Table bingo game method

• US 5,823,534 A
• Filed: 05/10/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jester Games International, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jester Games International, LLC
• Inventors: Banyai, Frank B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, William M.
• Application Number:
  US08/644,238
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 273/269, 273/274
• US Class Current: 273/269
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00485 Edges or other provisions for toppling or rolling a playing piece
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/062 Bingo games, e.g. Bingo card games

Abstract

A bingo game for being played by a plurality of players employing a table having respective player stations thereabout. The game permits each player to select each of his or her numbers to be matched during play by randomly drawn numbers, including a wild designation which each player may deem to match one of his or her selected numbers, and the game is permitted to progress at multiple levels of play notwithstanding the occurrence of prior bingos in the game being played.

Claims

1. A method of playing a bingo game by a plurality of players employing a table having respective player stations thereabout, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing at each of the player stations a first plurality of tiles respectively bearing different numbers;

(b) providing a random number generator for drawing numbers similar to the numbers on said first pluralities of tiles;

(c) each player selecting a second plurality of tiles from the first plurality at his or her station and placing said tiles of said second plurality on the table;

(d) each player buying into a first level of play by placing a first buy-in payment on the table, and each player at his or her option may buy into a second level of play by placing a second buy-in payment on the table;

(e) using said random number generator to draw numbers until all numbers on one of said second pluralities of tiles selected by one of the players are matched by the drawn numbers, whereupon said one player is a winner and collects all of said first buy-in payments on the table, and further collects all of said second buy-in payments on the table provided said winner had bought into said second level of play; and

(f) if said winner had not bought into said second level of play, continuing the game only with the players who had bought into said second level of play by resuming the drawing of numbers until all numbers on one of said second pluralities of tiles selected by one of the continuing players are matched by the drawn numbers, whereupon said one continuing player is a winner and collects all of said second buy-in payments on the table.

2. The method of playing the game according to claim 1, wherein:

during step (a), the provided tiles of each of said first pluralities are twenty-nine in quantity and bear the numbers 1 through 29 respectively.

3. The method of playing the game according to claim 2, wherein:

during step (c), the selected tiles of each of said second pluralities are three in quantity.

4. The method of playing the game according to claim 1, wherein:

during step (d), each player who had bought into said second level of play at his or her option may buy into a third level of play by placing a third buy-in payment on the table;

during step (e), said winner further collects all of said third buy-in payments on the table provided said winner had bought into said second and third levels of play; and

during step (f), said winner of said second buy-in payments further collects all of said third buy-in payments on the table provided said winner of said second buy-in payments had bought into said third level of play.

5. The method of playing the game according to claim 4, further including the step of:

(g) if said winner of said second buy-in payments had not bought into said third level of play, continuing the game only with the players remaining who had bought into said third level of play by resuming the random drawing of numbers until all numbers on one of said second pluralities of tiles selected by one of the remaining players are matched by the drawn numbers, whereupon said one remaining player is a winner and collects all of said third buy-in payments on the table.

6. The method of playing the game according to claim 4, wherein:

the game is operated by a game operator; and

during step (d), each player places on the table a first fee along with his or her first buy-in payment, a second fee along with his or her second buy-in payment, and a third fee along with his or her third buy-in payment, all of said fees for collection by the game operator.

7. The method of playing the game according to claim 4, wherein:

during step (b), said provided random number generator is a ball blower including balls equal in quantity to said first plurality of tiles and respectively bearing said numbers and further including an additional unnumbered ball; and

during steps (e), (f) and (g), said unnumbered ball when drawn may be deemed by each player to match one number on his or her second plurality of selected tiles.

8. The method of playing the game according to claim 1, wherein;

during step (b), said provided random number generator includes a wild designation for being drawn; and

during steps (e) and (f), said wild designation when drawn may be deemed by each player to match one number on his or her second plurality of selected tiles.

9. The method of playing the game according to claim 1, wherein:

during step (d), each player at his or her option may buy into a jackpot with a jackpot buy-in payment; and

during step (e), a player whose numbers on his or her selected tiles are matched by each of the first numbers successively drawn is a winner of said jackpot.

10. The method of playing the game according to claim 1, wherein:

during step (c), each player arranging his or her second plurality of tiles in a selected order;

during step (d), each player at his or her option may buy into a jackpot with a jackpot buy-in payment; and

during step (e), a player whose numbers on his or her selected tiles are matched in said selected order by each of the first numbers successively drawn is a winner of said jackpot.

