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US 11,308,760 B2Granted
Optimizing drawing prize awards
AssigneeAcres Technology
InventorJohn F. Acres
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A promotional game is conducted over participants' cell phones. During a play period, a participant advances on a virtual game board using cell phone commands. During the player period drawing entries are generated proportional to play on electronic gaming devices, play of the promotional game, or retail purchases. Some players receive a multiplier for their drawing entries to enhance chances of winning the promotional game. In one embodiment, the multiplier is removed for a player after a cutoff threshold for prizes awarded to that player is reached.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- initiating, by a computer processor, a promotional game;
- monitoring, by the computer processor, at least one meter at each of a plurality of electronic gaming machines that tracks wagers placed using a bet input device on the gaming machine, the wagers placed being deducted from a credit balance established on the gaming machine in response to a mechanism of the gaming machine engaging a physical medium having a monetary value;
- generating, by the computer processor, preliminary drawing entries for each player of the electronic gaming machines, the number of preliminary drawing entries being related to the amount of wagers placed by the player;
- storing, by the computer processor, each player's identity and the associated preliminary number of drawing entries in a computer-readable storage device;
- totaling, by the computer processor, the number of preliminary entries for each player after the promotional game ends to create a first set of entries having a first number of entries therein;
- associating, by the computer processor, a plurality of at least some but less than all of the players with a predefined multiplier number at least one of which is greater than one;
- multiplying, by the computer processor, each player's preliminary drawing entries by the player's associated multiplier number to create a second set of drawing entries having a second number of entries therein for each of at least some but less than all of the players;
- combining, by the computer processor, the preliminary set of drawing entries for players not having an associated multiplier number with the second set of drawing entries for players who have an associated drawing number;
- drawing, by the computer processor, one from among the combined drawing entries;
- associating, by the computer processor, a prize from a prize table with at least one entry drawn from the combined drawing entries;
- continuing to draw, by the computer processor, drawing entries from the combined drawing entries until there are no more prizes;
- displaying on a display screen the prizes associated with a drawn entry along with indicia that identifies the player whose entry has a prize associated with it;
- and
- awarding, by the computer processor, the prizes to the players.
11 more elements
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- initiating, by a computer processor, a promotional game;
- tracking, by the computer processor, multiple wagers by players on a plurality of gamming devices via at least one meter on each of the gaming devices that tracks wagers placed using a bet input device on each gaming machine, the wagers placed being deducted from a credit balance established on each gaming machine in response to a mechanism of the gaming machine engaging with a physical medium having a monetary value;
- creating, by the computer processor, a number of drawing entries in a first set of drawing entries for each of the tracked players, the number of drawing entries in the first set being related to the amount of wagers placed each player;
- enhancing, by the computer processor, the odds of winning for each player in a group of a plurality of predefined players comprising less than all of the players by multiplying the drawing entries for each player in the predefined group by a multiplier greater than one to create a second set of drawing entries for each player in the predefined group;
- storing, by the computer processor, all the entries in a computer-readable storage device;
- combining, by the computer processor, the first set of drawing entries for players not having a second set of drawing entries with the second set of drawing entries for players who do;
- at the end of the promotional game drawing, by the computer processor, one at a time from the combined drawing entries;
- associating, by the computer processor, a prize with at least one drawn entry until there are no more prizes;
- and
- awarding, by the computer processor, the prizes to the players.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.