GAMING OR AMUSEMENT MACHINE

Abstract: A gaming or amusement machine, such as a roulette machine, is arranged so that, in some or all plays of the machine, two random selecting means e.g. a roulette wheel (30) are operated or one random selecting means is operated twice in succession and a player is permitted to place a bet of selected value on the results to be selected by the selecting means: the machine is arranged to give a player a reward, in any said play of the machine, in the event of winning results occurring on both random selecting means or on both operations of the one random selecting means.

Description: GAMING OR AMUSEMENT MACHINE The present invention relates to a gaming or amusement machine . There are many types of gaming or amusement machine for performing a game of chance, in which the player or players place a bet on the outcome or result achieved by a random selecting device in playing the game. One such machine is the roulette machine, which comprises a roulette wheel (forming the random selecting device) and a plurality of video display screens, for use by a corresponding number of players. At the start of each game, each screen displays the usual grid or layout which is marked with the different numbers etc. on which the player may choose to bet: the video display screen is a touch-sensitive screen, allowing the player to select the stake which he wishes to make and the number or combination of numbers etc. on which he wishes to place that stake. After all players have placed their bets, the roulette wheel is automatically spun and then the roulette ball is automatically thrown (by a solenoid-actuated ejector device) to run circumferentially around the roulette wheel in the opposite direction to the direction in which the wheel is spun: the ball eventually lodges in one of the numbered pockets of the roulette wheel, the number assigned to that pocket being the winning number of the game. If any of the players has placed a winning bet, then that player is credited with the relevant win value and this win value is displayed on his video display screen. The amount or value which can be won in any game, for a given stake, is relatively limited. For example, for a roulette wheel with pockets numbered 1 to 36 plus pockets numbered 0 to 00, the maximum winning odds are 36 to 1 (occurring when the player places his stake on any single number) . The odds under which a game is played are similarly limited in many other types of gaming or amusement machines. We have now devised a gaming or amusement machine which gives the player or players the opportunity to play according to substantially increased betting odds. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a gaming or amusement machine which comprises automatic control means arranged, in some or all plays of the machine, to operate two random selecting means or to operate one random selecting means twice in succession, and permitting a player to place a bet of selected value on the results to be selected by said selecting means, the control means being arranged to give a player a reward, in any said play of the machine, in the event of winning results occurring on both random selecting means or on both operations of the one random selecting means. The machine accordingly requires winning results to be achieved on two random selecting means, which operate independently of each other, or winning results to be achieved on two successive, independent operations of a single random selecting means. It will be appreciated that the machine may allow a player to play under substantially higher betting odds, compared with a machine which gives the player a reward in response to a winning result being achieved on a single random selecting means. Preferably the machine gives the player said reward in the event of the same result being selected by both random selecting means of the machine, or by the one random selecting means on its two successive operations. Preferably the machine has a normal playing mode in which a player is able to place a bet on the result of one of the random selecting means or on the result of one operation of the one random selecting means, and a secondary playing mode in which the player bets on the combined results of both random selecting means or both operations of the one random selecting means: preferably in the secondary playing mode, the machine can be played according to substantially higher betting odds than in the normal playing mode. Preferably the machine is arranged so that the player may select whether to play the machine according to its normal playing mode, or according to its secondary playing mode. Preferably the secondary playing mode is available only on selected plays. Preferably the control means enables the secondary playing mode on a random basis. Preferably the betting odds, according to which the machine can be played (at least in its secondary playing mode) are variable: preferably these betting odds are selected on a random basis. The machine in accordance with the present invention may be in the form of a roulette machine, in which the or each random selecting means comprises a roulette wheel. This machine preferably comprises a plurality of video displays for respective players, each display being arranged for a player to select the pocket or pockets of the roulette wheel on which he wishes to place a bet. Thus, the player may place a bet on a selected pocket of a secondary roulette wheel: the different pockets are typically identified by different numbers but they may be identified by different symbols or colours. After the secondary roulette wheel has been spun and achieved a result, the main roulette wheel is spun: if the same result occurs on both roulette wheels, and if any player has placed his bet on that result, then his reward is determined in accordance with relatively high betting odds, e.g. 1000:1 or higher. The main roulette wheel may comprise a mechanical roulette wheel: alternatively, it may comprise a virtual roulette wheel generated by the control system of the machine and displayed on the visual displays provided for the respective players. Preferably the secondary roulette wheel comprises a virtual roulette wheel generated by the control system and displayed on the visual displays provided for the respective players. