Abstract: A gaming system method includes first reading external identifying information for a player from an external identification device carried by the player and then associating the external identifying information with a player account in a gaming system. The method further includes reading the external identifying information for the player from a player station device included the gaming system, and then accessing the player account using that external identifying information read from the player station device.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and program products for a bingo game are described for selecting a group of designations from an overall set of designations and matching the selected group of designations to designations associated with the locations on a player card. Each designation in the overall set of designations corresponds to a playing card in a standard playing card deck. Matching the group of designations with the player card designations produces a number of matched locations on the player card. These matched locations are used to determine a playing card hand and a player is awarded the result of the game based on the playing card hand.

Abstract: A processing device measures the time it takes for a player to take some action in a game and bases the award or result in the game for the player at least in part on that measured time. A player receives a more desirable result or outcome for a particular game play in response to a shorter player action time and/or receives a less desirable result or outcome for a particular game play in response to a longer player action time. Providing more desirable results for shorter player action times or less desirable results for longer player action times provides players an incentive that influences them to take the appropriate player actions more quickly.

Abstract: A lottery ticket distribution system according to the invention includes a ticket distribution center (9) that is in electronic communication with a number of player terminals (10) at locations remote to the ticket distribution center. The ticket distribution center (9) includes an electronic ticket storage device (11, 20) for storing a game set (29) of electronic tickets (31) and distributing the electronic tickets to the player terminals (10). A ticket record manufacturing device (14, 15) operatively connected to the ticket distribution center (9) provides either a nonvolatile data record for each ticket or a hard copy ticket, or both. The nonvolatile data records or set of hard copy tickets for a given game set are not distributed to the players, but are held for verification and dispute resolution purposes either at the ticket distribution center (9) or some other secure location.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and program products are described for conducting a networked bingo game for a number of game play requests to identify bingo game results, including at least one bonus round result. A number of selection options are presented to a player with the bonus round result (the bonus round player) and one or more selection options are associated with a respective bonus prize. After presenting the bonus round player with the selection options, the player is enabled to choose at least one of the selection options. The bonus round player is then awarded the bonus prize associated with the chosen selection option.

Abstract: A gaming method identifies a variable draw dividing point in a designation set or draw. This variable draw dividing point divides the draw into two subsets of designations including a first draw portion. The first draw portion defined by the variable draw dividing point in the draw matches card representations in play in a bingo game according to some predefined matching criteria. Once the variable draw dividing point is identified to define the first draw portion, the first draw portion is communicated to players in the bingo game that are each associated with a respective card representation matched by the first portion according to the predefined matching criteria.

Abstract: Bonus designations are considered along with the regular game designations to distinguish between different pattern result levels in a bingo game. A set of one or more bonus designations is selected. Each bonus designation included in the set of bonus designations may be selected from the same pool of bingo designations from which the bingo card designations and game designations are selected. The set of bonus designations is applied to distinguish between a number of pattern result levels associated with each winning pattern that may be achieved in the bingo game and to identify a particular one of the pattern result levels for the respective player/game play request. A prize for each respective player/game play request is awarded based on the pattern result level identified for the respective player/game play request.

Abstract: A gaming system produces a multiple-play physical pull tab ticket at the request of a player. Each chance in the game is associated with a game play record which has been produced and stored in the system prior to the sale of the physical game ticket. A player in the game selects a number of game play outcomes or plays to be purchased and the gaming system responds to the request by producing and distributing to the player a pull tab ticket having the requested number of game play outcomes printed or otherwise formed on a ticket substrate. Game play information specifying the outcomes of each game play printed on the game ticket may be printed or otherwise encoded on the game ticket. A player terminal may read this game play information using a suitable scanning device and may then display the results of the plays to the player.

Abstract: A method for detecting potential money-laundering activities or other illegal activities in the use of a gaming accounting system includes collecting data regarding a player's activity in a gaming system. The gaming system activity data is collected in terms of a gaming activity network, that is, a series of linked activities or events, and/or objects associated with activities or events. In response to a predefined event such as a cash out or credit redemption transaction request initiated by the player, the method includes evaluating the collected data to identify potentially illegal or prohibited activity. In the event illegal activity is indicated, the method includes taking some corrective action such as producing an operator alert to the potential illegal activity.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for presenting multiple bingo game results on a common display. A bingo game player may participate in a number of bingo games and obtain results for each of those games. These bingo game results are combined to amount to a cumulative result and a common graphic display is produced that is representative of the cumulative result. The common graphic display is then shown to the player on the display device of a particular electronic player station.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for a game play sequence for an electronic bingo gaming system. The electronic bingo gaming system includes a number of player stations that players may use to participate in a bingo game and a game server for implementing/carrying out the game play sequence. The sequence begins by splitting a ball draw for a bingo game into a first portion and a final portion. A series of potential game ending winning players may be identified. The first potential game ending winning player in the series who makes the appropriate inputs in response to their receiving the first portion of the ball draw and the final portion of the ball draw, receives a prize in the bingo game.

Abstract: Game play requests in a bingo gaming system are associated with different play characteristic classes and collected into different game play groups simultaneously according to play characteristic class. Once a sufficient number of game play requests are collected in a respective game play group, a bingo game is conducted with the respective game play group and results are returned to the players associated with that game play group. Play characteristic class may be defined on the basis of the speed at which players take any required actions to claim results in a game so that players who may take the required actions relatively slowly will not be grouped for games with players who may take the required actions relatively quickly.

Abstract: A method according to the present invention includes matching bingo card representations to a given set of game designations to produce a matched card set. Each matched bingo card representation in the matched card set represents a respective game play record for use in the present gaming system and includes or is associated with a result indicator that indicates whether the respective bingo card representation is a winning card or losing card for that set of game designations. Individual game play records from the matched card set are each assigned to a player in response to a game play request initiated by the player. Each game play request is associated with a player by virtue of the player initiating the game play request. Each game play request is also associated with a particular card representation that is “owned” or held by the player. Players are assigned one or more card representations to allow the player to make game play requests.