U.S. patent application number 11/286747 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-31 for method of providing simultaneous coordinated games of video bingo and draw poker.
Invention is credited to Alan Frank, Ann M. Frank, Edward Kamer.
Application Number | 20070123329 11/286747 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38088232 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070123329 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Frank; Ann M. ; et
al. |
May 31, 2007 |
Method of providing simultaneous coordinated games of video bingo
and draw poker
Abstract
Coordinated simultaneous games of Draw Poker and Bingo are
provided. The indicia in the bingo selection pool and on the bingo
cards can be barcodes. The bingo card contains 52 spaces formed by
13 columns and 4 rows. Each space corresponds to a specific poker
card, and contains one of the indicia in the selection pool. When
indicia are randomly selected from the pool, the five poker cards
that correspond to the bingo card spaces containing the first five
indicia to become matched are displayed on touch-screen monitors.
By touching a poker card image, a player can hold both the poker
card and its corresponding bingo indicia for further play. The
prize-paying patterns formed by matched indicia on the bingo card
correspond to prize-paying poker hands.
Inventors: |
Frank; Ann M.; (Sunny Isles
Beach, FL) ; Frank; Alan; (Sunny Isles Beach, FL)
; Kamer; Edward; (Harmony, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ann M. Frank
Unit WS4C
16485 Collins Avenue
Sunny Isles Beach
FL
33160
US
|
Family ID: |
38088232 |
Appl. No.: |
11/286747 |
Filed: |
November 25, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/329 20130101;
G07F 17/3293 20130101; G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/016 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A method of providing games similar to bingo, said games being
playable substantially simultaneously with games of draw poker, and
said games being playable using playing stations containing
displaying means, said method comprising the steps of: a.
Displaying images of bingo cards, each bingo card image containing
spaces that are capable of containing indicia images; b.
Establishing a plurality of pools of selectable indicia images that
are not readily distinguishable from each other by the human eye;
c. Establishing images of decks of poker cards, each poker card
image corresponding to a separate space on each bingo card image;
d. Displaying said indicia images in the spaces on said bingo card
images; e. Randomly selecting an initial set of indicia from one of
said pools for use in a common bingo game, the quantity of said
initial set being less than enough to cause the game-ending bingo
pattern to form on any bingo card in play in said common bingo
game, and said quantity being great enough that a pre-established
minimum quantity of the indicia on all bingo cards in said common
bingo game become matched by some of said randomly selected
indicia; f. Displaying poker card images on each playing station in
a common bingo game, said poker card images corresponding to the
spaces on said bingo card images that contain indicia that become
matched;
2. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia.
3. The method of claim 1 including the additional step of enabling
players to preserve a plurality of the indicia on the bingo card
images for further use by performing overt acts relating to the
poker card images.
4. The method of claim 1 including the additional step of allowing
players a limited time within which to perform overt acts in order
to continue playing the common bingo game.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia, and including the additional step of
enabling players to preserve a plurality of the indicia in the
spaces on the bingo card images for further use by performing overt
acts relating to the poker card images.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia, and including the additional step of
allowing players a limited time within which to perform overt acts
in order to continue playing the common bingo game.
7. The method of claim 1 including the additional step of enabling
players to preserve a plurality of the indicia on the bingo card
images for further use by performing overt acts relating to the
poker card images, and including the additional step of allowing
players a limited time within which to perform overt acts in order
to continue playing the common bingo game.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia, and including the step of enabling
players to preserve a plurality of the indicia on the bingo card
images for further use by performing overt acts relating to the
poker card images, and including the additional step of allowing
players a limited time within which to perform overt acts in order
to continue playing the common bingo game.
9. A method of providing coordinated games of draw poker and games
similar to bingo, said games being playable substantially
simultaneously, of: a. Establishing a plurality of pools of
different indicia that are not readily distinguishable from each
other by the human eye; b. Displaying images of bingo cards
containing spaces; c. Establishing images of poker cards, each
poker card corresponding to a separate space on each bingo card; d.