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 shows a display appearing on each player's video display screen during a normal game played on an embodiment of roulette machine in accordance with the present invention; and FIGURE 2 shows a display appearing on each player's video display screen during a super odds game played on the roulette machine. The embodiment of roulette machine being described comprises a main roulette wheel of mechanical type and having 38 pockets arranged one after another around its circumference: two diametrically opposite pockets are coloured green and marked with 0 to 00 respectively; the remaining pockets are alternately red and black and marked, in irregular manner, with the numbers 1 to 36. The machine further comprises an electronic control system to which the main roulette wheel is coupled: a plurality of video display screens, for a corresponding number of players, are also coupled to the electronic control system. Figure 1 shows the display which appears on each screen at the start of each game. Thus, the screen displays a conventional grid or layout 10, marked with all of the different numbers (corresponding to different pockets of the main roulette wheel) on which the player may choose to bet. The screen also displays, at 12, different values which the player may select to stake on each bet: in the example shown, the stake may consist of 1 , 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 units of value or any combination or multiples of these. The screen also displays, at 14, the value or total of units currently credited to the player: if the player makes a win on this game, the value of the win is displayed at 16; the value of the player's preceding win is displayed at 18. The display comprises a touch-sensitive screen. In order to place a bet, the player touches the screen at 12 to select the stake value, then the player touches the grid 10 at a position selected according to the number (or combination of numbers, e.g. even, odd, black or red) on which he wishes to bet. Then, the main roulette wheel is spun automatically and the roulette ball is automatically thrown. Eventually the roulette ball lodges in one of the pockets of the roulette wheel: if any player has bet on the number assigned to that pocket, then his win is displayed at 16. The above normal playing mode of the machine is the same as in a conventional automatic roulette machine. However, the machine of the present invention allows the players to play for substantially increased odds: such games are termed "super odds games" in the embodiment of machine being described. Each player may choose to play the game in accordance with the rules of the normal playing mode, as described above; however, he may choose to play the super odds game by touching the display screen at 20, in response to which the display changes to the display shown in Figure 2. The display shown in Figure 2 includes a grid 22, consisting of the numbers of the pockets (1 to 36 plus 0 to 00) of a roulette wheel. The display also includes, at 24, the different values which the player may stake in the super odds game. The player chooses the value he wishes to stake and then chooses a number on which- he wishes to bet, by touching the screen at the appropriate positions: the number selected on the grid 22 will now be highlighted. The odds under which the game is to be played is displayed at 28, in this case 2000 to 1. For the super odds game, the control system of the machine spins an auxiliary roulette wheel: this is in the form of a virtual roulette wheel and is displayed at 30 on each screen; when the ball of the virtual roulette wheel 30 comes to rest in one of the pockets of this wheel, the number assigned to that pocket (the winning number) is displayed at 26. The player then touches the screen at 31 for the screen to revert to the display for the main game, as shown in Figure 1 : the winning number from the super odds game is now displayed at 32. The machine then spins the main roulette wheel and the winning number from this spin is displayed at 34 : if this winning number is the same as the winning number of the super odds play (23 in the example shown) , and if any of the players has bet on that number in the super odds game, the value of his win will be calculated according to the higher odds of the super odds game . Instead of including a mechanical roulette wheel for the main game, the machine may generate a virtual roulette wheel which is displayed on each player's video display screen whilst it is spinning, instead of the displays shown in Figure 1 or 2. The super odds game may be available on each and every play of the main game: alternatively, the super odds game may be available on selected plays only, which may be determined by the control system of the machine on a random basis. The playing odds of the super odds game may be determined by the control system on a random basis. Although the above description relates to a gaming or amusement machine in the form of a roulette machine, the invention is applicable to machines of other types, for example dice machines in which one or more players place bets on the throw of a dice: in accordance with the present invention, such a machine would be arranged to throw two dice independently, the player being given an award in accordance with relatively high betting odds in the event that both dice give the result bet upon; typically the dice are virtual dice generated by the control system of the machine.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) A gaming or amusement machine which comprises automatic control means arranged, in some or all plays of the machine, to operate two random selecting means or to operate one random selecting means twice in succession, and permitting a player to place a bet of selected value on the results to be selected by said selecting means, the control means being arranged to give a player a reward, in any said play of the machine, in the event of winning results occurring on both random selecting means or on both operations of the one random selecting means. 2) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said control means is arranged to give the player said reward in the event of the same result being selected by both random selecting means or on both operations of the one random selecting means. 3) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, which has a normal playing mode in which a player is able to place a bet on the result of one random selecting means or on the result of one operation of the one random selecting means, and a secondary playing mode in which the player is able to place a bet on the combined results of both random selecting means or both operations of the one random selecting means, the machine being played according to substantially higher betting odds in the secondary playing mode than in the normal playing mode . 4) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in claim 3, arranged so that a player may select whether to play the machine according to said normal playing mode or according to said secondary playing mode. 5) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which said secondary playing mode is available only on selected plays of the machine. 6) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in claim 5, in which said control means enables said secondary playing mode on a random basis. 7) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the betting odds under which the machine is played, for obtaining said reward, are variable. 8) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in claim 7, in which said control means selects said variable betting odds on a random basis. 9) A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in any preceding claim, in the form of a roulette machine in which the or each said random selecting means comprises a roulette wheel .

Inventors: LYNCH DANIEL ANTHONY, LYNCH, DANIEL, ANTHONY
Applicants: COINMASTER GAMING LTD, LYNCH DANIEL ANTHONY, COINMASTER GAMING LIMITED, LYNCH, DANIEL, ANTHONY
Application year: 1999
Main classification: G07F17
IPC codes: A63F5