Abstract:
A method of conducting a wagering game using dice is disclosed. The method is ideally suited for video-based machines or Internet-based applications. However, it may be conducted in a live environment. Dice comprising multiple characteristics (e.g., values and colors) are used to generate random outcomes. Players may place wagers on value outcomes and color outcomes. Multiple groups of distinct dice may be used to create a game matrix having multiple pay lines which afford players multiple wager options. In one electronic version five dice are used. A player places a wager and then four of the five dice values are generated and revealed. With four of the five values known, possible winning outcomes are highlighted from a pay table listing all winning outcomes. In this version, there are always possible winning outcomes after four of the five dice have been revealed. Bonus trigger outcomes are also discussed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/589,675 filed Jul. 21, 2004. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The embodiments of the present invention comprise a method playing a number of dice-based games appropriate for player vs. machine or player vs. player.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     There are a couple of games involving five dice which are referred to as poker dice. In the most traditional sense, poker dice is a dice equivalent of a five-card poker game. Two or more players compete against each other and the player with the best outcome, defined by an established hierarchy like in card-based poker, wins the game. An example of a possible outcome hierarchy is: 
    5 of a kind (all 5 dice have same pip value, e.g. 2-2-2-2-2)     4 of a kind (4 dice have same pip value, the other die does not match, e.g. 2-2-2-2-5)     Full House (3 dice have same pip value and 2 other dice have a different matching pip value, e.g. 2-2-2-5-5)     Straight (the 5 dice pip values are in sequential order, i.e. 1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6)     Three of a kind (3 dice have same pip value, the other dice do not match, e.g. 2-2-2-4-5)     Two Pair: (2 dice have the same pip value, 2 other dice have a different matching pip value, the fifth dice does not match, e.g. 2-2-5-5-3)     One Pair (2 dice have same pip value, the other dice do not match, e.g. 2-2-3-4-6)    
 
         [0011]     Poker dice can be played as a “stud” game whereby the player gets to throw the dice once to generate a final outcome. This can also be played as a “draw” game whereby the player can optionally elect to re-roll one or more dice to improve his outcome as occurs in an equivalent draw poker game.  
         [0012]     For example, for a stud game, the following pay table could be offered whereby the player would receive the listed award multiplier for any of the listed outcomes relative to his wager:  
                                                   OUTCOME   AWARD                           5 of a kind   50-1            4 of a kind   10-1            full house   5-1           3 of a kind   2-1           2 pair   1-1                      
 
 For any other outcome, the player loses his wager. 
 