Displaying some of said indicia in the spaces on said bingo cards;
e. Randomly selecting an initial set of indicia from one of said
pools, the quantity of said initial set being less than enough to
cause the game-ending bingo pattern to form on any bingo card in
said common bingo game; f. After said initial set of indicia are
selected in a common game, if a pre-established minimum quantity of
the indicia on all of the bingo cards in play in said common bingo
game have not become matched, ignoring said first set of selected
indicia, and randomly selecting another initial set of indicia;
10. The method of claim 9, wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia.
11. The method of claim 9 including the additional step of enabling
players to preserve a plurality of the indicia on the bingo card
images for further use by performing overt acts relating to the
poker card images.
12. The method of claim 9 including the additional step of allowing
players a limited time within which to perform overt acts in order
to continue playing the common bingo game.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia, and including the additional step of
enabling players to preserve a plurality of indicia in the spaces
on the bingo card images for further use by performing overt acts
relating to the poker card images.
14. The method of claim 9 wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia, and including the additional step of
allowing players a limited time within which to perform overt acts
in order to continue playing the common bingo game.
15. The method of claim 9 including the step of enabling players to
preserve a plurality of the indicia on the bingo card images for
further use by performing overt acts relating to the poker card
images, and the additional step of allowing players a limited time
within which to perform overt acts in order to continue playing the
common bingo game.
16. The method of claim 9 wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia, and including the additional step of
enabling players to preserve a plurality of the indicia on the
bingo card images for further use by performing overt acts relating
to the poker card images, and including the additional step of
allowing players a limited time within which to perform overt acts
in order to continue playing the common bingo game.
17. A method of providing coordinated games of draw poker and games
similar to bingo, said games being playable substantially
simultaneously, said method comprising the steps of: a.
Establishing a plurality of pools of different indicia that are not
readily distinguishable from each other by the human eye; b.
Displaying images of bingo cards containing spaces; c. Establishing
images of poker cards, each poker card corresponding to a separate
space on each bingo card; d. Displaying some of said indicia in the
spaces on said bingo cards; e. Randomly selecting an initial set of
indicia from one of said pools, the quantity of said initial set
being less than enough to cause the game-ending bingo pattern to
form on any bingo card in said common bingo game; f. After said
initial set of indicia are randomly selected in a common game, if a
pre-established minimum quantity of the indicia on a plurality of
the bingo cards in play in said common bingo game have not become
matched, enabling the players of said plurality of bingo cards to
increase the quantity of matched indicia on their bingo cards by,
using subsequently selected indicia.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia.
19. The method of claim 17 including the additional step of
enabling players to preserve a plurality of the indicia on the
bingo card images for further use by performing overt acts relating
to the poker card images.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein a plurality of the displayed
indicia are barcode indicia, and including the additional step of
enabling players to preserve a plurality of indicia in the spaces
on the bingo card images for further use by performing overt acts
relating to the poker card images.
Description
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Method of providing simultaneous coordinated games of Video
Bingo and Draw Poker.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In order to better understand the present invention, a basic
description of each game follows.
[0003] Video Draw Poker
[0004] The game of draw poker is played with a deck of 52 unique
cards. The cards are divided into four groups called "suits", with
13 cards in each "suit." The four suits are listed below, with the
symbol that corresponds to each suit inserted beside their familiar
names:
[0005] "HEARTS"
[0006] "SPADES"
[0007] "DIAMONDS" .diamond-solid.
[0008] "CLUBS"
[0009] In each suit, the cards have 13 different rankings. In
descending order they are: "A", "K", "Q", "J","10", "9", "8", "7",
"6", "5", "4", "3", "2". Various combinations of poker cards have
differing rankings that depend upon the probability of forming
them. For example, one desired combination of poker cards is a
"Straight" which consists of five consecutively numbered cards,
regardless of their suit. An "8-9-10-J-Q" of mixed suits is a
"Straight." Another desired combination of poker cards consists of
five non-consecutive cards, all of the same suit. This combination
is known as a "Flush." If all of the cards in a "Straight" are of
the same suit, the combination is known as a ''Straight Flush,
which awards a larger prize than either a "Straight" or a "Flush"
because it is less likely to occur.
[0010] The game operator deals five randomly generated cards to the
player. The player decides which cards to keep and which cards to
discard, and then signals the game operator to deal cards to
replace the discarded cards, or to keep the original five cards.
