Slot machine enhancement

Abstract

A slot machine enhancement which provides an incentive to users who have lost one or more games to continue playing. A loss counter tracks the number of losses and a user can choose to redeem the losses for at least one prize. Such prizes can include, but are not limited to, one or more free games, one or more guaranteed wining games, one or more guaranteed wining games with a guaranteed minimum payout of an amount greater than the least possible payout, and the like. When the user wins a game, the loss counter is reset to zero.

We claim as our invention:  
     
         1 . A system for awarding a game participant, comprising: 
 a payment acceptor;    a wager indicator, for indicating the amount of a payment to be wagered on at least one game;    a game play interface;    a game outcome determiner, for monitoring game play; and    a payment calculator, wherein the payment calculator is capable of awarding a plurality of additional games based on the outcome of a game.    
     
     
         2 . The game participant award system of  claim 1 , wherein the payment acceptor is capable of accepting payment by credit card.  
     
     
         3 . The game participant award system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the awarded plurality of awarded games is guaranteed to win.  
     
     
         4 . The game participant award system of  claim 3 , wherein all of the awarded plurality of additional games are guaranteed to win.  
     
     
         5 . The game participant award system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one guaranteed winning game awarded is guaranteed to pay at least a minimum amount, and wherein the minimum amount is greater than the lowest possible payment for a winning game.  
     
     
         6 . The game participant award system of  claim 1 , wherein payment calculator awards are based on a winning game, as determined by the game outcome determiner.  
     
     
         7 . The game participant award system of  claim 1 , further comprising a player identification means.  
     
     
         8 . The game participant award system of  claim 7 , wherein the payment calculator awards are based on a number of losing games experienced by an individual player.  
     
     
         9 . The game participant award system of  claim 7 , wherein the payment calculator awards are based on a number of consecutive losing games experienced by an individual player.  
     
     
         10 . The game participant award system of  claim 7 , wherein the payment calculator awards are based on a percentage of losing games experienced by an individual player.  
     
     
         11 . The game participant award system of  claim 1 , wherein the payment calculator awards are based on a number of losing games.  
     
     
         12 . The game participant award system of  claim 1 , wherein the payment calculator awards are based on a number of consecutive losing games.  
     
     
         13 . The game participant award system of  claim 1 , wherein the payment calculator awards are based on a percentage of losing games.  
     
     
         14 . A game participant award method, comprising: 
 setting a loss counter related to a game to zero;    accepting payment from the participant;    allowing the participant to set a wager amount for at least one game;    letting the participant play the at least one game;    incrementing the loss counter for each game lost by the participant;    resetting the loss counter to zero for each game won by the participant;    indicating the current loss counter value to the participant; and,    permitting the participant to cash in their accrued losses, wherein the participant can select from a set of at least one available award based on the loss counter value, wherein the at least one available award includes at least one free game, and wherein the loss counter is decremented by the number of cashed in losses.    
     
     
         15 . The game participant award method of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the at least one free game is guaranteed to win.  
     
     
         16 . The game participant award method of  claim 14 , wherein the participant may only cash in the total number of accrued losses.  
     
     
         17 . The game participant award method of  claim 14 , wherein the loss counter is reset to zero for each game won by the participant where the prize awarded is above a preset level.  
     
     
         18 . The game participant award method of  claim 14 , wherein credit card payment is accepted.  
     
     
         19 . A computerized, wager-based game, playable by a player, comprising: 
 at least one computing device;    at least one visual display device;    at least one user interface element, for allowing the at least one player to interact with the computing device;    a payment acceptor;    a wager indicator;    a game play interface;    a game outcome determiner;    a loss counter; and,    a payment calculator, for awarding payment based on the outcome of a game.    
     
     
         20 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the computing device is a server.  
     
     
         21 . The computerized game of  claim 20 , wherein the server is located remotely from the player.  
     
     
         22 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the computing device is a handheld computer.  
     
     
         23 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the computing device and the visual display device are part of the same device.  
     
     
         24 . The computerized game of  claim 23 , wherein the user interface element is a touch sensitive screen.  
     
     
         25 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one user interface element is a touch sensitive screen.  
     
     
         26 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one user interface element is a mouse.  
     
     
         27 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the payment acceptor accepts payment by credit card.  
     
     
         28 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the payment calculator can award payment based on the number of consecutive losses.  
     
     
         29 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the payment calculator can award payment based on a percentage of losses experienced by the player.  
     
     
         30 . The computerized game of  claim 19 , wherein the payment calculator can award a plurality of free games.  
     
     
         31 . The computerized game of  claim 30 , wherein at least one of the awarded free games is guaranteed to win.  
     
     
         32 . The computerized game of  claim 31 , wherein at least one of the awarded free games is guaranteed to win at least a minimum amount.  
     
     
         33 . A game participant award method, comprising: 
 monitoring the number of games in which the participant loses in a loss meter;    incrementing the loss meter for each game lost by the participant;    allowing the participant to cash in at least one but less than all of the accrued losses for a prize;    subtracting the number of losses cashed in by the participant from the loss meter; and,    resetting the loss meter to zero in the event the participant wins a game.    
     
     
         34 . The game participant award method of  claim 33 , wherein the participant cashes in the accrued losses prior to initiating the game.  
     
     
         35 . The game participant award method of  claim 33 , wherein the loss meter is reset to zero for each new participant playing the game.  
     
     
         36 . A game participant award method, comprising: 
 initiating a game, wherein the game has at least one possible winning outcome;    determining whether the participant wishes to cash in any losses as represented in a loss meter;    determining whether the losses qualify for a jackpot prize, if the participant is cashing in any losses;    awarding the jackpot prize to the participant if the losses qualify for the jackpot prize;    awarding a first prize if the losses do not qualify for a jackpot prize;    resetting the loss meter to zero if the participant cashes in any losses;    allowing the participant to place a bet for a current game;    playing the game;    incrementing the loss counter if the participant loses the game;    awarding a second prize based on the outcome of the game if the participant wins the game; and,    resetting the loss meter to zero if the participant wins the game.    
     
     
         37 . The game participant award method of  claim 36 , wherein the first prize is determined from a pay table.  
     
     
         38 . The game participant award method of  claim 36 , wherein the second prize is determined from a pay table.  
     
     
         39 . The game participant award method of  claim 36 , wherein the first prize and the second prize are determined from pay tables.  
     
     
         40 . The game participant award method of  claim 36 , wherein a portion of the participant's wager is added to a progressive jackpot.  
     
     
         41 . The game participant award method of  claim 40 , wherein the second prize is determined from a pay table, and wherein the pay table includes at least one winning combination for which the progressive jackpot is the prize.