         [0013]     There are a number of wagering games whereby the player has the ability to wager on different types of results for the same outcome. A good example of this is ball-style wagering games in the United Kingdom such as “Balls” on www.ladbrokes.com, “Lucky Square” on www.bluesq.com or “Rolling Stones” on www.stanleyinstants.com whereby players wager on outcomes of six drawn numbers which also have a color or shape associated with each number. The wager opportunities include predictions regarding the color/shape as well as outcomes involving the numbers, the sum of numbers, the pattern of numbers, etc.  
         [0014]     The term “skill” has many possible connotations in wagering games. For the purposes herein, the following definitions apply:  
         [0015]     Strategic Skill Game: A game where the player makes decisions that affect his or her ability to win. Examples include blackjack and video poker.  
         [0016]     Physical Skill Game (a/k/a a Twitch Game): A game where some physical skill, like timing a button press, affects the outcome. Amusement slot machines in Florida have skill stop buttons for each reel to overcome any reel weighting. “Skill With Prize” machines in Europe often have a true skill mechanism where a level in a bonus “thermometer” moves up and down randomly at a quick pace and stops when a player presses a button.  
         [0017]     Pseudo-Skill Game: A game with the appearance that it may offer some level of physical control over the outcome. The dart game in Bally Gaming&#39;s Game Magic makes players think that their ability to launch and initially direct the darts can somehow affect where they land. Some “Skill With Prize” slot machines are Pseudo-Skill insofar as it may look to some players that there actions can affect the outcome when in reality they do not.  
         [0018]     Some slot game are offered in a grid configuration such that at each grid intersection, a symbol is randomly selected and displayed and the player wins if certain orders or patterns of symbols appear along horizontal, vertical or diagonal pay line on which the player has placed a wager. An example of this is the Vacation USA™ 4×4 slot which can be seen at www.hardrockcasino.com or www.skybetvegas.com.  
         [0019]     Many wagering games, especially those implemented via a video game component or as an Internet-based game, offer bonus rounds whereby the player is given the opportunity to earn extra rewards than those usually possible in standard play. Some such games may require an extra wager for such an opportunity, as with the game “Multi-Hand Blackjack with 1000× Bonus” on www.hardrockcasino.com or www.skybetvegas.com. One specific game may have the bonus available to all players, such as with the “Bananarama 5” reel game offered on both of the previously listed websites. Another specific game may have the bonus available to a player who has met a certain betting threshold, such as the “Plinko Bonus of The Price is Right 5” reel slot game offered on both of the previously listed Web sites.  
         [0020]     There continues to be a need for a new method of conducting and playing wagering games premised on the use of dice.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0021]     Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention involve numerous innovations to casino dice-based game design. One such innovation is the use of a poker dice game with a novel outcome award hierarchy with special properties that are advantageous for the player. Another innovation is the use of colored die and/or dice pips which increases the number of possible outcomes.  
         [0022]     Another innovation involves adding a pseudo-skill stop and/or a physical skill-stop component to a wagering dice game.  
         [0023]     Another innovation is the incorporation of additional wagering opportunities which can likewise include the use of colored dices and/or colored dice pips.  
         [0024]     Another innovation is to offer the use of multiple wagering opportunities of the same kind in the same game, for example, offering multiple simultaneous n-dice games via an n×n grid of dice.  
         [0025]     Another innovation is to offer the use of multiple wagering opportunities of the same kind in the same game where not all of the groups of dice are the same size. This can include a super group comprising some or all of the smaller groups.  
         [0026]     Another innovation is the incorporation of a bonus round. Each innovation is described in detail below.  
         [0027]     An innovative pay table can be offered in a five-dice poker dice game whereby the player always has an opportunity to receive some award after four of the five dice values have been revealed. This can maintain the player&#39;s excitement and interest until the final die value is revealed. This also better accommodates players who want to root for or try to evoke a certain outcome. A player may find it easier, or believe it is more effective, to root for a specific value on one die than for five dice.  
         [0028]     Below is one example of such a pay table:  
                                                   OUTCOME   AWARD                           5 of a kind   50-1            4 of a kind   10-1            full house   5-1           3 of a kind   2-1           2 pair   ½           1 pair   0           Straight   2-1           Otherwise   1-1                      
 
 The award column lists the award multiplier used to form a player award relative to a player wager. An award value of 1 means the bet is returned and a value of 1/2 means half of the bet is returned. 
 
         [0029]     Another innovation involves the use of distinctly colored dice and/or color dice pips. In a poker dice game, with dice of two or more distinct colors, outcomes such as a flush (all dice the same color) or straight flush (a straight whereby all dice are of the same color) can be part of the pay table. In addition to adding to the volatility of a given poker dice game, it can also make the game more interesting to people familiar with card poker games.  
         [0030]     For a video-game or Internet-based application, the selection of dice color for display is quite easy to implement. In a live environment, dice of distinct colors can be placed in an urn, tumbler or shaker and the required number of dice can then be drawn from the pool of dice.  
         [0031]     One can also envision a hybrid game whereby standard physical dice are used, but a secondary device is used to select the colors. For example, a computer or similar device may select colors and these colors are then displayed on or near the dice using colored lights or colored LED displays, etc.  
         [0032]     A poker dice game with multiple dice colors can be defined whereby there is an equal chance of obtaining any specific die color, similar to the equal chance of obtaining any specific card suit by randomly drawing a single card from a standard deck of playing cards. However, the use of colored die can be applied to games without an even distribution of color and/or not based on a five dice poker dice concept.  
         [0033]     For example, the pay table below describes the award structure for a three dice game consisting of dice with four distinct colors, where the distribution of color possibilities is not even. In this example, the chance that a given die color will be red, blue, gold or green is 1/11, 3/11, 3/11 and 4/11, respectively, such that a green die color is much more likely to appear than a red die color for any given die.  
                                                       COLOR OUTCOME   PIP OUTCOME   AWARD                           all red   3 of a kind   1,000-1             all blue   3 of a kind   100-1            all gold   3 of a kind   50-1           all green   3 of a kind   25-1           Multicolor   3 of a kind   10-1           all same color   straight   10-1           all same color   pair    5-1           all same color   otherwise    2-1           Multicolor   straight    2-1           Multicolor   pair    1-1                      
 