The objective is to obtain any of the pre-announced prize paying
combinations using five cards. The combinations that occur least
frequently generate the largest prizes. The combinations that occur
most frequently generate the smallest prizes. Video Draw Poker
players do not compete with each other.
[0011] Video Bingo
[0012] Video Bingo is a player competitive game played by at least
two players with cards bearing numbers or other designations.
Usually, each bingo card contains 25 spaces formed by five rows and
five columns. Each space contains a unique number.
[0013] Before the start of each game, the game operator announces
and describes a game-ending pattern and certain bonus prize-winning
patterns of numbers that can be formed on bingo cards. When a bingo
game begins, random numbers are drawn from a pool of numbers and
are displayed. Players must mark the numbers on their bingo cards
that match the randomly drawn numbers in order for the matched
numbers on their bingo cards to qualify for forming prize-winning
patterns.
[0014] Slot machines that enable players to play video bingo are
permitted to operate in various jurisdictions, such as Native
American tribes, but they must comply with certain regulations. The
regulations that are relevant to the present invention are
summarized below. [0015] 1. Linked slot machines must provide the
common game of multi-player bingo, or games similar to bingo, that
uses cards bearing numbers or other designations. [0016] 2.
Alternative displays in addition to bingo cards are permitted.
[0017] 3. At least two sets of numbers or other designations must
be randomly selected from a pool of selectable numbers or other
designations, and displayed on all slot machines. [0018] 4. After
the first set of numbers or other designations are selected,
players must mark all the numbers or other designations on their
bingo cards that match the randomly selected numbers or other
designations that form any pre-designated prize winning pattern, as
a condition of winning prizes.
[0019] The minor objective of Video Bingo played when subject to
said regulations is to own the card that is first to form the
game-ending pattern of matched numbers. The prize for the
game-ending pattern is usually trivial. The major objective is to
own a card upon which one of many bonus prize patterns of marked
numbers forms either before or after the game-ending pattern forms.
The sizes of the bonus prizes depend upon the probability of the
pattern forming within a fixed quantity of randomly drawn
numbers.
[0020] Draw poker, when played on slot machines, is very popular,
but is prohibited by law in most jurisdictions. A need exists for a
method of playing draw poker on slot machines that complies with
the regulations that apply to playing video bingo on slot
machines.
[0021] Prior inventors have contributed various creative and
noteworthy combinations of draw poker and video bingo, but none
have addressed certain problems that arise when multi-player video
bingo that is subject to the above regulations is combined with the
simultaneous play of draw poker.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0022] The present invention enables players to play coordinated
games of video draw poker and video bingo simultaneously, in
compliance with the above regulations. Players can use touch screen
monitors, computers with mouse-controlled cursors, or joy sticks.
The bingo card consists of 52 spaces arranged in 4 rows and 13
columns. Each of the 52 spaces corresponds to a specific poker card
image. Each space contains one of the indicia in a selection pool
of 156 indicia.
[0023] As the first set of indicia are selected randomly from the
indicia pool one at a time, the first five indicia on all bingo
cards in a common game that become matched by the selected indicia
get highlighted and form visible patterns: The five poker cards
that correspond to the spaces containing the first five matched
indicia are displayed. Touching or clicking on a poker card image
causes it to be held for further play, and simultaneously causes
the corresponding space on the bingo card to become marked.
[0024] The prize-paying patterns formed by matched indicia on the
bingo card correspond to prize-paying combinations of poker cards
such as: two pair; three of a kind; a straight; a flush; a full
house; four of a kind; and a straight flush.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] Drawing 1 shows the appearance of a play screen before a
game begins. The 52-space bingo playing card occupies the top of
the screen, but has not been populated with indicia. The backsides
of five poker cards are displayed below the bingo card. The prize
table occupies the right side of the play screen. The game control
buttons are below the poker cards. The 156-cell grid for displaying
randomly selected indicia is displayed at the bottom of the play
screen.
[0026] Drawing 2 shows the appearance of a play screen after a pool
of 156 familiar appearing numbers has been established, and the
52-space bingo playing card has been populated with 52 different
numbers. 51 numbers have already been randomly selected from the
pool. The first five numbers on the bingo card that became matched
by the randomly selected numbers are highlighted. The faces of the
five poker cards that correspond to the first five matched numbers
are displayed.
