Abstract: A central determination gaming system including a plurality of gaming terminals in communication with a central controller. In one embodiment, upon initiation of a game at one of the gaming terminals, the gaming terminal randomly generates a proposed game outcome. The proposed game outcome is communicated to the central controller. The central controller determines if a pool of predetermined game outcomes includes the proposed game outcome. If the pool includes the proposed game outcome, the central controller authorizes the proposed game outcome to be provided to the player, flags the authorized game outcome from further authorizations and communicates the authorized game outcome to the gaming terminal. The gaming terminal then provides the authorized game outcome to the player. If the pool does not include the proposed game outcome, the central controller discards the proposed game outcome and instructs the gaming terminal to generate another proposed game outcome for authorization.

Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing reusable tickets or other suitable cashless instruments for gaming machines systems are disclosed. Each reusable cashless instrument includes a unique validation code designated thereon, an associated monetary value and no monetary designation stored or encoded thereon. The validation code corresponds to an associated account stored in a central system, which stores a monetary value for each reusable cashless instrument. Systems can include reusable cashless instruments, gaming machines and devices, storage and stacking mechanisms, escrow devices, servers, databases, reusable ticket issuing and reading devices, and cashier stations. The reusable ticket issuing devices may not write to the reusable tickets upon issuance. Reusable cashless instrument may comprise paper, reinforced paper or a plastic material.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods that allow gaming machines to participate in a progressive pool and offer a progressive award regardless of the game installed on the gaming machine. The present invention also permits gaming machine participation in a progressive pool regardless of wager amount. This permits larger progressive awards and awards that grow faster since more games and gaming machines may participate in building a progressive pool award. It also opens the attraction of a large progressive pool award to more games, gaming machines and gaming establishments.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods that allow gaming machines to participate in a progressive pool and offer a progressive award regardless of the game installed on the gaming machine. The present invention also permits gaming machine participation in a progressive pool regardless of wager amount. This permits larger progressive awards and awards that grow faster since more games and gaming machines may participate in building a progressive pool award. It also opens the attraction of a large progressive pool award to more games, gaming machines and gaming establishments.

Abstract: Various gaming-related services are provided, including but not limited to security services, harm minimization services, player identification services, bonusing/progressive services, accounting services, financial/banking services, network tunneling services, cheating detection services, etc. Such services may be provided, at least in part, by software agents that can be configured for different platforms and/or operating systems. Some software-based player tracking methods of the invention can aggregate data from multiple devices used by a player for gaming.

Abstract: Games may be divided into different portions having differing preservation needs. These different portions may be saved to set locations for set periods of time when a downloaded game that was available on a given gaming terminal must be disabled, removed or otherwise made unavailable on the gaming terminal. The removal process may be automated or controlled remotely, although this is not strictly required. Further, preservation of games may be implemented using directories of the various game components for multiple downloaded games available to a gaming terminal.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to different techniques for managing the storage of accumulated information in selected non-volatile memory sources at a gaming machine. In one implementation of the present invention relates to a technique for automatically and dynamically swapping critical data and/or other game related information between the non-volatile RAM and the alternate storage (e.g., disk drive) of a gaming machine as new games are activated and/or existing games are deactivated at the gaming machine.

Abstract: Novel methods, devices and systems are described for mapping a variety of Class III game outcomes to a common set of bingo patterns. Each game theme may have a different entertaining display, based upon a corresponding Class III game. Preferably, each game theme will offer game play and paytable percentages closely matching those of the original Class III game. Some implementations provide a system wherein electronic gaming machines presenting entertaining displays of various Class III game themes are linked to a single bingo server. By linking many participating electronic gaming machines to a single server, some implementations of the invention allow all of the progressive contributions to be pooled into one large progressive jackpot, thereby making the game more attractive to players.

Abstract: Novel methods, devices and systems are described for mapping a variety of Class III game outcomes to sets of bingo patterns. Each game theme may have a different entertaining display, based upon a corresponding Class III game. Preferably, each game theme will offer game play and paytable percentages closely matching those of the original Class III game. Some implementations provide a system wherein separate pay tables and bingo pools are formed according to the number of paylines played on slot-type game themes and/or the number of hands played on poker game themes. In some such implementations, players will be limited to predetermined numbers of lines (or hands) played, e.g., only 1, 3, 5 or 9 lines. In alternative implementations, a player's options regarding the number of lines played will depend, at least in part, on how many other players are playing any given number of lines on a slot game.

Abstract: A central determination gaming system which provides a player a choice in outcomes. In one embodiment of the present invention, upon a player initiating a game play at one of a plurality of gaming terminals in communication with a central controller, the central controller selects a plurality of game outcomes from a pool of game outcomes. The selected game outcomes are communicated to the gaming terminal and the gaming terminal provides one of the selected game outcomes to the player based on at least one choice made by the player regarding the game play. The provided game outcome is prevented from further selections from the pool of game outcomes.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are described for mapping a variety of Class III game outcomes to a common set of bingo patterns. Each game theme may have a different entertaining display, based upon a corresponding Class III game. Preferably, each game theme will offer game play and paytable percentages closely matching those of the original Class III game. In order to more closely match Class III game play, some implementations provide a system wherein the hit frequency of a bingo game will be modulated according to Class III game options selected by a player. The options may be, for example, paylines of a simulated slot game. In preferred implementations, this modulation is accomplished by varying the number of bingo cards provided in the underlying bingo game according to the options (e.g., the number of paylines) selected.

