Wagering system with volatility adjustment

Abstract

Gaming systems, methods, and software are provided which adjust the volatility of a gaming machine based on the player's current bankroll. A preferred embodiment includes a method that determines a game player's bankroll amount including cash or credits available for wagering. It then determines the desired payout volatility based on the game player's bankroll amount. From the desired volatility, the method selects a payout table based on the desired volatility. The method then includes receiving a wager input from the player effective to place a wager and conduct a game at a player station with the selected payout table. In some versions, a paytable may be selected directly using bankroll information, without the intermediate step of identifying a desired volatility level. Further, other factors may be considered in choosing the desired volatility or paytable.

1 . A method for adjusting the volatility of payouts in a wagering game, the method comprising:
 (a) determining a game player's bankroll amount comprising cash or credits available for wagering;   (b) determining a desired volatility based on the game player's bankroll amount;   (c) selecting a payout table based on the desired volatility;   (d) receiving a wager input from the game player effective to place a wager from a gaming machine;   (e) conducting a game with the selected payout table; and   (f) displaying results of the conducted game at the gaming machine.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility after detecting a change in the game player's bankroll level. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility after the wager input is received. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility based on the game player's wager level as well as the game player's bankroll amount. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility based on a time of play by the game player as well as the game player's bankroll amount. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility based on a change in player stations as well as the game player's bankroll amount. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility based on a history of the game player as well as the game player's bankroll amount. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility based on a number of possible bets remaining in the game player's bankroll as well as the game player's bankroll amount. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining the desired volatility based on a time before closing of a gaming establishment, as well as the game players bankroll amount. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming system comprising:
 (a) a number of gaming machines, each gaming machine including (i) a display arrangement having one or more display devices, and including (ii) a player input device arrangement having one or more player input devices;   (b) an award controller adapted for (i) determining a desired volatility based on a game player's bankroll amount, for (ii) selecting a payout table based on the desired volatility, for (iii) receiving a wager input from the player effective to place a wager from a gaming machine, for (iv) conducting a game with the selected payout table; and   (c) a game controller arrangement adapted for causing the display arrangement for one or more of the number of gaming machines to display gaming results for the conducted game.   
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 10  in which the award controller further comprises a tangible computer readable medium storing a bankroll data structure including multiple bankroll levels each associated by the bankroll data structure to a respective desired payout table. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 11  in which the bankroll data structure further includes a desired volatility level for each of the multiple bankroll levels. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 10  in which the award controller is adapted for determining the desired volatility after detecting a change in the game player's bankroll level. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 10  in which the award controller is adapted for determining the desired volatility based on a change in player stations in addition to the game player's bankroll. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming system of  claim 10  in which the award controller is adapted for determining the desired volatility based on a metric indicator of the game player's risk aversion. 
     
     
         16 . A program product embodied in one or more tangible computer readable media, the program product comprising program code executable for:
 (a) determining a game player's bankroll amount comprising cash or credits available for wagering;   (b) determining a desired volatility based on the game player's bankroll amount;   (c) selecting a payout table based on the desired volatility;   (d) receiving a wager input from the game player effective to place a wager from a gaming machine;   (e) conducting a game with the selected payout table; and   (f) displaying results of the conducted game at the gaming machine.   
     
     
         17 . The program product of  claim 16  further comprising program code executable for reading a first tangible computer readable medium storing a bankroll data structure including multiple bankroll levels each associated by the data structure to a respective desired payout table. 
     
     
         18 . The program product of  claim 17  in which the bankroll data structure further includes a desired volatility level for each of the multiple bankroll levels. 
     
     
         19 . The program product of  claim 16  in which the program code is executable for determining the desired volatility after detecting a change in the game player's bankroll level. 
     
     
         20 . The program product of  claim 16  in which the program code is executable for determining the desired volatility based on a metric indicator of the game player's risk aversion.