Providing a predetermined return-to-player for a skill-based wagering machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10636250-B2
Application number	US-201816020012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2018
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A method, computer readable medium, and game machine are presented, which provide a predetermined return-to-player for a skill-based wagering game. The method includes determining, for each initial game state of a plurality of initial game states, a predetermined expected minimum payout that accounts for skill-based moves of a player. The method further includes weighting each initial game state of the plurality of initial game states based on its respective predetermined expected minimum payout and a desired minimum return-to-player for the predetermined return-to-player.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming machine providing a predetermined return-to-player for a skill-based game, the gaming machine comprising:
a credit input mechanism configured to receive a physical item representing a monetary value;
a player interface configured to generate input signals representative of a move requested by a player of the gaming machine;
a display device comprising a plurality of display positions;
a game controller configured to:
increase a credit balance of a credit meter based on the monetary value of the received physical item;
decrease the credit balance based on a wager;
determine a predetermined expected minimum payout for each initial game state of a plurality of initial game states;
assign weights to the plurality of initial game states based on respective predetermined expected minimum payouts of the plurality of initial game states and a desired minimum return-to-player;
randomly select an initial game state from the plurality of initial game states per the weights assigned to the plurality of initial game states;
display a plurality of symbols in the plurality of display positions per an initial symbol arrangement specified by the selected initial game state;
update one or more symbols in the plurality of display positions per the move represented by the input signals to obtain an updated plurality of symbols; and
increase the credit balance based on an award associated with the updated plurality of symbols.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is further configured to:
determine a predetermined expected maximum payout for each initial game state of the plurality of initial game states; and
assign the weights to the plurality of initial game states based further upon predetermined expected maximum payouts of the plurality of initial game states and a desired maximum return-to-player.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is further configured to eliminate one or more initial games states from the plurality of initial game states.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is further configured to assign a zero weight to one or more initial game states to prevent random selection of the one or more initial game states.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is further configured to traverse, per choices of the skill-based game, a decision tree associated with the selected initial game state of the plurality of initial game states.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the game controller is further configured to traverse, for the selected initial game state of the plurality of initial game states, a decision tree that includes a leaf node that collectively represents a group of game states resulting from a random event.

7. A method of operating a gaming machine to provide a predetermined return-to-player for a skill-based game, the method comprising:
increasing, with a game controller of the gaming machine, a credit balance of a credit meter based on a monetary value of a physical item received by a credit input mechanism of the gaming machine;
generating input signals representative of a move requested by a player via a player interface of the gaming machine;
decreasing, with the game controller, the credit balance based on a wager;
determining, with the game controller, a predetermined expected minimum payout for each initial game state of a plurality of initial game states;
assigning, with the game controller, weights to the plurality of initial game states based on respective predetermined expected minimum payouts of the plurality of initial game states and a desired minimum return-to-player;
randomly selecting, with the game controller, an initial game state from the plurality of initial game states per the weights assigned to the plurality of initial game states;
displaying a plurality of symbols in a plurality of display positions of a display device of the gaming machine per an initial symbol arrangement specified by the selected initial game state;
updating, with the game controller, one or more symbols in the plurality of display positions per the move represented by the input signals to obtain an updated plurality of symbols; and
increasing, with the game controller, the credit balance based on an award associated with the updated plurality of symbols.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining, with the game controller, a predetermined expected maximum payout for each initial game state of the plurality of initial game states; and
assigning, with the game controller, the weights to the plurality of initial game states based further upon predetermined expected maximum payouts of the plurality of initial game states and a desired maximum return-to-player.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising eliminating, with the game controller, one or more initial games states from the plurality of initial game states.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising assigning, with the game controller, a zero weight to one or more initial game states to prevent random selection of the one or more initial game states.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising traversing, with the game controller per choices of the skill-based game, a decision tree associated with the selected initial game state of the plurality of initial game states.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising traversing, with the game controller for the selected initial game state of the plurality of initial game states, a decision tree that includes a leaf node that collectively represents a group of game states resulting from a random event.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that, in response to being executed, result in a game controller of a gaming machine:
increasing a credit balance of a credit meter of the gaming machine based on a monetary value of a physical item received by a credit input mechanism of the gaming machine;
generating input signals representative of a move requested by a player via a player interface of the gaming machine;
decreasing the credit balance based on a wager;
determining a predetermined expected minimum payout for each initial game state of a plurality of initial game states;
assigning weights to the plurality of initial game states based on respective predetermined expected minimum payouts of the plurality of initial game states and a desired minimum return-to-player;
randomly selecting an initial game state from the plurality of initial game states per the weights assigned to the plurality of initial game states;
displaying a plurality of symbols in a plurality of display positions of a display device of the gaming machine per an initial symbol arrangement specified by the selected initial game state;
updating one or more symbols in the plurality of display positions per the move represented by the input signals to obtain an updated plurality of symbols; and
increasing the credit balance based on an award associated with the updated plurality of symbols.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the game controller:
determining a predetermined expected maximum payout for each initial game state of the plurality of initial game states; and
assigning the weights to the plurality of initial game states based further upon predetermined expected maximum payouts of the plurality of initial game states and a desired maximum return-to-player.

15. The non-transitory computer readable m

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Au
• Aristocrat Tech Austrailia Pty Limited

Inventors

• Bolling Jr T Grant

Classifications

• G07F17/3251 Primary

  involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens · CPC title

• G07F17/3295

  Games involving skill, e.g. dexterity, memory, thinking · CPC title

• G07F17/326

  Game play aspects of gaming systems · CPC title

• G07F17/3258 Primary

  Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots · CPC title