Patent Publication Number: US-2011059785-A1

Title: Multi-play, multi-percentage payout casino game apparatus and method

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is related to and incorporates by reference in its entirety and claims priority to co-pending patent application entitled “Player Elective Combination Card Game Method and Apparatus” by inventor Joseph F. Scalisi that is filed herewith. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to the field of casino games and assemblies, and specifically in one exemplary aspect a roulette wheel game apparatus that improves consumer enjoyment, increases level of player excitement, stimulates player brain activity, and increases player payout possibilities. 
     2. Description of Related Technology 
     Roulette equipment and assemblies are well known in the art. Such assemblies are utilized to provide fun and excitement to players. Roulette is a strategic game that involves both player luck and probability of winning. 
     Representative state of the art roulette casino gaming systems are summarized by the following issued patents (which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety): 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,440 that discloses a multiple ball roulette wheel including a single roulette wheel that has multiple tracks, thereby permitting two or more balls to be propelled into the wheel simultaneously; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,409 that discloses a method for playing a roulette-type game includes the initial step of providing a playing field for betting on the conclusions of a plurality of gaming trials, prior to initiating the plurality of trials; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,909 that discloses a roulette game table comprising a playing table; a rotatably mounted wheel having a plurality of ball receiving sector compartments; event registration means for registering the sector compartments in which a ball might come to rest; and a computer to record bets based on multiple sequential events; including at least one monitor for displaying said bets and the occurrences of said events; and 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,255 that discloses an electronic roulette game having at least two roulette wheels having multiple numbers for providing an outcome consisting of one or more winning numbers. 
     Recent representative roulette casino type games are summarized by the following pending patent applications (which are incorporated herein in their entirety): 
     US Patent Publication No. 20080111307 that discloses a Mahjong wagering games in which a player or players place a wager on which mahjong tile will be selected, the mahjong tile being selected with a mahjong roulette style wheel or by being revealed after selection from a boneyard; and 
     US Patent Publication No. 20080076529 that discloses a wagering monitoring system configured to detect player wagers at a roulette table is disclosed. In this system, a table having antennas associated with the various wagering areas is provided for player. A reader connects to the antenna to thereby communicate via the antenna with token equipped with identification element. By monitoring wagers, game play is monitored and processing may occur to track each player wager and the amount wagered by a player. To facilitate play at a roulette table, the identification element associated with the token includes a token color identification code which identifies the color of the token. The token color identification code is associated with a player which in turn provides means to associate each wager and a total amount wagered with a player. 
     Other representative roulette type casino gaming patent applications (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) include US Patent Publication No. 20070298873 that discloses systems and methods using multiple gaming tables, tracking devices and a bonus server adapted to provide progressive bonuses are provided. The bonus server provides eligibility to a singular progressive table game bonus simultaneously to multiple table game players at multiple gaming tables of multiple gaming table types. 
     Still another representative roulette type casino gaming patent applications (which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) include US Patent Publication No. 20060237905 that discloses a standard underlying multi-outcome/multi-bet game. In this game, a bonus mechanism can reward the player relative to their underlying game bets. Such a bonus may be triggered by an underlying game outcome (which may or may not be an outcome which a bet can be placed) or by an event independent of the underlying game. A bonus reward can be the playing of one or more plays of the underlying game, optionally with different play rules and/or pay schedules. 
     Thus, what is needed are apparatus and methods for roulette casino game that provide increase payout options and increased strategy of players and excitement as well as provide additional advantages over currently available roulette casino gaming systems. Some advantages could be increase player&#39;s awareness of alternative gaming systems and allow a player to customize their playing style and betting options in response to a new twist on roulette casino games. Furthermore, other advantages include casino owners or operators being able to retrofit an existing roulette casino game and adjust table/betting areas easily (on a periodic, regular, or semi-regular timing schedule) and provide additional gaming options for participants without requiring complicated set-up or equipment options or large change in gaming rules or to build on existing roulette gaming rules and regulations. 
