Patent ID: 8512118

Claim:
A gaming system including: a system controller in communication with a plurality of gaming machines, the system controller providing credit to a gaming machine and causing the issuance of a ticket at a site remote from the gaming machine, wherein when the gaming machine receives the credit the gaming machine is locked for a predefined period of time so as to prevent play of the gaming machine, but keeps a ticket reader active, wherein the gaming machine unlocks and allows play of the gaming machine using the credit when the ticket is read by the ticket reader; and a reservation counter that commences to countdown 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 system controller is configured to control the display of a reservation status indicative of the predefined period of time that the gaming machine is to remain locked, the reservation status being displayed on a display that is viewable by the player at a location remote from the locked gaming machine.