Systems, methods and apparatuses for reinvesting payouts from a wagering game

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and computer readable media for determining at least one reinvestment configuration for determining whether a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred from a first account to a second account based on game play of a first game at a gaming device, the game play of the first game being associated with the first account balance; and allowing play of a second game with funds in the second account after determining that a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred according to the reinvestment configuration, wherein the second game cannot be played using funds in the first account.

1 . A method comprising:
 determining at least one reinvestment configuration for determining whether a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred from a first account to a second account based on game play of a first game at a gaming device, the game play of the first game being associated with the first account balance; and   allowing play of a second game with funds in the second account after determining that a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred according to the reinvestment configuration, wherein the second game cannot be played using funds in the first account.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reinvestment configuration comprises a win of the first game, the win requiring a payout of credits to the first account. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the payout of credits to the first account is equal to the non-zero amount of credits to be transferred to the second account. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the non-zero amount of credits to be transferred is less than the payout of credits to the first account. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reinvestment configuration comprises receiving an indication of the non-zero amount of credits to be transferred. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the indication of the non-zero amount of credits to be transferred is received from the player. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the indication of the non-zero amount of credits to be transferred is received from the player subsequent to a win of the first game by the player. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the non-zero amount of credits is not greater than a payout for the win of the first game. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first game is at least one payline associated with a slot machine game having a plurality of reels; and
 wherein the second game comprises at least one additional payline associated with the slot machine game.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the additional payline is displayed to the player after the it has been determined that a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred from a first account to a second account, based on the reinvestment configuration. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the additional payline is not displayed to the player before it has been determined that a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred from a first account to a second account, based on the reinvestment configuration. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus comprising:
 a gaming device configured to perform the steps of:
 determining at least one reinvestment configuration for determining whether a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred from a first account balance to a second account balance based on game play of a first game at the gaming device, the game play being associated with the first account balance; and 
 allowing play of a second game with funds in the second account after determining that a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred according to the reinvestment configuration, wherein the second game cannot be played using funds in the first account. 
   
   
   
       13 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a gaming device in communication with the processor and configured to perform the steps of:
 determining at least one reinvestment configuration for determining whether a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred from a first account balance to a second account balance based on game play of a first game at the gaming device, the game play being associated with the first account balance; and 
 allowing play of a second game with funds in the second account after determining that a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred according to the reinvestment configuration, wherein the second game cannot be played using funds in the first account. 
   
   
   
       14 . A computer readable medium comprising;
 instructions capable of directing a processor to perform the steps of:
 determining at least one reinvestment configuration for determining whether a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred from a first account balance to a second account balance based on game play of a first game at a gaming device, the game play being associated with the first account balance; and 
 allowing play of a second game with funds in the second account after determining that a non-zero amount of credits should be transferred according to the reinvestment configuration, wherein the second game cannot be played using funds in the first account. 
   
   
   
       15 . A method comprising:
 receiving from a player, via a gaming device, an indication of a payout percentage to wager automatically, wherein the payout percentage may be less than 100%;   storing the indication of the payout percentage to wager automatically;   after receiving the indication,
 executing an instance of a first game at a gaming device; 
 determining a payout amount for the instance of the first game; and 
 automatically determining a wager amount to wager on at least one instance of a second game at a gaming device, 
 in which the wager amount is based on the payout amount for the instance of the first game and the payout percentage to wager automatically; and 
 automatically wagering the wager amount on the at least one instance of the second game. 
   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gaming device associated with the first game is the same gaming device associated with the second game. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the gaming device is a slot machine. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the wager amount is equal to the payout amount times the payout percentage to wager automatically. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one instance of a second game comprises a plurality of instances of a second game; and
 wherein a sum of the wagers for each instance of a second game is equal to the payout amount times the payout percentage to wager automatically.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , in which storing the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 storing the indication of the payout percentage on a player tracking card.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , in which storing the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 storing the indication of the payout percentage in a database.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the database is accessible by the gaming device. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the database is accessible by a server in communication with the gaming device. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the indication is stored in the database in association with an identifier that identifies the player. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , in which the database is a database of player preferences. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the indication is stored in the database in association with an identifier that identifies the gaming device. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 15 , in which storing the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 storing the indication of the payout percentage at a server.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 15 , in which storing the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 transmitting the indication of the payout percentage to a server.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 15 , in which storing the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 storing the indication of the payout percentage on a card device.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 15 , in which storing the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 storing the indication of the payout percentage on a portable storage medium.   
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 15 , in which storing the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 storing the indication of the payout percentage on a magnetic medium.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 15 , in which receiving the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 receiving a storage medium that stores an indication of the payout percentage.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 15 , in which receiving the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 receiving the indication of the payout percentage from a portable storage medium.   
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 15 , in which receiving the indication of the payout percentage comprises:
 receiving the indication of the payout percentage from a database.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 15 , in which receiving the indication comprises:
 receiving an indication that the player has selected one of a plurality of options for payout percentages to wager automatically.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 15 , in which automatically wagering comprises:
 automatically wagering the wager amount if the payout amount for the instance of the first game is greater than a predetermined amount.   
   