     Furthermore, a player may desire to play first type of roulette casino game in the morning (e.g., before noon), a second type of roulette game in the afternoon (e.g., happy hour), and a third type of roulette game in the evening (e.g., after seeing a Broadway show or event) that requires minimal assembly or disassembly “on the fly” and adjustability to a player desired gaming configuration so that assembly/removal time for the game is minimized. 
     Thus, what is needed are improved roulette type apparatus and methodology that permits easy initial configuring and reconfiguring, i.e., provide adaptability, and upgrade capability so that the same unit be utilized (or added-on to) if new functionality is desired. Furthermore, such improved apparatus and methods would also ideally allow a person other than a professional or licensed personal to adjust or retrofit the roulette type game, instruct players on the rules and regulations, provide a variety of gaming options and payout options, encourage player game interaction and involvement, stimulate player brain activity during game, and correct errors and consistently provide guidance and player instructions. Finally such improved apparatus and methodology should permit creation of casino-customized roulette type gaming configurations and customized fit and appearance of the casino game as well as new patterns requiring minimal efforts, e.g., minimal adjustment or removal and replacement or adaptation of existing components than conventional roulette type games. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a first aspect of the invention, a multi-play, multi-percentage payout casino game is disclosed. When thrown onto a spinning roulette wheel, more than one ball (gaming pieces), for instance, a first ball and a second ball are received within one or more ball receiving areas. In one variant, one or more ball receiving areas include a first receiving sector and a second receiving sector. A gaming area (e.g., table, matt, designated multi-color cloth, or the like) including a plurality of betting areas accepting one or more tokens indicative of a first wager and a second wager placed on one or more of the balls received by the one or more of ball receiving areas. A roulette wheel rotably disposed includes the one or more ball receiving areas. 
     In one embodiment, the first ball includes one or more distinguishable physical properties from that of the second ball. In one variant, the one or more distinguishable physical properties indicate(s) a first payout percentage of a first wager payout upon the first ball received by first receiving sector and a second payout percentage of a second wager payout upon the second ball received by the first receiving sector. In yet another variant, value of the first payout percentage is different than that of the second payout percentage. In one embodiment, the first wager payout includes odds of a winning payout achieved when one of the one or more balls received a first value in the betting area identified by the one or more tokens. In yet another embodiment, wherein the second wager payout comprises odds of a winning payout achieved when one of the balls received a second value in the betting area identified by the one or more tokens 
     In a second aspect of the invention, a methodology is disclosed for multi-ball, multi-chance gaming method to have an increased probability of winning while playing at a roulette wheel. In one embodiment, a player places a bet comprising one or more tokens (wagering tokens or antes) on a board for each of at least two gaming pieces. Each of the at least two gaming pieces includes a payout distinctive from one another. In one variant, the at least two gaming pieces, in one example, includes a distinctive physical property that that of another, are thrown onto a spinning roulette wheel. During play, the at least two gaming pieces are accepted by receiving slots of the roulette wheel. 
     In yet another variant, each of the at least two gaming pieces are assigned a payout scheme distinctive than that of another and associated with the distinctive physical property. Composite payouts are received on a per player basis for each of the at least two gaming pieces accepted by the receiving slots. In one alternative of the present embodiment, a multiplicative factor associated with physical properties of one or more tokens are included a first payout scheme or second payout scheme indicative and responsive to physical properties of a winning gaming piece. The first payout scheme includes a first percentage payout of an odds payout scheme that is independent of the second payout scheme. 
     In one embodiment, the distinctive physical property includes at least one of the at least two gaming pieces having a distinctive diameter that that of another gaming piece of the at least two gaming pieces. In yet another embodiment, the distinctive physical property comprises at least one of the at least two gaming pieces having a distinctive outer color or outer color scheme than that of another gaming piece of the at least two gaming pieces. 
