Patent Application
20150339887
Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to a wagering system and method for improving player wagering experience and gaming usage.
Wagering has been popular for centuries. In more recent times, wagering establishments such as casinos have sought to improve the gaming experience for customers. In order to make the experience more rewarding, many gaming establishments have implemented user loyalty programs such as those successfully employed by airlines and other industries. Such programs allow a user to accumulate points based upon repeated purchases or utilization of the services of the provider. These programs improve user loyalty by allowing those users to redeem points earned by purchases to purchase other goods and/or services of the provider.
Gaming systems employing user loyalty programs have a central information network, which may be a wired or a wireless network, to which various devices, including gaming machines, are connected. Upon player loyalty card insertion, a player's activity may be tracked at the gaming machines during regular gaming sessions. Data is transmitted to the central authority for accumulating and tracking player points in a player account file in the central database. For example, upon insertion of a player card into a gaming machine, a session is established and reward points will accrue in the player's account depending upon various factors including the amount of money inserted into the machine during the gaming session or the amount of time the player spends wagering during the gaming session and the amounts that are wagered by the player.
As stated above, upon insertion of a player card into a gaming machine, for example a slot machine or video poker or other gaming machine, a gaming session is established and the player's identity is recognized by the computer reading the information from the player card. Once the player's identity is known, the network information software can track that player's use of the card in various machines and credit the player's account for player points earned during the player's visit to the gaming establishment. In this manner, the gaming establishment can track level and frequency of player activity during a gaming session as well as the number of gaming sessions and the amounts wagered during a particular calendar period. The history of the player's wagering, including both successful and unsuccessful wagers and associated won/lost amounts, may also be tracked.
The same player card may be used at other types of gaming activity in the gaming establishment. For example, the player card may be presented at the sports book counter when the player is wagering on sporting events and points can be accumulated by the player for that activity. As with the gaming machines, information on the player's frequency and level of activity, including won/lost information, may be useful to the gaming establishment. Points accumulated during this sports wagering activity is also valuable to the player as he or she may accumulate reward points which may be redeemed by that player to purchase additional gaming, meals or other discounted activities or merchandise which is offered by that gaming establishment to its customers.
Recently, sports wagering has become easier to access as wireless devices have been utilized to access sports book sites in which a player's wagering account may be accessed and odds viewed on particular sporting events. A player generally must establish a wagering account at the venue to avail him or herself of this electronic gaming opportunity. A wagering account is opened by the player at the gaming establishment by verifying his or her identity and funding the account by cash or various other means. A player is given an account number and PIN (personal identification number) at the time of opening the account to allow player access to the account. A player may select the type of event upon which he or she desires to place a wager and the amount of that wager may also be entered. This type of wagering permits a player to place a wager without waiting in line and without the need to be present at the sports book venue. For example, a player could be in another location in the gaming establishment playing a different type of game such as a gaming machine or a table game, and, using the wireless device, place a sports wager using an amount equal to, or less than, the balance in the player's wagering account.
A third type of wagering in a gaming establishment is generally known as table gaming. In this activity, games such as blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette and the like provide a player with an opportunity to utilize luck and skill to wager money with a chance to win additional money. Generally, for table games, chips are used to make the wagers and winning bets are paid off in chips. The player's card may be presented at the time of purchase of the chips by the player and when the player is betting at the table game to accumulate points. Use of the card by the player also provides the gaming establishment with information on the frequency and level of a player's participation in this type of gaming activity during his or her visit to the casino. In more recent years, some gaming establishments and manufacturers have opted to introduce wagering methods for gaming machines which includes the ability to utilize bank credit or debit cards on those machines. For example, the player could proceed to the video poker area of the gaming establishment and utilize cash or a credit or debit card in an attempt to win additional dollars.
