Ball race wagering game apparatus and methods of use

• US 9,418,517 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2015
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Run The Gauntlet LLC
• Original Assignee: Run The Gauntlet LLC
• Inventors: Davis, Robert Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Allen
• Application Number:
  US14/954,930
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 463/6, 273/118.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/38 Ball games; Shooting apparatus

Abstract

A rolling ball-race betting apparatus has at least two decline planes with deflectors to allow balls to race down along the decline planes into a collector. A person may place any number of different types of wagers on a race result, such as selecting one ball to win. Each ball in the ball-race apparatus has a designation such as a number, symbol, color or other marking. A ball-race apparatus may have stops, wherein one or more of the balls may be trapped in the stop and will not finish the race. A person may place a wager on one or more balls to not finish the race. A ball-race apparatus may have a shortcut conduit that transfers balls from the first decline plane to the second decline plane. A ball race game apparatus may include a spinning deflector that is configured to hit and propel the balls in any number of directions.

Claims

1. A method of wagering on a rolling ball-race game comprising the steps of:

a) providing a rolling ball-race game betting apparatus comprising;

i) a first decline plane having an elevated starting end and a lower end and comprising a plurality of discrete deflectors;

ii) a second decline plane having an elevated starting end and a lower finish end and comprising a plurality of discrete deflectors;

wherein the first decline plane lower end is offset from said elevated starting end of the second decline plane by a vertical offset distance of about 5 inches or more;

iii) a plurality of ball-stops;

iv) at least one rotating deflector;

v) a shortcut conduit from the first decline plane to the second decline plane;

vi) a plurality of balls each having a designation marking; and

vii) a finish collector configured to align the balls in-line in the order in which they finish;

wherein the rolling ball-race game apparatus is configured to determine an order of balls finishing a race,

wherein a plurality of balls are configured to roll from the starting end to the lower end of the first decline plane, and then drop down, to the starting end of the second decline plane and roll to the lower finish end of the second decline plane, and subsequently into the finish collector;

b) placing a wager on a wager-race-result of the plurality of balls;

c) starting the plurality of balls at the starting end of the first decline plane;

d) allowing at, least some of the plurality of balls to roll down along the first decline plane,

e) allowing at least some of the plurality of balls to enter into the shortcut conduit;

f) allowing at least some of the plurality of balls to roll onto the starting end of the second decline plane;

g) allowing at least some of the plurality of balls to be caught in the plurality of ball-stops;

h) allowing at least some of the plurality of balls to enter into the finish collector;

wherein a ball that enters the finish collector first, is a first place finisher ball;

wherein a ball to enter the finish collector second, is a second place finisher ball;

wherein a ball to enter the finish collector third, is a third place finisher ball;

wherein a ball to enter the finish collector fourth, is a fourth place finisher ball;

i) determining a final finish order of the plurality of balls in the finish collector;

j) determining which of said plurality of balls did not finish; and

k) receiving a winning that is more than said wager in the event that said wager-race-result matches a final-race-result.

2. The method of wagering of claim 1, wherein the plurality of balls have numerical designation markings.

3. The method of wagering of claim 2, wherein the plurality of balls comprise a ball with a numerical designation of 1 through at least 8.

4. The method of wagering of claim 2, wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager on said first, second, or third place finisher ball as determined by the numerical designation markings.

5. The method of wagering of claim 2, wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager of an exact order of a first, second third, and fourth place finisher ball.

6. The method of wagering of claim 1, wherein the plurality of balls have different color designation markings and wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager on a color designation marking of the first place finisher ball.

7. The method of wagering of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of balls have a stripe designation marking and wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager on one of said portion of the plurality of balls having the stripe designation marking being the first place finisher ball.

8. The method of wagering of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of balls have a solid color designation marking and wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager on one of said portion of the plurality of balls having the solid color designation marking being the first place finisher ball.

9. The method of wagering of claim 2, wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager on one of a set of three balls, each of said balls in said set having different numerical designation and any one of said set of three balls being the first place finisher ball.

10. The method of wagering of claim 9, wherein the set of three balls consists of a ball with a number 1 numerical designation, a ball with a number 2 numerical designation and a ball with a number 3 numerical designation.

11. The method of wagering of claim 2, wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing, a wager on one of a set of four balls, each of said balls in said set having different numerical designation, and any one of said set of four balls being the first place finisher ball.

12. The method of wagering of claim 11, wherein the set of four balls consists of a ball with a number 1 numerical designation, a ball with a number 2 numerical designation, a ball with a number 3 numerical designation and a ball with a number 4 numerical designation.

13. The method of wagering of claim 1, wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager on one of the plurality of balls to not finish and not entered into the finish collector.

14. The method of wagering of claim 13, wherein a portion of the plurality of stops, have a stop designation color, and wherein the step of placing a wager on one of the plurality of balls to not finish and not entered into the finish collector also comprises placing a wager on the stop designation color wherein said one of the plurality of balls is stopped.

15. The method of wagering of claim 1, wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result comprises placing a wager on a last place finisher ball, a ball that is stopped higher than any other ball on the second decline plane by one of the plurality of stops or a ball to enter the finish collector last in the event that more of the plurality of balls are stopped on the second decline plane.

16. The method of wagering of claim 1, further providing a betting table comprising a plurality of betting locations, each having a wager-race-result designation and wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result of the plurality of balls comprises placing said wager onto one of the plurality of betting locations.

17. The method of wagering of claim 16, wherein one of the wager-race-result designations comprises a designation markings of one of the plurality of balls being a first place finisher ball.

18. The method of wagering of claim 16, wherein one of the wager-race-result designation comprises a designation markings of one of the plurality of balls to not finish and not entered into the finish collector.

19. The method of wagering of claim 1, further providing a betting slip comprising a plurality of betting locations each having a wager-race-result designation and wherein the step of placing a wager on a wager-race-result of the plurality of balls comprises marking one of the plurality of betting locations.

20. The method of wagering of claim 19, wherein the betting slip comprises at least nine different wager-race-result designation.