[0027] Drawing 3 shows the appearance of a play screen after a pool
of 156 barcode indicia has been established, and the 52-space bingo
playing card has been populated with barcode indicia. Random
indicia have not yet been selected from the pool.
[0028] Drawing 4 shows the play screen after a pool of 156 indicia
has been established, and after the first set of 51 random barcode
indicia has been selected from the pool of 156 indicia and
displayed in the 156-cell grid. The spaces containing the first
five indicia on the bingo playing card that became matched by the
randomly selected numbers are shaded. The faces of the five poker
cards that correspond to these five spaces have been revealed.
[0029] Drawing 5 shows the play screen after the player has touched
the four poker cards he/she desires to hold for further use, or has
touched the numbers on the bingo card that correspond to these
desired poker cards. The player has not touched the "J" of
clubs.
[0030] Drawing 6 shows the play screen after the player has
completed the holding and/or discarding functions. The barcode
indicia in the space corresponding to the "J" of clubs was the
1.sup.st indicia to become matched. The barcode indicia in the
space corresponding to the "10" of hearts was the 6.sup.th indicia
to become matched. The "10" of hearts replaced the "J" of clubs.
The player won the maximum prize for a royal flush. The
corresponding pattern on the bingo card consists of the five
adjacent left-most spaces in the same row.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,044 (Lewis) teaches a primary game of
bingo and a secondary game of draw poker. After resolution of the
bingo component of the game, a player then plays the poker
component of the game. Lewis also teaches the concordance of a
poker card with a space on a bingo card, and the opportunity for
players to replace poker cards that are not desired, but limits his
method to poker games that are played separate from and after ". .
. resolution of the bingo component of the game . . . " Lewis does
not suggest how to enable players to play both games
simultaneously, whereby the single overt act of touching a poker
card, to retain it for further use, causes the corresponding space
on the bingo card to be marked.
[0032] U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,711 (Wei) describes a combination bingo
and poker game that allows the winner of the bingo game to win a
second time by forming a poker card combination based upon the
winning bingo pattern. Wei does suggest how to provide both games
simultaneously.
[0033] U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,171 (Anthony) teaches a 52-space bingo
card consisting of 4 rows and 13 columns. Each space corresponds to
a particular card in a deck of poker cards, and each space
containing different indicia. Anthony does not suggest multiple
results caused by the single overt act of marking a bingo card
number or holding a poker card for further play. Anthony does not
suggest any way to overcome the problems that arise when
information from one slot machine is used on another. Anthony does
not suggest how to provide both games simultaneously.
[0034] U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,057 (Marnell) describes separate primary
and secondary devices for bingo and poker. The results of one game
are used for the other game. Marnell does not suggest how to
combine the separate games on a single slot machine for
simultaneous play. Marnell coordinates a winning poker hand, not a
single poker card, with a space on the bingo card. Marnell does not
suggest that touching the corresponding poker card can mark a space
on a bingo card, because there is no correspondence between bingo
card spaces and poker cards.
[0035] Creators of the prior art have not recognized the problems
inherent in providing simultaneous games of video draw poker and
video bingo. To become aware of one of the problems, assume that
coordinated simultaneous games of video draw poker and multi-player
video bingo are being played according to the following format:
[0036] 1. The bingo cards contain 52 spaces. [0037] 2. Each bingo
card corresponds to a separate deck of 52 poker cards. [0038] 3.
Each space on a bingo card corresponds to a specific poker card.
[0039] 4. At the start of a common bingo game, a first set of
indicia is selected randomly one at a time from a pool until all
bingo cards in play contain at least five matched indicia. [0040]
5. For all playing stations, only the five poker cards that
correspond to.the first five matched indicia are displayed.
[0041] In such a format of play, each playing station will display
a different set of matched indicia after the first set of random
indicia are selected. Clever players will be able to observe the
indicia displayed on other nearby playing stations. They will
acquire advance knowledge of the sequentially next indicia that
might become matched on their own bingo cards. This information
will help them in making decisions on what poker cards to discard
and retain. The game operator will be required to reduce the prize
structure available for other players, which would reduce the
game's popularity.
[0042] Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to
provide a method of playing bingo and draw poker simultaneously on
slot machines, which method complies with the laws and regulations
applicable to playing bingo, and which method prevents the sharing
of information between slot machines.
