AU2004202525A1 - Method of conducting a racing game - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant: JUPITERS TECHNOLOGY PTY LIMITED A.C.N. 006 574 652 Invention Title: METHOD OF CONDUCTING A RACING GAME The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 METHOD OF CONDUCTING A RACING GAME Field of the Present Invention The present invention relates to a method of conducting a game.

Background to the Invention Keno is an ancient Chinese numbers game based on the drawing of 20 balls from a cage containing 80 balls numbered 1,2, ,80. In the last twenty or so years the game has become fully computerised and this has lead to a very fast game with a draw every 3 5 minutes.

Keno results are typically graphically presented as an 8 x 10 grid (matrix) as shown in Figure 1.

Examples of common and exotic Keno bet types are as follows: In the bet type "Spots Ways", players bet on N numbers (1 N 15). The result is determined by finding out how many, say C, of the N numbers were drawn ("caught") and consulting a Prize Table that specifies the prize for catching C from N.

In the bet type "Heads or Tails", players bet on more numbers being drawn from the lower 40 numbers "Heads" OR vice versa "Tails" OR on an exact split (10:10) between the top bottom half "Evens". The result is determined by counting how many of the drawn numbers are less than 41. If this exceeds 10 all "Heads" bettors win a published prize and all "Tails" "Evens" bettors lose. If this equals 10 all "Evens" bettors win a different prize whilst all "Heads" "Tails" bettors lose.

If it is less than 10 all "Tails" bettors win the same prize as the "Head" prize whilst all "Evens" "Tails" bettors lose.

H.\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054 .doc 8/06/04 3 In the bet type "Lucky Last", players bet on the last number drawn. A fixed prize is won if the selected number is the last one drawn.

In the game "Keno Racing", players bet on eight groups of ten numbers The groups are represented as a race between animated horses.

As each number is drawn, the horse whose group the number falls within is moved forward a fixed amount. After the last number is drawn and applied to "horse" movement, the most advanced "horse" wins followed by next most advanced second so on. Dead heats are decided in favour of the first horse to arrive at the final position i.e. the first horse whose last number was drawn. A fixed prize, independent of the group number or "horse" is offered for bets on the winner In the game "Keno Roulette", players bet on what part of the matrix of Figure 1 the first drawn number lies in. A variety of pattern propositions are available to bet upon including: "Straight Up" nominate the exact first number; "Quarters" given the results matrix is divided into four quarters, nominate which of the quarters the first number resides within; and "Rows", "Corners", etc.

There is a need for another game which is suitable to be played in conjunction with Keno type games.

Summary of the Invention The invention provides a method of conducting a game comprising: providing a first category of game entry for which determination of prizes will be based on a random selection of a first subset of a set of unique identifiers; H,\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04 4 providing a second category of game entry for which determination of prizes will be based on the first subset and a second randomly selected subset of the set of unique identifiers, no identifier of the second subset being in the first subset, the second category of game entry being provided for a higher value than the first category of game entry; and awarding prizes of equal value to winning game entries from the first and second categories of game entry.

Typically the second subset is smaller than the first subset.

Typically the ratio of the sizes of the first and second subset is between 1:4 and 1:20, and preferably 1:10.

In one embodiment, the set of identifiers is a set of eighty numbers from one to eighty, the first subset is twenty numbers, and the second subset is two numbers.

In one embodiment, there are a plurality of game types common to each category.

Typically, providing game entries involves selecting a game entry subset of numbers which are to be compared with the first and second subsets. The selecting may be performed by a player or randomly. In some game types different prizes are awarded in dependence on the number of numbers matched in a comparison of the game entry subset with the relevant one of the first or second subset, with higher prizes for higher numbers of matching numbers.

Typically, the second subset will be randomly selected after the first subset.