     In yet another embodiment, the distinctive outer color or outer color scheme includes a relative payout percentage of an odds payout scheme associated with one or more tokens (wager) placed on a gaming area. 
     In yet another embodiment, the one or more tokens on the board comprise a size, shape, or color representative of a player percentage received of the first payout scheme or the second payout scheme of at least one of the two gaming pieces received in at least one of the receiving areas or sectors. 
     These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view illustrating a multi-play, multi-percentage roulette casino game having a multitude of distinctive characteristic gaming pieces to provide a player a variety of ways to achieve a successful payout in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a table illustrating betting odds and percentage of payout upon a win for gaming pieces that have one or more distinguishable physical properties relative to token(s) or wager(s) played in accordance with embodiment of  FIG. 1  of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view illustrating a multi-play, multi-percentage roulette casino system having a multitude of distinctive characteristic gaming pieces to provide a player a variety of ways to achieve a successful payout in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a table illustrating betting odds and percentage of payout upon a win for gaming pieces relative to type or quantity of tokens, ball color scheme, and/or gaming piece dimensionality or shape played in accordance with embodiment in  FIG. 3  of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary methodology to play the multi-play, multi-percentage casino in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     Overview 
     In one salient aspect, the present invention discloses apparatus and methods for, inter alia, configuring and utilizing a multi-payout roulette type casino game as well as provide custom capabilities, in one variant, to produce various configurations to conform to, for instance, various alternative roulette type casino games that may be customized for a particular event or setting. In particular, the present invention discloses an apparatus and process to provide a multi-payout, casino game to provide player and/or casino owner or operator flexibility to adjust or tune level of roulette play on given basis or a given event, e.g., roulette type casino game easily adjusted to match a casino owner&#39;s desires to achieve increased functionality and provide improved accuracy and adjustability properties thereof. 
     Accordingly, the apparatus and methodology advantageously allows multiple configuration styles and supports many different system configurations through its ability to provide a significant flexibility of adjustment to create new “customized” roulette, e.g., using, for instance, various token, gaming pieces, ball arrangements to provide variety and player and casino owner flexibility in customization. 
     Exemplary Extension Apparatus 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4  include exemplary embodiments of a multi-play roulette casino apparatus of the invention are described in detail. It will be appreciated that while described primarily in the context of multi-play roulette casino apparatus, at least portions of the apparatus and methods described herein may be used in other applications, such as for example and without limitation applications including rehabilitation and assisted living settings or environments to increase and maintain higher brain functionality and skills and customize “tailor” a type of and capability of a roulette game configuration in a commercial or hospital environment in accordance with physical attributes of a prospective player, the environment that the new roulette game configuration utilized in, proposed methodology of playing and functionality and interchangeability of various size and shape and associated odds multiplier value for wagers or tokens, roulette playing ball sizes, color, and shapes, rehabilitating senior citizens or brain trauma victims who have physical limitations, physical ailments, and/or those recovering from recent surgery or other sports injury, and the like. 
     Moreover, it will be recognized that the present invention may find utility beyond purely roulette type gaming concerns. For example, the principles of the crazy roulette wheel game “multi-payout roulette wheel game” described subsequently may be conceivably modified to be useful in customizing physical properties and dimensionality of other entertainment or casino games that would like to include additional functionality and betting arenas to maximize casino dollar return when player desires additional game stimulation and player may select, monitor, and strategize an increased payout as compared to payouts in accordance with conventional gaming rules, and the like. A myriad other functions will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art given the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , multi-play, multi-percentage payout casino game  100  is disclosed. Game  100  includes one or more balls (gaming pieces), e.g., first ball  102  and second ball  104 ; roulette wheel  106 ; and gaming area  108 . In one embodiment, roulette wheel  106  includes first receiving sector  132  and second receiving sector  134 . Continuing with this same embodiment, gaming area  108  includes a plurality of betting areas to accept one or more tokens, e.g., tokens  120 ,  122 ,  124 - 128 , indicative of first wager and/or second wager. In one embodiment, first wager including tokens  125 ,  127  are played on betting area “ 19 ” so that after the roulette wheel  106  is spun, first ball  102  or second ball  104  landing in receiving sector  132 , will result in a win, e.g., a reduced payout or a full payout in accordance with betting sheet, e.g., Crazy Roulette Betting Sheet #  1  in  FIG. 2 . 