Some slot machines have used tickets generated by the machine to indicate a player gaming balance after concluding play on that machine. That is, upon ending the gaming session on that machine, a player may receive a voucher indicating the balance accrued during that session. For example, if a player inserts one hundred dollars by cash or credit card into the video poker machine and, upon terminating the gaming session, if, for example, the player has won an additional one hundred dollars, a balance of two hundred dollars may be indicated, while, if the player has lost fifty dollars in a wager, a balance of fifty dollars may be indicated on the ticket voucher. The ticket voucher may be exchanged at a cashier window or at a ticket redemption machine in the gaming establishment for cash. In these systems, the ticket voucher is not usable at another type of gaming venue.
While suitable for its intended purpose, the prior described systems limit players to wagering at one particular type of gaming venue or gaming machine without cashing out. That is, the ability of a player to easily and seamlessly move from one type of wagering such as gaming machines, to another type of gaming such as table games or sports wagering is limited. In those systems, if a player desires to change the type of gaming he or she participates in, that player must first cash out his or her account on the gaming machines and then take that cashed out balance to wager at another type of gaming such as the aforementioned table games or horse race or sports betting venue. In the event that a bank or other type of credit card is used to obtain cash and, for example, place a sports wager, the balance in the player's account at the gaming establishment is not visible to that player at the time the player wishes to make a wager.
An interactive kiosk is a computer terminal featuring specialized hardware and software designed within a public venue that provides access to information and applications for communication, commerce, entertainment, and education. Interactive kiosks sometimes resembled telephone booths, but can also be used while sitting on a bench or chair. Interactive kiosks are typically placed in high foot traffic settings such as hotel or casino lobbies or airports. Integration of technology allows kiosks to perform a wide range of functions, evolving into self-service kiosks. For example, kiosks may enable users to enter a public utility bill account number in order to perform an online transaction, or collect cash in exchange for merchandise. Customized components such as coin hoppers, bill acceptors, card readers and thermal printers enable kiosks to meet the user's specialized needs.
It would be desirable to have a gaming system which would permit a player to move from one type of gaming (machines, table games, sports wagering) to another type of gaming (machines, table games, sports/race wagering) seamlessly and easily and to minimize or eliminate the need to interact with cashiers or other personnel of the gaming establishment. It would be desirable to allow the player to redeem all or part of the balance on their account or voucher without visiting a cashier's cage. It would be desirable to have a gaming system in which a player could take a voucher from, for example, a gaming machine, which represents the balance in his or her gaming account or the credit after the gaming session on that machine, and use that voucher to wager at another type of gaming venue. The player may use the voucher to purchase chips in the case of table games or to place a wager on a sporting, horse race, or other event.
A wagering system and method is disclosed which permits a player to conveniently, easily, and quickly move from one type of wagering activity to another without the need to “cash out” or otherwise interact with a representative of the gaming establishment. For example, by utilizing a player card, wagering account, or gaming vouchers, a player may wager various amounts at various types of gaming seamlessly and without the necessity of visiting a cashier or, for example, a sports book attendant in the gaming establishment.
In one embodiment, the player may receive TITO (Ticket In Ticket Out) vouchers which indicate the amount of that player's winnings or other amounts at one gaming venue. These TITO vouchers can then be used at other types of gaming activities in the gaming establishment. For example, a player may receive a voucher from a wagering session at a slot machine and take that TITO voucher to a sports book venue to place a wager on a horse race, football game or other sporting event. As an illustration, a player could insert one hundred dollars into a slot machine and win an additional two hundred dollars and then decide to receive a voucher from that machine worth three hundred dollars representing his or her initial investment of one hundred dollars plus the two hundred dollars which that individual has won during the gaming session on that slot machine. The player may then proceed to another venue in the gaming establishment such as a sports book. In this embodiment, the player is permitted to make this change in venue and wagering activity without the need to redeem the voucher before proceeding to the sports book to place the wager. The player may present the voucher at the sports book and wager all or part of that three hundred dollars on a sporting event wager.
