Domino roulette

• US 7,976,025 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cork Group Trading Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Waterleaf Limited
• Inventors: Hebden, Michael Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DOLORES R
• Application Number:
  US11/417,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 273/292
• US Class Current: 273/292
• 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 9/20 Dominoes or like games; Mah-Jongg games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/322 Casino tables, e.g. tables having integrated screens, chip detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

Domino wagering games are disclosed in which a player or players place a wager on which domino will be selected, the domino being selected with a domino roulette style wheel or by being revealed after selection from a boneyard. The wagers are based on a bet type as provided in a bet table that comprises a matrix of dominos arranged in columns and rows with paylines corresponding to particular bet types. The paylines are based on the odds that a first domino will be in a particular group as shown on the bet table.

Claims

1. A method for a gaming server to facilitate play of a domino game by a player at a client machine, wherein the gaming server is communicatively coupled to the client machine, the method comprising the steps of:

the gaming server receiving, from the client machine, a selection of a wager, wherein the wager defines a payout and a bet type, wherein the bet type defines from a plurality of dominoes a set of one or more dominoes that are winning outcomes, wherein a face of each domino comprises two halves, with each half comprising zero or more dots as marking indicia, and wherein the bet type is selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a dot bet, which comprises a selection of a total number of dots on a selected domino;

(ii) a double bet, which comprises a selection of whether an equivalent number of dots appears on both halves of a selected domino; and

(iii) an on face bet, which comprises a selection of a specific number of dots appearing on half of a selected domino;

the gaming server choosing the selected domino by spinning a virtual ball on a virtual roulette style wheel, wherein the plurality of dominoes are concentrically arranged on the virtual roulette style wheel, and wherein the selected domino is the domino on which the virtual ball stops;

comparing the selected domino to the winning outcomes defined by the bet type; and

the gaming server distributing the payout defined by the wager to the client machine if the selected domino is one of the winning outcomes defined by the bet type,

wherein the set of one or more dominoes that are winning outcomes defined by the dot bet comprises at least two dominoes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual ball, the virtual roulette style wheel, the spinning of the virtual ball and the virtual roulette style wheel, and the selected domino are displayed through an electronic display unit at the client machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payout is in credits or coins.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

the gaming sever receiving, from the client machine, an additional wager, wherein the additional wager defines an additional payout and an additional bet type, wherein the additional wager is received prior to choosing the selected domino, and wherein the additional bet type defines from the plurality of dominoes an additional set of one or more dominoes that are additional winning outcomes;

the gaming server comparing the selected domino to the additional winning outcomes defined by the additional bet type; and

the gaming server distributing the additional payout defined by the additional wager to the client machine if the selected domino is one of the additional winning outcomes defined by the additional bet type.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the additional bet type is selected from a group consisting of:

a tile bet, which comprises a selection of a particular domino as the selected domino;

an even or an odd bet, which comprises a selection of whether the total number of dots on the selected domino is an even or an odd number, respectively;

a row bet, which comprises a selection of whether the selected domino will fall within a particular row on a bet table, wherein the bet table represents the plurality of dominoes arranged in a matrix with columns and rows, wherein each row and column comprises a consecutively ordered series of dominoes; and

a column bet, which comprises a selection of whether the selected domino will fall within a particular column on the bet table.

6. A method for a gaming server to facilitate play of a domino game by a player at a client machine, wherein the gaming server is communicatively coupled to the client machine, the method comprising the steps of:

the gaming server receiving, from the client machine, a selection of a wager, wherein the wager defines a payout and a bet type, wherein the bet type defines from a plurality of dominoes a set of one or more dominoes that are winning outcomes, wherein a face of each domino comprises two halves, with each half using zero or more dots as marking indicia, and wherein the bet type is selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a dot bet, which comprises a selection of a total number of dots on a selected domino;

(ii) a double bet, which comprises a selection of whether an equivalent number of dots appears on both halves of a selected domino; and

