Method and apparatus for monitoring casinos and gaming

• US 6,530,837 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walker Digital Table Systems LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: MindPlay LLC (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Soltys, Richard, Huizinga, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US10/016,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20020042299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 463/29, 463/12, 463/13, 463/16-22, 463/30, 463/31, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/48, 463/1, 273/143.R, 273/148.R, 273/309, 273/292, 273/303
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/242 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3237 about the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A system automatically monitors playing and wagering of a game. A card deck reader automatically reads a symbol identifying a respective rank and suit of each card in a deck before a first cards is removed. A chip tray reader automatically images the contents of a chip tray for verifying that proper amounts have been paid out and collected. A table monitor automatically images the activity occurring at a gaming table. Periodic comparison of the images identifies wagering, as well as the appearance, removal and position of cards and other game objects on the gaming table. The system detects prohibited playing and wagering patterns, and determines the win/loss percentage of the players and the dealer, as well as a number of other statistically relevant measures. The measurements provide automated security and real-time accounting.

Claims

1. A method of detecting suspect player wagering patterns, comprising:

monitoring a number of plays of a game;

automatically determining a number of successful outcomes that is equal to the number of plays of the game having a successful outcome;

comparing the number of successful outcomes to a statistically predictable number of successful outcomes for the game; and

identifying a statistical aberration in the number of successful outcomes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining a number of successful outcomes includes determining a value of at least one game piece.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining a number of successful outcomes includes comparing a value of a number of cards being played by a player to a value of a number of cards being played by a dealer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining a number of successful outcomes includes determining a first value of a number of playing cards being played by a player, determining a second value of a number of playing cards being played by a dealer and comparing the first and the second values.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining a number of successful outcomes includes determining a first total value of a first number of chips in a wager by a player prior to a play of the game and a second total value of a second number of chips in the wager after the play of the game, and comparing the first and the second total values.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a statistical aberration in the number of successful outcomes includes determining whether the number of successful outcomes exceeds the statistically predictable number of successful outcomes for the game by a statistically meaningful amount.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a statistical aberration in the number of successful outcomes includes determining whether the number of successful outcomes exceeds the statistically predictable number of successful outcomes for the game by a statistically meaningful amount based on the number of plays of the game monitored.

8. A method of detecting player wagering patterns, comprising:

monitoring a number of wagers made by a player during at least one game;

automatically determining an amount of winnings for the player;

comparing the amount of winnings for the player to a statistically predictable amount of winnings for the at least one game; and

identifying a statistical aberration in the amount of winnings.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein automatically determining an amount of winnings for the player includes determining a first total value of a first number of chips in a wager by a player prior to a play of the game and a second total value of a second number of chips in the wager after the play of the game, and comparing the first and the second total values.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein automatically determining an amount of winnings for the player includes determining an amount of each of the wagers, determining an outcome of the wager, and calculating the amount of winnings based on the amount of the wager and a set of game odds for each of a number of successful wagers.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein automatically determining an amount of winnings for the player includes determining an amount of each of the wagers, determining an outcome of the wager, and calculating the amount of winnings based on the amount of the wager and a set of odds for each of a number of successful wagers and on the amount of the wager for each of a number of unsuccessful wagers.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein identifying a statistical aberration in the amount of winnings includes determining whether the amount of winnings for the player exceeds the statistically predictable amount of winnings by a statistically meaningful amount.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein identifying a statistical aberration in the amount of winnings includes determining whether the amount of winnings exceeds the statistically predictable amount of winnings by a statistically meaningful amount based at least in part on the number of wagers monitored.

14. A method of detecting player wagering patterns at gaming tables, comprising:

automatically determining an amount of each of a number of wagers placed by a player; and

automatically determining an outcome of each of the wagers placed by the player where the determined amounts and the determined outcome form the player wagering patterns.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating an average wager based on the amount of each of the number of wagers placed by the player.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating an average success rate based on the number of determined outcomes that are successful for the player and the number of determined outcomes that are unsuccessful for the player.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating an average won/loss amount based on an amount won by the player for each the determined outcomes that are successful for the player, an amount loss by the player for each of the determined outcomes that are unsuccessful for the player, and the number of wagers placed by the player.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining an actual amount won for each of the wagers placed by the player;

determining a statistically probable win amount based on the number of wagers, the amount of each of the wagers and a probability associated with the game; and

calculating a difference between the actual amount won for each of the wagers and the statistically probable amount win amount.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining an actual number of the wagers won by the player;

determining a statistically probable number of winning wagers based on the number of wagers and a probability associated with the game; and

calculating a difference between the actual number of wagers won and the statistically probable number of winning wagers.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

for each of the wagers, determining a theoretical hold amount equal to the amount of the wager and the probability that the outcome of wager is unsuccessful for the player; and

for each of the wagers, calculating the difference between the amount of the wager and the theoretical hold amount.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

for each of the wagers, determining a theoretical hold amount equal to the amount of the wager and the probability that the outcome of the wager is unsuccessful for the player;

for each of the wagers, calculating the difference between the amount of the wager and the theoretical hold amount; and

averaging the calculated differences.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether a statistically significant correlation exists between the amount of the wagers and the respective outcome of the wagers.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein one of the number of wagers placed by the player is placed at a first gaming table and another one of the number of wagers placed by the player is placed at a second gaming table.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein one of the number of wagers placed by the player is placed on a first day and another one of the number of wagers placed by the player is placed on a second day.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating a first piece of statistical information for the player based on the amount and the outcome of at least one of the number of wagers;

storing the first piece of statistical information in a memory;

calculating a second piece of statistical information for the player based on the amount and the outcome of at least another one of the number of wagers; and

updating the memory based on the first and the second pieces of statistical information for the player.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

calculating a first piece of statistical information for the player based on the amount and the outcome of at least one of the number of wagers, the at least one of the number of wagers being placed during a first period of time;

storing the first piece of statistical information in a memory;

identifying the player during a second period of time, different from the first period of time;

calculating a second piece of statistical information for the player based on the amount and the outcome of at least another one of the number of wagers, the another one of the number of wagers being placed during the second period of time; and

updating the memory based on the first and the second pieces of statistical information for the player.

27. The method of claim 14 wherein automatically determining an amount of each of a number of wagers placed by a player includes imaging at least a portion of a gaming table, processing the image to detect a number of chips on the gaming table, and identifying the value of the chips from the image.

28. The method of claim 14 wherein automatically determining an outcome of each of the wagers placed by the player includes imaging at least one game piece, and processing the image to detect a value of the at least one game piece.