Patent Publication Number: US-2005119046-A1

Title: Game system and gaming management method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
      This application is based upon and claims a priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-367699 filed on Oct. 28, 2003 and from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-431047 filed on Dec. 25, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to co-pending U.S. application claiming priorities on JP-2003-368452 and JP-2003-431048. The co-pending application is expressly incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to a game system including gaming machines each for a player to play a game using game medium (game value) and a gaming management method and in particular to a game system and a gaming management method for managing the payout amount of game medium based on the sales in each gaming machine.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      In a conventional game arcade where gaming machines such as slot machines (a so-called Pachinko machines) and slot machines are installed, a player can play a game by inputting game medium such as balls, medals, or cash into a gaming machine. Each gaming machine pays out game medium to the player in response to the winning state (game result) occurring with the progress of the game.  
      Hitherto, in a casino where slot machines are installed, “jackpot” has been made available to players in such a manner that a part of credit consumed in each slot machine is reserved and when the reservation amount reaches a certain amount, a large amount of payout as impossible with a usual win is conducted from a certain slot machine. (For example, refer to JP-A-2003-117053.) In such slot machines, usually a win occurs at a setup probability and the player advances a game with the expectation that a win will occur. Winning the jackpot will occur in any slot machine at a certain timing by lottery different from normal lottery based on the probability set in each slot machine. To make large the payout amount when a player wins the jackpot, generally a plurality of casinos are connected through a network.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      However, it is difficult to connect the casinos through a network in a region where the network backbone is not developed. Of course, a configuration wherein casinos are not connected to a network is also possible; however, a considerable time is required until the reservation amount reaches a certain amount, and generally the scale of the payout amount also becomes small.  
      It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a game system and a gaming management method for sufficiently providing the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine in a short time even if game arcades are not connected through a network.  
      According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a game system including: a plurality of gaming machines, each of which provides a game to a player and pays out an amount of game medium in accordance with a result of the game; and a server that is connected to the gaming machines and communicates therewith, the server including: an award determination unit that determines, based on sales information of the gaming machines in a first predetermined time period, an award of the amount of the game medium to be paid out from the gaming machines in a second predetermined time period that is later than the first predetermined time period; a payout determination unit that determines a selected gaming machine out of the gaming machines for paying out the award, and wherein each of the gaming machines includes: an information receiving unit that receives information concerning the award and the selected gaming machine from the server, and a gaming media payout unit that pays out the amount of the game medium corresponding to the award at a predetermined timing when the gaming machine corresponds to the selected gaming machine.  
      According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a gaming management method for managing games in a plurality of gaming machines, each of which provides a game to a player and pays out an amount of game medium in accordance with a result of the game, the method including: determining, based on sales information of the gaming machines in a first predetermined time period, an award of the amount of the game medium to be paid out from the gaming machines in a second predetermined time period that is later than the first predetermined time period; determining a selected gaming machine out of the gaming machines for paying out the award; and paying out the amount of the game medium corresponding to the award at a predetermined timing from the selected gaming machine. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a conceptual drawing of a game system according to one embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a slot machine as an example of a gaming machine forming a part of the game system;  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a control circuit of the slot machine shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a drawing to conceptually show the basic functions of the gaming machine  1  and a server;  
       FIG. 5  is a sequence diagram to show an example of the operation mode of the gaming machine and the server;  
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart to show an example of the operation mode of the gaming machine and the server;  
       FIG. 7  is a drawing to conceptually show the basic functions of a gaming machine according to a modification;  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart to show an example of the operation mode of the gaming machine according to the modification shown in  FIG. 7 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing of the configuration of a game system including public lottery machines as gaming machines;  
       FIG. 10  is a detailed drawing of the game system in  FIG. 9 ; and  
       FIG. 11  is an award table to show one mode of award. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is shown preferred embodiments of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  schematically shows the general configuration of a game system S according to a first embodiment of the invention. As shown in the figure, the game system S includes a plurality of gaming machines  1  and a server  80  connected to the gaming machines  1  through predetermined communication line (for example, a network). The game system S may be adopted in one game arcade where players can play various games, such as a bar or a casino, or may be shared between game arcades. The communication line may be arbitrary if the communication line enables information to be transmitted and received between the gaming machine  1  and the server  80  regardless of radio, a leased circuit, or a switched line.  
