Method of playing a game and hardware configuration therefor

• US 6,478,676 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tabcorp International Pty Ltd. (Tabcorp Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tabcorp International Pty Ltd. (Tabcorp Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Dayan, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US09/332,888
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 463/17, 463/18
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

A method of playing a game including a first part and a second part. There are a number of suits and unique identifiers therefor. A player chooses at least one identifier from a suit for a first part and a game controller also chooses one identifier from a suit. The player wins the first part if the at least one identifier elected corresponds to the identifier chosen by the game controller. At the end of the first part, a second part is played by the player electing one identifier for the second part and the game controller choosing an identifier from all identifiers remaining. The player then wins relative to the game controller if the identifier elected corresponds to the identifier chosen by the game controller for the second part. The game lends itself to lottery type game playing including computer game play including game play via the Internet.

Claims

1. A method of playing a game where there are a plurality of suits each suit having at least two different unique identifiers thereof, the game being played in to parts comprising the steps of:

(a) playing a first part of the game, including the steps of

a player electing at least one identifier from a suit for a first part of the game;

having a game controller choosing one identifier from a suit for the first part of the game; and

the player winning relative to the game controller for the first part of the game if the at least one identifier from the suit elected by that player for the first part of the game corresponds to the identifier from the suit chosen by the game controller for the first part of the game; and

(b) at the end of the first part of the game, playing a second part of the game, including the steps of

a player electing one identifier from a suit for the second part of the game;

having the game controller choosing an identifier from a suit for the second part of the game from all identifiers of all suits remaining in the game after the first part has been played; and

a player winning relative to the game controller for the second part of the game if the identifier from the suit elected by the player for the second part of the game corresponds to the identifier from the suit chosen by the game controller for the second part of the game.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second part of the game is a jackpot game.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a player plays by electing at least one identifier from a suit for the first part of the game and also by electing one identifier from a suit for the second part of the game prior to the game controller choosing one identifier from a suit for the first part of the game.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a second player plays by electing either at least one identifier from a suit for the first part of the game only, or by electing an identifier from a suit for the second part of the game only.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein all the identifiers in each suit are grouped separately from the identifiers in the other suits, and wherein the game controller chooses an identifier from all suits during the first part of the game.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a prize is awarded to the player for winning relative to the game controller in the first part of the game.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the prize is calculated against bets for money made by the player, and a number of correspondences of the identifiers from the suits chosen by the player relative to the identifiers from the suits chosen by the game controller.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein fixed odds are used.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the game is set prior to a placing of bets by players to play with all the identifiers possible in each suit or only some of the identifiers in each suit.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein a number of identical games are played, wherein there are a plurality of players, and wherein a progressive jackpot prize is provided based on a number of all the games played if the player correctly elects all identifiers from the suits for the first part of the game and correctly elects an identifier from the suit for the second part of the game.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the progressive jackpot prize is calculated from a number of all non-winning players'"'"' bets made in the number of identical games played where no jackpot prize has been won.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein as each game is played, each jackpot bet made on each game is added to the previous jackpot prize amount from the second part of the game thereby creating a “

progressive jackpot”

prize amount.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein a player wins all or part of a progressive jackpot, wherein the amount won is deducted from the jackpot amount and wherein the subsequent jackpot bets are added thereto.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein a plurality of different game types are played, and wherein the progressive jackpot is for players of all game types.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the suits are based on a pack of a standard 52 card, game of cards.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of players and wherein each player elects an identifier from each suit for the first part of the game.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein each player also elects an identifier from a suit for the second part of the game.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a prize is awarded to the player for winning relative to the game controller in the second part of the game.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the player makes a monetary bet with a cashier when electing at least one identifier from a suit, and wherein the player is provided with a game play receipt means identifying the game and the identifier(s) from the suit(s) elected.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the receipt means is a ticket.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the ticket also identifies the monetary bet made by the player.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein at the end of game play, winnings are paid out to the player presenting a winning game play receipt means to a pay-out cashier.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the game play receipt means is coded with information relating to the game to be played so that on completion of play, the code can be read and the winnings paid-out.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the coding is machine readable coding, wherein a machine reader is used to read the code, and wherein a pay-out is made from that reading by a pay-out terminal.

25. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein player bets are placed through a bet input device connected to a computer controlling game play.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said bet input device is a player touch bet input device.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said bet input device is a keypad device.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said key pad device is a touch screen provided with a screen display for depicting bet options.

29. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the player obtains a game play ticket by marking a mark sense card and wherein the player supplies that sense card to a cashier in order to be able to take part in the game.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the sense card is read by a mark sensing card reader device so player markings on the sense care are captured for electronic processing.

31. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the ticket is issued by a ticket selling terminal.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the cashier is a software operated cashier.

33. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the identifier(s) from the suit(s) chosen by the game controller are announced to build excitement to game play.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein a master of ceremonies is used to make the announcement.

35. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each identifier(s) from the suit(s) chosen by the game controller is displayed on a game monitor screen.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the first part and the second part are played on the screen.

37. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a player plays the first part, and, wherein as a prize for winning at the first part the player is then permitted to play the second part.

38. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the game is Internet accessible, and wherein a player plays the game by connecting with an Internet web site via a terminal means which permits Internet use.

39. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein game play is software controlled in a computer device to which a game monitor screen is connected, and wherein said game controller is functionally controlled by the software in a computer.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39 wherein game play is animated on the screen from a graphics display engine forming part of the computer device.

41. A computer controlled hardware interconnected configuration for playing the game of claim 1, said configuration having:

1. a computer device loaded with game software,

2. an input means through which a player can elect an identifier from a suit,

3. a monitor screen on which identifier(s) from the suit(s) chosen by the game controller can be displayed.

42. A configuration as claimed in claim 41 including a ticket issuing means for issuing a game play ticket with information concerning the identifier(s) from the suit(s) elected.

43. A configuration as claimed in claim 42 including a machine reading means for reading the information on said ticket following game play to identify a winning player'"'"'s ticket.

44. A configuration as claimed in claim 43 including a pay-out terminal for paying out winnings read by said machine reading means.

45. A configuration as claimed in claim 41 loaded at an Internet web site and wherein the Internet web site is accessible by a player through a player operable terminal means.