AU2010202325A1 - Method of Gaming - Google Patents

Abstract

There is disclosed a method of gaming involving a plurality of participants. Each participant is associated with at least one participant identifier number (12), these being stored in a computer database (10). The method is repeated cyclically over fixed periods or time. During each period, the method includes receiving a payment from each participant in relation to each associated identifier, the payments forming a primary payment pool (14). A random number generator (16) selects a number of the identifiers, each of which is allocated a winner status. For each winning identifier, the participant is awarded a prize payment from the primary payment pool while a further amount is retained in a retention pool (26). Part of that pool is used in future cycles for accommodating an ever-increasing number of additional identifiers as winners, while another portion is invested in an investment account (36).

Description

1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: Method of gaming The invention is described in the following statement: 2 METHOD OF GAMING FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of gaming. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION It is a common practice in modern society for people to invest their earnings to provide for their own futures, especially during retirement, or the future of their offspring. Over the years, banking and investment institutions have offered a multitude of different types of bank and investment accounts, offering different features, benefits and incentives to encourage investment in those accounts. Indeed, the desire by banks and financial or investment institutions to secure custom by offering potential clients such incentives, is ongoing. Investing money in such accounts or funds is often considered to involve relatively small risk, but also to yield relatively small gains. On the other hand, lotteries typically offer the opportunity to make significant winnings, but with a very low probability of doing so. Despite this low probability, many people enter lotteries in the hope that they will defy the odds by winning, and there is also a significant element of excitement. In many cases this excitement may be due to the potential magnitude of the lottery prize, but may also be as a result of the gamble, or gaming aspect, which is involved. It is an object of the present invention to ameliorate limitations of these known methods of attempting to secure increase in wealth, or to provide a useful alternative. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a method of gaming, the gaming involving a plurality of participants, the method including: 3 1.1 storing, in a computer database, a predetermined number of eligible participant identifiers wherein each participant is associated with at least one said identifier; the method further including, after the step 1.1, in a current time period of a predetermined length, 1.2 receiving, from each said participant, a predetermined fixed payment in relation to each identifier with which that participant is associated, the payments being equal to one another and together constituting a primary payment pool; 1.3 causing a random number generator device to generate a predetermined number of different random numbers, the number of different random numbers being less than the total number of eligible identifiers, each random number corresponding to a respective one of said eligible identifiers; 1.4 allocating a winner status in the database to each identifier to which a said random number corresponds, and rendering each such identifier a non-eligible identifier; 1.5 allocating from the primary pool, for each identifier having a winner status, a predetermined retention amount to a retention pool, these retention amounts being equal to one another; 1.6 awarding, for each identifier having a winner status, a predetermined winning amount to the participant associated with that identifier, these winning amounts being equal to one another, wherein the winning amounts are allocated from the primary payment pool to the extent that that pool is sufficiently large, and for any of the winning amounts for which the primary payment pool is insufficiently large, allocating the winning amounts from the retention pool; 1.7 repeating all the steps after step 1.1 in a said time period immediately successive to said current time period, wherein the successive time period constitutes the current time period. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes, after steps 1.5 and 1.6 and before step 1.7: 2.1 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a winner status in the current time period, a predetermined additional winner 4 allocation to an additional winner pool, these additional winner allocations during the current time period being equal to one another; 2.2 determining a number of additional eligible identifiers to which to allocate a winner status in a said time period immediately successive to said current time period, the number of additional eligible identifiers being equal to the number of times, expressed as an integer, that a total of a said winning amount plus a said retention amount can be divided into the total amount in said additional winner pool, wherein, in said successive time period, in step 1.3, the predetermined number of different random numbers is a predetermined basic fixed number plus said number of additional eligible identifiers. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes, after steps 1.5 and 1.6 and before step 1.7: 3.1 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a winner status in the current time period, a predetermined growth amount to at least one growth account. Then preferably, the method includes: 4.1 after step 3.1, and before step 1.7, if the total amount in said at least one growth account in said current time period, apart from the predetermined growth amount allocated in step 3.1 in the current time period, is larger than the total amount in the at least one growth account in a time period immediately preceding said current time period, the difference between these two total amounts being an investment growth amount, allocating the investment growth amount to the additional winner pool; 4.2 determining a number of additional eligible identifiers to which to allocate a winner status in a said time period immediately successive to said current time period, the number of additional identifiers being equal to the number of times, expressed as an integer, that a total of a said winning amount plus a said retention amount can be divided into the total amount in said additional winner pool, wherein, in said successive time period, in step 1.3, the predetermined number of different random numbers is a 5 predetermined basic fixed number plus said number of additional eligible identifiers. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes, after steps 1.5 and 1.6 and before step 1.7: 5.1 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a winner status in the current time period, a predetermined additional winner allocation to an additional winner pool, the additional winner allocations during the current time period being equal to one another; 5.2 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a winner status in the current time period, a predetermined growth amount to at least one growth account; 5.3 then, if the total amount in said at least one growth account in said current time period, apart from the predetermined growth amount allocated in step 5.2 in the current time period, is larger than the total amount in the at least one growth account in a time period immediately preceding the current time period, the difference between these two total amounts being an investment growth amount, allocating the investment growth amount to the additional winner pool; 5.4 then, determining a number of additional eligible identifiers to which to allocate a winner status in a said time period immediately successive to said current time period, the number of additional identifiers being equal to the number of times, expressed as an integer, that a total of a said winning amount plus a said retention amount can be divided into the total amount in said additional winner pool, wherein, in said successive time period, in step 1.3, the predetermined number of different random numbers is a predetermined basic fixed number plus said number of additional eligible identifiers. Preferably, in step 1.6, the allocating of the winning amounts from the retention pool includes allocating the winning amounts from the at least one growth account.