      The gaming machine  1  may be a gaming machine for enabling the player to know the result in real time (single gaming machine) or may be a gaming machine requiring a predetermined time until the result is produced, such as a horse race game, a bingo game, or a public lottery (mass gaming machine). The gaming machines  1  include not only a gaming machine such as a pinball machine or a slot machine where a player plays a game using game medium such as balls or medals and as many game medium as the number in accordance with the game result are paid out to the player, but also a terminal implemented as a personal computer if a player plays a network game using a terminal implemented as a personal computer. The game medium to be used include not only balls or medals, but also payment in cash (coins, bills), electronic money or payment with a credit card or a prepaid card.  
      On the other hand, the server  80  is a server for managing the gaming machines  1  and is a wide concept including a hall server installed in a game arcade (hall) having the gaming machines  1 , a server for collectively managing the gaming machines  1  in each game arcade through the network provided by communication lines or private lines, etc. Each of the gaming machines  1  are assigned with unique identification numbers, and the server  80  determines the source of data sent from each gaming machine  1  based on the identification number. To transmit data from the server  80  to each gaming machine  1 , the identification number is also used to specify the transmission destination.  
       FIG. 2  shows a slot machine as an example of the gaming machine  1 . As shown in the figure, three reels of a first reel  2 , a second reel  3 , and a third reel  4  are provided for rotation in a cabinet in the center of the main body of a slot machine  1 A as a gaming machine. Symbol columns including different types of symbols are drawn on the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels  2  to  4 . The symbols are variably displayed as a player operates a handle  9  provided on a side of the cabinet in a usual gaming state in which the player inputs a game medal as a game medium and plays a game. A reel display window section  5  is placed on the fronts of the reels  2  to  4 . Three symbols drawn on the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels  2  to  4  are displayed through a display window  6 ,  7 ,  8  formed in the reel display window section  5 . The reel display window section  5  is formed with a pay line L defining a symbol combination, and a combination is determined by the still symbol combination displayed on the pay line L in the display windows  6  to  8 . The reel display window section  5  is made of a transparent liquid crystal panel  5   d  for displaying various pieces of game information and various game effect images while the player plays a game.  
      A control panel  10  placed below the reel display window section  5  is provided with a medal insertion slot  11  for a player to input a medal and a bill insertion slot  12  for a player to insert a bill. The control panel  10  is also provided with a spin switch  13  for starting rotation of the reels  2  to  4  by pushbutton operation aside from operation of the handle  9  and is further provided with a change switch  14 , a cash out switch  15 , a bet  1  switch  16 , a max bet switch  17 , and a stop button  18 .  
      The change switch  14  switches between paying out the medal gained by the player to a medal tray  20  through a payout opening  19  and reserving the medal in the machine as credit. The number of medals in credit in the machine is displayed on a number-of-reserved-medals display section  21  including seven-segment LEDs (light emitting diodes). As the player pushes the cash out switch  15 , the medals in credit are paid out to the medal tray  20 . As the player presses the bet  1  switch  16  once, only one of the medals in credit is bet on a game. As the player presses the max bet switch  17  once, as many medals as the maximum number that can be bet on one game are bet on the game. The stop button  18  forms stop command acceptance means for accepting from the player a stop command of the symbol row variably displayed on the liquid crystal panel  5   d  in a free game. The number of medals paid out from the payout opening  19  when a predetermined combination becomes complete on the pay line L is displayed on a number-of-pay-out-medals display section  22 .  
      A pay table indicating how many medals are paid out for a winning game is displayed on top glass  23  above the reel display window section  5 . An image of a character of the gaming machine or the like is drawn on bottom glass  24  below the reel display window section  5 .  
      Next, control means for controlling the progress of a game in the slot machine  1 A will be discussed.  