[0043] Another objective of the present invention is to provide
coordinated games of draw poker and bingo that can be played
simultaneously, wherein all prize-paying combinations of five poker
cards are represented by equivalent-patterns on a bingo card.
[0044] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
method of playing coordinated games of draw poker and bingo that
can be played simultaneously, wherein the overt act of holding a
poker card for further use accomplishes the simultaneous result of
marking the number in the space of a bingo card that corresponds to
the poker card being held.
[0045] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
game of five-card draw poker is combined with the simultaneous,
corresponding play of the game of bingo using electronic playing
stations that contain touch-screen monitors. As shown in all
drawings, each bingo card contains 52 spaces. Each column of spaces
on the bingo card is headed by one of the following 13 characters:
A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2. Each of these 13 characters corresponds
to a separate ranking of cards in a deck of poker cards. Each row
of spaces on the bingo card is headed by one of the following four
symbols: .diamond-solid. Each of these four symbols corresponds to
a separate grouping or suit of poker cards known as Hearts, Spades,
Diamonds and Clubs, respectively. Each of the 52 spaces on the
bingo card corresponds to a specific card in a deck of poker cards.
Each bingo card corresponds to a different deck of 52 poker cards.
Players do not share the same deck of poker cards.
[0046] After the minimum quorum of players have paid for the bingo
cards they desire to play, and have touched their "GO" buttons, a
common game of bingo and a game of draw poker both begin,
simultaneously. Immediately, an electronic selection pool of 156
different barcode indicia is created. Then, 52 different barcode
indicia, all of which are in the selection pool, are distributed
into the 52 spaces on each bingo card in the common game, as shown
in Drawing 3. No bingo cards contain the same barcode indicia.
[0047] Then a first set of 51 barcode indicia are randomly and
rapidly selected from the selection pool, one at a time, and
displayed in the 156-cell grid as shown in the lower portion of
Drawing 4. Alternatively, the first set barcode indicia are
randomly selected one at a time until one of the bingo cards in
play has 51 of its 52 barcode indicia matched by the randomly
selected barcode indicia.
[0048] As the barcode indicia are being randomly and rapidly
selected, one at a time, the first five barcode indicia on each
bingo card in play in a common bingo game that become matched by
the randomly selected barcode indicia get highlighted, as shown in
Drawing 4. On each playing station, the five poker cards that
correspond to the spaces containing the first five matched barcode
indicia get displayed, as shown in Drawing 4. The random barcode
indicia selecting process then pauses for 20 seconds to allow
players time to discard and retain selected poker cards, and/or
mark the matched barcode indicia on their bingo cards.
[0049] During the pause, bingo players can mark any of the first
five matched barcode indicia on their bingo cards by touching them.
The act of touching the spaces containing the first five matched
barcode indicia simultaneously causes the corresponding poker cards
to be held for further play. Reciprocally, the act of touching a
poker card causes it to be held for further play, and
simultaneously causes the barcode indicia in the corresponding
space on the bingo card to be marked. The barcode indicia in
non-marked spaces that correspond to discarded poker cards are
disqualified from being used to form bonus prize patterns, but do
qualify for the coverall game-ending pattern.
[0050] The player that is playing the bingo card that is first to
have all 52 of its barcode indicia matched, thereby forming a
coverall pattern, wins a prize in the amount of 20% of the amount
wagered. All players playing bingo cards that contain
pre-designated prize-paying patterns that were formed either before
or after the coverall pattern was formed win the bonus prizes
displayed on the right side of the play screen. In all situations,
whenever the matched and marked barcode indicia on a bingo card
form a prize-paying pattern, the five corresponding poker cards
will constitute a corresponding prize-paying poker hand.
[0051] If, on any bingo card in a common game, less than five
barcode indicia become matched by the randomly selected barcode
indicia of the first set, the random barcode indicia selection
process is quickly aborted and is repeated immediately. Players are
not made aware that the selection process was repeated. This
feature guarantees all players the opportunity to participate in
all games.