 For this pay table, any outcome that does not correspond to one of the listed outcomes produces no award. The uneven dice color distribution allows the pay table to offer larger awards for certain color combinations which are not be possible if the color distribution is even without adversely affecting the potential profit for the casino or game operator. 
 
         [0034]     Another innovation is the use of pseudo-skill stop in a dice-based wagering game. In a game with one or more electromechanical dice, the player can be given the ability to attempt to stop a given die while it is spinning thereby giving some players the impression that they may be able to control the actual outcome based on when they activate the stop button. This of course can be done easily in a video-based or Internet-based implementation. With a game involving dice with different colors or different pip colors, it is quite easy to display on a video display screen or Internet browser display the animation of a moving die where the color changing can be visually discerned even if the dice values are flashing too quickly to be easily viewed.  
         [0035]     Another innovation is the use of physical-skill stop in a dice-based wagering game. In a game with one or more electromechanical dice, the player can be given the ability to attempt to stop a given die while it is spinning whereby the actual outcome is affected by the time at which the player activates the stop button. This of course can be done easily in a video-based or Internet-based implementation. With a game involving dice with different colors or different pip colors, it is quite easy to display on a video display screen or Internet browser display the animation of a moving die where the color changing can be visually discerned even if the dice values are flashing too quickly to be easily viewed.  
         [0036]     Another innovation is the incorporation of additional wagering opportunities beyond typical poker dice game pip matching and pip pattern outcomes. For example, instead of having the player place a single wager corresponding to a pay table for two or more distinct outcomes, a game can be defined which allows players to wager on specific outcomes or specific groups of outcomes. For example, a game can be defined which allows the player to make separate, independent wagers on each of the following outcomes:  
                                                   OUTCOME   AWARD                           5 of a kind   1,200-1             4 of a kind   50-1           full house   25-1           3 of a kind    6-1           2 pair    4-1           1 pair    2-1           Otherwise   10-1                      
 
         [0037]     Alternatively, or additionally, different kinds of wagers can be placed on the pip values. Examples include but are not limited to: 
    the sum of the values falls within some certain range (e.g., 5-8, 9-15, 16-20, 21-25, 26-30, where the player wagers on a specific range);     the sum of the values is odd;     the sum of the values is even;     the values are all increasing (e.g. 1,2,3,4,5 or 1,2,4,5,6);     the values are all decreasing;     the values are all ascending or flat (e.g. 1,1,2,3,3, or 1,2,4,5,6); and/or     the values are all descending or flat.    
 
         [0045]     Alternatively, or additionally, different kinds of wagers can be placed on specific pip values. Examples include but are not limited to: 
    a specific die value occurs k or more times;     a specific die value occurs exactly k times;     a specific die value does not occur; and/or     a specific die value occurs in a specific outcome location 
 
 Some more specific examples of the above include: 
    pay award that the chosen dice value will occur exactly as a pair;     pay award that the chosen die value will occur as a pair or better (e.g., three of a kind, four of a kind, five of a kind); and/or     variable pay award that the chosen die value will occur as a pair or better (e.g., three of a kind, four of a kind, five of a kind), whereby the better the outcome, the higher the pay award.    
 