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram to show the circuit configuration of a control circuit  40  for controlling the game processing operation of the slot machine  1 A. As shown in the figure, the control circuit  40  has a microcomputer  41  as a main component, and the microcomputer  41  is including a main CPU (central processing unit)  42  for performing control operation in accordance with a preset program and ROM (read-only memory)  43  and RAM (random access memory)  44  as storage unit. The ROM  43  stores the whole control processing procedure of the gaming machine as a sequence program, and the RAM  44  is used as a temporary storage work area when the program is executed.  
      Connected to the main CPU  42  are a clock pulse generation circuit  45  and a frequency divider  46  for generating a reference clock pulse, a random number generator  47  for generating a constant range of random numbers, and a sampling circuit  48  for determining one of the generated random numbers. Further, an I/O port  49  for transferring a signal to and from peripheral devices (actuators) described later is connected to the main CPU  42 . In the ROM  43 , the storage section is divided so as to store a combination table, a variation mode table, etc., in addition to the sequence program.  
      The microcomputer  41 , the random number generator  47 , and the sampling circuit  48  serve as a lottery unit for determining a combination by lottery; the still symbols to be displayed on the display windows  6  to  8  or the liquid crystal panel  5   d  are selected by lottery and a combination is determined by the selected symbol combination.  
      The main actuators whose operation is controlled by a control signal from the microcomputer  41  include stepping motors  50  for rotating the reels  2  to  4 , various lamps  51 , an LED display section  52  of the number-of-reserved-medals display section  21 , the number-of-pay-out-medals display section  22 , etc., a hopper  53  for storing medals, the liquid crystal panel  5   d,  and a speaker  55 , which are driven or controlled by a motor drive circuit  56 , a lamp drive circuit  57 , an LED drive circuit  58 , a hopper drive circuit  59 , an image control circuit  60 , and a sound control circuit  61  respectively. The drive circuits  56  to  59  and the control circuits  60  and  61  are connected to an output section of the main CPU  42  via the I/O port  49 . The microcomputer  41  and the image control circuit  60  serve as stop control unit for defining the variation mode until the symbols selected by the lottery unit become complete on the pay line L in response to the spacing between the position of each symbol on the pay line L at the acceptance timing of the stop command operation with the stop button  18  and the position of each symbol in accordance with the combination determined by the lottery unit on the display of the liquid crystal panel  5   d  in a free game. Even if the player operates the stop button  18  at any timing, finally the symbol combination determined by the lottery unit always becomes complete on the pay line L regardless of the operation timing. In the embodiment, a signal output section  39  forming communication line for transmitting a signal to the server  80  is also connected to the output section of the main CPU  42  via the I/O port  49 .  
      Main input signal generation unit for generating input signals required for the microcomputer  41  to generate control signals include: a signal input section  38  forming communication line for receiving a command signal from the server  80 ; a start switch  9 S for detecting operation of the handle  9 ; the spin switch  13 ; the bet  1  switch  16 ; the max bet switch  17 ; a stop switch  18 S for detecting operation of the stop button  18 ; and a medal sensor  11 S for detecting a medal input into the medal insertion slot  11 . Further, a reel position detection circuit  62  for detecting the rotation positions of the reels  2  to  4  is included.  
      Further, the input signal generation unit includes a medal detection section  53 S for counting the number of medals paid out from the hopper  53  and a payout completion signal generation circuit  63 . The payout completion signal generation circuit  63  generates a signal for detecting completion of the medal payout when the actually paid-out medal count input from the medal detection section  53 S reaches the number-of-award-medals data displayed on the number-of-pay-out-medals display section  22 . The circuits making up the input signal generation unit are also connected to the main CPU  42  via the I/O port  49 .  
       FIG. 4  conceptually shows the basic functions of the gaming machine  1  and the server  80 . As shown in the figure, each gaming machine  1  includes display unit A for producing display required for a game, operation unit B for performing operation required for a game, image control unit C for controlling output of a predetermined image displayed on the display unit A, game control unit D for totally controlling the progress of a game, input unit E for inputting a game medium (game value) into the machine, payout unit F for paying out as many game medium as the number in accordance with the game result to the player, and communication unit G for transferring a signal between the gaming machine  1  and the server  80 . Taking the slot machine  1 A previously described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  as an example, the display unit A corresponds to the reel display window section  5 , the liquid crystal panel  5   d,  etc., the operation unit B corresponds to the handle  9 , the spin switch  13 , the bet  1  switch  16 , the max bet switch  17 , the stop button  18 , etc., the image control unit C corresponds to the image control circuit  60 , the game control unit D corresponds to the control circuit  40 , the input unit E corresponds to the medal insertion slot  11  and its associated sensor  11 S, etc., the payout unit F corresponds to the hopper  53 , the change switch  14 , and the cash out switch  15 , and the communication unit G corresponds to the signal input section  38  and the signal output section  39 .  
