U.S. patent application number 11/747803 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-13 for bingo jackpot insurance.
Invention is credited to Ken Saheki.
Application Number | 20080277871 11/747803 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39968811 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080277871 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saheki; Ken |
November 13, 2008 |
Bingo Jackpot Insurance
Abstract
A bingo game that offers players an option to purchase jackpot
insurance. Typically, in the game of bingo, when multiple winners
win a same jackpot, the multiple winners have to share the jackpot.
This is undesirable to the winners since they would prefer to have
the entire jackpot for themselves. The players can purchase jackpot
insurance which allows the players to win the jackpot amount
regardless of how many other winners there may be.
Inventors: |
Saheki; Ken; (Las Vegas,
NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MUSKIN & CUSICK LLC
30 Vine Street, SUITE 6
Lansdale
PA
19446
US
|
Family ID: |
39968811 |
Appl. No.: |
11/747803 |
Filed: |
May 11, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/269 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2003/00167
20130101; G07F 17/329 20130101; A63F 3/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/269 |
International
Class: |
A63F 3/06 20060101
A63F003/06 |
Claims
1. A method to play a bingo game, the method comprising: offering
jackpot insurance to a first payer and selling to the first payer a
first bingo card with jackpot insurance which potentially awards a
jackpot amount; offering jackpot insurance to a second player and
selling to the second player a second bingo card without jackpot
insurance which potentially awards the jackpot amount, the second
bingo card without jackpot insurance selling for a lower price than
the first bingo card with jackpot insurance; conducting a bingo
game for the jackpot amount and determining a number of winners of
the jackpot amount, wherein at least the first player using the
first bingo card and the second player using the second bingo card
are winners; and awarding the first player a first award and
awarding the second player a second award, the first award being
higher than the second award.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first award is
equal to the jackpot amount.
3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second award is a
reduced jackpot amount reduced by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second award is
the jackpot amount divided by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the second award is a
reduced jackpot amount reduced by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the second award is
the jackpot amount divided by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first award is
higher than the jackpot amount.
8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the second award is a
reduced jackpot amount reduced by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the second award is
the jackpot amount divided by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the second award is a
reduced jackpot amount reduced by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the second award is
the jackpot amount divided by the number of winners of the
jackpot.
12. A method to conduct a bingo game, the method comprising:
offering a bingo player an option to purchase a bingo card with or
without jackpot insurance, the bingo card having an award amount of
a jackpot amount; and conducting the bingo game and determining
that there are at least two winners of the bingo game which include
the player; wherein, if the player purchased jackpot insurance,
then the player wins the jackpot amount, wherein if the player did
not purchase jackpot insurance, then the player shares the jackpot
amount with other winner(s) of the bingo game.
13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein awards for the other
winner(s) are computed regardless of whether the player did
purchase jackpot insurance.
14. A method to determine bingo awards for a bingo game, the method
comprising: selling bingo cards and conducting the bingo game;
identifying at least two winners of the bingo game that has a top
prize of a jackpot amount; determining insured players out of the
at least two winners that purchased jackpot insurance associated
with their winning cards which won the game and non-insured players
that did not purchase jackpot insurance associated with their
winning cards which won the game; awarding each of the insured
players the jackpot amount; and awarding each of the non-insured
players a shared award amount, the shared award amount computed
based on the jackpot amount and a number of winners of the bingo
game.
15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the shared award
amount is not affected by a number of insured players.
16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the selling sells
bingo cards to players with an option surcharge for jackpot
insurance.
17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the selling sells a
first set of bingo cards with jackpot insurance and a second set of
bingo cards without jackpot insurance.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present inventive concept relates to a wagering game,
and more particularly to a game which allows a bingo player to
purchase insurance so that if the player wins and has to share a
prize with another player, the insurance allows the player to win
the full prize.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Bingo is a popular game in casinos. A bingo game can be
played as illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein multiple players purchase
100 a standard bingo card(s) typically using cash. The bingo cards
have numbers printed on them in a random or pseudo random fashion.
Play can begin 102 and a ball is drawn 104 and the letter/number of
the ball announced. Each ball has a letter/number combination and
each player examines their card(s) and if any of their card(s) have
the number drawn on the ball then the player marks that spot. If no
player is determined 106 to get bingo, then an additional ball is
drawn, and this process continues until at least one player has
bingo. Bingo is a predetermined sequence of marked spots on a bingo
card. For example, bingo can be where the player gets five spots in
a row (horizontally or vertically). Once a player is determined 106
to get bingo then it is determined 108 if more than one player got
bingo on the last ball drawn. If only one player has bingo, then
that player wins 110 the prize (a monetary award) for getting bingo
on that game. If more than one player is determined 108 to have
bingo, then the winning players (players that have bingo) have to
share 112 the prize. Players can also buy different levels of
cards. If a player buys anything other than the lowest level then
the player's win will be multiplied by a constant.