In another embodiment, the player may utilize his or her player's loyalty card to accumulate and place wagers in multiple venues in the gaming establishment. For example, the player's card could be inserted into a slot machine, video poker machine, or other type of automated gaming machine at the outset of the gaming session. The player may or may not insert cash into the machine at that time and receive a wagering credit on the card for that cash depending upon the existing balance on the player's card. The player may then accumulate his or her winnings while on that slot or other machine which is then credited to his or her account at the gaming establishment. The player may then proceed to a second type of gaming venue, for example a table game such as blackjack or roulette, and utilize the balance of his or her account as a wagering credit toward making wagers on that table game. In this embodiment, the player may also redeem the card at the table game venue for chips which may then be utilized to play the desired table game.
In another embodiment, a player may use a player wagering account to move from one type of wagering to another without cashing out any part of his or her account balance. For example, referring to the example described above, the player may move from wagering at a gaming machine such as a slot machine, to wagering at a sports book without redeeming the balance in his or her account. The user simply utilizes the account at the sports book venue to place a wager on a sporting event or other type of wagering event at that sports book. The amount of the wager is then deducted from the balance in the player's account when the wager is made. It should be noted that while the third type of wagering has been referred to as sports wagering such as football or horse racing, it does not have to be a sporting event per se as, for example, some sports books permit wagering on certain current events or other events for which betting odds have been established.
In another embodiment, a player may wager on a portable electronic device and receive an electronic indicia such as a TITO voucher representing a successful wager. The electronic TITO voucher may be displayed on the portable electronic device and the player may transport the electronic device to a gaming establishment. The electronic TITO voucher on the device may be read by a sensor at the gaming establishment and a hard copy TITO voucher may be issued and used at various gaming venues in the gaming establishment or it may be redeemed as a credit to a player wagering or loyalty account or at the gaming establishment for cash.
In order to facilitate the players movement from one venue to another, the embodiments disclosed herein describe a method and system whereby the player can utilize a voucher or credit from, for example, a slot machine, to play at another venue, for example, a baccarat table or a sports book, without redeeming (“cashing out”) his or her voucher at a cashier's cage in the gaming establishment. In alternate embodiments, a player may utilize the balance on his or her player's loyalty card or in his or her wagering account to make a wager at the desired different type of gaming venue.
The disclosed embodiments include a wagering system and method which permits a player to move from one type of wagering activity such as, for example, gaming machines, to another, such as sports book betting, in a manner which reduces or eliminates the need to interact with a representative of the gaming establishment. The player may thus retain more privacy in his or her gaming activities. In addition, by permitting multiple types of ways for funding gaming activities, the system and method simplify, and thus make more convenient, the change in venue from, for example, gaming machines to sports betting to table games.
By utilizing a player card, wagering account, or gaming or ticket vouchers, a player may establish a wagering credit which permits that player to wager various amounts at various types of gaming seamlessly and without the necessity of visiting a cashier in the gaming establishment. A player may always use cash to fund a gaming session. However, in the event the player does not desire to carry large amounts of cash, or in the event the player does not wish to “cash out” by exchanging vouchers or tickets received from various gaming venues prior to proceeding to different venues, the method and system allows that player to use indicia received from one gaming venue in another gaming venue without the need to visit a cashier's cage or other location to exchange the tickets or vouchers for cash or other common currency. That is, indicia such as his wagering account or loyalty card as well as tickets or vouchers received after completion of a wagering session may be used at another gaming venue. The player may proceed directly from one gaming venue to another without any intermediate stops to cash out or otherwise obtain wagering currency.