      On the other hand, the server  80  includes: a sales totalization unit J for totalizing sales in each gaming machine  1  for a predetermined time period; an award determination unit K for determining the payout amount of game medium in a predetermined time period based on the sales totalized by the sales totalization unit J and distributing the payout amount in a predetermined distribution percentage; a payout determination unit H for determining by lottery the gaming machine  1  for paying out each payout amount (award) of game medium distributed in the predetermined distribution percentage; and a communication unit I for transferring a signal to and from each gaming machine  1 . The server  80  has a central processing unit (CPU), main memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), an input-output unit (I/O), and external storage such as a hard disk drive. A predetermined program is executed by an information processing apparatus, whereby the means H, I, J, and K making up the server  80  are implemented.  
      An example of the operation mode of the gaming machine  1  and the server  80  having the functions is shown in a sequence diagram of  FIG. 5  and a flowchart of  FIG. 6 . In this example, a prize system is adopted; after the prize on the day is determined in response to the sales in each gaming machine  1  on the preceding day, the prize is paid out from the gaming machine  1  specified on the day. Taking the slot machine  1 A previously described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  as an example, the prize corresponds to the number of game medals paid out from the hopper  53  of the slot machine  1 A.  
      First, for example, when the game arcade is closed (S 10 ), the sales in each gaming machine  1  on the day are totalized by the sales totalization unit J of the server  80  (S 12 ). In this case, the sales in each gaming machine  1  required for totalizing the sales are sent from the gaming machines  1  (in  FIG. 5 , gaming machine A, gaming machine B, . . . ) through the communication unit G and I to the server  80 , for example. Taking the slot machine  1 A in  FIGS. 2 and 3  as an example, information concerning the bet count on the day that can be obtained through the bet switches  16  and  17  is sent from the signal output section  39  to the server  80 , whereby the sales in each slot machine  1 A on the day can be calculated and totalized by the server  80 . In this case, the bet count information may be sent to the server  80  in real time each time the bet switch  16  or  17  is pressed (each time a game is played). However, in the example wherein the prize on the following day is determined by the sales on the preceding day, it is desirable that the bet count information should be transmitted from each slot machine  1 A to the server  80  collectively at the end of one day (when the game arcade is closed on the day) from the viewpoint of preventing the communication amount from uselessly increasing.  
      When the sales in each gaming machine  1  on the day are totalized by the sales totalization unit J, subsequently the amount of the prize on the following day is determined by the award determination unit K based on the sales (S 14 ). In this case, the amount of the prize is the amount resulting from subtracting the profit, etc., from the sales on the day, for example. If the sales on the day are all reflected on the prize on the following day as in the example, the amount of the prize can vary from one day to another. For example, when the sales on Sunday are large, the amount of the prize on Monday is advantageous to the player. To eliminate such inequality, for example, it is also possible to take measures to distribute the average sales a day, etc, in the preceding week to each day in the following weak uniformly.  
      In the embodiment, the amount of the prize is determined by the award determination unit K after the total sales of the day is calculated by the sales totalization unit J. However, in a game system in which the present invention is applied, there may be configured that amount of money to be used as a part of the prize on the following day is calculated by each of the gaming machines (by subtracting profits from sales in each of the gaming machine) and that each of the gaming machines respectively sends the information indicating the amount of money to the server. In this case, the sales totalization unit J of the server totalizes the amount of money, and the award determination unit K determines the amount of the prize on the following day based on the total amount of money that is totalized by the sales totalization unit J.  