     In a second embodiment, second wager including tokens  120 ,  122  are placed on betting area “ 3 ” so either first ball  102  or second ball  104  landing in receiving sector  134  will result in a win, e.g., a reduced payout or a full payout in accordance with betting sheet, e.g., Crazy Roulette Betting Sheet # 1  in  FIG. 2 . Advantageously as compared to conventional roulette table betting of win or lose, principles of the present invention provide for multi-point player winning situations at either a reduce payout or full payout (e.g., see  FIG. 2 ). In other embodiments, first ball  102  or second ball  104  landing in sector  130  or  136  will also result in a win in accordance with betting sheet and payout odds in accordance with  FIG. 2 . 
     In one variant, first ball  102  includes one or more distinguishable physical properties from that of second ball  104 . In one variant, one or more distinguishable physical properties indicates first payout percentage of first wager payout won upon first ball  102  received by second receiving sector  134 . In another variant, second payout percentage of second wager payout  148  won upon second ball  104  received by first receiving sector  132 . In another variant, value of first payout percentage is different than that of second payout percentage, e.g., see  FIG. 2  for payouts based on physical properties. 
     In one embodiment, first wager payout comprises odds of winning payout achieved when one or more balls, e.g., first ball  102  and second ball  104 , received first value in gaming area  108  (which includes betting area) identified and marked by one or more tokens  120 ,  122 ,  124 - 128 . In one variant, second wager payout  144  comprises odds of winning payout achieved when one or more balls, e.g., first ball  102  and second ball  104 , received second value in gaming area  108  (which includes betting area) identified and marked by the one or more tokens  120 ,  122 ,  124 - 128 . 
     In yet another embodiment, one or more distinguishable physical properties includes one or more balls, e.g., first ball  102  and/or second ball  104 , having first outer diameter  156  and one or more of balls, e.g., first ball  102  and/or second ball  104 , having second outer diameter  158 . In one variant of this embodiment, first outer diameter  156  includes value larger than that of second outer diameter  158 . In yet another variant of this embodiment, one or more balls, e.g., first ball  102  and/or second ball  104 , has first outer diameter  156  having higher payout percentage of total winnings of one or more ball receiving areas or sectors, e.g., than those having second outer diameter  158 . 
     In one embodiment, one or more of balls, e.g., first ball  102  and second ball  104  having first outer diameter  156  has reduced payout percentage of total winnings than that of second outer diameter  158 . In one variant, one or more distinguishable physical property includes one or more of balls having distinctive color scheme or identification color code than that of another ball. In another variant, distinctive color scheme or identification color code may include a weighting scheme of lower payout percentage of total winnings for a smaller outer diameter ball than that of larger outer diameter. 
     In one embodiment, first ball  102  includes smaller outer diameter than that of second ball  104 . In one variant, first ball  102  includes distinctive color scheme than that of second ball  104 . In yet another variant, first ball  102  received in first receiving sector having larger payout percentage of total winnings of first receiving sector  132  than second ball  104  received in first receiving sector  132 . In yet another embodiment, first ball  102  received in second receiving sector  134  has smaller payout percentage of total winnings than second ball  104  received in second receiving sector  134 . In one variant, one or more tokens  120 - 128  includes a size, shape, or color representative of player percentage received of total winnings of odds payout scheme of chosen of one or more receiving sectors or areas, e.g., receiving sectors  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  136 , by one or more tokens  120 ,  122 ,  124 - 128 . 