         [0053]     Alternatively, or additionally, different kinds of wagers can be placed on specific outcomes. For example, a player can place separate side bets that a specific outcome, such as a pair or a three of a kind, will occur. These propositions can be offered such that the award for such a successful prediction corresponds to the probability of the occurrence.  
         [0054]     Alternatively, or additionally, a secondary characteristic can be assigned to each die, such as color as mentioned above. This allows for independent wagers such as, but not limited to, the following examples: 
    Exactly 0 dice of color A;     Exactly 1 die of color A; and/or     Exactly 2 dice of color A.     Exactly k dice of color A;     All dice of color A;     1 or more dice of color A; and/or     2 or more dice of color A.     k or more of color A;     At least 1 of each color;     At least 2 of each color;     All of the dice have the same, unspecified color; and/or     The dice colors are only in a certain order (e.g., 1 or more reds, then 1 or more whites, then 1 or more blues)    
 
         [0067]     The use of these kinds of additional wagering opportunities is expected to appeal to players who believe they can spot patterns and who believe they may be able to capitalize on such things or to appeal to players who like a variety of wagers and ways to win in the same game.  
         [0068]     Another innovation is to offer the use of multiple wagering opportunities of the same kind in the same game. For example, instead of offering a game based upon the outcome of three dice, a game can be designed to contain an arrangement of multiple sets of three dice for multiple simultaneous games, each of which accommodates separate wagers. In such games, the dice can be independent, such as having three rows of three dice thus offering three simultaneous games in one play. Alternatively, or additionally, such a game can involve interdependent dice whereby at least one die is used in two or more different outcomes. For example, nine dice can be configured in a 3×3 grid or matrix allowing for game outcomes to be determined along the three horizontal rows and the three vertical columns as well. This can also be extended to include the diagonals of the grid. The concept can include other grid sizes, such as a 5×5 grid that can offer five horizontal rows of five dice, five vertical columns of five dice and two diagonal rows of five dice. The concept can be extended to other patterns such as boxes or other geometric patterns, sectors of a circular pattern, with or without overlapping die, snowflake patterns, patterns to match a specific graphic or theme, etc.  
         [0069]     Another innovation is to offer multiple wagering opportunities of the same kind in the same game where not all of the dice groups include the same number of dice. For example, a 3×5 grid of dice can offer three groups of five dice and five groups of three dice, or eight different outcomes. Alternatively, or additionally, a group can also be defined to include some or all smaller groups. For example, a 3×5 grid of dice can offer three groups of five dice plus a super group of all fifteen dice.  
         [0070]     Another innovation is the incorporation of a bonus round into a dice-based casino game. One simple way to accomplish this is to use a separate random or pseudo-random process to determine, after all player wagers have been placed, whether a given round is a bonus round. Examples of such processes include, but are not limited to, a separate shaker of dice, specific outcomes of which can trigger a bonus, a deck of cards or other indicia from which an item is drawn to determine the current round is a bonus round, an electrical, electromechanical or mechanical device which randomly indicates when a bonus round is to be activated, for a video-based or Internet-based game, a computer program which randomly or pseudo-randomly decides when a bonus round should occur.  
         [0071]     Bonus rounds can also be triggered using some of the standard game outcomes. For example, in a five dice game, a four of a kind or better can trigger a bonus round. A bonus round might also be triggered based upon certain colors, or certain combinations or patterns of colors, etc. For example, a game might normally feature only white dice but one or more of the dice might be a bonus color. A bonus can occur whenever such a colored die occurs in an outcome. Alternatively, a different kind of game can require that the player needs to obtain a winning outcome using the colored die in order to trigger a bonus. A similar example is a dice game whereby the appearance of a certain colored die can increase the size of any standard award that occurs in that outcome. A different kind of game can trigger a bonus round when all of the dice are of the same color. Yet another example might be when a different kind of color or shape pattern occurs in an outcome. For dice using the grid innovation described above, a bonus can be offered based upon outcomes that span a number of pay lines. For example, in a 3×3 grid game, a bonus can be triggered if there is a winner on all pay lines, or if there is a certain number of matching die values across the nine die, or if there is a certain number of matching colors across the matching die, or if certain values and or colors occur within a certain pattern, such as the corners or the periphery of the grid.  
