Abstract:
An apparatus for dice table games aims to dynamically increase odds of a dice table game. The apparatus includes an electronic display panel which has at least one display zone to indicate a corresponding betting area and display dynamic raised odds. Banker can give a player a payout for his/her bet according to the dynamic raised odds. By providing the dynamic raised odds which might be greater than the payout odds of the betting area, the expected value of the dice table game is higher and players can expect extra awards from the disc table game, thus the appeal of the dice table game increases. As a result higher utilization of dice table game can be achieved and idle time can be reduced to avoid wastes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a dice table game and particularly to an apparatus to increase appeal of dice table games. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Dice table games generally are simple with easily understood rules, thus are quite popular. The games mainly include three dice each is a cube with six faces marked respectively with different numbers of dots (also called pips) to represent number from 1 to 6. The three dice are held in a dice cup, the dice cup is shaken for a short duration, then allow the three dice to rest still naturally to generate a random number to match at least one of pips combinations. The dice table game also provides a betting table for players to bet different pips combinations. Different pips combinations have different appearing probability and have different payout odds assigned to the betting table. In the event that the dice game shows a pips combination matching a player&#39;s betting pips combination, the player wins the bet and claims a payout according to the payout odds and player&#39;s betting wager. 
         [0003]    The general dice table games at present adopt some common pips combinations, such as pips ranking (3-10 pips are small, 11-18 pips are big), pips total, special combinations (such as same pips number for three dice or two dice, designated pips number), etc. Different pips combinations have official payout odds, such as appearing of three “1” pips at the same time has the probability of 1/216, the odds generally is 1 pays 190, converted to player&#39;s profit rate about 88.4%. 
         [0004]    Due to player&#39;s profit rate of betting various pips combinations usually is relatively low and constant, after a period of time the players could feel bored and not eager to participate. Hence after the novelty and excitement of the game decline, utilization of the dice table games gradually decreases and results in not satisfactory business outcome. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus to dynamically increase odds of dice table games. 
         [0006]    To achieve the foregoing object the invention provides an apparatus for dice table games that allows a banker and a player to play a dice table game. It includes three dice, a dice cup, a betting table and an electronic display panel. The dice are held in the dice cup and shaken, then are rested to still naturally to generate a random number to match at least one of pips combinations. The probability of generating the pips combinations is defined as a game probability. 
         [0007]    The betting table has a plurality of betting areas corresponding to the pips combinations for the player to place bets. Each betting area has a payout odds. The multiplication product of the game probability and payout odds is player&#39;s profit rate. The payout odds has a given value and is controlled so that the player&#39;s profit rate is no greater than 100%. 
         [0008]    The electronic display panel displays at least one display zone corresponding to the betting areas. The display zone displays a dynamic raised odds to give the banker priority to choose the higher one between the payout odds and dynamic raised odds as the payout for the player&#39;s bet. The dynamic raised odds is any one selected from a plurality of raised odds. The actual values and number of the raised odds can be randomly reset and given anew at the beginning of the dice table game. I.e., at the start of each game the actual values and number of the raised odds can be changed to meet use requirements. 
         [0009]    Moreover, each of the raised odds has its appearing probability. The sum of multiplication products of all the raised odds and the corresponding appearing probability is an accumulated average odds. The multiplication product of the accumulated average odds and the game probability is a player&#39;s raised profit rate. All the raised odds and the corresponding appearing probability thereof can be controlled and adjusted to make the player&#39;s raised profit rate approximating a given targeted value. 
         [0010]    Thus, through the apparatus of the invention the payout odds of the pips combinations can be substituted by the dynamic raised odds, i.e., the player who wins the bet can get the payout based on the dynamic raised odds with an increased player&#39;s profit rate. In addition, the dynamic raised odds are appeared and changed frequently, thus offer more appeal and excitements for the player to place bets. Therefore utilization of the dice table game can be enhanced to maximize business benefits. By controlling the player&#39;s raised profit rate within an acceptable range, desired business benefits can be maintained while utilization of the dice table increases. 
         [0011]    The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying embodiments and drawings. The embodiments serve merely for illustrative purpose and are not the limitations of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a real table of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a betting table on a real table of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of an electronic display panel of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an embodiment of an electronic table of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a betting table of an electronic table of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an electronic betting table on a real table according to the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a real table with changed electronic betting multiple rates according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Please refer to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  for an embodiment with a dice table game using three dice as an example for discussion. 
         [0020]    The present invention aims to provide an apparatus for a banker  10  and a player (not shown in the drawings) to play a dice table game. In this embodiment the apparatus includes three dice  20 , a dice cup  25 , a betting table  30  and an electronic display panel  40 . The three dice  20  are held in the dice cup  25  and shaken, then are rested to still naturally to generate a random number to match at least one of pips combinations. The probability of generating the pips combinations is defined as a game probability. 
         [0021]    The betting table  30  can be formed by at least two types.  FIG. 1  shows one type in which the betting table  30  is a real table with a plurality of betting areas  31  to indicate the pips combinations. The betting areas  31  are printed and labeled on the surface of the table.  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate another type with the betting table  30 A being an electronic table containing an electronic screen  32  to display the betting areas  31 . The electronic screen  32  can be a touch screen. 
         [0022]    The betting areas  31  allow the player to place a bet that have respectively a payout odds. The multiplication product of the game probability and payout odds is player&#39;s profit rate. The payout odds is a given value and controlled so that the player&#39;s profit rate is no greater than 100%. Depending on differences of game rules, the payout odds can be divided into returning player&#39;s bet and no-return of player&#39;s bet. The aforesaid calculation of player&#39;s profit rate includes returning player&#39;s bet in the payout odds, namely, the payout odds is equal to the multiple taken by the player upon winning the bet. If the payout odds does not include returning player&#39;s bet, the player&#39;s profit rate is modified to become the multiplication product of the sum of the payout odds and double of the bet (i.e. player&#39;s actual taking multiple upon winning the bet) with the game probability. 
