System and method for using time-sensitive tickets as player awards in gaming machines

Abstract

Method and systems are set forth for player devices, such as gaming machines, to award at least a right to one or more time-sensitive tickets in response to a triggering event during play of a feature where the event results in a prize having a value. The devices are networked with a host computer and a database storing data representing the right to one or more tickets as an award where the ticket or tickets awarded have a value corresponding to the value of the event prize. The event may be a gaming machine outcome, an event related to a player loyalty program. The tickets may be airline tickets, entertainment event tickets, sporting event tickets or the like. In an embodiment the tickets are initially held by a third party and the event host has an arrangement to purchase the awarded tickets to settle with the third party.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a right to a time sensitive ticket to one or more players of one or more electronic devices configured to participate in a feature provided by a host which may result in a trigger event resulting in an award having a prize value, said method comprising:
 enabling communication between a host computer and said devices and between said host computer and a ticket database, said ticket database including data representing a set of time sensitive tickets each having a value and each having a termination date after which the ticket becomes substantially valueless;   configuring one of said host computer and ticket database for associating a block of said tickets of said set for purchasing by the host, one or a combination of tickets of said block having a value corresponding to a said prize value;   upon occurrence of a player achieving said trigger event during said feature, said host computer configured for (i) awarding said right to one or combination of tickets to said player corresponding to said prize value, (ii) confirming the purchases of the awarded one or combination of tickets and (iii) updating in substantially real time said database by depleting said awarded tickets from said allocated block; and   one of said host computer and database configured for enabling disassociation of any tickets from said block after their said termination date.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said feature is a wagering game where a player stakes wagers to play a game randomly resulting in winning and losing outcomes, said method comprising defining at least one winning outcome as said triggering event. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  comprising enabling communication between said host computer and a ticket database maintained by an entity different from said host and configuring one of said host computer and ticket database for associating a block of said tickets of said set for purchasing by the host. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  comprising enabling communication between said host computer and said ticket database maintained by an entity different from said host and configuring one of said host computer and ticket database for associating a block of said tickets of said set for purchasing by the host, said tickets of said block including data representing a set of time sensitive tickets selected from one or more of airline tickets, show tickets and sporting event tickets. 
     
     
         5 . A system for providing a right to a time sensitive ticket to one or more players of one or more electronic devices configured to participate in a feature provided by a host during which a series of events occurs and wherein at least one event is defined as a trigger event resulting in an award of value, said system comprising:
 a host computer;   a data structure storing data corresponding to a block of time-sensitive tickets, said data at least one of (a) representing and (b) associating to one or more host-purchasable tickets each having a value and a termination date after which the ticket becomes substantially valueless, said host computer programmed to access said data structure;   a communication network providing communication between said devices and said host computer;   said devices configured to participate in said feature;   during said feature one or more of a said device and host computer configured to (i) control a display at a device to display information of the occurrence of said triggering event at said device (ii) award the right to one or more tickets from said block corresponding to said prize value to said player of said triggering device and (iii) deplete said awarded tickets from said set.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said host-purchasable tickets originate from a third party, said system comprising said host computer configured to record said award of the right to one or more tickets for settlement with said third party for the purchase thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5  comprising at least one of said host computer and database configured to deplete said data of at least one of (a) representing and (b) associating to one or more of the awarded host-purchasable tickets from said block. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the electronic devices are configured as gaming devices adapted to accept wagers and produce at gaming device displays winning and losing outcomes, at least one winning outcome defining said trigger event.