Tournament Entry Fee Accumulation via Wager Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need in the field of wagering games for tournament gaming systems that facilitate easy player enrollment and minimize the impact on regular 'in-revenue' play at gaming machines, as existing systems often require players to stop playing to pay entry fees or interrupt regular gameplay.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where qualifying wagers in primary games are used to increment a tournament entry fee account, allowing players to participate in tournaments without separate entry fee payments, and enabling participation when the account reaches a predefined level, with the option to use the same or different gaming machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If players pay tournament entry fees separately from regular gameplay, then tournament participation is clearly defined and funded, but player engagement is reduced and gameplay is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tournament entry fee payment process with regular gameplay by allowing qualifying wagers placed during primary game play to automatically accumulate toward tournament entry fees. This eliminates the need for separate entry fee transactions and continuous player intervention, seamlessly integrating tournament enrollment into the natural flow of gameplay.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically tracking and accumulating qualifying wagers toward tournament entry fees before the player needs to participate in the tournament. This preliminary accumulation process occurs in the background during regular gameplay, so when the entry fee threshold is reached, the player is already enrolled and ready to compete without any interruption to their gaming session.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gaming machines are removed from regular play for tournaments, then tournament play is facilitated, but casino revenue from regular play is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically allows gaming machines to operate in both regular play mode and tournament play mode without requiring physical removal or configuration changes. Machines can seamlessly transition between modes, maintaining continuous operational capacity and revenue generation while accommodating tournament participation when players qualify through their regular gameplay wagers.
Solution Approach 2:
The gaming machines are designed with multi-functionality to handle both regular wagering games and tournament games through the same hardware platform. The system universally processes qualifying wagers from primary games toward tournament entry fees, allowing the same machine to generate revenue from regular play while simultaneously enabling tournament participation, thus maximizing productivity and adaptability.
3Reliability
If entry fees are charged separately, then tournament funding is secured, but player convenience is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically tracking qualifying wagers, calculating accumulated entry fees, and enrolling players in tournaments without requiring manual intervention. The player simply continues playing the primary game, and the system autonomously manages the entry fee accumulation and tournament enrollment process, maintaining both reliability of fee collection and high player convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides continuous feedback to players about their qualifying wager accumulation and proximity to tournament entry fee thresholds. This feedback mechanism allows players to monitor their progress toward tournament enrollment in real-time, enhancing convenience by providing transparency while ensuring reliable entry fee collection through the structured wager accumulation process.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving one or more primary game inputs at a gaming machine, each primary game input defining a wager for a respective play of a primary game presented through the gaming machine and also initiating the respective play of the primary game. Each qualifying wager in the primary game offered through the gaming machine is applied in a predefined fashion toward to an entry fee in one or more gaming machine tournaments. Ultimately, the value of the tournament entry fee account may reach a first level which is predefined as a level required for participation in a tournament. Once this level has been reached, the method includes enabling the affected player to participate in the tournament. Thus the player need not stop play of the wagering game to pay any entry fee which may be required for participation in a tournament game.