Referring to the figures wherein like reference numerals denote like structure throughout each of the various figures,
In one embodiment, in order to make a wager on slot machine 11, player 13 may choose to input cash into bill validator/acceptor 21 or he or she may choose to wager from a TITO voucher 25 which, in one embodiment, may be inserted into bill validator 21. When cash is inserted into bill validator/acceptor 21 or a TITO voucher is inserted into validator 21, the amount inserted is reflected on screen 12 at account balance information 10. In another embodiment, player 13 may choose to place a wager by drawing from the account balance indicated on screen 12 which is read from card 16 by magnetic card reader 15. In yet another embodiment, player 13 may log into his or her wagering account by inputting the account number and a personal identification number (PIN) through keypad 17 or a touchscreen 12 if the machine is so configured. In another embodiment, player 13 may elect to wager by inserting a WIN ticket 34 (as described below) into optical mark recognition device 22. In any event, player 13 makes a wager and plays slot machine 11 by pulling handle 18 or pressing wagering buttons 19 depending upon the type of slot machine or the player's preference. Upon playing slot machine 11, the amount of the wager is deducted from the chosen account or wagering credit and the matching icons visible in windows 24 indicate whether player 13 has won or lost the wager as is known in the gaming art.
If the player 13 has won the wager, then the amount of the winning wager is displayed on screen 12 and reflected as an addition to wagering credit information 10. Thus, the player 13 may continue to play as long as there is a sufficient balance shown on screen 12 to support the amount of the wager desired. Of course, additional amounts may be added to the player's account through cash, TITO voucher 25, WIN ticket 34 or other means in accordance with the embodiment. When player 13 has determined to end the gaming session, he or she may depress one of buttons 19 designated for that purpose or input an instruction through keypad 17 in order to end that gaming session.
In one embodiment, ending the gaming session by player 13 results in indicia that the account balance is being retained in the player account information 10 as reflected on screen 12. As will be discussed below, the player may then use that balance at another gaming machine or at another type of gaming in the gaming establishment. In another embodiment, ending of the gaming session by player 13 may result in the dispensing of indicia such as a TITO voucher 25 at ticket printer 23 depending upon player preference. In this embodiment, the amount of the account balance 14 on screen 12 is reflected on TITO voucher 25. As will be further discussed below, TITO voucher 25 may be used at another gaming machine in the gaming establishment or at another type of gaming venue in that gaming establishment or in a gaming venue at another geographically remote gaming establishment.
Referring to
In another embodiment the disclosure, player 13 gives sports book employee 32 a player loyalty card 16 which sports book employee 32 inserts into terminal 33 and which is read in terminal 33 as described above with respect to slot machine 11. The one hundred dollar amount of the wager on the Tigers placed by player 13 is deducted from player 13's card balance. In another embodiment player 13 hands sports book employee 32 a TITO voucher 25 which player 13 had received from slot machine 11 in the embodiment described with respect to
In another embodiment, referring to
In an alternate embodiment, referring again to
Kiosk 35 may also include the ability to accept coins in coin acceptor 38 and to dispense coins from coin dispenser 39. Kiosk 35 may include the ability to dispense cash through bill validator 21 and coin dispenser 39 such that player 13 may choose to withdraw all of some of the balance of his or her account at any time. Player 13 may also choose to add cash to fund his or her account through bill acceptor 21 and coin acceptor 38. Kiosk 35 includes the ability to incorporate utilization of ticket-in/ticket-out (“TITO”) vouchers 25 or WIN tickets 34. Player 13 will be able to establish a wagering credit with cash, from his loyalty card 16, from his wagering account or with WIN tickets 34 or TITO vouchers 25, and add/withdraw monies to/from his or her account using kiosk 35. Kiosk 35 also allows player 13 to interact with a remotely located solution center employee of the gaming establishment through video/still camera 20 and telephone handset 14 on kiosk 35. Printer 41 may also issue gaming rules and regulations or other materials as deemed necessary or advisable by the gaming establishment.