      As apparent from above, sales information that is transmitted from each of the gaming machines to the server and is used for determining the award of the amount of the prize on the following day, may be arbitrary information that is be used for determining the award.  
      When the award determination unit K thus determines the amount of the prize on the following day, the award determination unit K further distributes the determined amount of the prize in a predetermined distribution percentage (S 16 ). For example, 50% of the determined amount of the prize is prize A, 30% of the determined amount of the prize is prize B, and 20% of the determined amount of the prize is prize C.  
      When the prize is thus distributed, subsequently the payout determination unit H determines the gaming machines  1  for paying out the prize A, the prize B, and the prize C by lottery (S 18 ) For example, the gaming machines A, B, . . . are selected as the payout gaming machines from among a number of gaming machines by lottery. The determined information is transmitted through the communication unit I to the gaming machines A, B, . . . as the payout gaming machines as a command signal (S 20 ). The command signal also contains the prize payout timing, for example. That is, according to the command signal, the prize A (or a given amount of game medium having a value corresponding to the prize A) is paid out in the 39th game from the gaming machine A (for example, a win occurs in the 39th game in the gaming machine A and the prize A is paid out therefrom), and the prize B (or a given amount of game medium having a value corresponding to the prize B) is paid out in the 55th game from the gaming machine B. Taking the slot machine  1 A in  FIGS. 2 and 3  as an example, the command signal is received through the signal input section  38  by the CPU  42 , which then sets the reel symbols to a predetermined combination in the game at a predetermined time and supplies a payout command signal to the hopper drive circuit  59  for paying out a predetermined number of medals from the hopper  53 .  
      As described above, in the game system S of the embodiment, based on the sales information in each gaming machine  1  in a predetermined time period, the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine  1  in a later predetermined time period is determined, so that the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine  1  can be sufficiently provided in a short time without waiting for the reservation amount to reach a certain amount as with “jackpot” and without connecting the game arcades where a plurality of gaming machines are installed through a network (therefore, for example, even in one game arcade or in a single gaming machine).  
      The game system S of the embodiment adopts the prize competition system wherein the payout amount determined by the award determination unit K is distributed in a predetermined distribution percentage, thereby determining the payout amount award and the award payout gaming machines  1  are determined and only the determined gaming machines  1  pay out the payout amount of game medium corresponding to the award at a predetermined timing. Thus, the award can be concentrated on the specific gaming machines A, B, . . . and highly interesting amusements of “get rich quick” type like “jackpot” can be provided.  
      In the embodiment, the server  80  is provided with the sales totalization unit J. However, the sales totalization unit J is not need to be provided in the server  80 . For example, a manager of the game arcade may manually totalize the sales in each gaming machine  1  and may determine the prize based on the totalized sales and then may register the sales information in the server  80 . It is also considered that the sales in each gaming machine  1  cannot be grasped from the gaming machine  1  because of the nature of the game arcade and the gaming machine  1 . For example, there may be the case where a medal exchanger is used to exchange medals for cash. In this case, the sales may be totalized with the medal exchanger. At this time, the total sales in the whole game arcade containing not only the sales in one kind of gaming machine (for example, slot machine  1 A), but also the sales in other gaming machines (for example, poker game, etc.,) may be totalized.  
      The lottery unit installed in the gaming machine  1  may be used for lottery of payout using no prize. In this case, when the command signal is received from the server  80 , the command signal is followed. Further, in this case, when duplicate lottery is held in the gaming machine  1 , control is performed so as to follow the command signal preferentially. Of course, to simplify or skip such control, preferably the command signal is previously transmitted to the gaming machines  1  before the game arcade is opened. The server  80  may perform all control (lottery processing, etc.,) also containing payout using no prize without providing the gaming machine  1  with the lottery unit.  
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show a modification wherein the gaming machine  1  totalizes the sales therein and determines the prize to be paid out in response to the totalization result without using the server  80 . Thus, in the modification, the sales totalization unit J and the award determination unit K are installed in the gaming machine  1  as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
      In the modification, first, for example, when the game arcade is closed (S 30 ), the sales in the gaming machine  1  on the day are totalized by the sales totalization unit J of the gaming machine  1  (S 32 ). When the sales in the gaming machine  1  on the day are thus totalized by the sales totalization unit J, subsequently the amount of the prize on the following day is determined by the award determination unit K of the gaming machine  1  based on the sales (S 34 ). At the same time as the game arcade is opened on the following day (S 36 ), the gaming machine  1  pays out game medium based on the prize determined by the gaming machine  1  (S 38 ).  
