Currency enabled gaming system and method

Abstract

A wager-based gaming system provides a wager based game to players in venues in which the game is playable by the players from gaming computing devices operated by venue operators, which also operate the venues, and which are connected to at least one server computing device. The game is played by each player by making deposits of currency to establish a machine balance for the gaming computing device upon which the player plays the game. The player makes wagers using the machine balance, plays the game, and may be eligible for payouts based on an outcome of the game. At the end of a predetermined payment period, a venue balance is calculated for each venue to divide a total rake between the venues while taking into account deposits of currency and withdrawals made for payouts by a venue.

1 . A system for providing at least one wager based game playable by a plurality of players and in which the players may play against each other from at least one venue operated by a respective venue operator, the system comprising:
 for each venue, at least one respective gaming computing device situated in one of the venues and operated by the respective operator thereof, said gaming machine displaying the game and receiving at least one respective wager from a respective said player who plays the game thereupon;   for said respective gaming computing device, a respective currency receiving means communicably coupled thereto for receiving a respective machine deposit of currency from said respective said player and transmitting a respective value of said respective cash deposit to said respective gaming device; and   at least one server computing device to which each said gaming computing device is communicably coupled, wherein said respective gaming device transmits said respective wager and said respective value to said server computing device which credits said respective value to a respective machine balance for placing said respective wager therefrom, said server computing device processing said respective wager, determining an outcome for the game, and determining, based upon said outcome and said respective wager, whether the respective player is entitled to a payout and a respective payout amount of the payout.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one venue comprises a plurality of venues operated by a plurality of respective venue operators and said at least one respective gaming computing device comprises a plurality of gaming devices. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said respective cash receiving means is positioned proximal said gaming computing device for receiving said deposit while said player is situated at the gaming computing device to play the game. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said server computing device calculates a total rake, using a pre-determined rake algorithm, to be divided among said respective venue operators. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said server computing device calculates, for each venue, a respective venue share of said total rake. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said server computing calculates said respective venue share by calculating, for each respective gaming computing devices operated in said venue, a respective machine contribution of said total rake by applying a pre-determined machine contribution algorithm and totaling said respective machine contribution for each said gaming computing device in said venue together. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said server computer calculates, for each venue, a respective venue balance for a pre-determined payment period of time by totaling all said respective machine deposits received in said respective gaming computing devices to calculate a respective venue deposit total for said predetermined payment period, totaling all withdrawals from said venue by said respective players on said respective gaming computing devices to calculate a venue withdrawal period for the predetermined payment period, and subtracting said venue deposit total from a sum of said venue withdrawal total and said respective venue share. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one printer communicably coupled to said gaming computing device, said printer printing a ticket upon request by said player, said ticket being redeemable thereby for receiving said machine balance. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, for said pre-determined rake algorithm, said total rake is calculated as a pre-determined percentage of a total pot of said wagers consisting of a sum of all said wagers. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, for said pre-determined rake algorithm, said total rake is calculated by adding, as a total pot consisting of a totality of said wagers reaches a said pre-determined threshold, a corresponding pre-determined amount to said total rake. 
   
   
       11 . A computer implemented method for providing at least one wager-based game to a plurality of venues having respective gaming computing devices operated thereby and situated therein and upon which a plurality of respective players may play the game with one another from the venues, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) receiving from the respective players of machine deposits, as currency, to establish respective machine balances, in at least one cash receiving means coupled to the respective gaming computing devices for placement therefrom of respective wagers by the respective players on the respective gaming computing devices during the game;   b) displaying the game on each gaming computing device;   c) determining an outcome for the game; and   d) calculating respective player payouts creditable to said respective machine balances based on said outcome and said respective wagers.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the wager-based game is at least one wager-based card game and the step b) of  claim 11  comprises the step of displaying, for each respective player thereof, of a respective hand of cards therefore, said respective hand being displayed on at least said respective gaming computing device upon which the respective player plays the game. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wager-based game is a plurality of wager-based games and further comprising the steps of:
 e) displaying on each gaming machine a representation of virtual environments, each game being playable in a said virtual environment;   f) receiving a choice made by the player on the respective gaming computing device of the virtual environment, thus permitting the player to choose the game to play.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of printing out a ticket with said payout amount, said ticket being redeemable by the player for money in the amount of said payout from at least one of the respective venues. 
   
   
       15 . A computer implemented method for dividing, between a plurality of venues, a total rake for a cash-enabled wager-based game playable on respective gaming computing devices operated by the venues and upon which respective players situated therein may play the game together, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) receiving, from the respective players, respective deposits of money for respective machine balances therefor and from which the respective players may make wagers during the game, said respective machine deposits being receivable as currency deposited by the respective players in at least one of the venues into at least one respective currency receiver means coupled to the respective gaming computing devices therein;   b) receiving the respective wagers from the players;   c) calculating the total rake using a pre-determined rake algorithm;   d) calculating, for the respective machines on which the respective players are playing the game, respective machine contributions to the rake portion using a pre-determined machine contribution algorithm; and   e) calculating a respective venue share of the total rake for each respective venue by totaling said respective machine portions for the respective machines thereof having respective players playing the game thereupon.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of calculating, for the respective players, respective payouts from the total pot payable thereto based on an outcome of the game and said respective wagers. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of calculating respective total venue withdrawals, said respective total venue withdrawals by totaling any said respective payouts paid to the respective players therein. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of calculating, for each venue, of a respective venue balance by totaling the respective total venue withdrawal. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of calculating respective venue deposit totals for the venues by totaling, for each venue, respective machine deposits of the respective players who play the game therein. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of calculating a respective venue balance for each venue by subtracting said respective venue deposit total from a total of the respective venue withdrawal total and the respective venue share, said respective venue balance being payable to the venue when positive and payable thereby when negative.