Gaming machine providing redeemable music awards

Abstract

A gaming machine and method for conducting a wagering game includes awarding a player a music award redeemable for a downloadable music track or number of music tracks, a movie, a video or other entertainment award based on the outcome of game play or other gaming criteria. The downloadable music track or other entertainment award may be downloaded to a separate portable media recording device associated with the player and can be downloaded at the gaming machine, at a kiosk designed for award redemption, at a computer terminal in the casino or at a remote location. Alternatively, the player may be provided with a code that can be used to download a music track at a gaming machine or elsewhere, such as at a personal computer.

1 . A gaming machine comprising: 
 a value input device for receiving a wager from a player to play a wagering game; and    a display for displaying an outcome randomly selected from a plurality of possible outcomes, at least one of said outcomes being associated with an award, said award being redeemable by said player for a music track.    
   
   
       2 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein said music track is recordable to a portable media recording device.  
   
   
       3 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein said music track is in the form of an electronic file that is stored in a database coupled to said gaming machine, said music track being downloaded to a portable media recording device coupled to said gaming machine.  
   
   
       4 . The gaming machine of  claim 3 , wherein said portable media recording device includes a compact disk, Ipod®, MP3 player, Jumpdrive®, CompactFlash® or SD Secure Digital™ card.  
   
   
       5 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein said display displays a music-track list and said music track is selected by said player from a set of individual songs or a compilation of songs.  
   
   
       6 . The gaming machine of  claim 2 , further including a port that is coupled to said portable media recording device, said port for directly downloading said music track to said portable media recording device.  
   
   
       7 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein said award can be combined with other of said awards to achieve a larger number of said music tracks.  
   
   
       8 . The gaming machine of  claim 1 , wherein said award is redeemable at said gaming machine, a kiosk designed for award redemption, a computer terminal or at a remote location.  
   
   
       9 . A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the method comprising: 
 receiving a wager input from a player at said gaming machine;    displaying an outcome randomly selected from a plurality of possible outcomes;    awarding said player of said wagering game with a music award; and    redeeming said music award for at least one music track.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said awarding includes providing said player with a code to be used for downloading said at least one music track to a portable media recording device.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said code is provided to said player at said gaming machine.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said code is provided to said player via an electronic message on a device that is separate from said gaming machine.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said awarding occurs in response to a signal that is generated in response to a signal input at a remote location.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said awarding occurs as a result of game play at another gaming machine.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said awarding occurs randomly while game play occurs at said gaming machine.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said awarding occurs in response to said gaming machine being played at a predetermined rate of play, in response to said wager input equaling a certain minimum wager, in response to a predetermined number of credits being accumulated by said player at said gaming machine, or in response to a predetermined number of credits being played.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one music track is a single music track or a compilation of music tracks that is selected by said player.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein in addition to said at least one music track, said player may select a music video, a movie, or any combination thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said awarding occurs in response to said randomly selected outcome being an award-music outcome.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said redeeming is performed at said gaming machine or remote from said gaming machine.  
   
   
       21 . A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions for directing a gaming device to perform the method of  claim 9 .  
   
   
       22 . A method of conducting a wagering game on a gaming machine, the method comprising: 
 receiving a wager input from a player at said gaming machine;    displaying an outcome randomly selected from a plurality of possible outcomes;    awarding said player an entertainment award; and    redeeming said entertainment award at said gaming machine or remote from said gaming machine for entertainment selected from a group consisting of a music track, a compilation of music tracks, a music video and a movie.