Systems and methods for card games that simulate non-card casino table games

• US 7,165,769 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pala Band of Mission Indians
• Original Assignee: Pala Band of Mission Indians
• Inventors: Crenshaw, Michael P., Fendrick, David F., Turk, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US10/641,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20040164492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 273/274, 273/309, 273/292, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 273/146
• US Class Current: 273/274
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 5/00 Roulette games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/04 Dice dice tops A63F5/04 D; Dice-boxes; Mechanical dice-throwing devices casino or betting games played on boards A63F3/00157

Abstract

Methods and systems for conducting gaming activities are disclosed. In one method, wagers are placed on a game and cards are dispensed. An indicia of a play card is used to determine an outcome of the game. A feature bet is included, wherein if the indicia of the play card is a predetermined indicia, an indicia of the second card is identified. If a predetermined indicia on the second card is identified, a feature bet payoff is made to players that wagered on the feature bet. A method and system for a roulette game are also disclosed. A roulette wheel is used to determine which card of a deck of cards determines the outcome of the roulette game. A craps game system and method are further described. Dice are used to determine which card of a deck of cards determines the outcome of the craps game.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a gaming activity, comprising:

providing a game table comprising a conventional craps layout having craps betting indicia thereon;

offering at least one player an opportunity to place at least one wager on at least one betting indicia on the game table, wherein the at least one wager may comprise a feature bet;

randomizing a deck of cards, each card of the deck having indicia representing a result from a roll of a pair of dice in a craps game, wherein all possible results from a roll of a pair of dice are represented in the deck of cards;

dispensing at least a first card and at least a second card from a deck of cards;

designating the at least a first card or the at least a second card as a play card; and

identifying an indicia on the play card and comparing the identified indicia on the play card to the at least one betting indicia where the at least on wager was placed to determine an outcome of a craps game;

if the identified indicia on the play card comprises at least one first predetermined indicia, qualifying any player that wagered on the feature bet for participation in a feature game;

wherein qualifying, comprises;

identifying an indicia on a non-designated card; and

if the indicia on the non-designated card comprises at least one second predetermined indicia, awarding a feature bet payoff to the any player that wagered on the feature bet.

2. The method according to claim 1, where randomizing a deck of cards comprises shuffling the deck of cards with an automatic card shuffler.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein designating the at least a first card or the at least a second card as the play card is effected by at least one of rolling a die, spinning a wheel, allowing a player to select the play card, selecting the play card with a random number generator, and selecting a ball from a group of balls.

4. A method of conducting a gaming activity, comprising:

providing a game table comprising a conventional roulette layout having roulette betting indicia thereon;

offering at least one player an opportunity to place at least one wager on at least one betting indicia on the roulette layout;

randomizing a deck of cards, each card of the deck having indicia representing a roulette betting indicia, wherein each betting indicia on a conventional roulette wheel is represented in the deck of cards;

dispensing at least two cards from the randomized deck of cards;

placing the at least two cards in separate areas, wherein each of the separate areas have separate indicia;

wherein the indicia of at least one of the separate areas corresponds to the indicia of the pocket of a roulette wheel;

rotating the roulette wheel and dropping a ball onto the rotating roulette wheel, such that the ball is permitted to drop into a pocket of the roulette wheel;

designating at least one of the dispensed cards as a play card, wherein the designation is based on an indicia of the pocket of the roulette wheel wherein the ball drops; and

identifying an indicia on the play card and comparing the identified indicia on the play card to the at least one betting indicia where the at least on wager was placed to determine an outcome of a roulette game.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

offering the at least one player an opportunity to place a feature bet on the roulette game, wherein the feature bet comprises;

designating at least one pocket of the roulette wheel as a feature pocket;

designating at least one card of the deck of cards as a feature card;

wherein the feature bet is awarded to the at least one player that places the feature bet if the ball drops into the feature pocket and the indicia on the play card identifies the play card as the feature card.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein dispensing at least two cards from the randomized deck of cards comprises dispensing four cards from the randomized deck of cards.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

configuring the roulette wheel with thirty-eight pockets such that at least two of the pockets have separate identifying characteristics from the remaining pockets.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein randomizing a deck of cards comprises shuffling the deck of cards with an automatic shuffler.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the indicia of the pocket is other than a number.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least two cards are dispensed from an automatic card shuffler.