         [0023]    When the betting table  30  is a real table, the electronic display panel  40  can be mounted upright at one side of the betting table  30  (referring to  FIG. 1 ). When the betting table  30 A is an electronic one, the electronic display panel  40 A can be incorporated in the electronic screen  32  of the betting table  30 A (referring to  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0024]    The electronic panel  40  includes at least one display zone  41  corresponding to the betting areas  31 . The display zone  41  displays a dynamic raised odds  411  to give the banker priority to choose a higher one between the payout odds and dynamic raised odds  411  as the payout for player&#39;s bet. The dynamic raised odds  411  is any one selected from multiple raised odds. The values and number of the raised odds are set by the banker. Each of the raised odds has an appearing probability. The accumulation sum of the multiplication products of the raised odds and their corresponding appearing probability is defined as an accumulated average odds. The multiplication product of the accumulated average odds and game probability is a player&#39;s raised profit rate. The raised odds and their corresponding appearing probability can be controlled and adjusted to make the player&#39;s raised profit rate approximating a set target value. 
         [0025]    Similarly, if the dynamic raised odds  411  does not include returning the player&#39;s bet, the player&#39;s raised profit rate is modified to become the multiplication product of the accumulated average odds plus double of the bet (i.e. actual multiple taken by the player upon winning the bet) and game probability. 
         [0026]    Take a pips combination of appearing three “1” at the same time as an example; the appearing probability is 1/216, the payout odds generally is 1 pays 190, converted to the player&#39;s profit rate about 88.4% (not including returning player&#39;s bet), and the set target value is 95% (i.e. house&#39;s benefit is 5%, determined by the house). The number of raised odds (not including returning player&#39;s bet) selectable for the dynamic raised odds  411  is 4, at values of 1 pays 190, 1 pays 230, 1 pays 260 and 1 pays 300; and their corresponding appearing probability, after being processed and adjusted, are 80%, 7%, 7% and 6%; namely, the appearing probability of the raised odds is 80% for 1 pays 190, 7% for 1 pays 230, 7% for 1 pays 260, and 6% for 1 pays 300. Incorporated the aforesaid values, the player&#39;s raised profit rate is calculated as follow: 
         [0000]      (1+190*80%+230*7%+260*7%+300*6%)*1/216=95.04% 
         [0027]    The player&#39;s raised profit rate approximates 95%, thus can meet requirements. 
         [0028]    Other pips combinations can also adopt the aforesaid approach of generating the dynamic raised odds  411  to generate different raised odds with varying appearing probability. 
         [0029]    After the player has placed a bet on the betting areas  31  of the betting table  30 , the dynamic raised odds  411  can be generated, and according to the appearing probability of the raised odds associated with the dynamic raised odds  411 , the value of the raised odds can be determined.  FIG. 3  illustrates the values of selected raised odds according to the dynamic raised payout odds  411  of a different pips combination based on an embodiment of the invention. The values can be reset anew at the beginning of each game to generate new values. 
         [0030]    When the number of the betting areas  31  is not many the electronic display panel  40  can contain sufficient display zones  41  to mate the betting areas  31  in an one-to-one fashion. In the event that a greater number of the betting areas  31  exist (with the number of the display zones  41  smaller than that of the betting areas  31 ), a free choice is provided as required, and the display zones  41  can be dynamically selected to mate the betting areas  31 , and the raised odds with values different from the previous payout odds is selected at a higher priority. 
         [0031]    Please refer to  FIGS. 6 and 7  for another embodiment of the invention. The betting table  30 B and electronic display panel  40 B can be the combination of a real table and electronic display, with the display zones  41  on the electronic display panel  40 B formed at a number mating the betting areas  31  on the betting table  30 B. The betting table  30 B also is embedded with the display zones  41  abutting the betting areas  31 . The display zones  41  display electronically corresponding payout odds. After the raised odds of the dynamic raised odds  411  are generated, the player can clearly know the present raised odds of the dynamic raised odds  411 . When the display zones  41  display the dynamic raised odds  411 , they can be highlighted by changing the color, increasing luminosity or distinguished appearance so that the player can fully understand whether the showing contents on the display zones  41  are dynamic raised odds  411 . 
         [0032]    For example, with the pips combination total “10” and payout odds “1 pays 6”, the corresponding display zone  41  displays “1 pays 6” (referring to  FIG. 6 ). In the event that the raised odds of the dynamic raise odds  411  is “1 pays 10”, the corresponding display zone  41  should be changed to display “1 pays 10”, and is highlighted by changing the color, increasing luminosity or distinguished appearance (by increasing luminosity as shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
         [0033]    In the event that a greater number of the betting areas  31  exist, the embodiment previously discussed can overcome the problem of insufficient display zones  41  of the electronic display panel  40  to display all the betting areas  31 , hence can meet requirements in practice. 
         [0034]    As a conclusion, the invention can substitute the payout odds with the dynamic raised odds so that players can get payout according to the dynamic raised odds upon winning the bet, thus get a higher profit rate. Moreover, the dynamic raised odds appear and change frequently, hence are more appealing and offer more incentive for the players to place bets. As a result, utilization of the dice table increases. The player&#39;s profit rate can be controlled within an acceptable range so that due business benefit can be maintained intact.