         [0072]     There are a myriad of bonus features once a bonus is triggered, including but not limited to free plays, award multipliers, secondary games, etc. One such secondary game can involve playing a game similar to Yahtzee®.  
         [0073]     Other variations, embodiments and features of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0074]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment game screen;  
         [0075]      FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment screen;  
         [0076]      FIGS. 3-10  show a sample play of the second embodiment as displayed in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0077]      FIG. 11  shows an embodiment having a grid configuration;  
         [0078]      FIG. 12  shows an alternative embodiment having a grid configuration;  
         [0079]      FIG. 13  shows the grid of  FIG. 12  having multiple paylines;  
         [0080]      FIG. 14  shows another grid configuration;  
         [0081]      FIG. 15  shows a block diagram of a possible game implementation.  
         [0082]      FIG. 16  shows a sample game screen- poker dice and color wager propositions; and  
         [0083]      FIG. 17  shows a sample game screen- poker dice totals and pairs propositions. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0084]     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive feature illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention claimed.  
         [0085]     The embodiments of the present invention are ideal for video-based and Internet-based applications. Therefore, the following description focuses on such applications. However, it should be noted that live applications are conceivable and within the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0086]     Turning to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the present invention in the form of a game which incorporates a number of the innovations mentioned above. A display  100  of a video-based gaming device or Internet-based application facilitates play of the first embodiment of the present invention. The first embodiment game offers two types of outcomes to wager on, namely poker outcomes  112  listed in poker outcome table  110  and color outcomes  122  listed color outcome table  120 . The poker outcome table  110  and color table outcome  120  also include award amounts  114 ,  124 . As shown, the “Three of a Kind” outcome  116  is highlighted indicating the poker outcome from the prior game. The color outcome table  120  comprises a column of color match numbers  122  and the corresponding award amount  124 . As shown, the two match color outcome  126  is highlighted to indicate the color outcome from the prior game. The game outcome  160  comprises dice values and dice colors of the five game dice  161 - 165 . A user interface  140  comprises a poker wager interface  141  and color wager interface  150  for viewing and modifying the poker outcome wager and the color outcome wager, respectively. The poker wager user interface  141  displays the current poker wager amount  143  and includes arrows  142 ,  144  which allow the player to increase or decrease the wager amount. Similarly, the color wager user interface  150  displays the current color wager amount  155  and includes arrows  154 ,  156  which allow the player to increase or decrease the wager amount. The selected color  151  is displayed and can be changed using color selectors  152  or  153 .  
         [0087]     A text area  170  for displaying instructions, results or marketing messages to the player and a play icon  180  are also prominent on the display  100 . A game board  130  records a history of color outcomes  122  and comprises a red column  132 , yellow column  134  and green column  136 . If a given board square is colored, then the corresponding outcome included at least a color match of two. If a given square is colored and includes a numeral therein, the numeral represents the exact number of matches. A top row  137  of the history board represents the most recent game outcome  160  as defined by the dice  161 - 165 . As shown, the top row  137  displays a red colored square with no numeral therein and a green colored square with no numeral therein indicating that the game outcome comprised two red dice and two green dice.  
         [0088]      FIG. 2  shows a similar game example as that shown in  FIG. 1  with a modified betting structure. The game is based on a fixed betting amount (e.g., $1 or £2). Thus, when the game is played, a wager is required for the poker outcome and an optional wager can be placed on any of the colors via a color wager area  280  comprising color wager control icons  282 - 286 . A color wager tracking area  290  records which, if any, colors have been wagered on.  
