Gaming system, gaming device, and method having ancillary prizes

Abstract

A gaming system and method disclosed herein is operated by a casino or other gaming establishment. The gaming system and method disclosed herein enable players to earn entitlement offers for goods or services at gaming machines at a reduced cost to the players and the casino. The gaming system displays entitlement offers to one or more players after a designated threshold or criteria is met or exceeded. The entitlement offers give the players a right to purchase a good or service at a reduced or discount price. In one example, the gaming system generates or displays one or more entitlement offers to a player after a credit meter of one of the gaming machines changes by a designated amount. In another example, the gaming system generates or displays one or more entitlement offers to a player after an award threshold is met.

1 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one memory device configured to store a plurality of instructions; and   a controller configured to execute the plurality of instructions to:
 receive information from a plurality of gaming machines, the information associated with a credit meter of each gaming machine, 
 determine whether to generate at least one offer based on the received information associated with the credit meters, the offer being associated with a good or service at a discount price, and 
 if the determination is to generate the offer,
 (i) transmit data associated with the offer to a designated number of the gaming machines, and 
 (ii) cause the designated number of gaming machines to generate the offer. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the credit meter indicates a number of credits and the information associated with the credit meter includes an adjustment to the number of credits. 
   
   
       3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the credit meter indicates a number of credits and the information associated with the credit meter includes an adjustment to the number of credits by a designated amount. 
   
   
       4 . The gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the discount price of the good or service is less than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       5 . The gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the cost is less than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       6 . The gaming system of  claim 3 , wherein the good or service is associated with a cost and a retail value and wherein the retail value is greater than the cost and greater than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       7 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the good or service is associated with a cost and a retail value greater than the cost. 
   
   
       8 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein the discount price is greater than the cost and less than the retail value. 
   
   
       9 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the offer is independent from the game and any paytable associated with the game. 
   
   
       10 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the offer is redeemable by providing a payment for the offered good or service. 
   
   
       11 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein the credit meter indicates a number of credits and the payment is separate from said credits. 
   
   
       12 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one gaming machine, the at least one gaming machine including:
 (a) at least one display device operable to display a game operable upon placement of a wager, and 
 (b) a credit meter configured to indicate a number of credits for the game; and 
   a controller configured to operate with the at least one gaming machine to:
 (i) cause a display of a play of the game, 
 (ii) cause a generation of an outcome for the play of the game, 
 (iii) cause an adjustment to the number of credits indicated by the credit meter, and 
 (iv) if the adjustment to the number of credits indicated by the credit meter reaches a designated amount, cause the at least one gaming machine to generate an offer, the offer entitling the player to purchase a good or service at a discount price, 
   
   
   
       13 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the discount price of the good or service is less than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       14 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the cost is less than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       15 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the good or service is associated with a cost and a retail value greater than the cost. 
   
   
       16 . The gaming system of  claim 15 , wherein the retail value is greater than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       17 . The gaming system of  claim 15 , wherein the discount price is greater than the cost and less than the retail value. 
   
   
       18 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the offer is independent from the game and any paytable associated with the game. 
   
   
       19 . The gaming system of  claim 12 , wherein the offer is redeemable by providing a payment for the offered good or service. 
   
   
       20 . The gaming system of  claim 19 , wherein the payment is separate from any credits indicated on the credit meter. 
   
   
       21 . A method of operating a gaming system, said comprising:
 (a) receiving information from a plurality of gaming machines, the information associated with a credit meter of each gaming machine,   (b) determining whether to generate at least one offer based on the received information associated with the credit meters, the offer being associated with a good or service at a discount price, and   (c) if the determination is to generate the offer,
 (i) transmitting data associated with the offer to a designated number of the gaming machines, and 
 (ii) causing the designated number of gaming machines to generate the offer. 
   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , which includes receiving information associated with a number of credits indicated by the credit meters and an adjustment, if any, to the number of credits. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , which includes receiving information associated with a number of credits indicated by the credit meters and an adjustment, if any, to the number of credits by a designated amount. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the discount price of the good or service is less than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cost is less than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the good or service is associated with a cost and a retail value and wherein the retail value is greater than the cost and greater than or equal to the designated amount of the adjustment. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the good or service is associated with a cost and a retail value greater than the cost. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the discount price is greater than the cost and less than the retail value. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the offer is independent from the game and any paytable associated with the game. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 21 , which includes facilitating a payment for the good or service associated with the offer. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the payment is separate from any credits indicated on the credit meter. 
   
   
       32 . A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving information associated with a number of credits indicated by a credit meter associated with at least one gaming machine, the credits being usable for at least one wager for a play of the game;   (b) causing a display of the play of the game;   (c) causing a generation of an outcome for the play of the game;   (d) if the number of credits indicated by the credit meter changes by a designated amount, generating an offer entitling the player to purchase a good or service at a discount price.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the discount price of the good or service is less than or equal to the designated amount of the change in the number of credits. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the cost is less than or equal to the designated amount of the change in the number of credits. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the good or service is associated with a cost and a retail value greater than the cost. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the retail value is greater than or equal to the designated amount of the change in the number of credits. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the discount price is greater than the cost and less than the retail value. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the offer is independent from the game and any paytable associated with the game. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 32 , which includes facilitating a payment for the good or service associated with the offer. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the payment is separate from any credits indicated on the credit meter.