      FIGS.  9  to  11  show a second embodiment according to the invention, in which the invention is applied to a public lottery award system. As schematically shown in  FIG. 9 , the public lottery award system according to the second embodiment includes a plurality of gaming machine installation places  70  where public lottery machines are installed as gaming machines (The gaming machine installation places  70  includes a places such as casinos, hotels, and street corners.), a management headquarter  72 , which serves as a server  80  of the first embodiment, for managing the awards of the public lottery, and a bank  74  for converting the awards of the public lottery into cash. The gaming machine installation places  70 , the management headquarter  72 , and the bank  74  are connected through communication line.  
      As specifically shown in  FIG. 10 , at least one public lottery machine (gaming machine)  1 B is installed in each gaming machine installation places  70 . As a player inputs a game medium such as cash and performs predetermined operation, the public lottery machine  1 B gives the winning or losing result of the public lottery to the player then and there. The public lottery machine  1 B includes display unit A for producing display required for a game of public lottery, operation unit B for performing operation required for a game of public lottery, image control unit C for controlling output of a predetermined image displayed on the display unit A, game control unit D for totally controlling a game of public lottery, input unit E for inputting game medium such as cash into the machine, payout unit F for paying out a winning lottery ticket (winning ticket)  75  as the award to the player, and communication unit G for transferring a signal to and from the management headquarter  72  as with the case shown in  FIG. 4 . The public lottery machine  1 B also includes an authentication data registration function capable of registering the authentication data of the winner (player to whom a winning lottery ticket  75  is issued).  
      On the other hand, the management headquarter  72  has a server  80  shown in  FIG. 4 . That is, the server  80  includes sales totalization unit J for totalizing the sales in each public lottery machine  1 B for a predetermined time period, award determination unit K for determining the amount of win (payout amount of award) in a predetermined time period based on the sales totalized by the sales totalization unit J and distributing the win amount in a predetermined distribution percentage, payout determination unit H for determining by lottery the public lottery machine  1 B for paying out the win distributed in the predetermined distribution percentage, and communication unit I for transferring a signal to and from each public lottery machine  1 B. The server  80  processes various pieces of data required for winning issuance management such as the winning number, the authentication data, and received money information and totally manages each gaming machine installation place  70 .  
      The bank  74  can make winning check using the winning lottery ticket  75  issued by the public lottery machine  1 B and can also conduct various types of communications with the management headquarter  72  in such a manner that it inquires about the authentication data in the management headquarter  72 , for example, as described later.  
      Next, an example of a flow of the described public lottery award system will be discussed in detail with reference to  FIGS. 5, 6 , and  10 . Also in the example, a prize competition system is adopted; after the win (prize) on the day is determined in response to the sales in each public lottery machine  1 B on the preceding day, the win is paid out from the public lottery machine  1 B specified on the day.  
      To begin with, for example, when the gaming machine installation place  70  is closed (S 10  in  FIG. 6 ), the sales in each public lottery machine  1 B on the day are totalized by the sales totalization unit J of the server  80  (S 12  in  FIG. 6 ). In this case, the sales in each public lottery machine  1 B required for totalizing the sales are sent from the public lottery machines  1 B (in  FIG. 5 , gaming machine A, gaming machine B, . . . ) through the communication unit G and I to the server  80 , for example. Specifically, the amounts of cash input to each public lottery machine  1 B are automatically totalized in the public lottery machine  1 B and the totalization result is sent to the server  80 . Alternatively, a manager in each gaming machine installation place  70  (or a service provider that installs the gaming machine and collects money from the public lottery machines) collects and totalizes cash from each public lottery machine  1 B and reports the totalization result to the management headquarter  72  by any desired method (for example, electronic input). In this case, it is desirable that the collected bills, etc., (cash) should be checked for validity.  