H.\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054 .doc 8/06/04 5 Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a typical Keno layout.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment The preferred embodiment provides a modified Keno game in which an additional category of game entry is available where the awarding of prizes is based on a draw of an additional two balls in addition to the normal twenty balls drawn in a Keno ball draw game. The game is configured such that prizes of equal value are awarded to entrants in both the first, normal category of game entry and the second, supplementary category of game entry.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that while the preferred embodiment is described in relation to a Keno game where 20 numbers are drawn from a set of eighty numbers, the preferred embodiment may readily be adapted to any game where a subset of identifiers are drawn from a set of identifiers. Persons skilled in the art will also appreciate that the set of identifiers need not be numbers but may be another set of unique symbols.

It will thus be appreciated that the game of the preferred embodiment is conducted by providing two game categories.

The first game category where the result is determined from the first twenty numbers and the second game category where the game is determined from the set of twenty numbers plus an additional or supplementary two numbers.

In Keno games, players select the number of numbers they will attempt to match in a game. That is, if they select four numbers they are hoping that the four numbers they have selected will be contained in the twenty numbers drawn in a particular Keno draw. The number of numbers selected is known as the "spot" of a Keno game. In the H:\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04 6 preferred embodiment, the second category of game will be offered in respect of spot one to spot ten game types.

Prizes are determined in accordance with how many of the numbers are matched and different prizes are returned to the player. A typical prize schedule for a 75% return to player game is set out in Table 1.

Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 1 1.3333 0.75000 0 1 1 4.0000 0.25000 3 75.00 25.00 Total 1.00000 75.00 25.00 Spots 2 Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 2 1.7853 0.56013 0 1 2 2.6333 0.37975 0 2 2 16.6316 0.06013 12 72.15 6.01 Total 1.00000 72.15 6.01 Spots 3 Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 3 2.4009 0.41650 0 1 3 2.3209 0.43087 0 2 3 7.2070 0.13875 1 13.88 13.88 3 3 72.0702 0.01388 44 61.05 1.39 Total 1.00000 74.93 15.26 Spots 4 0 Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 4 3.2434 0.30832 0 1 4 2.3109 0.43273 0 2 4 4.7029 0.21264 1 21.26 21.26 3 4 23.1225 0.04325 4 17.30 4.32 4 4 326.4355 0.00306 120 36.76 0.31 Total 1.00000 75.32 25.89 Spots Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 5 4.4017 0.22718 0 1 5 2.4650 0.40569 0 2 5 3.6974 0.27046 0 3 5 11.9140 0.08394 2 16.79 8.39 4 5 82.6970 0.01209 14 16.93 1.21 5 1,550.5686 0.00064 640 41.28 0.06 Total 1.00000 74.99 9.67 Spots 6 Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 6 6.0023 0.16660 0 1 6 2.7511 0.36349 0 2 6 3.2434 0.30832 0 3 6 7.7030 0.12982 1 12.98 12.98 4 6 35.0411 0.02854 5 14.27 2.85 5 6 323.0351 0.00310 80 24.77 0.31 6 6 7,752.8431 0.00013 1800 23.22 0.01 Total 1.00000 75.23 16.16 Table 1 cont'd on page 7 H:\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04 7 Table 1 cont'd from page 6 Spots 7 Match Spots Chance (1 Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 7 8.2254 0.12157 0 1 7 3.1727 0.31519 0 2 7 3.0613 0.32665 0 3 7 5.7145 0.17499 1 17.50 17.50 4 7 19.1604 0.05219 3 15.66 5.22 7 115.7608 0.00864 12 10.37 0.86 6 7 1,365.9771 0.00073 125 9.15 0.07 7 7 40,979.3137 0.00002 5000 12.20 0.00 with JP Cont 10.00 Total 1.00000 74.88 23.66 Spots 8 Match Spots Chance (1 Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 8 11.3294 0.08827 0 1 8 3.7529 0.26646 0 2 8 3.0474 0.32815 0 3 8 4.6558 0.21479 0 4 8 12.2694 0.08150 2 16.30 8.15 8 54.6371 0.01830 7 12.81 1.83 6 8 422.5268 0.00237 60 14.20 0.24 7 8 6,232.2706 0.00016 675 10.83 0.02 8 8 230,114.6078 0.00000 25000 10.86 0.00 with JP Cont 10.00 Total 1.00000 75.01 10.23 Spots 9 Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 9 15.6868 0.06375 0 1 9 4.5317 0.22067 0 2 9 3.1603 0.31643 0 3 9 4.0632 0.24611 0 4 9 8.7638 0.11411 1 11.41 11.41 9 30.6735 0.03260 5 16.30 3.26 6 9 174.8387 0.00572 20 11.44 0.57 7 9 1,690.1073 0.00059 200 11.83 0.06 8 9 30,681.9477 0.00003 2500 8.15 0.00 9 9 1,380,687.6471 0.00000 100000 7.24 0.00 with JP Cont 10.00 Total 1.00000 76.37 15.31 Spots Match Spots Chance (1 in Probability Prize Factor Return Hitrate 0 10 21.8385 0.04579 1 10 5.5688 0.17957 2 10 3.3869 0.29526 3 10 3.7397 0.26740 4 10 6.7880 0.14732 1 14.73 14.73 10 19.4448 0.05143 2 10.29 5.14 6 10 87.1126 0.01148 6 6.89 1.15 7 10 620.6773 0.00161 50 8.06 0.16 8 .10 7,384.4688 0.00014 580 7.85 0.01 9 10 163,381.3716 0.00001 10,000 6.12 0.00 10 8,911,711.1765 0.00000 1,000,000 11.22 0.00 with JP Cont .10.00 Total 1.00000 75.16 21.20 Table 1 H.\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04 8 In the preferred embodiment, these price tables are used for both categories of game by charging an extra price for players wishing to play the supplementary game and selecting those prices such that the same returns can be provided without additional cost to the game promoter.

