U.S. patent application number 11/304838 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-20 for enhanced roulette.
This patent application is currently assigned to Stargames Corporation Pty Limited. Invention is credited to Terry O'Halloran.
Application Number | 20060157928 11/304838 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35945144 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060157928 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Halloran; Terry |
July 20, 2006 |
Enhanced roulette
Abstract
A method of operating a roulette game is provided. The roulette
game has betting means to allow players to select and place wagers
on potential game outcomes. The method comprises the step of
determining, after all the wagers have been made and before the
outcome of the roulette game is known, whether a bonus trigger
event has occurred. If a bonus trigger event is determined to have
occurred, a bonus feature is provided.
Inventors: |
O'Halloran; Terry;
(Paddington, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SACCO & ASSOCIATES, PA
P.O. BOX 30999
PALM BEACH GARDENS
FL
33420-0999
US
|
Assignee: |
Stargames Corporation Pty
Limited
13 Sheridan Close
Milperra
AU
|
Family ID: |
35945144 |
Appl. No.: |
11/304838 |
Filed: |
December 15, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/142R ;
273/280; 463/17 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2003/00164
20130101; A63F 5/00 20130101; G07F 17/3258 20130101; G07F 17/32
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/142.00R ;
273/280; 463/017 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24; A63B 71/00 20060101 A63B071/00; A63F 3/00 20060101
A63F003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 16, 2004 |
AU |
2004907163 |
Claims
1. A method of operating a roulette game with betting means to
allow players to select and place wagers on potential game
outcomes, said method comprising the step of determining, after all
the wagers have been made and before the outcome of the roulette
game is known, whether a bonus trigger event has occurred; wherein,
if a bonus trigger event is determined to have occurred, providing
a bonus feature.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonus trigger event is a
particular game outcome from a previous game, a random event, or a
predetermined non-game related event.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonus feature is one or more
features selected from the set comprising: a free game for
participating players, multiplying any player winnings by a
predetermined or random amount, providing other special game play
feature, or awarding participating players with a non-game related
prize.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein, for each participating player,
the nature of the bonus feature provided is related to the amount
of the player's wager.
5. A method of operating a game of roulette comprising the steps
of: a) receiving players' selections and wagers on potential game
outcomes until a betting time is closed; b) closing the betting
time; c) determining if a bonus trigger event has occurred; d)
playing the game to determine the outcome of the game; and e) if a
bonus trigger event has occurred, providing a bonus feature.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein before step d), if the
occurrence of a bonus trigger event is determined, providing an
indication to the players that a bonus feature will be
provided.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the bonus trigger event is a
particular game outcome from a previous game, a random event, or a
predetermined non-game related event.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the bonus feature is one or more
features selected from the set comprising: a free game for
participating players, multiplying any player winnings by a
predetermined or random amount, providing other special game play
feature, or awarding participating players with a non-game related
prize.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein, for each participating player,
the nature of the bonus feature provided is related to the amount
of the player's wager.
10. A gaming machine adapted to carry out the method of claim
1.
11. A gaming machine adapted to carry out the method of claim
5.
12. A software product operatively adapted to program a gaming
system to carry out the method of claim 1.
13. A software product operatively adapted to program a gaming
machine to carry out the method of claim 5.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit of Australian Patent
Application Serial No. 2004907163 filed Dec. 16, 2004.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to an improved roulette
game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The game of roulette is a well established casino game,
which is enjoyed around the world and has achieved long term
popularity. It is popular both as a live manual casino game, a
simulated casino game, an automated casino game, and in various
electronic and on-line forms.
[0004] Players place wagers on the outcome of the ball coming to
rest, within a wheel having a number of possible rest positions for
the ball. Players may either bet on the occurrence of a particular
number, or various configurations based on the betting layout, for
example adjacent numbers in the layout, rows and straights, or even
money bets such as red and black, and odds and evens. Common
implementations are the single zero wheel, which has numbers one to
thirty six and a zero, and the double zero wheel, which has an
additional double zero over the single zero wheel. The straight
number wagers have win ratios which are in. favour of the house
largely because of the addition of the zero and double zero
numbers.
[0005] It is desirable with gaming machines to provide new features
to enhance the interest of players. The simplicity of the game and
the lack of room for player strategy make additional features of
the game difficult to develop.
[0006] Although roulette is popular, one of its limitations is the
lack of added incentives for players. These incentives are popular
in other casino games, particularly slot and poker machines. It is
an object of the present invention to provide a roulette game that
offers additional player features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In a broad form, the invention provides a method of
operating a roulette game with betting means to allow players to
select and place wagers on potential game outcomes, said method
comprising the step of determining, after all the wagers have been
made and before the outcome of the roulette game is known, whether
a bonus trigger event has occurred; wherein, if a bonus trigger
event is determined to have occurred, providing a bonus
feature.
