Patent ID: 7156739

Claim:
A method of conducting a flat rate play session at a gaming device, comprising: receiving, at a gaming device, a payment for a single play; initiating, in response to the payment, the single play; initiating, at the gaming device, a flat rate play session, wherein the flat rate play session is a period of play of the gaming device during which a player need not make funds available for any play, the period encompassing a plurality of plays; determining, via a processor, a beginning time for the flat rate play session; determining an end time for the flat rate play session upon a satisfaction of a predetermined condition, thereby determining a duration of the flat rate play session, such that the duration is a first duration if the predetermined condition is satisfied at around a first time and the duration is a second duration if the predetermined condition is satisfied at around a second time; and stopping the flat rate play session upon determining the end time.