Table 2 sets out the additional charge for the supplementary per $1 wagered on the normal game. In the preferred embodiment, the game is only be played in increments of $1 wagered on the standard game so as to provide appropriate price points and avoid difficulties with rounding and therefore to reduce the overall complexity of the pricing structure. However, if the game were not played with cash, it would be appreciated to persons skilled in the art that a wider range of bet sizes could be placed.

required price.

Xtra premium rounded Spot Game Numbers per game price point 1 2 0.10 0.10 2 2 0.17 0.20 3 2 0.32 0.30 4 2 0.36 0.40 2 0.55 0.50 6 2 0.62 0.60 7 2 0.50 0.50 8 2 0.70 0.70 9 2 0.79 0.80 2 0.94 1.00 5.03 5.10 Table 2 Table 2 shows that the charge varies per Spot as exhibited in the rounded price point column and is the additional charge per $1.00 wagered on the standard game. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of other spot games may be played. The supplementary game will be played in respect of the first X games in the sequence, where X Z and Z is the total number of games played.

Thus to play five 7 spot games including the Supplementary game will cost $7.50 calculated as (5 x $1.00 for the H:\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04 9 standard game) (5 x $0.50 for the Supplementary game).

Players may play as many supplementary games as they like up the number of standard games they are playing.

Spot Size Standard No. Games Supp Bet per No. Supp Total Bet per Game using Games Ticket Game rounded price Cost point* 3 $1.00 10 $0.30 10 $13.00 $2.00 5 $1.00 5 $15.00 7 $1.00 4 $0.50 2 $5.00 8 $5.00 3 $3.50 3 $24.50 $2.00 10 $2.00 5 $30.00 Table 3 Example 1 An example of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in relation to Tables 4, 5 and 6 where a player chooses to play a seven spot game type and play on ten consecutive games while playing the supplementary games in five of those games.

Table 4 shows that the bet per game was $1 and that the cost per additional game for the five games where the supplementary game is played is 500 per game (as per Table 3) bringing the ticket total to $12.50.