Referring to
A distinctive feature of the embodiments described herein is the manner in which multiple types of gaming such as, for example, race/sports, table game, and slot players will be brought closer together. By expanding the options in which players can interact with slot machines 11 (or other gaming machines such as video poker and the like) and sports books (
Kiosk 35 provides flexibility of remote placement and 24/7/365 self-service to give the player 13 around-the-clock-access for sports book wagering to improve player convenience and the accessibility of the gaming establishment. In addition, players 13 will not be impacted by hours of operation in the sports book nor long lines at race and sports book counter 31. Kiosk 35 accepts funded sports wagers from rated, and unrated/anonymous players. A rated player is one who has established a loyalty account. A rated player must have a loyalty card account in order to establish a wagering account. An unrated/anonymous player has neither a loyalty account nor a wagering account. Kiosk 35 accepts: (i) cash in bill validator 21 and coin acceptor 38; (ii) TITO instruments 25 in bill validator 21; or (iii) successful WIN tickets 34 in OMR 22 as a means to establish a wagering credit and thus fund desired wagers and/or to add funds to an existing wagering account. Kiosk 35 also allows access to wagering accounts and loyalty card accounts. Thus, account withdrawals or deposits can also be initiated at the kiosk 35. The players are able to add funds to their wagering or loyalty account by inputting cash, TITO instruments and WIN tickets into the kiosk 35. Winning account wagers may be paid directly to the player's loyalty or wagering account or in TITO vouchers 25.
In one embodiment, kiosk 35 includes a self-service sports book which provides benefits to both players and the sports book venue 26. Players enjoy wagering freedom to easily move from playing slot machines to sports book wagering to table game wagering. TITO vouchers 25 and WIN tickets 34 are usable at the kiosk 35 and over-the-counter in the sports book 26 and at table games to establish a wagering credit at the venue allowing player 13 to place wagers. Similarly, player's loyalty card accounts and wagering accounts are available at all three types of venues to establish a wagering credit and thus fund wagers. In one embodiment kiosk 35 may or may not dispense cash, but TITO vouchers 25 and WIN tickets 34 can be redeemed for cash or credit in ticket redemption machines and at a cashier cage on the gaming establishment premises. TITO vouchers 25 and WIN tickets 34 can also be used to fund a player's wagering or loyalty card account through kiosks 35 or at other locations on the gaming establishment premises.
Referring to
Referring to
Similarly, in table games venue 45, terminals 49 are connected through 54 to a router 53 which is in turn connected through connections 54 to server 52. As with the gaming machines 11, while only three terminals 49 are shown, any number of terminals consistent with network design parameters may be employed and connections 54 may be any type of electromagnetic connection. In sports book venue 26, terminals 33 are similarly connected through connections 54 to router 53 and in turn to server 52. Continuing to refer to
In operation, this system shown in
While,
Referring to
After terminating his or her play at step 58, the player may move to a different type of gaming venue such as the sports book at step 59 to place a wager on a football game. In step 61, if the player is at a live sports book he or she presents the TITO voucher 25 to the cashier who then inserts the TITO voucher into a terminal 33 to read the value of the TITO voucher which may establish a wagering credit or may, if the player 13 chooses, be added to the player's wagering or loyalty card account. In one embodiment, instead of the cashier inserting the TITO voucher 25, the player may insert the voucher directly into the terminal 33. If the player is placing the sports book wager at a self-serve kiosk 35 as described above, then the player inserts the TITO voucher 25 into kiosk 35. The player may receive a WIN ticket 34 from kiosk 11 memorializing his or her wager at step 62. For example, in the event a wager is made on the Tigers for one hundred dollars as described above with respect to
Depending upon the outcome of the wager made at step 61, the player may win or lose and, if he wins, the player may redeem the amount indicated on the WIN ticket 34 as a TITO voucher, in cash, or player 13 may retain the WIN ticket 32 to establish a wagering credit at another gaming venue. If player 13 has a wagering and loyalty account, he or she may choose to add that amount to either of such accounts in step 63. If the wager is placed on a short term event like a horse race then the player may remain in the sports book area but, if the event is a future sporting or race event, the player may leave the area with the WIN ticket 34. When the player determines to redeem the WIN ticket 34 either shortly after a short term (e.g. horse race) or longer term (e.g. football game) wager then at step 64 the player may receive a TITO voucher in the amount which is determined based upon the beginning value in step 61 and the amount won or lost in the sports book wager at step 62 or the player may choose to add such amount to his or her account as discussed above in step 63 or the player may choose to retain the WIN ticket 34 to use at another wagering venue.
