AU2001237143B2 - Wagering golf game - Google Patents

Description

PCT/AUO 1/00234 teceived 08 November 2001 1 Wagering golf game Field of the Invention This invention relates to a wagering game. More particularly, the invention relates to a wagering game related to a sporting event.

Background to the Invention Players regularly playing gaming machines or other wagering games quickly tire of these particular games. Therefore, it is necessary for manufacturers of the machines and games to develop inventive game features which add interest to the games provided to players of the games in order to keep the players entertained and willing to continue to play the games.

Moreover, with the expansion of the gaming industry, there is intense competition between venues to attract new customers and to maintain customer loyalty.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention, there is provided a wagering game which includes a plurality of tokens, each token carrying an indicium representative of a particular score in a game which replicates the game of golf, the indicia carried by the tokens being representative of scores made on a hole of a golf course; and at least one scorecard for each participant in the game, said at least one scorecard including entered information relating to a feature of the game so that, when a token is presented by a caller of the game, each participant having information on that participant's scorecard corresponding to the indicium can mark an appropriate part of the scorecard with a prize, if any, awarded to the participant being governed by the number of presented tokens carrying indicia which match the entered information on said at least one scorecard of the participant.

The at least one scorecard may carry features, more particularly, hole numbers, related to the game of golf.

In one embodiment of the game, each participant may enter the information against each hole of a golf course marked on said at least one scorecard, the entered information being the score which that participant WO 01/70352 PCT/AU01/00234 2 anticipates will apply to that hole. As each token is presented, for example, by being drawn, the participant may mark against his or her scorecard that hole which has the corresponding score. It is to be noted that it is not necessary, in the playing of the game. for the scorecard to be completed in consecutive hole order.

In another embodiment of the game, each participant may be allocated a scorecard on which the information, being the scores applying to each hole of a golf course, has already been entered. Each participant may mark on his or her scorecard when a token is presented that corresponds to a score on the participant's scorecard.

In respect of both embodiments, the fewer tokens presented in order to match all the entered information on said at least one scorecard, the higher the prize paid to the participant.

The game may be implemented in an electronic format. More particularly, the game may be implemented on a gaming machine. It will be appreciated that the caller is then an electronic simulation of a caller.

Brief description of the Drawings The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a scorecard for a game, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, prior to completion thereof by a participant; and Figure 2 shows the scorecard of Figure 1 after completion thereof by the participant.

Detailed description of the Drawings A wagering game in accordance with the invention, includes a plurality of tokens in the form of balls. The balls carry scores which a golf player may make on a hole of a golf course. More particularly, the scores carried by the balls are the following:i. quadruple bogey; ii. triple bogey; iii. double bogey; iv. bogey: WO 01/70352 PCT/AU01/00234 3 v. par; vi. birdie; vii. eagle; viii, albatross (also known in the USA as a double eagle).

Two variations of the game will be described. In a first variation or embodiment of the game, a player has a scorecard 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The scorecard 10 has a plurality of columns 12. Each column 12 has a heading corresponding to one of the scores on the balls.

Further, the scorecard 10 has a plurality of rows 14. There is the same number of rows 14 as holes on a nine hole golf course. In other words, there are nine rows on the scorecard 10. The scorecard 10 is initially blank as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. When the player obtains the scorecard which may either be a hard copy of the scorecard or an electronic simulation thereof, the player marks against each hole an anticipated score as indicated by the 18 in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Nine balls are then drawn out of a pack of eighty. The eighty balls contain ten for each type of the eight different scores. The balls are drawn on a replacement basis. In other words, once a ball has been drawn, and the score carried thereon made known, that ball is returned to the pack.

Prizes are paid depending on how many of the balls drawn match the chosen score of the player. It is not necessary that the player marks the holes in the same order as which the balls are drawn. For example, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing the player has marked a "par" score against hole three. If the first ball drawn has "par" on it, the player is entitled to mark hole three.

A prize is paid to the player or participant depending on the amount of balls drawn which match the chosen scores. The following prizes could, for example, be paid:- Match Prize 9 out of 9 1000 8 out of 9 900 7 out of 9 750 6 out of 9 600 out of 9 500 4 out of 9 400 0 out of 9 WO 01/70352 PCT/AU01/00234 4 In another embodiment of the game, a player is allocated a scorecard with the scores already marked thereon. For example, the player may receive a scorecard as follows: Hole Marked Score 1 Par 2 Par 3 Birdie 4 Bogey Bogey 6 Par 7 Double Bogey 8 Par 9 Par A caller draws the balls from the pack and calls the score carried on the ball. Each time the ball is called, and the player has a hole with the corresponding score, that hole is marked.

The fewer balls drawn to complete the scorecard, the higher the prize paid to the player. Hence, for example, the following prizes may be paid:- All scores covered in the number of drawn balls Prize 9 10000 9000 11 8000 12 7000 13 5000 14 4000 2000 2 It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore. to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims (9)

1. A wagering game which includes a plurality of tokens, each token carrying an indicium representative of a particular score in a game which replicates the game of golf, the indicia carried by the tokens being representative of scores made on a hole of a golf course; and at least one scorecard for each participant in the game, said at least one scorecard including entered information relating to a feature of the game so that, when a token is presented by a caller of the game, each participant having information on that participant's scorecard corresponding to the indicium can mark an appropriate part of the scorecard with a prize, if any, awarded to the participant being governed by the number of presented tokens carrying indicia which match the entered information on the scorecard of the participant.

2. The game of claim 1 in which said at least one scorecard carries features related to the game of golf.

3. The game of claim 1I or claim 2 in which each participant enters the information against each hole of a golf course marked on said at least one scorecard, the entered information being the score which that participant anticipates will apply to that hole.

4. The game of claim 3 in which, as each token is presented, the participant marks against his or her scorecard that hole which has the corresponding score.

The game of any one of the preceding claims in which each participant is allocated at least one scorecard on which the information, being the scores applying to each hole of a golf course, has already been entered.

6. The game of claim 5 in which each participant marks on said at least one scorecard when a token is presented that corresponds to a score on the participant's scorecard. PCT/AUO 1/00234 Received 08 November 2001 6

7. The game of any one of the preceding claims in which the fewer tokens presented in order to match all the entered information on said at least one scorecard, the higher the prize paid to the participant.

8. The game of any one of the preceding claims which is implemented in an electronic format.

9. The game of any one of the preceding claims which is implemented on a gaming machine.