Multi-player gaming machine

• US 20070066387A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Toyoda, Hirobumi, Sato, Junpei, Matsuno, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,662,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

The present invention provides a multi-player gaming machine that enables players waiting for players now playing a game to end it, to enjoy another game during waiting. The multi-player gaming machine includes a main game section providing a main game which can be played by a plurality of main players at the same time for coins or the like and in which awards based on the bet coins or the like are paid out to the main players in accordance with an outcome of the game, and a sub-game section providing a sub-game in which sub-players bet playing values on the game outcome for the main players and in which awards based on the coins obtained or the like are paid out to the sub-players in accordance with an outcome of the game. The main game section sends main game status information indicating a status of the main game to the sub-game section. The sub-game section determines a bet acceptance period of the sub-game on the basis of the main game status information.

Claims

1. A multi-player gaming machine comprising:

a first game section providing a first game which can be played upon a bet by a plurality of first game players at the same time and in which awards are paid out based on the bet amount to the first game players in accordance with an outcome of the first game; and

a second game section providing a second game in which a plurality of second game players on the game outcome of the first game players and in which awards are paid out based on the bet amount to the second game players in accordance with an outcome of the first game,

wherein the first game section sends first game status information indicating a status of the first game to the second game section, and

the second game section determines a bet acceptance period of the second game on the basis of the first game status information.

2. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the odds for determining the awards of the second game on the basis of the playing values bet vary according to the first game status information.

3. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the first game status information contains at least one of a bet acceptance end time of the second game and a period allowed before the bet acceptance is ended.

4. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the awards for the second game players are determined on the basis of the outcomes of the first game for the first game players selected by the second game players as the bet targets.

5. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the second game players'"'"' bet amounts are determined depending on the bet amount of the first game players selected by the second game players as the player'"'"'s bet targets.

6. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the first game status information contains information indicating a bet acceptance end time of the first game, and the second game section determines the bet acceptance period of the second game on the basis of the information indicating the bet acceptance end time.

7. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 6, wherein the first game status information contains at least one of a bet acceptance end time of the second game and a period allowed before the bet acceptance is ended.

8. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 6, wherein the awards for the second game players are determined on the basis of the outcomes of the first game for the first game players selected by the second game players as the bet targets.

9. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 6, wherein the second game players'"'"' bet amounts are determined depending on the bet amount of the first game players selected by the second game players as the player'"'"'s bet targets.

10. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the first game status information contains information indicating a game start time of the first game, and the second game section determines the bet acceptance period of the second game on the basis of the information indicating the bet acceptance start time.

11. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the odds for determining the awards of the second game on the basis of the playing values bet vary according to the first game status information.

12. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the first game status information contains at least one of a bet acceptance end time of the second game and a period allowed before the bet acceptance is ended.

13. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the awards for the second game players are determined on the basis of the outcomes of the first game for the first game players selected by the second game players as the bet targets.

14. The multi-player gaming machine according to claim 10, wherein the second game players'"'"' bet amounts are determined depending on the bet amount of the first game players selected by the second game players as the player'"'"'s bet targets.

15. A multi-player gaming machine comprising:

a display for showing a virtual dealer in play of an interactive card game;

a plurality of first terminals for a plurality of first game players to engage in the card game with the virtual dealer and virtual cards;

at least one second terminal for a second game player to bet on the first game players of the card game;

a processor in communication with the display, the first terminals and the second terminal, wherein the processor is operable to;

(a) execute the card game upon a bet made by the first game players;

(b) set a bet acceptance period of the second game based on the first game information;

(c) execute the second game upon a bet made by the second game player based on the bet acceptance period;

(d) determine the outcome of the card game; and

(e) award to the first game players and the second game player in accordance with the card game outcome and bet amount of each player.

16. A method for executing a multi-player game including a first game which can be played upon a bet by a plurality of first game players at the same time, and a second game in which a plurality of second game players bet on the game outcome of the first game players, comprising the steps of:

providing first game status information indicating a status of the first game;

determining a bet acceptance period of the second game on the basis of the first game status information.

paying out awards based on the bet amount to the first game players in accordance with the game outcome of the first game; and

paying out awards based on the bet amount to the second game players in accordance with the game outcome of the first game.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the odds for determining the awards of the second game on the basis of the playing values bet vary according to the first game status information.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first game status information contains at least one of a bet acceptance end time of the second game and a period allowed before the bet acceptance is ended.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the awards for the second game players are determined on the basis of the outcomes of the first game for the first game players selected by the second game players as the bet targets.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second game players'"'"' bet amounts are determined depending on the bet amount of the first game players selected by the second game players as the player'"'"'s bet targets.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first game status information contains information indicating a bet acceptance end time of the first game, and the second game section determines the bet acceptance period of the second game on the basis of the information indicating the bet acceptance end time.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first game status information contains information indicating a game start time of the first game, and the second game section determines the bet acceptance period of the second game on the basis of the information indicating the bet acceptance start time.