     In variant, one or more ball receiving areas or sectors, e.g., receiving sectors  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  136 , may include first width slot (e.g., width of receiving sector  132  that limits diameter of ball that can be received or alternatively and in addition to total number of balls that can be received thereby) and second width slot (e.g., width of receiving sector  134  that limits diameter of ball capable of being received or alternatively and in addition to total number of balls that can be received). In another variant, width of first width slot may correspond to first outer diameter  156  and width of second width slot may correspond to second outer diameter  158 . In one variant, first width slot and second width slot may correspond respectively to first payout percentage and second payout percentage upon achieving successful player outcome (e.g., win). In one embodiment, first payout percentage includes value that is less than that of second payout percentage. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , multi-play, multi-payout, roulette gaming system  200  includes a roulette wheel  202  rotably disposed. In one variant, roulette wheel rotably being disposed on table  204 . In one embodiment, roulette wheel  202  includes gaming piece receiving areas  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212 . Gaming pieces  220 ,  222  include one or more distinguishable physical property indicative of multiplier payout percentage of odds payout scheme (see.  FIG. 4 ). 
     In gaming area  204 , betting areas associated with odds payout scheme (see  FIG. 4 ) are depicted for gaming pieces  220 ,  222  being received in receiving areas or sectors, e.g., sectors  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212 . Tokens  240 ,  242 ,  244 ,  246 ,  248 ,  249 , and  250  designative of wager or ante on one or more of gaming pieces  220 ,  220  received by one of gaming piece receiving areas, e.g., areas or sectors  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212 . 
     In one embodiment, one or more distinguishable physical property of gaming pieces, e.g., gaming pieces  220 ,  222 , may have distinctive diameters or sizes. For instance, outer diameter  254  of gaming piece  222  may different than outer diameter  255  of gaming piece  220 . In one exemplary embodiment, first outer diameter  254  includes value larger than second outer diameter  255 . In yet another exemplary embodiment, first outer diameter  254  includes value smaller than second outer diameter  255 . In yet another embodiment, one or more gaming pieces  220 ,  222  include(s) first outer diameter having higher payout percentage of total winnings associated with receiving sectors or areas, e.g., receiving areas  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212 , than those including second outer diameter  255  in one or more receiving sectors or areas, e.g., receiving areas  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212 . 
     In one embodiment, one or more of gaming pieces  220 ,  222  may include a multiplier percentage payout (in accordance with  FIG. 4 ) larger than that of another gaming piece. In yet another embodiment, first outer diameter  254  has multiplier percentage payout  264  larger of total winnings than that of second outer diameter  255 . In one variant, one or more distinguishable physical property includes one or more of gaming pieces  220 ,  222  includes distinctive color scheme or identification color code than that of another gaming piece. In one variant, distinctive color scheme or identification color code includes weighting scheme associated with lower payout percentage of odds payout scheme than that of another color scheme or identification code. 
     In another embodiment, one or more of gaming pieces  220 ,  222  includes smaller outer diameter than that of another gaming piece of one or more of gaming pieces  220 ,  222 . In one embodiment, one or more gaming pieces  220 ,  220  includes distinctive color scheme than that of another gaming piece. In yet another embodiment, first gaming piece  220  received in, for instance, first receiving sector  206  of receiving areas  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212  may have a larger payout multiplier of odds payout scheme than second gaming piece  222  received in first receiving sector  206  of one or more of receiving areas, e.g., receiving areas  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212 . In one embodiment, first gaming piece  220  received in second sector  208  has smaller payout multiplier of odds payout scheme than second gaming piece  222  received in second receiving sector  208  of, for example, receiving areas or sectors  206 ,  208 ,  210 ,  212 . In one variant, tokens designated as a wager or ante include a size, shape, or color representative of player percentage received of total winnings of one or more of the one or more of gaming pieces received in one or more of multitude of gaming piece receiving areas. 
