Embodiment's of a method and apparatus for networked social, belting include a self-arbitrating belting subsystem that facilitates betting among users of the system. Users determine all aspects of a proposed bet, including subject mailer, terms, conditions, and participants. The system tracks and stores bet information, both current and historical The system communicates with one or more financial institutions to facilitate payments from one user to another in settlement of bets, but does not provide banking services or participate in bets. Aspects of the method and apparatus include storing friends lists from which users can choose other to invite to bet. Users can also post bets on many social media platforms to let others (even non-users) know about the status of bets, or to invite others to bet. Aspects further include a method for maintaining a reputation measure for users that is based on whether users tail to resolve disputed bets, or act in any other undesirable manner.

A method of playing a casino wagering game dealt with a predetermined number of cards wherein a player forms two hands out of the player's dealt cards; a first player hand played against a best dealer hand from dealer dealt cards and a second player hand eligible to win against a payout table only if the first player hand beats the dealer hand. An optional bonus wager pays out the best three-card poker hand out of the player's dealt hand against a three-card poker bonus payout table, regardless of the player's choice of cards for the two player hands used in the regular play.

A computerized method for facilitating a user's action at a terminal at a terminal location is provided. The method comprising: receiving a request from the user device to perform an action including any one of: collecting winnings derived from a placed bet and placing a bet; receiving from a computer device located at the terminal location, data indicative of a user device's location; determining if the user's device location and the terminal location meet a sufficiently close criterion indicative of an close distance of the user from the terminal, and if in the affirmative, granting the request; thereby enabling the user to collect the winnings or place the bet, only when located within the close distance to the terminal.

Communication objects and closed electrical circuits are worn by players within a gaming player verification system. These objects may communicate with associated player tracking units attached to gaming machines and other devices via radio frequency waves, and each communication object is adapted to alter its communication pattern in response to any break of its closed electrical circuit. Removal of such an object from a player cannot be accomplished without breaking the closed electrical circuit contained therein, thereby disabling or de-authenticating the device. A communications object may emit a signal which can be tied to one of two or more player accounts. One of the two accounts may be charged for a player transaction depending on the nature of the transaction. A computer server having a player verification program and database may also be used.

Gaming machines and systems are configured to distribute of viral events, such as viral gaming events, amongst devices. The devices can present the viral events. The devices can, for example, be gaming machines and/or mobile devices. According to one embodiment, once a viral event is triggered, it is presented at one or more first devices at a first time. The viral event spreads to other devices, such as one or more second devices where it can be presented at a later time. The viral event may continue to spread to numerous other devices. Feedback or metrics may be used to control the devices to which the viral event spreads and/or the rate of spread.

The present disclosure relates generally to a system that utilizes a mobile device to facilitate the transfer of funds between a gaming establishment retail account and a cashless wagering account, and further between the cashless wagering account and an electronic gaming machine.

A method for conducting a raffle comprising reading an item identifier from an identification tag affixed to an item at an equipment management system, prior to an event related to the item. The raffle notification data is then transmitted to users after the event has occurred. A plurality of raffle ticket purchase requests are then received from the plurality of devices and are processed. The raffle tickets are then delivered to the plurality of devices, such as in electronic form. One of the raffle tickets is then selected, and winning notification data is transmitted to the associated device. The winner can authenticate the winning item by reading the identification tag affixed to the item after the event at the equipment management system.

Mobile transfers of mobile payments are bound by an electronic gaming machine (EGM) in a gaming system. The EGM receives, from the mobile device, a unique mobile device identifier and a cash out request to receive winnings resulting from one or more game wins of an event, wherein the event is a gaming event resulting from the placement of the one or more wagers at the EGM. The EGM verifies the unique mobile device identifier, received from the mobile device, is stored at a host device in order to approve and transfer the winnings resulting from one or more game wins of the event to the mobile device. The EGM transfers, to the mobile device, a mobile payment of the winnings resulting from one or more game wins of the event after verifying the unique mobile device identifier is stored at the host device.

According to some embodiments, a computer based and web enabled sweepstakes system that utilizes automation methods and tools to define a sweepstakes specification and to download the specification to one or more internet based web servers is disclosed. The web servers will permit a sweepstakes contestant to enter personal information into a sweepstakes central database using a web page entry form. The web server will provide the contestant with a printable document. The contestant will send the printed document to a centralized processing center by way of a publically available delivery service. Once received at the processing center, the contestant's unique OMR code found on the printed document is optically scanned and compared to information in the web server contestant data base. If the OMR code is found in the data base a match status flag is set within the contestants' record. Once the match status flag is set the contestant may check the sweepstakes web site to see if he or she is an instant or scheduled winner.

A gaming system is provided that includes at least one payment acceptor for funding a players account, a master server and a processor device configured to communicate with a mobile device. The gaming system establishes one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted, compares a mobile device elevation at which a mobile device is located to the one or more authorized elevations that correspond to areas where mobile gaming is permitted. The gaming system, responsive to the comparing, permits gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is within the one or more adjusted authorized elevations. The gaming system does not permit gaming using the mobile device when the mobile device elevation is outside the one or more adjusted authorized elevations.