Positive-return gambling

Abstract

A method and system of providing players with positive return in a gambling game. Tokens are won or lost in a manner that assures net positive return. Token value is determined based on the total number of outstanding tokens, or on the total number that have been issued in a predetermined time period, so that the total prize payout is predetermined and constant. In one embodiment, tokens act as lottery tickets, and prizes are awarded to winners of the lottery, so that a player's chance of winning the lottery is based on the percentage of outstanding tokens he or she possesses.

1 . A system for positive-return gambling, comprising: 
 at least one token account for tracking tokens associated with a player;    a gambling game apparatus, coupled to the at least one token account, configured to award tokens and to credit and debit the at least one token account, the gambling game apparatus providing a statistically positive token return to players; and    a token conversion module for converting tokens according to a token value determined based on a total number of tokens in a set of tokens.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the token conversion module comprises a lottery module for randomly selecting at least one token from the set of tokens, and awarding at least one predefined prize to a player whose account contains the selected token.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the token conversion module determines a cash value for each token by dividing a predetermined cash award by the number of tokens in the set of tokens.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a payout module, coupled to the token conversion module, for paying at least a subset of the players the cash value of at least a subset of the tokens in the player's token account.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of tokens comprises all tokens awarded to all players.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of tokens comprises all tokens awarded within a defined time period.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an account initializer, coupled to the at least one token account, for awarding an initial quantity of tokens to each player.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the token conversion module converts tokens at the expiry of a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gambling game apparatus presents a gambling game to be played by a player, and credits and debits the player's token account based on the play of the player.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the gambling game comprises one selected from the group consisting of: 
 video poker;    slot machine;    blackjack;    roulette;    sports pool;    sports book;    keno;    bingo; and    solitaire.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the gambling game comprises a casino game that is modified to increase payout sufficiently to provide a statistically positive return to players.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the token conversion module converts tokens after a predetermined number of definable units of gameplay.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each definable unit of gameplay comprises a game.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each token account is persistent over at least two gaming sessions.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each token account expires after a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gambling game apparatus comprises a network-enabled user interface for accepting input and providing output across a network.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the network comprises the Internet.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gambling game apparatus comprises an automated game machine.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gambling game apparatus comprises a human dealer.  
   
   
       20 . A method of providing positive-return gambling, comprising: 
 awarding an initial quantity of tokens to at least one player;    crediting and debiting at least one player with tokens responsive to the gameplay of the player in a gambling game, the gambling game providing a statistically positive token return to players; and    converting tokens according to a token value determined based on a total number of tokens in a set of tokens.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein converting tokens comprises randomly selecting at least one token from the set of tokens, and awarding at least one predefined prize to a player having the selected token.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein converting tokens comprises determining a cash value for each token by dividing a predetermined cash award by the number of tokens in the set of tokens.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising paying at least a subset of the players the cash value of at least a subset of the tokens in the player's token account.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the set of tokens comprises all tokens awarded to all players.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the set of tokens comprises all tokens awarded within a defined time period.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of converting tokens is performed at the expiry of a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the gambling game comprises one selected from the group consisting of: 
 video poker;    slot machine;    blackjack;    roulette;    sports pool;    sports book;    keno;    bingo; and    solitaire.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the gambling game comprises a casino game that is modified to increase payout sufficiently to provide a statistically positive return to players.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of converting tokens is performed after a predetermined number of definable units of gameplay.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein each definable unit of gameplay comprises a game.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein tokens are persistent over at least two gaming sessions.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein tokens expire after a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the gambling game is implemented using a network-enabled user interface for accepting input and providing output across a network.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the network comprises the Internet.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the gambling game is implemented on an automated game machine.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the gambling game is administered by a human dealer.  
   
   
       37 . A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable code for providing positive-return gambling, comprising: 
 computer-readable code adapted to award an initial quantity of tokens to at least one player;    computer-readable code adapted to credit and debit at least one player with tokens responsive to the gameplay of the player in a gambling game, the gambling game providing a statistically positive token return to players; and    computer-readable code adapted to convert tokens according to a token value determined based on a total number of tokens in a set of tokens.    
   
   
       38 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to convert tokens comprises computer-readable code adapted to randomly select at least one token from the set of tokens, and award at least one predefined prize to a player having the selected token.  
   
   
       39 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to convert tokens comprises computer-readable code adapted to determine a cash value for each token by dividing a predetermined cash award by the number of tokens in the set of tokens.  
   
   
       40 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 39 , further comprising computer-readable code adapted to pay at least a subset of the players the cash value of at least a subset of the tokens in the player's token account.  
   
   
       41 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the set of tokens comprises all tokens awarded to all players.  
   
   
       42 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the set of tokens comprises all tokens awarded within a defined time period.  
   
   
       43 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to convert tokens operates at the expiry of a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       44 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the gambling game comprises one selected from the group consisting of: 
 video poker;    slot machine;    blackjack;    roulette;    sports pool;    sports book;    keno;    bingo; and    solitaire.    
   
   
       45 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the gambling game comprises a casino game that is modified to increase payout sufficiently to provide a statistically positive return to players.  
   
   
       46 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to convert tokens operates after a predetermined number of definable units of gameplay.  
   
   
       47 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 46 , wherein each definable unit of gameplay comprises a game.  
   
   
       48 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein tokens are persistent over at least two gaming sessions.  
   
   
       49 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein tokens expire after a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       50 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the gambling game is implemented using a network-enabled user interface for accepting input and providing output across a network.  
   
   
       51 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 50 , wherein the network comprises the Internet.  
   
   
       52 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the gambling game is implemented on an automated game machine.