News ticker as game display mechanism
View Patent ↗Systems and methods provide a game of chance based using information stream items such as items in a news ticker. Information stream items are received for display in a series of information stream items such as a news ticker. Game symbols are assigned to the information stream items based on the output of a random number generator. In response to determining that the game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form a winning combination of game symbols, an account may be credited with cash or points.
1. A method of operating a gaming system including a gaming machine, the gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming machine including an electronic display device, and one or more electronic input devices, the method comprising:
detecting, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiating a first casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
receiving, via a network interface coupled to the gaming machine, an information stream item for display, on the electronic display device, in a series of information stream items, wherein the information stream items comprise postings of information associated with users other than a player of the first casino wagering game;
randomly assigning, based at least in part on an output of a random element generator, a game symbol for a second casino wagering game to the information stream item;
displaying the information stream items and game symbols assigned to the information stream items on the electronic display device;
awarding an award in response to determining, by one or more processors, that game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form a winning combination of game symbols for the second casino wagering game; and
receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game symbol comprises a playing card and wherein determining that the game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form the winning combination includes determining the winning combination according to winning outcomes for a card based game.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game symbol comprises a reel symbol and wherein determining that the game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form the winning combination includes determining the winning combination according to winning outcomes for a slots based game.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the game symbol comprises a bingo number and wherein determining that the game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form the winning combination includes determining the winning combination according to winning outcomes for a bingo based game.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving an information stream item includes receiving an information stream item associated with a Facebook user, a LinkedIn user, a Twitter feed, or an RSS feed.
6. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:
receiving an indication that a first player desires to be included in a game; and
in response to determining that a game symbol assigned to an information stream item associated with the first player is part of the winning combination of game symbols in the information stream, crediting an account associated with the first player.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying an outcome of a third casino wagering game associated with a second player in the information stream, during game play of the first casino wagering game; and
in response to determining, by the one or more processors, that the outcome of the third casino wagering game matches an outcome of the first casino wagering game while the outcome of the third casino wagering game remains displayed in the information stream, crediting a second account associated with the second player.
8. The method of claim 7 , and further comprising receiving a payment in exchange for providing the outcome of the second casino wagering game in the information stream.
9. The method of claim 8 , and further comprising determining a number of times the outcome of the second casino wagering game is provided in one or more information streams in accordance with the payment.
10. The method of claim 8 , and further comprising determining a length of time that the outcome of the second casino wagering game is provided in one or more information streams in accordance with the payment.
11. The method of claim 8 , and further comprising determining an amount of the payment in accordance with a probability that the outcome of the third casino wagering game will match the outcome of the first casino wagering game.
12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions for execution by one or more processors of a gaming system including a gaming machine, the gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game, the gaming machine including an electronic display device, and one or more electronic input devices, the machine executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
detecting, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance;
initiating a first casino wagering game in response to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance;
receiving, via a network interface, an information stream item for display, on the electronic display device, in a series of information stream items, wherein the information stream items comprise postings of information associated with users other than a player of the first casino wagering game;
randomly assigning a game symbol for a second casino wagering game to the information stream item;
displaying the information stream items and game symbols assigned to the information stream items on the electronic display device;
awarding an award in response to determining, by the one or more processors, that game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form a winning combination of game symbols for the second casino wagering game; and
receiving, via at least one of the one or more electronic input devices, a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance.
13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the game symbol comprises a playing card and wherein determining that the game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form the winning combination includes determining the winning combination according to winning outcomes for a card based game.
14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the game symbol comprises a reel symbol and wherein determining that the game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form the winning combination includes determining the winning combination according to winning outcomes for a slots based game.
15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the game symbol comprises a bingo number and wherein determining that the game symbols assigned to the series of information stream items form the winning combination includes determining the winning combination according to winning outcomes for a bingo based game.
16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein receiving an information stream item includes receiving an information stream item associated with a Facebook user, a LinkedIn user, a Twitter feed, or an RSS feed.
17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further include:
receiving an indication that a first player desires to be included in a game;
and
in response to determining that a game symbol assigned to an information stream item associated with the first player is part of the winning combination of game symbols in the information stream, crediting an account associated with the first player.
18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
displaying an outcome of a third casino wagering game associated with a second player in the information stream, during game play of the first casino wagering game; and
in response to determining, by the one or more processors, that the outcome of the third casino wagering game matches an outcome of the first casino wagering game while the outcome of the third casino wagering game remains displayed in the information stream, crediting second account associated with the second player.
19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a payment in exchange for providing the outcome of the second casino wagering game in the information stream.
20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a number of times the outcome of the second casino wagering game is provided in one or more information streams in accordance with the payment.
21. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a length of time that the outcome of the second casino wagering game is provided in one or more information streams in accordance with the payment.
22. The machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise determining an amount of the payment in accordance with a probability that the outcome of the third casino wagering game will match the outcome of the first casino wagering game.
23. A gaming system comprising:
a game server configured to receive a plurality of information stream items from one or more information stream servers, wherein the information stream items comprise postings of information associated with users other than a player of a first casino wagering game;
a symbol assignment module configured to randomly assign a game symbol to an information stream item in the plurality of information stream items; and
a gaming machine primarily dedicated to playing at least one casino wagering game the gaming machine including a gaming housing, an electronic display device, and one or more electronic input devices, the electronic display device and the one or more electronic input devices being coupled to the gaming housing, the one or more electronic input devices configured to detect a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance and to receive a cashout input that initiates a payout from the credit balance, the credit balance changing based on play of the first casino wagering game;
wherein the gaming machine is configured to present a second casino wagering game configured to:
determine whether game symbols assigned to the plurality of information stream items form a winning combination of game symbols,
in response to determining the formation of the winning combination, crediting an account.
24. The gaming system of claim 23 , wherein the game symbol comprises a reel symbol and wherein determining that the game symbols assigned to the plurality of information stream items form the winning combination includes determining the winning combination according to winning outcomes for a slots based game.
25. The gaming system of claim 23 , wherein the one or more information stream servers comprises at least one of a Facebook server, a LinkedIn server, a Twitter server, or an RSS server.