access to a plurality of different
electronic wager games and wherein the non-cashable resources are
useable to play turns of play of the plurality of different
electronic wager games, and wherein each of the different
electronic wager games has a pay table (32) having the first,
second and third types of outcomes as recited in clause 36.
[0190] 42. The gaming system of any of clauses 37-41, wherein at
least one of the electronic wager games is selected from the group
of games consisting of a slots-type game, a roulette-type game, and
a poker-type game.
[0191] 43. The gaming system of clause 37, wherein the non-cashable
resources comprises a resource selected from the group of resources
consisting of a) a predetermined number of turns of play of the
electronic wager game with a fixed wager amount per turn of play
and b) a predetermined quantity of non-cashable credit available
for play in which the wager amount per turn of play is not
fixed.
[0192] 44. The gaming system of clause 37, wherein the gaming
system is incorporated into a casino 400 (FIG. 16).
[0193] 45. A gaming ticket (220, 302, 404), comprising: [0194] a
field (226, 228, 306) on the ticket containing information for use
in providing the player with access to an electronic wager game
using a computing device functioning as a gaming terminal, [0195]
wherein the ticket is further associated with cashable resources
(e.g., a number of spins 42, or award of credit 100) with which the
player may play one or more turns of play of the electronic wager
game.
[0196] 46. The ticket (220, 302, 404) of clause 45, wherein the
ticket is embodied in a lottery ticket.
[0197] 47. The ticket (220, 302, 404) of clause 45, wherein the
ticket is a scratch-type ticket and wherein the information is
revealed upon scratching a covering obscuring the information (FIG.
13, 14).
[0198] 48. The ticket of clause 45, wherein the ticket comprises an
electronic ticket (FIG. 15, ticket 302).
[0199] 49. The ticket of any one of clauses 45-48, wherein the
resources comprise non-cashable resources.
[0200] 50. The system of any of clauses 24-36, wherein each ticket
issued from the one or more facilities is further identified in the
system as either a winning ticket or a losing ticket in advance of
any play by a player holding such ticket, and in the event that the
ticket is identified in the system as a winning ticket the gaming
server generates results of turns of play which are winning results
and in the event that the ticket is identified in the system as a
losing ticket the gaming server generates results of turns of play
which are losing results.
[0201] 51. The system of clause 50, wherein in the event that the
ticket is identified in the system as a winning ticket the winning
results are randomly selected from a pool of winning results.
[0202] 52. The system of clause 50, wherein in the event that the
ticket is identified in the system as a winning ticket the gaming
server selects winning results according to a predetermined prize
distribution schedule for such ticket.
[0203] While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have
been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize
certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations
thereof are also present in the disclosure. It is therefore
intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter
introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications,
permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their
true spirit and scope.
* * * * *