6 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to: Figure 1 which is a diagrammatic representation of aspect of a method according to an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 2 is a table showing figures for various amounts forming part of the method, in successive time-periods in which the method is conducted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a method of gaming, involving a plurality of participants (not shown) that are bound by the rules of the method. The method is operated by a gaming operator. There is provided a computer database 10 in which is stored a predetermined number of eligible participant identifier numbers ("PINs") 12, which are purchased by the participants. Each participant purchases, and is therefore associated with, one or more PINs 12. The computer database 10 also includes details of the participants including the PINs purchased or owned by each participant. Preferably, it also includes other details such as contact details, and bank account details into which to make payments of prizes awarded according to the method of the invention, as described below. According to the preferred embodiment, one million PINs 12, ranging from 1 to 1,000,000, are stored in the database 10. Each participant may be an individual person, legal entity such as a company, or a group of people or entities such as a partnership or syndicate. As will be seen below, the method involves a series of steps which are carried out in a time period of a particular length, namely one year according to the 7 preferred embodiment. The steps are then repeated cyclically in successive time periods (years). The method involves receiving, in its first period or cycle, from each of the participants, a fixed payment of $365 for each PIN 12 purchased by that participant. In successive periods (years), the method involves the participants making payments of the same amount for each of the PINs associated with the participants, provided the PINs remain eligible as described below. For example, it may be a rule of the gaming method that participants are required to pay this sum per purchased PIN 12 by a fixed date, such as 30 June each year, failing which the PIN will be forfeited to another participant. Indeed, according a preferred form of the invention, the PIN 12 may be regarded as property which can be transferred to another participant or left as an inheritance. As each participant purchases one or more of the PINs 12, the number of participants is equal to, or less than, the total number of PINs. The collection of these payments constitutes a pool which is referred to as a primary payment pool 14. The method involves the use of a random number generator device 16 to randomly select a number of numbers corresponding to PINs 12 which are to be awarded a winner status in the particular time period (year). According to the preferred embodiment, the random number generator device 16 includes a large ball 18 of suitable transparent material (such as glass or plastic) in which are disposed a million smaller balls 20 each bearing a number corresponding to a respective PIN 12. The smaller balls 20 are thus referred to below as numbered balls. The numbered balls 20 are caused to float in an airstream (not shown) and, in a first year in which the method of the invention is performed, 600 of the numbered balls are allowed to fall into a receptacle 22, also of transparent 8 material. Thus, the 600 numbered balls 20 failing into the receptacle 22 is essentially random among the full complement of one million balls, and constitutes a random selection of 600 of the PINs 12. The selection of the 600 numbered balls may, for example, be carried out over a period of time, for instance 12 balls selected weekly. While such a device may have appeal and cause excitement in the gaming context to the participants, other forms of random number generating devices (not shown) may be used instead, such as a computer which runs random or pseudo-random number generating software. It will thus be appreciated that reference to a random number, for the purpose of this specification, includes a number the selection of which approximates a random selection - i.e. a pseudo-random number. In addition, it is not an open-ended selection, but rather a random (or pseudo-random) selection within the scope of the available PINs 12. Each of the PINs 12 appearing on the 600 selected numbered balls 20 is allocated a winner status in the database 10. Once a PIN 12 has been allocated a winner status, it is rendered no longer eligible to be allocated a winner status in the future, i.e. in future cycles of the method according to the invention. According to the preferred embodiment, this change in the eligibility of the status of these PINs 12 is recorded in relation to these numbers in the database 10. In addition, to prevent the same balls bearing those PINs 12 which have been rendered ineligible from falling into the receptacle 22, these balls are removed from the larger ball 18. Where another form of random number generating device is used instead, suitable alternative means can be employed to prevent the same PINs 12 from being selected more than once. For each PIN 12 which has been allocated a winner status, an amount of $200,000, referred to as a retention amount 24, is allocated from the primary payment pool 14 to a retention pool 26. The operator of the method according 9 to the invention is then free to deal with the amount in the retention pool 26 as described below. In addition, for each PIN 12 which has been allocated a winner status, an amount of $400,000, referred to as a winning amount 28, is awarded from the primary payment pool 14 to the participant that owns or is associated with that PIN. As will be discussed further below, these winning amounts 28 are only allocated from the primary payment pool 14 as long as there are sufficient funds in that pool. If there are insufficient funds, then the required amounts for covering the winning amounts 28 are allocated from the retention pool 26. Each participant that wins such a winning amount 28 may keep this amount as a prize. For each PIN 12 having a winner status in the current time period, an additional winner allocation 30 is allocated to an additional winner pool 32, within the retention pool 26. The additional winner allocation 30 is taken from the retention amounts 24 that have been allocated to that pool. The additional winner allocation 30 for each PIN 12 is 20% of the retention amount 24 for that PIN, i.e. 20% of $200,000 which is $40,000. In addition, for each PIN 12 having a winner status in the current time period, a growth amount 34 is allocated to one or more growth accounts 36. The growth amount 34 for each PIN 12 is the remainder of the retention amount 24 for that PIN in the retention pool 26, after deduction, from that amount, of the additional winner allocation 30 for that PIN. Accordingly, as the additional winner allocation 30 is 20% of the retention amount 24 for the particular PIN 12, the growth amount 34 is 80% of the retention amount, i.e. 80% of $200,000 which is $160,000. The one or more growth account 36 consists of an interest bearing account, investment fund, or the like, in which invested funds can grow due to accrual of interest or investment growth. Thus, these accounts may be bank savings accounts, superannuation funds, or the like. Although there may be more than 10 one such account, for convenience, embodiments are described below as if there is a single growth account 36. The method according to the invention may be administered as a joint venture by the operator of the method and the banking or investment institution that administers the growth account 36. It is expected that the funds in the growth account 36 will increase due to interest accrual or investment growth. According to the present embodiment, the annual growth is taken as 10% of the amount invested in a particular year, although this can vary widely in practice. Accordingly, in next successive time period (year) after the current year, the total amount in the growth account 36, apart from the growth amounts 34 allocated to this account during the successive year, will be 10% greater than the total amount in the growth account in the year preceding the successive year, i.e. in the current year. This increase is referred to below as an investment growth amount, and is allocated to the additional winner pool 32. While a basic number of 600 PINs 12 were allocated a winner status by way of the random number generation effected by the balls 20, the total amount in the additional winner pool 32 determines a number of additional PINs 12 to be given a winner status. In this regard, as discussed above, the amount allocated per PIN 12 to which a winner status has been awarded, equals the retention amount 24 of $200,000 plus the winning amount 28 of $400,000. For convenience, this total, of $600,000, is referred to below as the total winner award (TWA). In effect, the total winner award (TWA) is allocated to each additional PIN 12 which is awarded a winner status. Thus, the total possible number of additional PINs 12 (apart from the basic 600 PINs) that can be accommodated is limited by the number of times that the total winner award (TWA), per PIN 12, can be divided into the amount which is in the additional winner pool 32.

