Method for providing incentive to play gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer

Abstract

A method for providing incentive to players of networked slot machines includes a card reader associated with each machine and a card associated with each player. A player account accessible by a host computer on the network is created which associates the player's card with the account. A predetermined credit is applied to the player's account. In a complementary incentive, credit from the player's account is applied to the coin-in meter of a slot machine responsive to insertion of the player card into a card reader associated with the machine. In a matching incentive also implemented by the present invention, each time the player inserts a coin into the slot machine, an equal credit is debited from the player's account and applied to the coin-in meter of the machine. In both cases, the credit can only be used by the player to play the machines and cannot be cashed out by the player.

1 . A method for providing incentive to a player of gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: 
 creating a player account accessible by the host computer;    tracking data relating to the player's play on one or more gaming devices and associating the tracked play with the player account;    analyzing the player account to determine an amount wagered by the player;    and applying a promotional credit to the player account.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein analyzing the player account to determine an amount wagered by the player comprises: 
 calculating an amount played by the player;    calculating an amount won by the player; and    deducting the amount won by the player from the amount played by the player.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the promotional credit is a function of the amount wagered by the player.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the promotional credit is a bonus.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the promotional credit is a multiple of the amount wagered by the player.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising establishing a predetermined condition that must be met before the player can play the promotional credit.  
     
     
         7 . A method for providing incentive to players of gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: 
 creating player accounts accessible by the host computer;    associating each player account with a particular player;    tracking data relating to each player's play on one or more gaming devices and associating the tracked play with the particular player's account;    analyzing the player accounts to determine an amount wagered by each player;    and applying a promotional credit to one or more of the player accounts.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the promotional credit is a function of an amount wagered by one or more players.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising applying a promotional credit to the player account of the player having the greatest amount wagered during a predetermined period.  
     
     
         10 . A method for providing incentive to a player of gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: 
 creating a player account accessible by the host computer;    tracking data relating to the player's play on one or more gaming devices and associating the tracked play with the player account;    analyzing the player account to determine an amount lost by the player; and    applying a promotional credit to the player account.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein analyzing the player account to determine an amount lost by the player comprises: 
 calculating an amount played by the player;    calculating an amount won by the player; and    deducting the amount won by the player from the amount played by the player.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the promotional credit is a function of the amount lost by the player.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the promotional credit is a bonus.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the promotional credit is a multiple of the amount lost by the player.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising establishing a predetermined condition that must be met before the player can play the promotional credit.  
     
     
         16 . A method for providing incentive to a player of gaming devices connected by a network to a host computer comprising: 
 creating a player account accessible by the host computer;    tracking data relating to a player's play on one or more gaming devices and associating the tracked play with the player's account;    establishing a predetermined duration of play;    analyzing the player account to determine whether the player has met the predetermined duration of play; and    applying a promotional credit to the player account in response to the player meeting the predetermined duration of play.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the promotional credit is a function of the duration of play of the player.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the promotional credit is a bonus.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the promotional credit is a multiple of the duration of play of the player.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising establishing a predetermined condition that must be met before the player can play the promotional credit.  
     
     
         21 . An incentive-based player tracking system, comprising: 
 a host computer;    a network interconnecting gaming devices to the host computer;    means for tracking play;    a memory for storing the tracked play;    means for analyzing an amount wagered by a player during a predetermined time; and    means for providing the player with an incentive based on the amount wagered.