[0008] In one aspect, the invention provides a method of operating
a game of roulette comprising the steps of:
[0009] a) receiving players' selections and wagers on potential
game outcomes until a betting time is closed;
[0010] b) closing the betting time;
[0011] c) determining if a bonus trigger event has occurred;
[0012] d) playing the game to determine the outcome of the game;
and
[0013] e) if a bonus trigger event has occurred, providing a bonus
feature.
[0014] The bonus trigger event may be a particular game outcome
from a previous game, a random event or a predetermined non-game
related event. Preferably, it is a random event.
[0015] The bonus feature may be of any suitable type. It may be a
free game (for example to the same wager value as the game which
triggered the bonus), a winning wager multiplier, other special
game play feature, or non-game related prize.
[0016] In another aspect, the present invention provides a gaming
machine adapted to carry out the methods.
[0017] In another aspect, the present invention provides a software
product for programming a gaming system to carry out the
methods.
[0018] The present invention accordingly provides a mechanism for
allowing the chance of a bonus to be awarded in a game of roulette.
This provides a significant added interest in the game of roulette
for the players.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
[0019] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a Roulette gaming system on
which the present invention may be implemented.
DESCRIPTION
[0021] The present invention may be implemented in a variety of
ways, for standard roulette games, dealer determined result
roulette wheels, electronically simulated roulette, or other
implementations of the game such as online roulette or gaming
machines. The preferred method is to use the system that drives
electronic terminals so that the occurrence of the bonus feature
can happen randomly. It would be difficult to implement the present
invention in a standard manual betting casino game, and accordingly
it is preferred that the implementation use electronic betting
means, for example as provided for the applicant's Rapid Roulette
game. This is available commercially, for example as described at
the applicant's website http://www.stargames.com.au. A further
description appears in U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,866, the contents of
which are herein incorporated by reference.
[0022] A game of this type is illustrated in FIG. 1. A gaming table
1 includes a set of player terminals 2. The terminals allow each
player to make bets and receive payouts, and optionally may provide
other features such as history for the table. The dealer in this
implementation may accept payments and then credit terminals. The
dealer manually spins the wheel, to determine the game outcome,
which is input via terminal 5. A display 6 shows the result of the
game. Of course, it will be understood that the present invention
could be implemented with fully automated wheels, fully electronic
betting, or the like.
[0023] In one embodiment, for each game, players have an
opportunity to place bets on their terminals. Betting time is
regulated by a countdown. When this countdown reaches zero, no bets
can be made, changed or deleted. At this time, the game outcome
result may be determined in the conventional way. It is at this
time--between when the system captures all bets (countdown reaches
zero) and before the result is determined--that the system randomly
determines if the bonus feature is to be provided for that
game.
[0024] If the result is positive, that is the bonus feature will be
provided, the system will display to all winners that any wins
occurring during that game will be multiplied by a random amount
(that is, in this embodiment, the bonus feature is a winnings
multiplier). As all bets are locked in the system, no changes can
be made. Any wins players achieve during that nominated game would
be multiplied by a pre-designated number.
[0025] Another embodiment uses a specific result from a previous
game to trigger a bonus feature in the current game. For example, a
double zero roulette wheel has numbers 1 to 36, a 0 and a 00.
Conventionally operated, the 00 is a win for the house on all bets,
unless specifically on 00. The bonus feature may be triggered for
games immediate following a game in which 00 was the result.
[0026] In other embodiments, if the bonus feature is provided, each
player has the opportunity to select one card from 5 displayed on
their screen. Behind one of the cards is a symbol, which awards the
player 5 times their previous game bet. So, for example, if the
player had bet $10 across various wagers, then he would be awarded
$50 if he selected the winning symbol. As all players are dependant
upon a central result, and play is delayed, time for selection is
limited to some specific period, after which one is randomly
selected for the player.
[0027] Accordingly, it will be apparent that the bonus feature may
be to commence play of a bonus game, with only some players
ultimately benefiting.
[0028] The embodiments illustrated are only illustrative
constructions, and many alternative bonus features may be
employed.
[0029] The bonus feature may of any suitable type including a free
game (i.e. that some/all wagers are returned but the bets stand),
that the winnings for the game is multiplied by a nominated factor,
other special game play feature or a non-game related prize such as
a free drink. The present invention is not limited to any specific
bonus type.
[0030] It will be appreciated that the present invention is of
broad application, and can be implemented in a variety of ways.
Variations and additions are possible within the general scope of
the present invention.
* * * * *
References