Controlling and rewarding wagering game skill

US8337300B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• WMS GAMING, INC. · US

Inventors

• Travis L. Bowers · Henderson, US
• Joel R. Jaffe · Evanston, US
• John F. LaSalvia · Las Vegas, US
• Michael W. Mastropietro · Chicago, US
• Scott H. Schulhof · Chicago, US
• Richard T. Schwartz · Deerfield, US
• Jorge L. Shimabukuro · Las Vegas, US
• Bruce Urban · Las Vegas, US
• Michael Ward · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 30, 2009
• Grant date: Dec 25, 2012
• Expiry date: Dec 24, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07F17/3267
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include presenting a skill-based wagering game on a wagering game machine. The skill-based wagering game can have a limited winnable award amount for the skill-based wagering game. The operations can also include tracking skilled game goals that a player accomplishes during the skill-based wagering game and awarding the player from the limited winnable award amount. The operations can also include determining a surplus amount that was not earned from the limited winnable award amount, and awarding some, or all, of the surplus amount during subsequent activity. In some embodiments, the operations can also include allocating the surplus amount to wagering game pools, distributing the surplus amount as tokens based on triggered activities, and presenting game modifiers that enable players to enhance performance in a skill-based game.