[0005] Sharing the prize is undesirable for players since bingo
players prefer to win the entire prize themselves. Therefore, what
is needed is a method whereby bingo players can avoid sharing
prizes with their competitors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an aspect of the present invention to provide an
improved version of bingo.
[0007] The above aspects can be obtained by a method that includes
(a) offering jackpot insurance to a first payer and selling to the
first payer a first bingo card with jackpot insurance which
potentially awards a jackpot amount; (b) offering jackpot insurance
to a second player and selling to the second player a second bingo
card without jackpot insurance which potentially awards the jackpot
amount, the second bingo card without jackpot insurance selling for
a lower price than the first bingo card with jackpot insurance; (c)
conducting a bingo game for the jackpot amount and determining a
number of winners of the jackpot amount, wherein at least the first
player using the first bingo card and the second player using the
second bingo card are winners; and (d) awarding the first player a
first award and awarding the second player a second award, the
first award being higher than the second award.
[0008] The above aspects can also be obtained by a method that
includes (a) offering a bingo player an option to purchase a bingo
card with or without jackpot insurance, the bingo card having an
award amount of a jackpot amount; and (b) conducting the bingo game
and determining that there are at least two winners of the bingo
game which include the player; wherein, if the player purchased
jackpot insurance, then the player wins the jackpot amount, wherein
if the player did not purchase jackpot insurance, then the player
shares the jackpot amount with other winner(s) of the bingo
game.
[0009] The above aspects can also be obtained by a method that
includes (a) selling bingo cards and conducting the bingo game; (b)
identifying at least two winners of the bingo game that has a top
prize of a jackpot amount; (c) determining insured players out of
the at least two winners that purchased jackpot insurance
associated with their winning cards which won the game and
non-insured players that did not purchase jackpot insurance
associated with their winning cards which won the game; (d)
awarding each of the insured players the jackpot amount; and (e)
awarding each of the non-insured players a shared award amount, the
shared award amount computed based on the jackpot amount and a
number of winners of the bingo game.
[0010] These together with other aspects and advantages which will
be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Further features and advantages of the present invention, as
well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the
present invention, will become apparent and more readily
appreciated from the following description of the preferred
embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of
which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method to play a prior
art bingo game;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exemplary bingo card, according to an
embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method to
implement jackpot insurance, according to an embodiment; and
[0015] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating components to
implement embodiments described herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to the presently
preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference
numerals refer to like elements throughout.
[0017] Bingo is well known in the art, for example see US patent
publication 2005/0255906, which is incorporated by reference herein
in its entirety.
[0018] The present general inventive concept relates to a bingo
game that can play like a standard game of bingo but can offer the
players an extra option of purchasing jackpot insurance (or "bingo
insurance" or "tie insurance.")
[0019] In a standard game of bingo, when two or more players get
bingo at the same time, the players typically have to share the
prize. If the player(s) would have bought jackpot insurance when
they first bought their bingo card(s) (before the bingo game
started), then if two or more payers have to share a prize, each
player that had purchased the jackpot insurance can still win the
full prize without having to share it. If a winning player did not
decide to purchase the jackpot insurance, then the player would
typically still receive a same award that they would have received
if no player had jackpot insurance and the prize had to be
shared.
[0020] Table I is a table showing the average (expected) number of
people that would get bingo at the same time, according to
objective and number of bingo cards being played during the game.