Keno Bet 7 Spot Keno Supplementary 7 Spot Ticket Bet p/game Games sub-ttl Cost p/game Games sub-ttl Total $1.00 10 $10.00 $0.50 5 $2.50 $12.50 Table 4 Table 5 shows that the player selected numbers 3, 17, 19, 36, 41 and 57. The rows numbered 1 to 22 indicate the twenty two individual numbers drawn in the Keno game. The numbers are represented in numerical order for convenience. Normally the numbers would be drawn randomly. The rows represent the ten games.

Hi\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04 Numbers Selected and Drawn (Numbers drawn are displayed in numerical orderfor convenience.) Numbers Selected: 03 17 19 35 36 41 57 SUPP #'s 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 16 19 20 21 22 1 04 07 10 11 17 32 33 34 38 41 44 56 60 61 62 63 70 71 72 80 03 79 2 11 19 21 22 23 27 33 35 44 45 46 50 61 63 66 67 68 70 71 72 17 3 01 04 09 10 11 12 14 17 20 22 23 27 30 55 56 67 69 71 77 80 21 26 4 19 20 21 22 23 33 35 40 49 51 56 57 66 67 71 72 73 77 78 79 03 18 02 03 09 11 12 20 25 26 27 40 41 44 49 50 67 68 72 73 75 79 01 19 6 19 22 32 33 37 39 44 45 55 56 57 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 70 71 20 21 7 03 04 07 10 11 35 36 41 50 51 52 53 55 60 61 62 63 70 77 79 19 8 07 11 12 15 16 17 20 28 29 34 35 42 44 49 50 56 57 63 64 68 13 19 9 16 17 19 20 35 45 55 56 57 58 59 62 63 67 70 71 72 73 74 77 41 52 01 04 11 12 14 26 27 31 42 43 44 57 60 61 63 64 69 70 71 72 02 19 Table f 11 Table 6 shows the game numbers, the number of matches of individual numbers in each game and the prizes that are paid. It will apparent that in games 2 and 7 the player obtains the same number of matches and is awarded the same prize. In game 2, the player's selection includes the supplementary numbers whereas in game 7 the supplementary number is excluded. It will be seen that if the player had elected to play supplementary in game 7 the player's prize for that game would have been $12 instead of $3.

Win/Cancel Details Game# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total Match 3 4 2 6 1 2 4 3 3 1 Payout Win $1 $3 $0 $125 $0 $0 $3 $1 $1 $0 $147.00 Cancel Due $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0.00 $147.00 Table 6 It will apparent to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations may be made to the game. For example, the game need not be run with a traditional Keno draw. Further, rather than a player selecting the numbers they can be selected randomly on the player's behalf once the player specifies the spot they wish to play and whether they wish to play the supplementary game. These and other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention described herein.

For the purposes of this specification it will be clearly understood that the word "comprising" means "including but not limited to", and th'at the word "comprises" has a corresponding meaning.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

H:\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04

Claims (8)

1. A method of conducting a game comprising: providing a first category of game entry for which determination of prizes will be based on a random selection of a first subset of a set of unique identifiers; providing a second category of game entry for which determination of prizes will be based on said first subset and a second randomly selected subset of said set of unique identifiers, no identifier of said second subset being in the first subset, said second category of game entry being provided for a higher value than said first category of game entry; and awarding prizes of equal value to winning game entries from said first and second categories of game entry.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second subset is smaller than the first subset.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ratio of the sizes of said first and second subset is between 1:4 and 1:20.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ratios of sizes of said first and second subsets is 1:10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said set of identifiers is a set of eighty numbers from one to eighty, said first subset is twenty numbers, and said second subset is two numbers.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of game types common to each category. H:\janel\Keep\Speci\204\P53054.doc 8/06/04 13

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein providing game entries involves selecting a game entry subset of numbers which are to be compared with the first or second subsets. The selecting may be performed by a player or randomly.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein different prizes are awarded in dependence on the number of numbers matched in a comparison of the game entry subset with the relevant one of the first or second subset, with higher prizes for higher numbers of matching numbers.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second subset is randomly selected after said first subset. H:\janel\Keep\Speci\2004\P53054.doc 8/06/04