      When the sales in each public lottery machine  1 B on the day are totalized by the sales totalization unit J, subsequently the amount of the win (prize; award payout amount) on the following day is determined by the award determination unit K based on the sales (S 14  in  FIG. 6 ). In this case, the amount of the win is the amount resulting from subtracting the profit, etc., (if counterfeit money is contained, the amount of the counterfeit money is also contained) from the sales on the day, for example. Particularly, in the example, 50% of the sales on the day are applied to the win on the following day (payout percentage control is performed). In such payout percentage 50% control, 50% of the total sales handled in the management headquarter  72 , namely, the sum total of the sales in all gaming machine installation places  70  managed by the management headquarter  72  may be used as the sum total of the win (prize) on the following day in all gaming machine installation places  70  managed by the management headquarter  72  or 50% of the sales in each gaming machine installation place  70  may be used as the win (prize) on the following day in the gaming machine installation place  70 . In the former, the total sales are used and thus the number of winning tickets (win amount) can be increased and winnings are not necessarily concentrated on the gaming machine installation place  70  with large sales. On the other hand, in the latter, the sales in each gaming machine installation place  70  are reflected on the win in the gaming machine installation place  70  as they area, and therefore the latter is excellent in equitability.  
      When the award determination unit K thus determines the amount of the win on the following day, the award determination unit K further distributes the determined amount of the win (prize) in a predetermined distribution percentage (S 16  in  FIG. 6 ). For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the award determination unit K distributes the win as follows that: in a case where 50,000,000 yen can be used as the win on the following day based on the sales on the day, the award determination unit K distributes the win in such a manner that one ticket is given as the first-place prize of 10,000,000 yen, two tickets are given as the second-place prize of 5,000,000 yen, and 30 tickets are given as the third-place prize of 1,000,000 yen; in a case where 80,000,000 yen can be used as the win, the award determination unit K distributes the win in such a manner that two ticket is given as the first-place prize of 10,000,000 yen, four tickets are given as the second-place prize of 5,000,000 yen, and 40 tickets are given as the third-place prize of 1,000,000 yen; and in a case where 100,000,000 yen can be used as the win, the award determination unit K distributes the win in such a manner that three ticket is given as the first-place prize of 10,000,000 yen, six tickets are given as the second-place prize of 5,000,000 yen, and 40 tickets are given as the third-place prize of 1,000,000 yen. At this time, it is desirable that the amount of the first-place prize should be kept the same regardless of the win amount determined by the award determination unit K (the amount that can be used as the win on the following day). Accordingly, expectation at a predetermined level or more can always be given to the player and highly interesting amusements can be maintained.  
      When the win is thus distributed, subsequently the payout determination unit H determines the public lottery machine  1 B for paying out the distributed win (prize) by lottery (S 18  in  FIG. 6 ). For example, in the payout percentage 50% control in which 50% of the total sales in all gaming machine installation places  70  are used as the sum total of the win on the following day, the payout determination unit H determines the machine for paying out the win by lottery from among any public lottery machines  1 B installed in any gaming machine installation place  70 . On the other hand, in the payout percentage 50% control in which 50% of the sales in each gaming machine installation place  70  are used as the win on the following day in the gaming machine installation place  70 , the payout determination unit H determines the machine for paying out the win by lottery individually in each gaming machine installation place  70 . The determined information is transmitted as a command signal through the communication unit I to the public lottery machine  1 B as the machine for paying out the win (S 20  in  FIG. 6 ). The command signal may contain the timing at which the win will be paid out, for example.  
      After the information concerning the determination of the machine for paying out the win is distributed as described above, a game (public lottery game) is restarted in each gaming machine installation place  70  on the following day. That is, a player inputs a game medium such as cash into a predetermined public lottery machine  1 B and performs predetermined operation (or plays a game). If the player wins a prize in the public lottery, a winning lottery ticket  75  is issued from the public lottery machine  1 B. As the thicket is issued, the player conducts authentication data registration as required. In the authentication data registration, for example, the player registers his or her fingerprint and a record card  77  on which the registration data is recorded is issued. The data concerning issuance of the winning lottery ticket  75  and the authentication data are sent through the communication unit G to the management headquarter  72 . Later, the player can bring the winning lottery ticket  75  and the record card  77  to the bank  74  to receive the win in cash. In this case, the bank  74  sends an electronic inquiry to the management headquarter  72  through the communication line for checking the winning using the winning lottery ticket  75  and checking the authentication data for validity using the record card  77 . That is, for example, the authentication data is transmitted to the management headquarter  72  and winning management data is received from the management headquarter  72 , whereby whether or not the winning is true is checked and the person who is going to receive the win is the true winner is checked.  