     In one embodiment, multitude of ball receiving areas may have first width slot (e.g., width of slot or area that limits receiving of a certain number and/or size of gaming piece(s) (e.g., gaming pieces  220 ,  222 ) by receiving area or sector  206 ) and second width slot (e.g., width of slot or area that limits receiving of certain number and/or size of gaming piece(s) (gaming pieces  220 ,  220 ) by receiving area or sector  208 ). In one embodiment, first width slot corresponds to first outer diameter and second slot width corresponds to second outer diameter. In one embodiment, first width slot and second width slot corresponds respectively to first payout percentage and second payout percentage of achieving successful player outcome. In yet another embodiment, first payout percentage includes value less than that of second payout percentage. 
     Advantageously as compared to conventional roulette games, the present invention including multiple payout balls and multiple payout schemes improves payout scheme and player satisfaction to achieve increased player winning opportunity and visual and mental stimulation by having player conceive and plan out multiple, different graduated payout schemes of conventional roulette payout odds. Furthermore, customization of the present invention includes physical dimensions of tokens, game pieces, or balls may be adjusted to tune to a desired player level of play as well as the odds table adjusted accordingly to achieve a desired probability or payout to match a particular event, setting, time of the day, or ability level of one or more players. Thus, a variety of playing options equates to increased interest, brain activity for changing odds involving distinctive physical changes to game tokens, game pieces, odds table, multiplier payouts, and increased excitement and enjoyment both for casino operator and one or more players. 
     Exemplary Method(s) 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an exemplary method  500  is disclosed herein to play a multi-ball, multi-chance gaming system to have an increased probability of winning while playing at a roulette wheel. While described primarily in the context of the exemplary embodiments of game  100  and system  200  shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , it will be appreciated that the methodology presented herein may be readily adapted to many different configurations of  100  and  200  as recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     In step  502 , bet is placed of one or more tokens on board for each of two or more gaming pieces. In one variant, each of two or more gaming pieces provides payout distinctive from one another. 
     In step  504 , roulette wheel is spun and two or more gaming pieces are thrown onto roulette wheel. In one variant of step  504 , two or more gaming pieces includes distinctive physical property than that of another gaming piece. 
     In step  506 , a receiving slot of roulette wheel accepts each of two or more gaming pieces and each of two or more gaming pieces are assigned payout scheme distinctive than that of another and associated with distinctive physical property thereof. In one variant of step  506 , distinctive physical property includes two or more gaming pieces having distinctive diameter that that of another gaming piece of the at least two gaming pieces. In one variant of step  506 , distinctive physical property includes two or more gaming pieces having distinctive outer color or outer color scheme than that of another gaming piece of the at least two gaming pieces. In yet another variant of step  506 , distinctive outer color or outer color scheme includes relative payout percentage of odds payout scheme associated with wager placed on gaming area. 
     In step  508 , composite payouts are received on a per player basis for each of two or more gaming pieces accepted by receiving slots. In one variant of step  508 , a multiplicative factor is associated with physical properties of waging token. In one alternative variant of step  508 , multiplicative factor includes payout scheme indicative and responsive to physical properties of a winning gaming piece. In yet another alternative of step  508 , first payout scheme includes first percentage payout of odds payout scheme that is independent of second payout scheme. In yet another alternative of step  508 , one or more tokens comprise a size, shape, or color representative of player percentage received of a first payout scheme or second payout scheme of two or more gaming pieces received in one or more of the two of gaming piece receiving areas. 
     It will be appreciated that while certain aspects of the invention have been described in terms of a specific sequence of steps of a method, these descriptions are only illustrative of the broader methods of the invention, and may be modified as required by the particular application. Certain steps may be rendered unnecessary or optional under certain circumstances. Additionally, certain steps or functionality may be added to the disclosed embodiments, or the order of performance of two or more steps permuted. All such variations are considered to be encompassed within the invention disclosed and claimed herein. 
     While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. The foregoing description is of the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. This description is in no way meant to be limiting, but rather should be taken as illustrative of the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.