Systems and methods for referral benefits

Abstract

Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture provide for games that may be adjusted to provide bonuses to players playing together, such as when one player has referred the other to the system. Game win amounts may be adjusted to account for bonuses that may be provided to Refer-A-Friend (RAF) players.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of conducting an online multiplayer game, comprising:
 determining, by a processing device, a first player of the online multiplayer game, the first player having a first player account;   determining, by the processing device, a second player of the online multiplayer game, the second player having a second player account;   determining, by the processing device, that the first player account and the second player account are related;   determining, by the processing device, that the first and second players are at least one of: (i) joined in the same particular session of the online multiplayer game; and (ii) actively playing in the particular session of the online multiplayer game; and   awarding, by the processing device and based on (a) the determining that the first player account and the second player account are related, and (b) the determining that the first and second players are at least one of: (i) joined in the same particular session of the online multiplayer game; and (ii) actively playing in the particular session of the online multiplayer game, and to at least one of the first and second players, at least one of a bonus and an award.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first player account and the second player account are related as result of the second player having created the second player account in response to a referral by the first player. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first player account and the second player account are related as result of an establishing of a “friend” relationship between the two accounts. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the bonus and the award comprises at least one of: (i) a feature; (ii) a characteristic; (iii) a power; (iv) an advantage, and (v) a capability, for the particular session of the online multiplayer game. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processing device, that at least one of the first and second players is a winner of the particular session of the online multiplayer game.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the awarding is further based at least in part on the determining that at least one of the first and second players is the winner of the particular session of the online multiplayer game. 
     
     
         7 . A method of conducting an online multiplayer game, comprising:
 determining, by a processing device, a first player of the online multiplayer game, the first player having a first player account;   determining, by the processing device, a plurality of other players of the online multiplayer game, the plurality of players having a plurality of other player accounts;   determining, by the processing device, that the plurality of other player accounts is related to the first player account;   determining, by the processing device, that each player of the plurality of players are at least one of: (i) joined in the same particular session of the online multiplayer game; and (ii) actively playing in the particular session of the online multiplayer game; and   awarding, by the processing device and based on (a) the determining that that the plurality of other player accounts is related to the first player account, and (b) the determining that the each player of the plurality of players are at least one of: (i) joined in the same particular session of the online multiplayer game; and (ii) actively playing in the particular session of the online multiplayer game, and to at least one of (a) the first player and (b) each player of the plurality of players, at least one of a bonus and an award.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first player account and the plurality of other player accounts are related as result of each other player account of the plurality of other player accounts having been created in response to at least one referral by the first player. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first player account and the plurality of other player accounts are related as result of an establishing of a “friend” relationship between the first player account and each of the other player accounts of the plurality of other player accounts. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the bonus and the award comprises at least one of: (i) a feature; (ii) a characteristic; (iii) a power; (iv) an advantage, and (v) a capability, for the particular session of the online multiplayer game. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processing device, that the plurality of players comprises all players that have registered as a player of the online multiplayer game as a result of a referral by the first player.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the awarding is further based at least in part on the determining that the plurality of players comprises all players that have registered as a player of the online multiplayer game as a result of a referral by the first player. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 determining, by the processing device, that one of the players of the plurality of players is a winner of the particular session of the online multiplayer game.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the awarding is further based at least in part on the determining that one of the players of the plurality of players is a winner of the particular session of the online multiplayer game. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the bonus and the award comprises a benefit having (i) a first value in the case that that the plurality of players does not comprise all players that have registered as a player of the online multiplayer game as a result of a referral by the first player, and (ii) a second value, greater than the first value, in the case that that the plurality of players comprises all players that have registered as a player of the online multiplayer game as a result of a referral by the first player. 
     
     
         16 . A method of conducting an online multiplayer game, wherein completion of a session of the online multiplayer game results in an awarding of a prize to a winner of the online multiplayer game, comprising:
 determining, by a processing device, a first player of the online multiplayer game;   determining, by the processing device, a second player of the online multiplayer game;   determining, by the processing device, that the second player has registered as a player of the online multiplayer game as a result of a referral by the first player;   determining, by the processing device, that the second player consummates a first action with respect to the online multiplayer game;   determining, by the processing device and based on the determining that second player consummates a first action with respect to the online multiplayer game, and to the first player, a first award having a first value;   determining, by the processing device, that the second player consummates a second action with respect to the online multiplayer game; and   awarding, by the processing device and based on the determining that second player consummates a second action with respect to the online multiplayer game, and to the first player, a second award having a second value different than the first value.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 awarding, by the processing device and based on the determining that second player consummates a first action with respect to the online multiplayer game, and to the first player, the first award having the first value.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first award and the second award are mutually exclusive. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first action comprises a visiting of a website and wherein the second action comprises at least one of: (i) a creating of a player account; (ii) a logging-in to the player account; (iii) a placing of a wager utilizing the player account; and (iv) a winning of a game utilizing the player account. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first and second awards comprises at least one of: (i) a feature; (ii) a characteristic; (iii) a power; (iv) an advantage, and (v) a capability, for the particular session of the online multiplayer game.