11. The method of playing the game according to claim 1, wherein:

the game is operated by a game operator; and

during step (d), each player places on the table a fee along with his or her first buy-in payment, and another fee along with his or her second buy-in payment, all of said fees for collection by the game operator.

12. The method of playing the game according to claim 1, further including:

during step (a), providing markers at each of the player stations; and

during steps (e) and (f), each player marking his or her selected numbers with said markers when matched by the drawn numbers.

13. A method of playing a game by a plurality of players, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing each player with an arrangement of designations;

(b) each player buying into a first level of play with a first buy-in payment, and each player at his or her option may buy into a second level of play with a second buy-in payment;

(c) randomly indicating ones of the designations until all designations in one of the arrangements have been indicated, whereupon the player holding said one arrangement is a winner and collects said first buy-in payments from all players, and further collects said second buy-in payments from all players who had bought into said second level of play provided said winner had bought into said second level of play; and

(d) if said winner had not bought into said second level of play, continuing the game only with the players who had bought into said second level of play by resuming the random indication of designations until all designations in one of the arrangements held by the continuing players have been indicated, whereupon the continuing player holding said latter-mentioned one arrangement is a winner and collects said second buy-in payments from all of the continuing players.

14. The method of playing the game according to claim 13, wherein:

during step (b), each player at his or her option may buy into a third level of play with a third buy-in payment; and

during step (c), said winner further collects said third buy-in payments from all players who had bought into said third level of play provided said winner had bought into said third level of play.

15. The method of playing the game according to claim 13, wherein:

during step (b), each player who had bought into said second level of play at his or her option may buy into a third level of play with a third buy-in payment;

during step (c), said winner further collects said third buy-in payments from all players who had bought into said third level of play provided said winner had bought into said second and third levels of play; and

during step (d), said winner of said second buy-in payments further collects said third buy-in payments from all of the continuing players who had bought into said third level of play provided said winner of said second buy-in payments had bought into said third level of play.

16. The method of playing the game according to claim 15, further including the step of:

(e) if said winner of said second buy-in payments had not bought into said third level of play, continuing the game only with the players remaining who had bought into said third level of play by resuming the random selection of designations until all designations in one of the arrangements held by the remaining players have been selected, whereupon the remaining player holding said last-mentioned one arrangement is a winner and collects said third buy-in payments from all of the remaining players.

17. The method of playing the game according to claim 13, wherein:

during the random indication of designations, including a wild designation for being randomly indicated and when indicated each player may deem a one of the designations in his or her arrangement to have been indicated.

18. The method of playing the game according to claim 17, wherein:

during step (b), each player who had bought into said optional second level of play may buy into the game at an optional third level of play with an optional third buy-in payment; and

during step (c), said winner further collects said optional third buy-in payments from all players who had bought into said optional third level of play provided said winner had bought into said optional second and third levels of play; and

during step (d), said winner of said optional second buy-in payments further collects said optional third buy-in payments from all of the continuing players who had bought into said optional third level of play provided said winner of said optional second buy-in payments had bought into said optional third level of play.

19. The method of playing the game according to claim 18, further including the step of:

(e) if said winner of said optional second buy-in payments had not bought into said optional third level of play, continuing the game only with the players remaining who had bought into said optional third level of play by resuming the random drawing of designations until all of the designations in one of the arrangements held by the remaining players have been matched, whereupon the remaining player holding said last-mentioned one arrangement is a winner and collects said optional third buy-in payments from all of the remaining players.

20. The method of playing the game according to claim 19, wherein:

the game is operated by a game operator; and

during step (b), each player provides a fee along with his or her mandatory buy-in payment, another fee along with his or her optional second buy-in payment, and a further fee along with his or her optional third buy-in payment, all of said fees for collection by the game operator.

21. The method of playing the game according to claim 19, wherein:

during the random drawing of designations, including a wild designation for being randomly drawn and which when drawn may be deemed by each player to match a one of the designations in his or her arrangement.

22. A method of playing a game by a plurality of players, comprising:

providing a game table having a surface with a plurality of player stations indicated thereon;

providing at each of said stations a first plurality of tiles respectively bearing different designations;

providing a random designation generator for drawing designations similar to the designations on said first pluralities of tiles;

each player selecting a second plurality of tiles from said tiles of said first plurality at his or her station and arranging said tiles of said second plurality in at least one arrangement of a predetermined quantity of tiles on said table;

each player buying into the game by placing a buy-in payment of a predetermined amount on said table; and

using said random designation generator to draw designations until all designations on one arrangement of tiles selected by one of the players are matched by the drawn designations, whereupon said one player is a winner and collects all of said buy-in payments on said table.

