Dice gaming machine

• US 8,257,166 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Kido, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Skaarup, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/554,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20100069142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 463/22, 463/25, 463/2, 273/146
• US Class Current: 463/22
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games

Abstract

The dice gaming machine accepts a bet on a bet area and a bet on an intermediate area between/among a plurality of bet areas. After ending the bet acceptance, it starts rolling dice. After the rolling of the dice has been stopped, the dice gaming machine identifies a winning bet area based on the dice rolling result. A payout amount for each terminal is calculated based on the identified winning bet area, the bet area or the intermediate area on which the bet is accepted, and a payout magnification ratio set for the bet area or the intermediate area.

Claims

1. A dice gaming machine comprising:

a dice box in which a plurality of dice are rolled and stopped;

a plurality of terminals each having a betting board having a plurality of bet areas each associated with a winning condition based on spots on the plurality of dice stopped and with a predetermined payout magnification ratio and a plurality of intermediate areas, the plurality of terminals each accepting an input by a player, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate areas is arranged between or among plural adjacent bet areas, and each of the plurality of bet areas is enclosed with a border, and each intermediate area is distinguished by borders of the plural adjacent bet areas; and

a processor executing processes of;

(a) accepting a bet of a gaming value on any one or more of the plurality of intermediate areas;

(b) rolling and stopping the plurality of dice;

(c) identifying a winning bet area among from the plurality of bet areas which satisfies the winning condition based on spots on the plurality of dice stopped; and

(d) awarding a prize based on an amount of the gaming value bet at a winning intermediate area adjacent to the winning bet area identified at the process (c) and a payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area,

wherein the processor sets the payout magnification ratio for the winning intermediate area so that an expected value (A) of the winning intermediate area always lies between a maximum value and a minimum value and the maximum value and the minimum value respectively correspond to an expected value (B) directed to an adjacent bet area (x) and an expected value (C) directed to an adjacent bet area (y), the adjacent bet area (x) and the adjacent bet area (y) being adjacent to the winning intermediate area, when the expected value (B) is higher than the expected value (C), and

wherein the expected value (A) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the winning intermediate area, a payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area and a unit of gaming value,

the expected value (B) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the adjacent bet area (x), a payout magnification ratio set for the adjacent bet area (x) and the unit of gaming value, and

the expected value (C) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the adjacent bet area (y), a payout magnification ratio set for the adjacent bet area (y) and the unit of gaming value.

2. The dice gaming machine according to claim 1,

wherein the processor sets the payout magnification ratio for the winning intermediate area so as to satisfy a condition such that, in case (bet I) and (bet II) as below are placed concurrently, an expected value (D) obtained with the (bet I) is higher than a comprehensive expected value (E) obtained with the (bet II):

(bet I) a certain amount of gaming value is bet on the winning intermediate area,

(bet II) the certain amount of gaming value divided by number of plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area is equally bet on all the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, and

wherein the expected value (D) is a value obtained by multiplying the winning probability of the winning intermediate area, the payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area and the certain amount of gaming value,

the comprehensive expected value (E) is a sum of expected values directed to the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, and

an expected value directed to one of the plural adjacent bet areas is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the one of the plural adjacent bet areas, a payout magnification ratio set for the one of the plural adjacent bet areas and the certain amount of gaming value.

3. A dice gaming machine comprising:

a dice box in which a plurality of dice are rolled and stopped;

a plurality of terminals each having a betting board having a plurality of bet areas each associated with a winning condition based on spots on the plurality of dice stopped and with a predetermined payout magnification ratio and a plurality of intermediate areas, the plurality of terminals each accepting an input by a player, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate areas is arranged between or among plural adjacent bet areas, and each of the plurality of bet areas is enclosed with a border, and each intermediate area is distinguished by borders of the plural adjacent bet areas; and

a processor executing processes of;

(a) positioning the plurality of bet areas making up the betting board each of the plurality of terminals wherein a plurality of bet areas each associated with a same type of winning condition are in a matrix state;

(b) accepting a bet of a gaming value on any one or more of the plurality of intermediate areas at any of the plurality of the terminals;

(c) rolling and stopping the plurality of dice;

(d) identifying a winning bet area among from the plurality of bet areas which satisfies the winning condition based on spots on the plurality of dice stopped; and

(e) awarding a prize based on an amount of the gaming value bet at a winning intermediate area adjacent to the winning bet area identified at the process (d) and a payout magnification ration set for the winning intermediate area,

wherein the processor sets the payout magnification ratio for the winning intermediate area so that an expected value (A) of the winning intermediate area always lies between a maximum value and a minimum value and the maximum value and the minimum value respectively correspond to an expected value (B) directed to an adjacent bet area (x) and an expected value (C) directed to an adjacent bet area (y), the adjacent bet area (x) and the adjacent bet area (y) being adjacent to the winning intermediate area, when the expected value (B) is higher than the expected value (C), and

wherein the expected value (A) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the winning intermediate area, a payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area and a unit of gaming value,

the expected value (B) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the adjacent bet area (x), a payout magnification ratio set for the adjacent bet area (x) and the unit of gaming value, and

the expected value (C) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the adjacent bet area (y), a payout magnification ratio set for the adjacent bet area (y) and the unit of gaming value.