For example, in the "single bingo" game (where a player has to mark
five spots in a row or column) then if 2,000 cards are played, then
on average, 2.6 people will get bingo (thus tie for the win) at the
same time. If 10,000 cards are in play on the same game, then an
average of 8.2 people will get bingo (thus tie for the win) at the
same time. The number of ties in the latter case is more than the
former case because there are more cards in play, thus
mathematically it is more likely that more people will hit bingo at
the same time. With more cards in play, it is also more likely that
a player will hit bingo sooner than with fewer cards in play.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE I Game 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 Single
Bingo 2.622616 4.113316 5.715755 7.109159 8.197152 Double 1.297927
1.340951 1.372797 1.385618 1.415881 Bingo Triple Bingo 1.266972
1.310419 1.32576 1.340989 1.330945 Single HW 1.492969 1.779107
2.011335 2.316677 2.602349 Bingo Double HW 1.270875 1.303605
1.325104 1.347912 1.396932 Bingo Triple HW 1.257416 1.273016
1.286265 1.312244 1.308565 Bingo Six Pack 1.963782 2.536219
3.080042 3.678579 4.209524 Nine Pack 1.348464 1.429668 1.465213
1.528894 1.553772 Coverall 1.322867 1.341656 1.341537 1.348742
1.378803
[0021] Table II illustrate a sample list of bingo games played at a
particular bingo room in a casino, their respective prize pools,
and their average number of winners (these are the same as in Table
I). Of course prize pools can change at the bingo room's
discretion. The bottom row shows the total number of expected
winners in the sessions.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE II Prize Game Objective Pool 2000 4000 6000
8000 10000 1 Double HW 50 1.270875 1.303605 1.325104 1.347912
1.396932 Bingo 2 Single Bingo 50 2.622616 4.113316 5.715755
7.109159 8.197152 3 Double Bingo 100 1.297927 1.340951 1.372797
1.385618 1.415881 4 Single Bingo 50 2.622616 4.113316 5.715755
7.109159 8.197152 5 Double Bingo 100 1.297927 1.340951 1.372797
1.385618 1.415881 6 Double Bingo 50 1.297927 1.340951 1.372797
1.385618 1.415881 7 Triple Bingo 100 1.266972 1.310419 1.32576
1.340989 1.330945 9 Six Pack 50 1.963782 2.536219 3.080042 3.678579
4.209524 10 Nine Pack 100 1.348464 1.429668 1.465213 1.528894
1.553772 11 Single HW Bingo 50 1.492969 1.779107 2.011335 2.316677
2.602349 12 Double HW Bingo 100 1.270875 1.303605 1.325104 1.347912
1.396932 13 Coverall 250 1.322867 1.341656 1.341537 1.348742
1.378803 Total 1050 19.07582 23.25377 27.424 31.28488 34.5112
[0022] Table III takes the product of the average winners and prize
pool. The total row shows how much the casino would have to pay if
there were no jackpot sharing. For example, in the first game
(Double HW Bingo), the prize pool is 50 and (from Table II) there
would be an average of 1.27 winners with 2,000 cards being played
in the game. Multiplying 1.27*50=63.5. Thus, if the casino had to
pay all winners without sharing prizes in this game (Double HW
Bingo with 2,000 cards), then the casino would have to pay out
$63.50.
[0023] For example with 2000 players with jackpot sharing they pay
$1050, but without it they pay $1542.47. So a fair premium to
charge for the jackpot insurance with these parameters would be
46.9% to the player of the cost of the bingo cards. Thus, if a
bingo card cost $100, a fair charge for the card with insurance
could be $147.
[0024] Many players will likely decide to purchase the insurance in
order to avoid having to share their jackpots with other player(s).
This gives the house an increased way to make revenues, as the cost
for insurance should typically be higher than the actual cost to
the casino so that the casino would make a profit from the sale of
insurance.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE III Prize Game Objective Pool 2000 4000 6000
8000 10000 1 Double HW Bingo 50 63.54377 65.18027 66.25521 67.39558
69.84658 2 Single Bingo 50 131.1308 205.6658 285.7878 355.458
409.8576 3 Double Bingo 100 129.7927 134.0951 137.2797 138.5618
141.5881 4 Single Bingo 50 131.1308 205.6658 285.7878 355.458
409.8576 5 Double Bingo 100 129.7927 134.0951 137.2797 138.5618
141.5881 6 Double Bingo 50 64.89637 67.04756 68.63984 69.28091
70.79403 7 Triple Bingo 100 126.6972 131.0419 132.576 134.0989
133.0945 9 Six Pack 50 98.18911 126.8109 154.0021 183.9289 210.4762
10 Nine Pack 100 134.8464 142.9668 146.5213 152.8894 155.3772 11
Single HW Bingo 50 74.64845 88.95533 100.5667 115.8338 130.1175 12
Double HW Bingo 100 127.0875 130.3605 132.5104 134.7912 139.6932 13
Coverall 250 330.7168 335.414 335.3842 337.1854 344.7009 Total 1050
1542.473 1767.299 1982.591 2183.444 2356.991 Fair Insurance Cost
0.469022 0.683142 0.888182 1.07947 1.244754
[0025] FIG. 2 is an exemplary bingo card, according to an
embodiment.