(iii) an on face bet, which comprises a selection of a specific number of dots appearing on half of a selected domino;

the gaming server receiving from the client machine an indication that the player selected a domino from a virtual boneyard displayed on the client machine, wherein the virtual boneyard comprises the plurality of dominoes laying face down, and wherein the domino selected from the virtual boneyard is the selected domino;

comparing the selected domino to the winning outcomes defined by the bet type; and

the gaming server distributing the payout defined by the wager to the client machine if the selected domino is one of the winning outcomes defined by the bet type,

wherein the set of one or more dominoes that are winning outcomes defined by the dot bet comprises at least two dominoes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the virtual boneyard and the selected domino are displayed through an electronic display unit at the client machine.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the payout is in credits or coins.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to choosing the selected domino, the gaming sever receiving, from the client machine, an additional wager, wherein the additional wager defines an additional payout and an additional bet type, wherein the additional wager is received prior to choosing the selected domino, and wherein the additional bet type defines from the plurality of dominoes an additional set of one or more dominoes that are additional winning outcomes;

the gaming server comparing the selected domino to the additional winning outcomes defined by the additional bet type; and

the gaming server distributing the additional payout defined by the additional wager to the client machine if the selected domino is one of the additional winning outcomes defined by the additional bet type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the additional bet type is selected from a group consisting of:

a tile bet, wherein the tile bet comprises a selection of a particular domino as the selected domino;

an even or an odd bet, wherein the even or the odd bet comprises a selection of whether the total number of dots on the selected domino is an even or an odd number, respectively;

a row bet, wherein the row bet comprises a selection of whether the selected domino will fall within a particular row on a bet table, wherein the bet table represents the plurality of dominoes arranged in a matrix with columns and rows, wherein each row and column comprises a consecutively ordered series of dominoes; and

a column bet, wherein the column bet comprises a selection of whether the selected domino will fall within a particular column on the bet table.

11. A gaming server, communicatively coupled to a client machine, wherein the gaming server allows a player at the client machine to play a domino game, the gaming server comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with the client machine;

a processor capable of executing program instructions;

a memory containing the program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

receive, from the client machine, a selection of a wager, wherein the wager defines a payout and a bet type, wherein the bet type defines from a plurality of dominoes a set of one or more dominoes that are winning outcomes, wherein a face of each domino comprises two halves, with each half comprising zero or more dots as marking indicia, and wherein the bet type is selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a dot bet, which comprises a selection of a total number of dots on a selected domino;

(ii) a double bet, which comprises a selection of whether an equivalent number of dots appears on both halves of a selected domino; and

(iii) an on face bet, which comprises a selection of a specific number of dots appearing on one half of a selected domino;

choose the selected domino;

compare the selected domino to the winning outcomes defined by the bet type; and

distribute the payout defined by the wager to the client machine if the selected domino is one of the winning outcomes defined by the bet type,

wherein the set of one or more dominoes that are winning outcomes defined by the dot bet comprises at least two dominoes.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions further comprises instructions executable by the processor to:

receive, from the client machine, an additional wager, wherein the additional wager defines an additional payout and an additional bet type, wherein the additional wager is received prior to choosing the selected domino, and wherein the additional bet type defines from the plurality of dominoes an additional set of one or more dominoes that are additional winning outcomes;

compare the selected domino to the additional winning outcomes defined by the additional bet type; and

distribute the additional payout defined by the additional wager to the client machine if the selected domino is one of the additional winning outcomes defined by the additional bet type.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the additional bet type is selected from a group consisting of:

a tile bet, wherein the tile bet comprises a selection of a particular domino as the selected domino;

an even or an odd bet, wherein the even or the odd bet comprises a selection of whether the total number of dots on the selected domino is an even or an odd number, respectively;

a row bet, wherein the row bet comprises a selection of whether the selected domino will fall within a particular row on a bet table, wherein the bet table represents the plurality of dominoes arranged in a matrix with columns and rows, wherein each row and column comprises a consecutively ordered series of dominoes; and

a column bet, wherein the column bet comprises a selection of whether the selected domino will fall within a particular column on the bet table.

14. The gaming server of claim 11, wherein the program instructions further comprises instructions executable by the processor to choose the selected domino by spinning a virtual ball on a virtual roulette style wheel, wherein the plurality of dominoes are concentrically arranged on the virtual roulette style wheel, and wherein the selected domino is the domino on which the virtual ball stops.

15. The gaming server of claim 14, wherein the virtual ball, the virtual roulette style wheel, the spinning of the virtual ball and the virtual roulette style wheel, and the selected domino are displayed through an electronic display unit at the client machine.

16. The gaming server of claim 11, wherein the program instructions further comprises instructions executable by the processor to choose the selected domino by receiving, from the client machine, an indication that the player selected a domino from a virtual boneyard displayed on the client machine, wherein the virtual boneyard comprises the plurality of dominoes laying face down, and wherein the domino selected from the virtual boneyard is the selected domino.

17. The gaming server of claim 16, wherein the virtual boneyard and the selected domino are displayed through an electronic display unit at the client machine.

18. The gaming server of claim 11, wherein the payout is in credits or coins.