   
       37 . An apparatus comprising:
 a slot machine configured to perform the steps of:
 receiving from a player an indication of a payout percentage to wager automatically, wherein the payout percentage may be less than 100%; 
 storing the indication of the payout percentage to wager automatically; 
 after receiving the indication,
 executing an instance of a first game; 
 determining a payout amount for the instance of the first game; and 
 automatically determining a wager amount to wager on at least one instance of a second game, 
 in which the wager amount is based on the payout amount for the instance of the first game and the payout percentage to wager automatically; and 
 automatically wagering the wager amount on the at least one instance of the second game. 
 
   
   
   
       38 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a gaming device in communication with the processor and configured to perform the steps of:
 receiving from a player an indication of a payout percentage to wager automatically, wherein the payout percentage may be less than 100%; 
 storing the indication of the payout percentage to wager automatically; 
 after receiving the indication,
 executing an instance of a first game; 
 determining a payout amount for the instance of the first game; and 
 automatically determining a wager amount to wager on at least one instance of a second game, 
 in which the wager amount is based on the payout amount for the instance of the first game and the payout percentage to wager automatically; and 
 automatically wagering the wager amount on the at least one instance of the second game. 
 
   
   
   
       39 . A computer readable medium comprising;
 instructions capable of directing a processor to perform the steps of:
 receiving from a player, via a gaming device, an indication of a payout percentage to wager automatically, wherein the payout percentage may be less than 100%; 
 storing the indication of the payout percentage to wager automatically; 
 after receiving the indication,
 executing an instance of a first game; 
 determining a payout amount for the instance of the first game; and 
 automatically determining a wager amount to wager on at least one instance of a second game, 
 in which the wager amount is based on the payout amount for the instance of the first game and the payout percentage to wager automatically; and 
 automatically wagering the wager amount on the at least one instance of the second game. 
 
   
   
   
       40 . A method comprising:
 determining an amount deposited to a credit balance of a gaming device; and   determining a plurality of options to present to a player, in which each option corresponds to a respective condition for automatic wagering of a portion of a payout for a first game on a second game.   
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein each condition includes automatic wagering of a different percentage of the payout. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein each condition includes a requirement that a payout reach a different predetermined level prior to automatic wagering. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein each condition includes a requirement that a sum of payouts reach a different predetermined level prior to automatic wagering. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein each condition includes a requirement that a credit balance reach a different predetermined level prior to automatic wagering. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein determining the plurality of option is based at least in part on the amount deposited. 
   
   
       46 . An apparatus comprising:
 a gaming device configured to perform the steps of:
 determining an amount deposited to a credit balance of the gaming device; and 
 determining a plurality of options to present to a player, in which each option corresponds to a respective condition for automatic wagering of a portion of a payout for a first game instance on a subsequent game instance. 
   
   
   
       47 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a gaming device in communication with the processor and configured to perform the steps of:
 determining an amount deposited to a credit balance of the gaming device; and 
 determining a plurality of options to present to a player, in which each option corresponds to a respective condition for automatic wagering of a portion of a payout for a first game instance on a subsequent game instance. 
   
   
   
       48 . A computer readable medium comprising;
 instructions capable of directing a processor to perform the steps of:
 determining an amount deposited to a credit balance of a gaming device; and 
 determining a plurality of options to present to a player, in which each option corresponds to a respective condition for automatic wagering of a portion of a payout for a first game instance on a subsequent game instance.