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

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 medium of claim 13 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the game controller eliminating one or more initial games states from the plurality of initial game states.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the game controller assigning a zero weight to one or more initial game states to prevent random selection of the one or more initial game states.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the game controller traversing, per choices of a skill-based game, a decision tree associated with the selected initial game state of the plurality of initial game states.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein execution of the plurality of instructions further results in the game controller traversing, 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.