23. The method of playing the game according to claim 22, wherein:

said predetermined quantity of designations is three.

24. The method of playing the game according to claim 22, wherein:

the designations for being drawn by said random designation generator further include a wild designation which when drawn may thereupon be deemed by each player to match one of his or her selected designations.

25. The method of playing the game according to claim 22, wherein

when buying into the game, each player may further buy into an optional level of play by placing an optional buy-in payment on the table;

and

said winner further collects all of said optional buy-in payments on the table provided said winner had bought into said optional level of play; and

further

if said winner had not bought into said optional level of play, continuing the game only with the players who had bought into said optional level of play by resuming the random drawing of designations until all designations in one arrangement of designations selected by one of the continuing players are matched, whereupon said one continuing player is a winner and collects all of said optional buy-in payments on said table.

26. A method of playing of playing a bingo game by a plurality of players employing a table having respective player stations thereabout, comprising the steps of:

(a) each player selecting a plurality of designations from another plurality of designations and arranging his or her selected designations on the table at his or her station;

(b) each player buying into the game with a mandatory buy-in payment of a predetermined amount, and each player may buy into the game at an optional second level of play with an optional second buy-in payment;

(c) randomly drawing designations similar to the designations of said other plurality until all designations in one of the arrangements have been matched, whereupon the player holding said one arrangement is a winner and collects said mandatory buy-in payments from all of the other players, and said winner further collects said optional second buy-in payments from all players who bought into said optional second level of play provided said winner had bought into said optional second level of play; and

(d) if said winner had not bought into said optional second level of play, continuing the game only with the players who had bought into said optional second level of play, by resuming the random drawing of designations until all designations in one of the arrangements held by the continuing players have been matched, whereupon the continuing player holding said latter-mentioned one arrangement is a winner and collects said optional second buy-in payments from all of the continuing players.

27. The method of playing the game according to claim 26, wherein:

during the random drawing of designations, including a wild designation for being randomly drawn and which when drawn may be deemed by each player to match a one of the designations in his or her arrangement.

28. A method of playing a bingo game by a plurality of players, comprising:

providing a game table having a surface with a plurality of player stations indicated thereon;

providing at each of said stations a first plurality of designations;

providing a random designation generator for drawing designations similar to the designations of said first pluralities at said stations;

each player selecting a second plurality of designations from said first plurality at his or her station and arranging said designations of said second plurality in at least one arrangement of a predetermined quantity of designations on said table;

each player buying into the game by placing a buy-in payment of a predetermined amount on said table, and each player may buy into an optional level of play by placing an optional buy-in payment on said table;

using said random designation generator to draw designations until all designations in one arrangement of designations selected by one of the players are matched by the drawn designations, whereupon said one player is a winner and collects all of said buy-in payments on said table, and said winner further collects all of said optional buy-in payments on the table provided said winner had bought into said optional level of play; and

if said winner had not bought into said optional level of play, continuing the game only with the players who had bought into said optional level of play by resuming the random drawing of designations until all designations in one arrangement of designations selected by one of the continuing players are matched, whereupon said one continuing player is a winner and collects all of said optional buy-in payments on said table.

29. A method of playing a game by a plurality of players, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a game table having a surface with a plurality of player stations indicated thereon;

(b) providing at each of said stations a first plurality of tiles respectively bearing different designations;

(c) providing a random designation generator for drawing designations similar to the designations on said first pluralities of tiles;

(d) each player selecting a second plurality of tiles from said tiles of said first plurality at his or her station and arranging said tiles of said second plurality on said table;

(e) each player buying into the game with a mandatory buy-in payment of a predetermined amount; and

(f) using said random designation generator to draw designations until all designations on one of said second pluralities of tiles selected by one of the players are matched by the drawn designations, whereupon said one player is a winner and collects all of said mandatory buy-in payments on said table.

30. The method of playing the game according to claim 29, wherein:

during step (c), said provided random designation generator is a ball blower including balls equal in quantity to said first plurality of tiles and respectively bearing said designations and further including an additional wild designation ball; and

during step (f), said wild designation ball when drawn may thereupon be deemed by each player to match one designation on his or her second plurality of selected tiles.

31. The method of playing the game according to claim 29, wherein:

during step (e), each player at his or her option may buy into a jackpot with a jackpot buy-in payment; and

during step (f), a player whose designations on his or her selected tiles are matched in the order arranged by each of the first designations successively drawn is a winner of said jackpot.

32. The method of playing the game according to claim 29, wherein:

said designations are numbers; and

said random designation generator is a random number generator.