11. A method of conducting a gaming activity, comprising:

providing a game table comprising a conventional craps layout having craps betting indicia thereon;

offering at least one player an opportunity to place at least one wager on at least one betting indicia on the craps layout;

randomizing a deck of cards, each card of the deck having indicia representing a result from a roll of a pair of dice in a craps game, wherein all possible results from a roll of a pair of dice are represented in the deck of cards;

dispensing at least a first card and at least a second card from a deck;

associating each dispensed card with an identifying characteristic;

rolling a first six-sided die having a first identifying characteristic and a second six sided die having a second identifying characteristic, the first six-sided die comprising a first distinguishing characteristic on three sides and a second distinguishing characteristic on three sides, and the second six-sided die comprising a third distinguishing characteristic on three sides and a fourth distinguishing characteristic on three sides;

comparing the distinguishing characteristics selected by rolling the first six-sided die and the second six-sided die to select either the first six-sided die or the second six-sided die;

comparing the identifying characteristic of the selected six-sided die to the identifying characteristic associated with the dispensed cards to designate the at least a first card or the at least a second card as a play card;

identifying an indicia on the play card; and

determining an outcome of the craps game by comparing the identified indicia on the play card to the at least one betting indicia where the at least one wager was placed.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least a first card and the at least a second card are dispensed from an automatic card shuffler.

13. The method according to claim 12, where randomizing a deck of cards comprises shuffling the deck of cards with the automatic card shuffler.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least a first card and the at least a second card are dispensed from a deck of thirty-six cards.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the cards of the deck of thirty-six cards contain illustrations of each possible outcome when two standard dice are rolled.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

offering the at least one player an opportunity to place a wager on a feature bet, the feature bet comprising;

where the indicia of the play card comprises at least one first predetermined indicia, identifying an indicia on the at least a first card or the at least a second card not designated as the play card; and

where the indicia of the at least a first card or the at least a second card not designated as the play card comprises at least one second predetermined indicia, awarding a feature bet payoff to any player that wagered on the feature bet.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first identifying characteristic and the second identifying characteristic are each a different color.

18. The method according to claim 11, where associating each dispensed card with an identifying characteristic, comprises

placing the at least a first card on a first area having an identifying characteristic that corresponds to the identifying characteristic of the first six-sided die;

and

placing the at least a second card on a second area having an identifying characteristic that corresponds to the identifying characteristics of the second six-sided die.

19. A system for conducting a roulette game comprising:

a table configured for accepting bets on the roulette game, wherein the table comprises a conventional roulette layout with roulette betting indicia thereon and at least one area for receiving a card, wherein the at least one area has an identifying characteristic;

at least one deck of cards, each card of the at least one deck having indicia representing a roulette betting indicia, wherein each betting indicia on a conventional roulette wheel is represented in the at least one deck of cards

a roulette wheel comprising at least one pocket, wherein the at least one pocket is configured with an identifying characteristic that corresponds to the identifying characteristic of the at least one area for receiving a card;

a ball configured to fit in the at least one pocket;

an automatic card shuffler; and

wherein the at least one packet, the identifying characteristic of the at least one pocket, the at least one area for receiving a card corresponding to the identifying characteristic, and the indicia on a card placed in the at least one area for receiving a card determines the outcome of a roulette game.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one pocket comprises thirty-eight pockets, wherein at least two pockets have at least two different identifying characteristics;

and wherein the at least one area for receiving a card comprises at least two areas, wherein each of the at least two areas has an identifying characteristic that corresponds to one of the identifying characteristics of the at least two pockets.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the thirty-eight pockets of the roulette wheel comprise twelve pockets having a first identifying characteristic, twelve pockets having a second identifying characteristic, twelve pockets having a third identifying characteristic, and two pockets having a fourth identifying characteristic.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least two pockets comprise at least four pockets each having a different identifying characteristic and the at least two areas for receiving a card comprise at least four areas for receiving a card, each area for receiving a card having an identifying characteristic that corresponds to one of the different identifying characteristics of the at least four pockets.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one deck of cards comprises two decks of cards, wherein each deck of cards comprises thirty-eight cards.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the identifying characteristic of the at least one pocket is other than a number.

25. A system for conducting a craps game comprising:

a table configured for accepting bets on the craps game, wherein the table comprises;

a conventional craps layout having craps betting indicia thereon;

at least two areas for receiving a card, wherein the each of the at least two areas includes a different identifying characteristic;

at least one deck of cards, each card of the at least one deck having indicia representing a result from a roll of a pair of dice in a craps game, wherein all possible results from a roll of a pair of dice are represented in the at least one deck of cards

two six-sided dice comprising a first six-sided die having a first indicia on three sides and a second indicia on three sides, and a second six-sided die having a third indicia on three sides and fourth indicia on three sides, each having an identifying characteristic that corresponds to the different identifying characteristic of at least one of the at least two areas for receiving a card; and

wherein an identifying characteristic of a selected six-sided die, the at least one area for receiving a card corresponding to the identifying characteristic, and the indicia on a card placed in the at least one area for receiving a card determines an outcome of a craps game.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one deck of cards comprises thirty-six cards, where each card depicts one of thirty-six possible outcomes from rolling two six-sided dice.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one deck of cards comprises two decks of cards.

28. The system of claim 25, further comprising an automatic card shuffler.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the identifying characteristic is color.