As with the previously described embodiments, the player may use TITO voucher 25 to place another wager at the same type of gaming venue or he or she may proceed to another of the gaming venues such as a gaming machine or a table game. Also as previously stated, in the circumstance where the types of gaming venues are networked between gaming establishments in diverse geographic locations, the player could proceed to another of those geographic locations in order to place a wager at the same or a different type of gaming venue. In one embodiment, player 13 may take the winning WIN ticket 34 to another venue and use that amount to fund a wager at that venue as described above.
Referring to
After terminating his or her play at step 68, the player may move to a different type of gaming venue such as the sports book 26 at step 69 to place a wager on a football game, horse race or other sporting event. In step 71, if the player is at a live sports book 26 he or she presents the player loyalty card 16 to the sports book employee 32 who then inserts the player card into a terminal 33 to read the value in the player's account. In one embodiment, instead of the sports book employee 32 inserting the player card 16, the player may insert the card 16 him or herself into the terminal 33. If player 13 is also has a wagering account, he either inputs, or has the employee 32 input, his wagering account number and PIN to log onto the wagering account. If the player is placing the sports book wager at a self-serve kiosk 35 as described above, then the player inserts the player loyalty card 16 into the kiosk 35 and may also log into his wagering account using the account number and PIN. The player may receive a WIN ticket 34 memorializing his or her wager from kiosk 35. If player 13 is wagering from a wagering or loyalty card account, he may choose not to have a WIN ticket issued as the wager is memorialized in the players wagering or loyalty card account. For example, in the event a wager is made on the Tigers for one hundred dollars as described above with respect to
Depending upon the outcome of the wager made at step 71, the player may win or lose and, if the player wins, the player may redeem the amount indicated on the WIN ticket 34 in the form of a TITO voucher 25 or the amount may be added to the player loyalty card or wagering account in step 72, or, as described above, the successful WIN ticket may be used at another venue. In one embodiment, player 13 may receive cash from kiosk 35 representing all or part of player's loyalty or wagering account balance. If the wager is placed on a short term event like a horse race then the player may choose to remain in the sports book area to watch the event but, if the event is a future event, the player may choose to leave the area with the WIN ticket 34. If the player has received a WIN ticket, then the player may redeem a successful WIN ticket for cash or use at another venue either shortly after a short term (e.g. horse race) or longer term (e.g. football game) wager. Horse race and sports WIN tickets may be valid for a predetermined period of time after the event. If the player has chosen not to receive a WIN ticket, then the player's loyalty card or wagering account may be credited at the time of a successful wager in the amount which is determined based upon the amounts won in the sports book wager at step 72. In another embodiment, at step 73, the amount won at step 72 may be received in the form of a TITO voucher 25 which may be used at other wagering venues.
As with the previously described embodiments, the player may use the TITO voucher 25, winning WIN ticket 34, player's loyalty card 16, or wagering account to fund a wagering credit and place another wager at the same type of gaming venue or he or she may proceed to another of the gaming venues such as a gaming machine 11 or a table game 45. Also as previously stated, in the circumstance where the types of gaming venues are networked between gaming establishments in diverse geographic locations, the player could proceed to another of those locations in order to place a wager. While
Referring to
While the disclosure has described various embodiments, it should be expressly understood to those of ordinary skill in the art that certain modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. For example, while various network configurations and connections have been disclosed it should be understood that alternate configurations and connections may be employed without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the proper scope of this disclosure is set forth in the following claims.