         [0089]      FIGS. 3 through 10  show a sample play of the game shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3  displays the initial state of the game at which time the player may select which color bets  282 - 286 , if any, to place.  FIG. 4  represents the dice in motion. In a live game, the dice may be rolled in a tumbler or with in a shaker. As shown, the dice pips or numbers are concealed to simulate the appearance of the dice being rolled. Optionally, during the roll, the first color wager area  280  and corresponding color wager icons  282 - 286  are removed as unnecessary.  FIGS. 5-7  show the revelation of each of the first three dice  261 - 263 .  FIG. 8  shows the display of the fourth die  264  and corresponding display changes. First, in response to the fourth die  264  being revealed, the conceivable poker outcomes  212  listed in poker outcome table  210  are highlighted  218 . The poker outcome table  210  is designed such that there is always at least one possible award outcome conceivable after the first four dice values have been revealed. Such revelation creates player excitement and rooting for a final specific die value. Similarly, in response to the fourth die  264  being revealed, the conceivable color outcomes  222  listed in the color outcome table  220  are also highlighted  228 . Unlike the poker outcomes  212 , there is no requirement that at least one color outcome be conceivable after the first four dice are revealed. Also, in response to the fourth die  264  being revealed, a stop button or icon  288  is displayed. The stop button  288  allows the player the option of causing the fifth die  265  to stop such that a corresponding die value is revealed. The stop button  288  may be a skill or pseudo-skill stop. Whether the stop button  288  is based on skill or pseudo-skill should not be readily discernable to the player.  
         [0090]      FIG. 9  shows the display  100  after the fifth die  265  has been revealed and the game outcome finalized. The poker outcome pay table  210  highlights the outcome  216  which matches the actual game outcome. If the actual game outcome matches a color outcome on the color outcome table  220 , the corresponding outcome  226  is also highlighted. Message area  270  displays the wager outcome.  FIG. 10  shows the display  100  at a later point when a new round of play is ready. The message area  270  now instructs the player to press the play button or icon  290  to start a next game. In  FIG. 10 , the color history board  230  has been updated to reflect the most recent color outcome  237 .  
         [0091]      FIG. 11  shows a second embodiment of the present invention comprising a grid-based game having a set of dice  1110  arranged into five rows and five columns. As shown, the configuration supports five horizontal groups of five dice each  1121 , five vertical groups of five dice each  1122  and two diagonal groups of five dice each  1123 . The circles  1131  adjacent to each pay line  1121 - 1123  are locations for the player to wager on a corresponding pay line and/or to indicate to the player how much has been wagered on a given pay line  1121 - 1123 . In the example of  FIG. 11 , any given die  1111  belongs to two or more groups of die. This arrangement facilitates a game including distinct outcomes along distinct pay lines  1121 - 1123  as part of the same game.  
         [0092]      FIG. 12  shows an alternative grid-based game having a set of dice  1210  arranged into three rows and five columns. In this example, the configuration supports three horizontal groups of five dice  1221  and any given die  1211  belongs only to one group of die.  
         [0093]      FIG. 13  is an extension of the game illustrated in  FIG. 12  showing a game including distinct pay lines than shown in  FIG. 12 . In this arrangement, some dice belong to more than one group of five dice. In this configuration, the pay lines may take many forms including non-straight pay lines. For example, pay line  4  may be defined to include die  1 , 1  die  2 , 2 , die  3 , 3 , die  2 , 4  and die  1 , 5 , but a different pay line configuration can be easily selected.  
         [0094]      FIG. 14  shows a game configuration combining both multiple groups of dice and different group sizes. The horizontal pay lines  1421  are groups of five dice while the vertical pay lines  1422  are groups of three dice.  
         [0095]      FIG. 15  shows a block diagram of one possible game implementation. After accepting bets from the player  1520  for each available group of dice the game starts  1521 . All but the final die for each group wagered upon is selected  1522  and displayed  1523  along with indications of the possible final outcomes. Then, the last die of each group is selected  1524  and displayed  1525  and the final results are indicated. Each dice group outcome is examined  1526  and if any such outcome is a winning outcome then an award is given to the player  1527  based upon the outcome and the wager. Next, the game ends  1540 .  
         [0096]      FIG. 16  is a screen shot for a video game implementation of one embodiment of the present invention featuring a poker dice proposition and a color bet proposition.  FIG. 17  is a screen shot for a video game implementation of one embodiment of the present invention featuring three propositions: a poker dice proposition, a totals range proposition and a number proposition.  
         [0097]     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims