Patent ID: 7878893

Claim:
A method for dispensing play incentives to a player of at least one gaming machine having a data processor conducting a game of chance, said method comprising: storing said play incentives in an incentive supply storage associated with said gaming machine for delivery to a player at said gaming machine, at least a portion of said play incentives having substantially nominal value; defining at least one incentive game trigger; providing at each of said at least one gaming machine an incentive dispenser delivering play incentives from said incentive supply storage, said incentive dispenser in communication with said gaming machine; said data processor conducting said game of chance for said player; said gaming machine determining whether said incentive game trigger has been triggered; and when said incentive game trigger has been triggered, conducting an incentive game comprising: said gaming machine cooperating with said incentive dispenser to display a quantity of said play incentives; receiving input from said player representing the player's estimate of the quantity of play incentives displayed; comparing said input from said player to the quantity of play incentives displayed; dispensing at least a portion of said play incentives to a player at said gaming machine; and if said input from said player is within a predetermined range of said quantity of play incentives displayed, issuing a prize award to said player.