[0052] An alternative method of guaranteeing that all players have
the opportunity to participate in all games, without restarting any
games, is to enable the players of bingo cards that have less than
five matched barcode indicia after the first set of barcode indicia
are randomly selected to continue playing by touching their "GO"
buttons as usual. When all other players in the common bingo game
have also touched their "GO" buttons, all the remaining barcode
indicia in the pool will be randomly selected one at a time.
[0053] The bingo cards on which less than five barcode indicia
became matched when the first set of barcode indicia were generated
will then have all of their barcode indicia matched. However, only
the first five that became matched during selection of the first
and second set of barcode indicia will be highlighted. The poker
cards that correspond to the highlighted spaces will be displayed.
The players of these bingo cards will have 20 seconds to hold or
replace their poker cards, and/or. mark their bingo cards. When
they touch their "GO" buttons for the third time in the game, the
discarded poker cards will be replaced by the poker cards that
correspond to the spaces that contain the sequentially next
selected barcode indicia.
[0054] The act of replacing a poker card causes the barcode indicia
in the corresponding space to be replaced, according to the
following rules.
[0055] The 1.sup.st indicia to become matched is replaced by the
6.sup.th indicia to become matched. The 2.sup.nd indicia to become
matched. is replaced by the 7.sup.th indicia to become matched. The
3.sup.rd indicia to become matched is replaced by the 8.sup.th
indicia to become matched. The 4.sup.th indicia to become matched
is replaced by the 9.sup.th indicia to become matched. The 5.sup.th
indicia to become matched is replaced by the 10.sup.th indicia
to.become matched.
[0056] For example, Drawing 4 shows five poker cards, the
"A"-"K"-"Q"-"J" of hearts and the "J" of clubs . If the indicia
corresponding to the "J" of clubs was the first to become matched,
and if the player refrained from touching the "J" of clubs , and
touched only the "A"-"K"-"Q"-"J" of hearts , as shown in Drawing 5,
and if the 6.sup.th indicia that became matched was the indicia
that corresponded to the "10" of hearts , the player would win the
maximum bonus prize as shown in Drawing 6.
[0057] All bonus prize-winning patterns on the bingo card
correspond to prize-winning combinations of poker cards such as;
two pair, three-of-a-kind, straights, flushes, full houses,
four-of-a-kind and straight flushes. [0058] 1. The smallest bonus
prize is awarded for patterns formed on a bingo card consisting of
any two spaces in each of two columns. This pattern corresponds to
two sets of two cards of the same rank in any suit, commonly known
in poker as two pair. [0059] 2. The next highest bonus prize is
awarded for patterns formed on a bingo card consisting of any three
spaces in the same column. This pattern corresponds to three cards
of the same rank in any suit, commonly known as three-of-a-kind.
[0060] 3. The next highest bonus prize is awarded for patterns
formed on a bingo card consisting of one space in each of five
adjacent columns. This pattern corresponds to five cards of
contiguous rank in any suit, commonly known in poker as a straight.
[0061] 4. The next highest bonus prize is awarded for patterns
formed on a bingo card consisting of any five spaces in the same
row. This pattern corresponds to five cards of any rank in the same
suit, commonly known in poker as a flush. [0062] 5. The next
highest bonus prize is awarded for patterns formed on a bingo card
consisting of five spaces, three of which are in the same column,
and two of which are in another column. This pattern corresponds to
three cards of the same rank and two cards of the same rank,
commonly known in poker as a full house. [0063] 6. The next highest
bonus prize is awarded for patterns formed on a bingo card
consisting of all four spaces in the same column. This pattern
corresponds to four cards of the same rank, commonly known in poker
as four-of-a-kind. [0064] 7. The next highest bonus prize is
awarded for patterns formed on a bingo card consisting of five
adjacent spaces in the same row. This pattern corresponds to five
cards of the same suit, all of which are contiguous in rank,
commonly known in poker as a straight flush. [0065] 8. The highest
possible bonus prize is awarded for patterns formed on a bingo card
consisting of five adjacent spaces that are in the same row and are
also in the columns headed by A-K-Q-J and 10. This pattern
corresponds to five cards of the same suit, all of which are
contiguous in rank, and constitute the highest-ranking combination
of poker cards. It is commonly known in poker as a royal flush.
[0066] The foregoing description is not intended to cover all
possible embodiments of the present invention. Various other
configurations and embodiments of the present invention are
contemplated.
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