Conducting a side bet in a game

Abstract

Systems and methods for conducting a side bet in a game include receiving side bet parameters that control how the side bet is conducted. The side bet parameters may include a specified in-game event. Gameplay of the game by participants of the side bet may be monitored to determine whether the in-game event has occurred for one of the participants. If so, funds associated with the side bet may be apportioned to the winning participant.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive data associated with a side bet parameter of a designated in-game event, 
 determine, based on the received data, a side bet associated with the determined side bet, 
 establish a gaming establishment funded side bet pool, 
 link the determined side bet to an account of each of a plurality of side bet participants, wherein for each of the side bet participants, the linkage of the determined side bet to the account of that side bet participant occurs without imposing any side bet fees on that side bet participant, and 
 responsive to the designated in-game event occurring during a play of a game by one of the side bet participants on which that side bet participant placed the side bet:
 designate that side bet participant as a winning side bet participant, and 
 cause at least part of the gaming establishment funded side bet pool to be provided to the winning side bet participant. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions to cause the processor to cause invitations to be communicated to a plurality of users to participate in the determined side bet. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 2 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions to cause the processor to obtain a list of the plurality of users by retrieving the list from a website which is not controlled by any gaming establishment. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions to cause the processor to enable a user to join the side bet as a side bet participant after the side bet has started in exchange for a side bet fee. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the designated in-game event is associated with multiple plays of the game. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the data associated with the side bet parameter is received from a mobile device. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 6 , wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to communicate, through a network, a side bet status update to the mobile device. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein each play of the game occurs following: receipt of a physical item associated with a monetary value by an acceptor of a gaming machine, an establishment of a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received physical item, and a placement of a wager on that instance of the play of the game, the credit balance being decreasable by the placed wager. 
     
     
         9 . A gaming system comprising:
 an input device;   a display device;   a processor; and   a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive an input, via the input device, to participate in a side bet associated with a side bet parameter of a designated in-game event, 
 link a participation in the side bet to a player without imposing any side bet fees on that player, and 
 following a placement of the side bet in association with a wagered on play of a game:
 cause the display device to display the play of the game, and 
 responsive to the designated in-game event occurring during the displayed play of the game, cause at least part of a gaming establishment funded side bet pool associated with the side bet to be provided to the player. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the input to participate in the side bet occurs following receipt of an invitation to participate in the side bet. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein the designated in-game event is associated with multiple plays of the game. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , which comprises an acceptor, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to, responsive to a physical item being received via the acceptor, establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and responsive to a cashout input being received, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a gaming system, the method comprising:
 receiving data associated with a side bet parameter of a designated in-game event,   determining, by a processor and based on the received data, a side bet,   establishing, by the processor, a gaming establishment funded side bet pool associated with the determined side bet,   linking, by the processor, the determined side bet to an account of each of a plurality of side bet participants, wherein for each of the side bet participants, the linkage of the determined side bet to the account of that side bet participant occurs without imposing any side bet fees on that side bet participant, and   responsive to the designated in-game event occurring during a play of a game by one of the side bet participants on which that side bet participant placed the side bet:
 designating, by the processor, that side bet participant as a winning side bet participant, and 
 causing at least part of the gaming establishment funded side bet pool to be provided to the winning side bet participant. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising causing invitations to be communicated to a plurality of users to participate in the determined side bet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising obtaining a list of the plurality of users by retrieving the list from a website which is not controlled by any gaming establishment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising enabling a user to join the side bet as a side bet participant after the side bet has started in exchange for a side bet fee. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the designated in-game event is associated with multiple plays of the game. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data associated with the side bet parameter is received from a mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising communicating, through a network, a side bet status update to the mobile device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each play of the game occurs following: receipt of a physical item associated with a monetary value by an acceptor of a gaming machine, an establishment of a credit balance based at least in part on the monetary value associated with the received physical item, and a placement of a wager on that instance of the play of the game, the credit balance being decreasable by the placed wager.