Skill-based gaming machine and method that maintain a desired return to player
A gaming machine having an electronic display which displays a plurality of empty drinking cups. A game controller causes the display of a ball and its movement toward and into one of the empty cups. A game play mechanism allows the player to direct the movement of the ball. If the player is successful in movement of a ball into a cup, the cup and the ball is then removed from the display. During play of the game, an amount of sobriety is determined in accord with the number of cups removed by the player. In accordance with the amount of sobriety determined, the cups are displayed in wobbling movement in order to give amusement to the game as well as difficulty in the play.
1. A gaming machine that provides a skill-based game, the gaming machine comprising:
a display unit;
a player interface;
a memory; and
a processor that executes instructions stored in the memory, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to at least:
generate a skill-based game outcome of the skill-based game per one or more player inputs received via the player interface;
cause the display unit to present the skill-based game outcome;
award a first value that is randomly selected based on a first weighted table if the skill-based game outcome is a successful outcome, wherein the first weighted table provides a first return to player; and
place a second value into a kitty if the skill-based game outcome is an unsuccessful outcome, wherein the kitty is awarded to at least one of a plurality of competing players, and wherein the second value is randomly selected based on a second weighted table that provides a second return to player that is lower than the first return to player.
2. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the second return to player is non-zero.
3. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to provide an overall return to player for the skill-based game such that the overall return to player is at least as great as the second return to player.
4. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to provide an overall return to player for the skill-based game such that the overall return to player is no greater than the first return to player.
5. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to at least award the kitty to a winning player of the plurality of competing players.
6. The gaming machine of claim 5 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to present, via the display unit, a current amount won by each player of the plurality of competing players and a kitty amount to be paid to the winning player of the plurality of competing players.
7. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to award the kitty among remaining players of the plurality of competing players in response to determining, based on the one or more player inputs, that a player forfeited.
8. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to award the kitty among remaining players of the plurality of competing players in response to determining, based on an elapsed time period, that a player forfeited.
9. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor, in response to determining that a player has ceased play of the skill-based game to:
pay the player per a current amount won by the player in the skill-based game; and
award the kitty among remaining players of the plurality of competing players.
10. The gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to split the kitty among each player of the plurality of competing players.
11. A method of playing a skill-based game of a gaming machine, the method comprising:
receiving one or more player inputs via a player interface of the gaming machine;
presenting, via a display unit of the gaming machine, a skill-based game outcome per the one or more player inputs received via the player interface;
randomly selecting, with a gaming controller of the gaming machine, a first award value based on a first weighted table in response to the skill-based game outcome being a successful outcome, wherein the first weighted table provides a first, non-zero return to player; and
redirecting, with the gaming controller, a second award value to a prize pool in response to the skill-based game outcome being an unsuccessful outcome, wherein the prize pool is awarded in response to a triggering condition, and wherein the second award value is randomly selected based on a second weighted table that provides a second, non-zero return to player.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second, non-zero return to player is less than the first, non-zero return to player.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing awards to a plurality of players competing in the skill-based game such that an overall return to player for the skill-based game is no greater than the first, non-zero return to player.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the triggering condition comprises a player of a plurality of competing players winning the skill-based game; and
the method further comprises awarding the prize pool to the player of the plurality of competing players who won in the skill-based game.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed, cause a processor to:
receive one or more player inputs via a player interface;
cause a presentation of a skill-based game outcome of a skill-based game on a display per the one or more player inputs received via the player interface;
randomly select a first award value based on a first weighted table associated with the skill-based game outcome being a successful outcome, wherein the first weighted table provides a first, non-zero return to player; and
allocating a second award value to a prize pool in response to the skill-based game outcome being an unsuccessful outcome, wherein the prize pool is awarded to at least one player in response to a trigger condition, wherein the second award value is randomly selected based on a second weighted table that provides a second, non-zero return to player.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to provide awards to a plurality of players competing in the skill-based game such that an overall return to player for the skill-based game is at least as great as the second, non-zero return to player.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the triggering condition is a player of a plurality of competing players winning the skill-based game; and
the instructions further cause the processor to award the prize pool to the player of the plurality of competing players who won the skill-based game.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the triggering condition comprises a player forfeiting; and
the instructions further cause the processor to award the prize pool among remaining players competing in the skill-based game in response to determining, based on an elapsed time period, that a player forfeited.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the triggering condition comprises a player ceasing play of the skill-based game; and
the instructions further cause the processor, in response to determining that the player has ceased play of the skill-based game, to:
cause a payout to the player of a current amount won by the player in the skill-based game; and
award the prize pool among remaining players competing in the skill-based game.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the triggering condition comprises the skill-based game ending; and
the instructions further cause the processor to split the prize pool among each player competing in the skill-based game in response to the skill-based game ending.