[0026] There are different patterns that players attempt to achieve
for different games. For example, a bingo is getting a sequence of
five squares in a row, column, or diagonal. Double bingo is getting
two different such sequences.
[0027] A six pack is marking every spot in any 3 by 2 rectangle on
a card. A nine pack is marking any 3 by 3 square. Each bingo card
can be good for at least one game. For example, a card might be for
a game on a six pack game, but then once a winner is found the game
can continue on the same card for a nine-pack. A hard way ("HW")
means that the player may not use the free square.
[0028] Thus, "single HW bingo" requires the player to get mark five
spots in a row without using the free square, e.g., in FIG. 2, B1,
I24, N37, G48, O61 would be a "bingo" and also a "single HW bingo"
since the free space is not used.
[0029] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method to
implement jackpot insurance, according to an embodiment.
[0030] The method can begin with operation 300, which sells bingo
cards with or without insurance, at the players' option. Players
can purchase bingo cards for games of their choice, typically at a
set denomination (e.g., $0.10/card). Cards are typically sold in
packs of two or more cards. For example, a player could buy a pack
of 6 cards per regular game for $4, which would include a number of
bingo games (for example all the games listed in Table III).
[0031] Each game has a respective jackpot amount associated with it
(e.g., $100 to the first player that gets bingo). Jackpot insurance
that is associated with a bingo card (active for that card if that
card wins) can be purchased in at least one of two ways. After a
player purchases a bingo card, the player can pay an extra
surcharge (e.g., $0.05) to add insurance to the card, upon which
the bingo hall can stamp the card or otherwise mark it so that it
is verified that the player purchased insurance for that card. The
ID number of the card can also be noted.
[0032] When a player has bingo the card number is read and the
system should know which type of card the player has and whether it
was validated. The system can also determine whether that card had
jackpot insurance associated with it (e.g., whether the player had
purchases jackpot insurance for that card).
[0033] If a player purchases insurance when a set of cards is
purchased, identifiers (e.g., a serial number) of cards in the set
can be recorded (manually and/or electronically) so that so that if
that player wins, the bingo hall can manually and/or electronically
confirm that the player purchased insurance. If the player does not
wish to purchase insurance, then the set of cards can be given to
the player without noting that insurance has been purchased for
those cards (or noting manually or automatically that insurance has
not been purchased for those cards). Alternatively, different bingo
cards can be used for cards without insurance or cards with
insurance. For example, a card without insurance may cost $0.10.
but a card with insurance would cost $0.15. The card with insurance
would be marked accordingly. The numbers for the cards without
insurance and with insurance would typically still be random, in
other words there would typically not be two different sets of
identical cards (one with insurance, one without), although in an
alternative embodiment it can be done this way.
[0034] The cost of the insurance can also be proportional to the
level of the card. In other words, if one level of card for the
same game has a double jackpot then a lowest level of card, then
the insurance for the higher level card can cost more (e.g.,
double).
[0035] Insurance can be sold game by game although this may
increase the transaction time. Thus, insurance can also be sold for
an entire session, e.g., a one time fee for an entire session of 12
games or an entire packet of cards. Typically, the player buys the
same type of cards for all games. For example, casinos may offer a
packet of cards, 6 cards per game. If a packet of cards costs, for
example, $4, then if the player desires insurance for the entire
packet then the player can pay $6 for the packet to associate
insurance with all games that are included in the packet.
[0036] From operation 300, the method can proceed to operation 302,
which conducts the bingo game. This can be done as known in art.
For example, random bingo balls can be drawn (each marked with a
letter/number), the letter/number combination is announced, and
players that have that number on their card(s) can mark (daub)
their card accordingly. Electronic bingo cards are known in the art
and can be used with the features described herein. An electronic
bingo card automatically marks a player's card(s) as each
letter/number drawn is announced.
[0037] From operation 302, the method can proceed to operation 304,
which determines whether a player or players win. A player wins
when the player receives a predetermined pattern of marks on their
card (e.g., five squares in a row, etc.) When a player has received
the predetermined pattern, the player typically shouts out "bingo!"
so the game can stop and the player can receive their prize. If no
player has received bingo, then the method can continue to
operation 302 which continues to conduct the bingo game by
continuing to draw balls.
[0038] If a player receives bingo (from operation 304), then the
method can proceed to operation 306, which determines whether the
prize needs to be shared. If there is only one winning player
(player with bingo), then the jackpot (prize) does not need to be
shared and the method can proceed to operation 308, wherein the
player wins the entire jackpot. In this case, it is typically
irrelevant whether the winning player had insurance associated with
his or her card.