4. The dice gaming machine according to claim 3,

wherein the processor sets the payout magnification ratio for the winning intermediate area so as to satisfy a condition such that, in case (bet I) and (bet II) as below are placed concurrently, an expected value (D) obtained with the (bet I) is higher than a comprehensive expected value (E) obtained with the (bet II):

(bet I) a certain amount of gaming value is bet on the winning intermediate area,

(bet II) the certain amount of gaming value divided by number of plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area is equally bet on all the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, and

wherein the expected value (D) is a value obtained by multiplying the winning probability of the winning intermediate area, the payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area and the certain amount of gaming value and

the comprehensive expected value (E) is a sum of expected values directed to the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, and

an expected value directed to one of the plural adjacent bet areas is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of one of the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, a payout magnification ratio set for the one of the plural adjacent bet areas and the certain amount of gaming value.

5. A dice gaming machine comprising:

a dice box in which a plurality of dice are rolled and stopped;

a plurality of terminals each having a betting board having a plurality of bet areas each associated with a winning condition based on spots on the plurality of dice stopped and with a predetermined payout magnification ratio and a plurality of intermediate areas, the plurality of terminals each accepting an input by a player, wherein each of the plurality of intermediate areas is arranged between or among plural adjacent bet areas, and each of the plurality of bet areas is enclosed with a border, and each intermediate area is distinguished by borders of the plural adjacent bet areas;

an operation unit installed in each of the plurality of terminals; and

a processor executing processes of;

(a) changing a position pattern of the plurality of bet areas making up the betting board of each of the plurality of terminals, between a first position pattern in which a plurality of bet areas each associated with a same type of winning condition are in a matrix state, and a second position pattern different from the first position pattern;

(b) accepting a bet of a gaming value on any one or more of the plurality of intermediate areas at any of the plurality of the terminals;

(c) rolling and stopping the plurality of dice;

(d) identifying a winning bet area among from the plurality of bet areas which satisfies the winning condition based on spots on the plurality of dice stopped; and

(e) awarding a prize based on an amount of the gaming value bet at a winning intermediate area adjacent to the winning bet area identified at the process (d) and a payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area

wherein the processor sets the payout magnification ratio for the winning intermediate area so that an expected value (A) of the winning intermediate area always lies between a maximum value and a minimum value, and the maximum value and the minimum value respectively correspond to an expected value (B) directed to an adjacent bet area (x) and an expected value (C) directed to an adjacent bet area (y), the adjacent bet area (x) and the adjacent bet area (y) being adjacent to the winning intermediate area, when the expected value (B) is higher than the expected value (C), and

wherein the expected value (A) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the winning intermediate area, a payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area and a unit of gaming value,

the expected value (B) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the adjacent bet area (x), a payout magnification ratio set for the adjacent bet area (x) and the unit of gaming value, and

the expected value (C) is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of the adjacent bet area (y), a payout magnification ratio set for the adjacent bet area (y) and the unit of gaming value.

6. The dice gaming machine according to claim 5,

wherein the processor sets the payout magnification ratio for the winning intermediate area so as to satisfy a condition such that, in case (bet I) and (bet II) as below are placed concurrently, an expected value1 (D) obtained with the (bet I) is higher than a comprehensive expected value (E) obtained with the (bet II):

(bet I) a certain amount of gaming value is bet on the winning intermediate area,

(bet II) the certain amount of gaming value divided by number of plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area is equally bet on all the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, and

wherein the expected value (D) is a value obtained by multiplying the winning probability of the winning intermediate area, the payout magnification ratio set for the winning intermediate area and the certain amount of gaming value,

the comprehensive expected value (E) is a sum of expected values directed to the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, and

an expected value directed to one of the plural adjacent bet areas is a value obtained by multiplying a winning probability of one of the plural adjacent bet areas adjacent to the winning intermediate area, a payout magnification ratio set for the one of the plural adjacent bet areas and the certain amount of gaming value.