      In the described configuration, the machine for paying out the win is determined by lottery in the management headquarter  72  and the determination information is transmitted to the gaming machine installation place  70  as a command signal, but the management headquarter  72  may determine only award distribution of the win (the number of winning tickets) as shown in  FIG. 11 , and the machine for paying out the win is determined by lottery in the gaming machine installation place  70 . To realize the lottery in the gaming machine installation place  70 , a server for managing the public lottery machine  1 B may be provided in the gaming machine installation place  70 . Such a server separately installed in the gaming machine installation place  70  may serve as an apparatus for lightening the processing load of the management headquarter  72 .  
      In the described configuration, if the machine for paying out the win is determined, the case where the number of games to pay out the win is not complete in the public lottery machine  1 B (for example, if it is determined that the win will be paid out at the 30th game, the case where the number of public lottery games played by player does not reach 30) is also possible. In this case, the win may be carried over to the following day. For example, if one thick of the first-place prize (10,000,000 yen) is not paid out, the number of the first-place prize tickets on the following day may be incremented by one. In the described configuration, each public lottery machine  1 B may include the configuration and the functions in  FIGS. 7 and 8 .  
      In the described configuration, the means for converting the awards of the public lottery into cash has been described by taking the bank as an example, but an adjustment office contiguous with each gaming machine installation place, an ATM, etc., can also be named as the means (place) for converting the awards of the public lottery into cash.  
      As described above, according to the embodiments, based on the sales information in each gaming machine in a predetermined time period, the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine in a later predetermined time period is determined, so that the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine can be sufficiently provided in a short time without waiting for the reservation amount to reach a certain amount as with “jackpot” and without connecting the game arcades where a plurality of gaming machines are installed through a network (therefore, for example, even in one game arcade or in a single gaming machine)  
      In the embodiments, the prize system is adopted wherein the award is determined by the award determination unit and the gaming machines to pay out the award are determined and only the determined gaming machines pay out the payout amount of game medium corresponding to the award at a predetermined timing. Thus, the award can be concentrated on the specific gaming machines and highly interesting amusements of “get rich quick” type like “jackpot” can be provided. In this case, the award determination unit may determine the award by distributing the payout amount determined based on the sales information in the gaming machine in a predetermined distribution percentage. Accordingly, the award can also be shared among several gaming machines to increase opportunities to obtain award.  
      In the embodiments, “the sales information in each gaming machine in a predetermined time period” may be transmitted from the gaming machine directly to the server or after the sales in each gaming machine are totalized by any other means than the gaming machine, the sales information may be input to the server. To transmit “the sales information in each gaming machine in a predetermined time period” from the gaming machine directly to the server, it is desirable that the server should include sales totalization unit for totalizing sales in each gaming machine in a predetermined time period.  
      According to the embodiments, based on the sales information in each gaming machine in a predetermined time period, the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine in a later predetermined time period is determined, so that the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine can be sufficiently provided in a short time without waiting for the reservation amount to reach a certain amount as with “jackpot” and without connecting the game arcades where a plurality of gaming machines are installed through a network, and the award can be concentrated on the specific gaming machines and highly interesting amusements of “get rich quick” type like “jackpot” can be provided.  
      According to the embodiments, even if the game arcades are not connected through a network, the payout amount of game medium from each gaming machine can be sufficiently provided in a short time.  
      Although the embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment thereof and various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.  
      The invention can be applied to a game system including various gaming machines such as slot machines (Pachinko machines) in addition to the slot machines and public lottery award systems as described in the embodiments.  
      The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable those skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.