[0039] If in operation 306 it is determined that there is more than
one winner of the jackpot, then the method can proceed to operation
310 for each winning player. It is then determined whether a
winning player had purchased jackpot insurance for the bingo cards
that was the current game. This can be done by inspecting the bingo
card used to win, checking a list (either manually or
electronically) of bingo cards that had insurance purchased for
them, checking a ticket that may have been issued to indicate that
jackpot insurance had been purchased for that particular card, or
any other method.
[0040] If the winning player had purchased jackpot insurance, then
the method can proceed to operation 314, wherein the winning player
wins the full jackpot amount. How many other players there are and
whether those players purchased jackpot insurance is not relevant
in determining the winning player's award amount since if he or she
bought jackpot insurance for the winning card the winning player
will win the full jackpot amount (e.g., $100). In an alternative
embodiment, the winning player that had purchased jackpot insurance
for the winning card can win more than the jackpot amount (e.g.,
$110 instead of $100, or double jackpots (e.g., $200) instead of
the $100 original jackpot amount). In an alternative embodiment,
cards with jackpot insurance can be offered at different jackpot
amounts. For example, a standard card can be offered for $1 with a
jackpot level of $50, while an insured card can be offered for
$1.50 with a jackpot level of $60. Jackpot awarding still operates
as described herein, wherein the uninsured cards have to share
among the winners.
[0041] If the winning player had not purchased jackpot insurance,
then the method can proceed from operation 310 to operation 312,
wherein the winning player shares the prize with other winning
players. For example, if there are four winning players, and the
jackpot amount is $100, then the winning player without jackpot
insurance would win $25. It would typically not matter whether the
other players had purchased jackpot insurance when determining the
award for a player that did not purchase jackpot insurance. Thus,
the other three winning players could have purchased jackpot
insurance and each won $100, however, the fourth winning player did
not purchase jackpot insurance and thus only wins $25.
[0042] An example of how jackpot insurance can work is as follows.
Mike, Rob, Joel, and Jason are playing just one game with one card
in a single bingo with 2,000 other players in a game with a $50
jackpot. Each bingo card costs $1 for a single game of bingo, and
$1.50 for the card with insurance. Jason and Mike decide to buy the
insurance and each pay $1.50 for their card, while Rob and Joel
decide not to buy insurance and pay $1.00 for their card. All cards
are at the same level with a same jackpot amount ($50). The game is
played and it turns out that Mike, Rob, and Joel are the only
winners. Mike would win $50 since he bought the insurance, while
Rob and Joel would each win $17 ($50/3 rounded up).
[0043] In an alternative embodiment, Mike could have won more than
the original jackpot (e.g., won $75). In an alternate embodiment,
Rob and Joel could have won more than $16.66 each, since Mike had
bought insurance the benefit may also spill over to other,
non-insured winners as well.
[0044] It is further noted that a computer can record and store
which bingo card/packs have jackpot insurance. In this way, when a
player wins, it can be immediately confirmed whether that player
purchased insurance or not.
[0045] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating components to
implement embodiments described herein.
[0046] A bingo card seller 400 sells bingo cards/packs of cards to
the players. Each card or pack can have an ID number associated
with it so that when sold, the ID number can be entered (e.g.,
scanned using a barcode scanner) so that a database 402 can be
updated to include that this ID number has been purchased and is
active in play. If a player wins using a card that has not been
validated, this may cause some type of audit to determine whether
the player did indeed pay for that card and why the card was not
validated.
[0047] When a player purchases bingo insurance, this information
can be noted by the seller 400 and transmitted to the database 402
so that if/when the purchaser (player) wins using a card, the bingo
award payer 404 can scan the ID number of the card to automatically
query the database 402 to see if the player had purchased bingo
insurance for that card. The bingo payer 404 would pay the player
an award based on whether the player had purchased bingo insurance
or not (unless the player is the sole winner in which it is
typically irrelevant whether the player had purchased bingo
insurance or not).
[0048] Furthermore, a remote player 408 or players can play bingo
along with other players in the physical bingo hall using a
computer connected to a computer communications network 406 such as
the Internet.
[0049] Further, the order of any of the operations described herein
can be performed in any order and wagers can be placed/resolved in
any order. Any operation described herein can also be optional. Any
embodiments herein can also be played in electronic form and
programs and/or data for such can be stored on any type of computer
readable storage medium (e.g. CD-ROM, DVD, disk, etc.)
[0050] The many features and advantages of the invention are
apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended
by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of
the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will
readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to
limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable
modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within
the scope of the invention.
* * * * *