Method of playing a game of chance and system for facilitating the play thereof

• US 8,491,371 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT Rhode Island LLC (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: GTECH Rhode Island Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Finnochio, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Arthur O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOO, JASSON H
• Application Number:
  US13/017,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20110124407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 463/13, 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 273/138.1, 273/139
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

A method for playing a game of chance and system for facilitating the play of the game are disclosed. The method of playing the game of chance includes receiving a ticket containing a set of playing cards. The method of playing the game of chance further includes viewing a display screen that displays a second set of playing cards. The method of playing the game further includes receiving a prize if the combination of the playing cards on the ticket and the playing cards on the display matches a predetermined pattern.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating the play of a game of chance, comprising;

responsive to a request by a player to enter the game, selecting an outcome for the game chosen from a plurality of possible outcomes by a processor;

after the outcome is selected, determining a first set of symbols and a second set of symbols by said processor, each set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, wherein the first set of symbols and second set of symbols form a poker hand, and wherein the poker hand is associated with the outcome;

after determining the first set of symbols and the second set of symbols, printing the first set of symbols on a ticket, and providing the ticket to the player; and

after providing the ticket, displaying the second set of symbols.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to providing the ticket to the player, determining whether the ticket is a winner.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of symbols is determined prior to the first set of symbols, the method further comprising:

determining the first set of symbols based on an outcome associated with the ticket and the second set of symbols.

4. The method of playing a game of chance of claim 3, wherein the outcome associated with the ticket is selected by randomly sampling from a prize pool without replacement.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the outcome associated with the ticket is selected by randomly sampling from a prize pool with replacement after each sample.

6. The method claim 1, further comprising:

when the ticket is provided, providing an indication of a future time when the second set of symbols will be displayed, the displaying the second set of symbols occurring at the indicated future time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ticket includes a third set of symbols for an additional game outcome, the third set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, the method further comprising:

after providing the ticket, displaying a fourth set of symbols on the display terminal, the fourth set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, wherein the third set of symbols and the fourth set of symbols form a poker hand.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

when the ticket is provided, providing an indication of a first future time when the second set of symbols will be displayed and a second future time when the fourth set of symbols will be displayed, the displaying the second set of symbols occurring at the indicated first future time and the displaying of the fourth set of symbols occurring at the indicated second future time.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prior to providing the ticket to the player, determining the fourth set of symbols;

prior to providing the ticket to the player, determining the additional game outcome; and

prior to providing the ticket to the player, determining the third set of symbols based on the additional game outcome and the fourth set of symbols.

10. A non-transitory article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions adapted to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed, define a series of steps to be used to control a procedure, the procedure comprising the steps of

responsive to a request by a player to enter the game, selecting an outcome for the game chosen from a plurality of possible outcomes by a processor;

after the outcome is selected, determining a first set of symbols and a second set of symbols by said processor, each set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, wherein the first set of symbols and second set of symbols form a poker hand, and wherein the poker hand is associated with the outcome;

after determining the first set of symbols and the second set of symbols, printing the first set of symbols on a ticket, and providing the ticket to the player; and

after providing the ticket, displaying the second set of symbols.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the ticket includes a third set of symbols for an additional game outcome, the third set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, wherein the procedure further comprises:

after providing the ticket, displaying a fourth set of symbols on the display terminal, the fourth set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, wherein the third set of symbols and the fourth set of symbols form a poker hand.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the procedure further comprises:

prior to providing the ticket to the player, determining the fourth set of symbols;

prior to providing the ticket to the player, determining the additional game outcome; and

prior to providing the ticket to the player, determining the third set of symbols based on the additional game outcome and the fourth set of symbols.

13. A method of playing a game of chance, comprising:

receiving a ticket including a first set of symbols, said first set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, the first set of symbols having been determined based on a game outcome selected by a first processor prior to receiving the ticket; and

after receiving the ticket, viewing on a display terminal a second set of symbols which were determined by the first processor prior to the receiving of the ticket based on the game outcome selected by the first processor prior to receiving the ticket, the second set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, wherein the first set of symbols and the second set of symbols form a poker hand associated with the selected game outcome.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

determining if the ticket is a winning ticket by the first processor or by a second processor, based on the value of a poker hand formed from the combination of the first set of symbols and the second set of symbols.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein

the ticket contains an authentication code, and a prize is received responsive to the authentication code being validated.

16. The method claim 13, further comprising:

when the ticket is received, receiving an indication of a future time when the second set of symbols will be displayed, the viewing the second set of symbols occurring at the indicated future time.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the ticket includes a third set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, the method further comprising:

viewing a fourth set of symbols on the display terminal, the fourth set of symbols representing a set of playing cards, wherein the third set of symbols and the fourth set of symbols form a poker hand.

18. The method claim 17, further comprising:

when the ticket is received, receiving an indication of a first future time when the second set of symbols will be displayed and a second future time when the fourth set of symbols will be displayed, the viewing the second set of symbols occurring at the indicated first future time and the viewing the fourth set of symbols occurring at the indicated second future time.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a payout table, the payout table mapping the value of poker hand ranks to prizes, wherein the value of a prize received is associated with the rank of the poker hand in the payout table.