Gaming system and method for identifying and handling strictly fractional credit portions

摘要

A gaming system and method for identifying and handling strictly fractional credit portions. The system and method is used in games that offer credit values that do not fall within a recognized denomination. For example, a game in which 1 credit is equal to 0.1¢ or another acceptable fractional value. The strictly fractional credit portions are subject to a secondary or special game procedure prior to cash-out by the player that guarantees a specified theoretical return to the player, while at the same time allowing for an exciting game experience upon cash out.

主权项

1. An electronic gaming machine (“EGM”) on which a player plays a game and which uses credits that are valued in an amount that is equal to a fraction of the lowest currency denomination, comprising:
an acceptor that receives an item from a player; a random number generator (“RNG”) that generates random numbers that determine an outcome of the game and that correspond to a predefined set of game outcomes including winning and losing outcomes; a display that displays game play including game outcomes to a player; a meter that tracks the number of credits available for play; an EGM interface through which the player interacts with the EGM; and a processor in communication with the wager acceptor, the RNG, the display and the EGM interface that receives the random numbers from the RNG, controls game play on the EGM, and upon receiving a wager in the wager acceptor, determines the monetary value of the item, converts the monetary value to a number of acceptable fractional denomination credits for use in the EGM and posts the number of credits on the meter, wherein the processor performs the following steps: (a) accepts a wager; (b) conducts a game; (c) determines whether an outcome of the game is a winner or a loser; (d) adjusts the number of credits on the meter to reflect the outcome of the game; (e) returns to step (a) in the event the player elects to play another game, or continues to step (f) to enter a cash-out process; (f) determines whether the credit amount on the meter contains a nonzero, strictly fractional credit portion, wherein if the credit amount does not contain a nonzero, strictly fractional credit portion, converts the credits to a currency value and issues a cash-out voucher to the player, and further wherein if the credit amount does contain a nonzero, strictly fractional credit portion, subtracts the strictly fractional credit portion from the credit amount to leave a cashable credit value; (g) accepts the strictly fractional portion as a wager for a fractional denomination cash-out game wherein the outcome of the fractional denomination cash-out game provides a result that is either a cashable credit value or zero credits; and (h) converts any cashable credit value into a currency value and issues a cash-out voucher to the player.