Game of chance and system and method for playing games of chance

• US 8,579,696 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Herrmann, Mark E., Kane, Steven N., Roseman, Stuart, Yanowitz, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US13/312,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 20, 463 21- 22, 463/37, 463/40, 463/43, 463 25- 27
• US Class Current: 463/19
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A game of chance is provided in which a predetermined fixed number of winning cell content drawn from a predetermined set of cell content. The drawn content is matched to the content on game cards and if the matched game card content covers a predetermined winning pattern then the game card is a winner. In one example, numerous winners may occur per game session because the game continues until the predetermined fixed number of winning cell content is drawn and not until a win occurs.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a multi-player computer-based game by a computer system, the method comprising acts of:

providing, to a player, a game card having a pattern of selectable content, including a cell having a blank spot, a cell having a numbered spot, and a cell having a free spot;

determining, by the computer system, a winning pattern;

drawing the winning pattern from a predetermined set of cell content, wherein the winning pattern includes at least one of the cell having the blank spot and the cell having the free spot; and

determining that the pattern of selectable content on the game card matches the winning pattern; and

determining a payout.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising acts of:

determining the content of the game card; and

automatically choosing at least one portion of the content without the player choosing the at least one portion.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the game includes a plurality of game cards including the game card, and wherein the act of determining the content of the game card includes an act of ensuring that the content of the game card is unique among the plurality of game cards.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a game session of the game is conducted without interaction of the at least one player.

5. A game having an associated game session, the game comprising:

at least one game card that includes a plurality of cells arranged in a pattern and including, content selected from a set of cell content;

the pattern including a cell having a blank spot, a cell having a numbered spot, and a cell having a free spot;

a winning cell matching pattern for the game session, wherein the winning pattern includes at least one of the cell having the blank spot and the cell having the free spot;

winning cell content drawn from the set of cell content; and

a payout based upon a predetermined payout table.

6. The game according to claim 5, comprising one or more game pieces assigned to each player, wherein every game piece assigned in a game session is unique and includes a set of game cards having at least one of different card patterns, a winning pattern, and cell content.

7. The game according to claim 6, comprising one or more game pieces assigned to each player, wherein every game piece is made up of a set of game cards having at least one of a same card pattern, a winning pattern, and cell content, and wherein each of the at least one game card in a game session is unique.

8. The game according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of game cards including the at least one game card, wherein the cell content includes at least one of a number, a letter, a shape, a symbol, a color, a logo or a drawing, and wherein each cell of the at least one game card contains content unique with respect to the plurality of game cards.

9. The game according to claim 5, wherein the cell content may be at least one of a free, a blank and a wild spot.

10. The game according to claim 5, wherein the payout for winning depends upon the number of winning cell content drawn before obtaining the winning pattern, and decreases as the number of winning cell content drawn increases to obtain the winning pattern.

11. The game according to claim 9, wherein the payout to a player for winning the game is at least one of:

divided among each of a plurality of winning players; and

increased with a corresponding increase in payment by the player to play.

12. The game according to claim 5, wherein the player manually daubs his or her at least one game card;

wherein the player tells a gaming operator or the computer system that the winning pattern has been matched by the at least one game card; and

wherein the player and the at least one game card must be verified and authenticated by the gaming operator or the computer system.

13. The game according to claim 5, wherein the computer system additionally automatically daubs each game card cell being played in a game session containing the winning content.

14. The game according to claim 5, wherein the computer system displays to each of a plurality of players at least one of the winning game card and the winning player.

15. The game according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of game cards, wherein the computer system determines at least one of;

one of the plurality of game cards and a player that is closest to winning; and

wherein the computer system displays to all players at least one of the one game that is closest to winning and the player that is closest to winning.

16. The game according to claim 5, wherein the player may enter a game session of the at least one game through an alternative method of entry (AMOE), and wherein game session is played using the computer system.

17. A system for playing a game on a computer system, the system comprising:

a game engine adapted to;

allow game players to enter to play a game session of a wagering game;

assign to a player at least one game card having cells arranged in a pattern wherein the cells of the at least one game card contain content chosen from a set of cell content;

the pattern including a cell having as cell content a blank spot, a cell having as cell content a numbered spot, and a cell having as cell content a free spot;

choose a winning cell pattern for the game session, wherein the winning cell pattern includes at least one of the cell that contains the blank spot and the cell that contains the free spot;

draw winning cell content from the set of cell content;

match the drawn winning cell content with the cell content of the at least one game card;

determine the at least one game card is a winning game card and

pay out winnings according to a payout table.

18. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the game engine is adapted to:

notify a winning player that he or she has a winning game card; and

notify the winning player of a payout that the winning player has won.

19. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the game engine is adapted to:

notify a plurality of game players of winning game cards as they occur; and

to

notify each of the plurality of game players of the identity of a winning game player.

20. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the game engine is adapted to allow a plurality of game players to:

view the game session proceedings as they occur;

replay past game sessions;

enter the game session using an alternative method of entry (AMOE); and

pay and subscribe to the game session.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a method of conducting a game, the game including one or more players, each associated with at least one game card having a plurality of selectable content, the method comprising acts of:

providing to at least one of the one or more players, the at least one game card having a plurality of cells and a pattern including a cell having a blank spot, a cell having a numbered spot, and a cell having a free spot;

determining, prior to a game session, a winning pattern that includes at least one of the cell that contains the blank spot and the cell that contains the free spot;

drawing the winning pattern from a predetermined set of cell content;

determining that the pattern matches the winning pattern; and

determining a payout.