Patent ID: 8029361

Claim:
A computer implemented method for conducting a computer-based game played by a player, the method comprising acts of: notifying the player of an opportunity to win a prize; permitting access to an operator's website, after notification to the player, by the player through a user interface display on a host computer; providing for the player to play a computer-based game on the operator's website in the user interface display; executing, by a game server, the computer-based game to be played by the player, the computer-based game configured to reveal the prize won by the player, wherein the prize won is independent of play of the computer-based game; displaying a value of a potential value of the prize won by the player in response to the prize won by the player being revealed; and determining, prior to notifying the player, the potential value of the prize, wherein the act of determining includes an act of calculating a value of the player by a computer system, and wherein the value of the player is based, at least in part, upon an estimated gambling volume attributable to the player for, at least in part, prior gambling participation of the player, and wherein the potential value of the prize is based at least in part on the calculated value of the player, and wherein the potential value of the prize increases with respect to an increase in the calculated value of the player.