Player Club Ladder System For Casino Gaming

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a casino gaming system including participation in a player club. The system includes a plurality of gaming machines each enabling play of a base game-of-chance. There is also a plurality of player tracking user interfaces embedded in each gaming machine, and a player club module in communication with the gaming machines and the player tracking user interfaces. The player club module includes a memory and a processor for grouping player club participating players into sub-groups within the main group, wherein the memory of the player club module stores the sub-groups of participating players. The player club module is in communication with a server for informing each player club participating player of their standing during a challenge period. Prizes are awarded to player club players based on the rankings within each sub-group of the main group. Attorney Docket No. 83336.1688(S)

1 . A casino player club gaming system, comprising:
 a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device including a monetary input device and a player identification device; and   a player club server in communication with the plurality of gaming devices, the player club server storing in memory a plurality of player groupings in a player club and associated individual player information, wherein the player club server manages the ranking of the players within each grouping based on points accumulated by the player while playing the gaming devices, and the player club server sending the ranking information to the individual players during and after a player club event.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a management console in communication with the player club server, wherein the management console includes a user interface for inputting player information. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a player tracking system in communication with the plurality of gaming devices to monitor players' gaming during a challenge period, and the player tracking system being in communication with the player club server to transfer players' gaming activity to the player club server. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the player club server sending ranking information to the individual players via the Internet. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the player club server sending ranking information to the gaming device occupied by the individual players. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the player club server sending a player club invitation to the players in the groupings. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the player club server includes a memory device for storing subgroups of players in the player club and player information. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the player club server awards a prize to at least one player in each grouping. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the prize is in addition to any winnings accumulated on the gaming devices by the at least one player. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the points are player club points. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the points are not player club points. 
   
   
       12 . A casino player club gaming system, comprising:
 a plurality of gaming devices each having a monetary input device, each gaming device enabling play of a base game and participation in a player club event;   a plurality of game monitoring units associated with the plurality of gaming devices, wherein each game monitoring unit monitors corresponding base game play data;   a plurality of player tracking devices, wherein each player tracking device is associated with a corresponding gaming machine; and   a player club module in communication with the plurality of casino gaming devices and the plurality of player tracking devices, the player club module storing in a memory a database of player club participating players to place the participating players into sub-groups;   wherein the player club module converts each gaming device base game play data into a normalized player club score to substantially equalize differences resulting from the base games having differing sets of parameters; and   wherein the players in the same sub-group only compete with others in the same sub-group.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein normalization of the player club score includes normalizing for player wager amounts. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein normalized player club scores are ranked within each sub-group 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein ranked player club scores are displayed on a display of the player tracking device. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein ranked player club scores are displayed on a display associated with the gaming devices in real-time. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the player club module distributes ranked player club scores to a web-site viewable by player club participants. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the player club module updates player club scores periodically. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one player in each sub-group wins a prize. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the prize is based on the normalized player club score. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the prize is in addition to any winnings accumulated on the gaming devices by the at least one player. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system enables each player club participant to play in more than one of the player club events simultaneously. 
   
   
       23 . A casino player club gaming system, comprising:
 a plurality of gaming machines, each enabling play of a base game-of-chance;   a plurality of player tracking user interfaces embedded within each gaming machine;   a player club module in communication with the gaming machines and the player tracking user interfaces, the player club module having a memory for storing a main group of player club participating players;   the player club module having a processor for grouping player club participating players into sub-groups, wherein the memory of the player club module stores each sub-group of participating players;   the player club module is associated with a server for informing each player club participating player of other participating players placed within the same sub-group; and   wherein prizes are awarded to player club participants based on the rankings within each sub-group.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein players in the same sub-group only compete against one another. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the player club module converts each gaming device base game play data into a normalized player club score to substantially equalize differences resulting from the base game that have differing sets of parameters. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the player club module ranks player club participating players within the sub-groups in real-time. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the server of the player club module sends rankings of participating players within one sub-group to the participating players of the one sub-group. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the rankings within each sub-group are based on points accumulated by the player club participants. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the points are player club points. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the points are not player club points. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the prizes are in addition to any winnings accumulated on the gaming machines by the player club participants.