Patent ID: 9569927
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: G07F

Claim:
1. A gaming machine including: a game controller for controlling play of one or more games on the gaming machine; a bill acceptor and associated circuitry configured to determine a ticket value when a first ticket is read by the bill acceptor and a currency value when a currency is read by the bill acceptor; a ticket printer configured to print tickets readable by a ticket reader; a reservation actuator operable by a player of the gaming machine to indicate that the gaming machine is reserved for a predefined period of time, wherein the reservation actuator causes the ticket printer to print a second ticket and the gaming machine locks, maintaining the ticket reader active; a player tracking apparatus operable to receive an identifier from the player, wherein a locked gaming machine is configured to be unlocked when the ticket reader reads the second ticket and the player tracking apparatus receives the identifier of the player associated with the second ticket; and a reservation counter that commences a countdown of the predefined period of time when the gaming machine is locked, the gaming machine being unlocked when the predefined period of time expires, wherein the game controller is configured to deduct a denomination amount for one or more game play credits from the ticket value and the currency value, the game controller further configured to determine a remainder value and cause the ticket printer to print a third ticket that includes the remainder value, the remainder value being the difference between the ticket value or the currency value and the denomination amount.