Sports game of skill and chance

• US 6,296,250 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Langan, Janet Tepfer, Steven Langan
• Original Assignee: Henry G. Langan
• Inventors: Langan, Henry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENDIRATTA, VISHU K
• Application Number:
  US09/331,945
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/269, 463/18-19, 463/41, 463/42
• US Class Current: 273/139
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00028 Board games simulating indoor or outdoor sporting games, e.g. bowling, basketball, boxing, croquet, athletics, jeu de boules, darts, snooker, rodeo racing games played on boards A63F3/00082; indoor games played with small balls A63F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

A sweepstakes-type game in which pre-printed game cards are distributed to contestants which permit the contestants to predict the performance of selected players prior to an athletic event and which will reveal winning contestants and associated prizes based upon the geometric arrangement and/or point value of correct predictions.

Claims

1. A sweepstakes-type game for play in conjunction with a golf contest having a plurality of events whose outcomes are unknown prior to their performance by individual golf players, comprising:

means for storing predicted outcomes of the events in advance of their performance;

multiple chance means for earning scoring factors by matching the actual outcomes of the events to correctly predicted stored outcomes, each scoring factor having a plurality of scoring chances to be earned during subsequent performances of individual events by an individual golf player during the contest; and

means for determining at the end of the contest at least one sweepstakes game winner by obtaining at least one predetermined combination of said scoring factors each earned during any one of its respective scoring chances.

2. The game according to claim 1, wherein the storing means includes a plurality of game cards each having first indicia bounding playing areas each associated with a characteristic of the contest, and second indicia representing a plurality of event outcomes for each characteristic.

3. The game according to claim 2, wherein the playing areas are arranged in a pattern on each game card, and wherein the storing means is operative for marking the predicted outcomes in each playing area, and wherein the predetermined combination of said scoring factors is a geometrical arrangement of said playing areas.

4. The game according to claim 3, wherein the pattern is a plurality of linear rows stacked vertically one above another to form a plurality of linear columns, and wherein the arrangement is a line along one of said rows and columns.

5. The game according to claim 4, wherein the pattern has three of said rows and three of said columns arranged in a grid.

6. The game according to claim 2, wherein each playing area is divided into two sections depicting different events during the contest, the matching of the actual outcomes of the different events of both sections resulting in the earning of one of the scoring factors.

7. The game according to claim 2, wherein the storing means includes marking zones in each playing area.

8. The game according to claim 7, wherein the storing means includes scratch-off overlays overlying each playing area.

9. The game according to claim 2, wherein the storing means is operative for marking predicted outcomes in each playing area, each outcome having a point value, and wherein the predetermined combination of said scoring factors is total point value.

10. The game according to claim 1, wherein the storing means includes a computer for assigning the predicted outcomes of the events in advance of their performance.

11. The game according to claim 7, wherein the determining means includes card readers for electro-optically reading the marked predicted outcomes on the cards, and a processor for comparing the marked predicted outcomes of all the cards with the actual outcomes.

12. The game according to claim 1, wherein the storing means is operative for storing the predicted outcomes by depressing keys on a telephone.

13. A method of playing a sweepstakes-type game in conjunction with a golf contest having a plurality of events whose outcomes are unknown prior to their performance by individual golf players, comprising the steps of:

predicting outcomes of the events in advance of their performance and storing the predicted outcomes on a storage medium;

earning scoring factors by matching the actual outcomes of the events to correctly predicted stored outcomes, each scoring factor having a plurality of scoring chances to be earned during subsequent performances of individual events by an individual golf player during the contest; and

determining at the end of the contest at least one sweepstakes game winner by obtaining at least one predetermined combination of said scoring factors each earned during any one of its respective scoring chances.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the storing step is performed by providing a plurality of game cards each having first indicia bounding playing areas each associated with a characteristic of the contest, and second indicia representing a plurality of event outcomes for each characteristic.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the contest is a sports contest having individual players, and wherein each characteristic is a respective player'"'"'s individual identity, and wherein the event outcomes represents the potential performance of the respective player.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the playing areas are arranged in a pattern on each game card, and wherein the storing step is performed by marking the predicted outcomes in each playing area, and wherein the predetermined combination of said scoring factors is a geometrical arrangement of said playing areas.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the storing step is performed by a computer by assigning the predicted outcomes of the events in advance of their performance.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the determining step is performed by electro-optically reading the marked predicted outcomes on the cards, and comparing the marked predicted outcomes of all the cards with the actual outcomes.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the storing step is performed by storing the predicted outcomes by depressing keys on a telephone.

20. A sweepstakes-type game for play in conjunction with a golf contest having a plurality of events whose outcomes are unknown prior to their performance by individual golf players, comprising:

a plurality of game cards, each having means for storing predicted outcomes of the events in advance of their performance;

multiple chance means for earning scoring factors by matching the actual outcomes of the events to correctly predicted stored outcomes, each scoring factor having a plurality of scoring chances to be earned during subsequent performances of different individual events by an individual golf player during the contest; and

means for determining at the end of the contest at least one sweepstakes game winner, including providing playing areas on each game card, the playing areas being arranged in an array of three linear rows and three linear columns, and providing marking zones in each playing area, each marking zone being marked when an actual outcome matches a marked predicted outcome, each scoring factor being earned when two actual outcomes match two marked predicted outcomes in a single playing area, said game winner being determined when the marking zones lie along a line in the array.