Abstract: Novel methods, devices and systems are described for mapping pay amounts for a variety of Class III game themes to a common set of bingo pay amounts. Each Class III game theme may cause a different type of entertaining display on a gaming machine when bingo is played, based upon a corresponding Class III game. Preferably, each Class III game theme will offer game play and paytable percentages closely matching those of the original Class III game. Some implementations allow flexibility in matching the probabilities of bingo outcomes and Class III game outcomes by mapping ranges of Class III pay amounts to a single bingo pay amount. Some implementations provide a system wherein electronic gaming machines presenting entertaining displays of various Class III game themes are linked to a single bingo server.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for a method for providing a game on demand over a data network, in a gaming machine. The gaming machine sends a request message for a game application over the data network. In a network mode, the gaming machine receives outputted results from an executed game application over a streaming channel of the data network for network-based game play. During the network-based game play, the game application is downloaded over a download channel of the data network. In a local mode, the gaming machine executes the downloaded game application independent of the network-based game play. The gaming machine switches instantaneously from the network mode to the local mode for machine-based game play, including maintaining a status of the network-based game play.

Abstract: A wager manipulation feature for a wagering game is provided. The feature may be implemented after the player's wager is set but before game play takes place, after game play takes place or both simultaneously. If before game play, the feature enables the player to undo or nullify the wager, for example, if the player changes his or her mind or enters a wager incorrectly. If after game play, the feature provides a bonus to the player in which the player may nullify a bet after an unsuccessful outcome or increase the bet to enhance a favorable outcome. In any case, the redo feature can be accumulated in one embodiment and stored and/or restored on a gaming device ticket, player tracking card or promotion.

Abstract: A central determination gaming system having a selection game. In one embodiment, a predetermined game outcome value is selected and the gaming device determines a supplemental value. The gaming device determines and displays a plurality of value groups. One of the values or the sum of a plurality of the values in each value group equals the selected predetermined game outcome value and sum of each of the values for each value group equals the sum of the selected predetermined game outcome value and the generated supplemental value. The gaming device enables the player to pick one of the value groups and the gaming device picks one or more of the values from the player picked value group. The gaming device picked values are based on or otherwise equal the selected predetermined game outcome value. The gaming device provides the selected values to the player and the selection game ends.

Abstract: Some implementations of the invention provide methods and devices for managing gaming establishments and for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Some such implementations allow a user to configure one or more gaming machines via an easy-to-use GUI displayed on a wired or a wireless device, such as a laptop, a PDA, a work station or other host device. Gaming machine parameters that can be changed according to some implementations of the invention include game denominations, games to enable or disable, game payback percentage, deal speed, volume level and enabling or disabling a tournament. Some preferred implementations of the invention provide an event scheduler that allows a user either to cause events to occur immediately or schedule certain events to occur at a future time. Some implementations of the invention allow a user to generate activity reports highlighting configuration changes, user logins, game set additions, and/or game downloading.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and devices for presenting a plurality of game elements on one or more display devices. The game elements may comprise, for example, bingo cards, playing cards, hands of playing cards, etc. Some implementations of the invention involve displaying a plurality of game elements as surfaces of a three-dimensional object. Preferably, the orientation of the three-dimensional object can be varied to display selected game elements. The game elements may be selected by a player and/or by a logic device. In some implementations, the three-dimensional object comprises a “carousel” that can be re-oriented (e.g., rotated) to display game elements.

Abstract: Various gaming-related services are provided, including but not limited to security services, harm minimization services, player identification services, bonusing/progressive services, accounting services, financial/banking services, network tunneling services, cheating detection services, etc. Such services may be provided, at least in part, by software agents that can be configured for different platforms and/or operating systems. Some software-based player tracking methods of the invention can aggregate data from multiple devices used by a player for gaming.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gaming system and method designed or configured to provide wins of restricted credits. Restricted credits may be awarded according to the same or a different pay table than cashable credits on the same machine or at the same gaming property. Where separate pay tables are used for restricted and cashable credits, the invention may be implemented with a machine that accepts and pays only restricted credit according to a single, fixed internal payout schedule (“pay table”). Alternatively, the invention may be implemented with a machine that pays restricted credit according to one fixed internal pay table and cashable credit according to another fixed internal pay table. Or, a machine may pay restricted credit according to an external pay table provided by a host system to which the machine is connected.

Abstract: Disclosed are central determination methods and systems in which pools and sub-pools of outcomes can be distributed among various units of the central determination system. The methods and systems are applicable to Class II and, in some implementations, Class III gaming configurations. The methods and systems disclosed herein can be implemented in a gaming machine network, wherein one of the gaming machines distributes game outcomes to other gaming machines in the network. The gaming machines can be oriented in a peer-to-peer configuration, a central storage medium configuration, a stand alone configuration, an autonomous gaming machine configuration, and other network configurations. Methods are disclosed for managing the distribution of outcomes among the gaming machines in the various networks.