11 As it is unlikely that the amount in the additional winner pool 32 will be an exact multiple of the total winner award (TWA), the number of additional PINs 12 is determined by dividing the total winner award (TWA) into the amount in the additional winner pool, and then taking the integer component of the answer to that division. Thus, while in the first period (year) in which the method of the invention is carried out, the random number generator device 16 selects the basic number of 600 numbered balls 20, and hence 600 PINs 12, to be awarded with a winner status, in the next year after that, the number of PINs to be awarded with a winner status will be 600 plus the number of additional PINs. The same process is then applied in each successive year (i.e. 600 PINs plus the number of additional PINs in that successive year). The random number generator device 16 is thus adapted or programmed in each period (year) after the first year of the annual cycle of the invention, to allow a number of numbered balls 20, equalling 600 plus the number of additional PINs 12 for that period, to fall into the receptacle 22. Thus, that total number will be the number of PINs 12 which are awarded a winner status in that year. It will be appreciated that the amount allocated to the additional winner pool 32 in each period (year) consists of a combination of the additional winner allocation per PIN 12 having a winner status, and the investment growth amount in the growth account 36. Thus, assuming that the investment growth amount remains reasonably constant (10% in the present embodiment), the amount allocated to the additional winner pool 32 increases as the number of PINs 12 having a winner status increases. Accordingly, the number of PINs 12 awarded a winner status (consisting of the basic 600 plus the amount accommodated by the additional winner pool 32) increases for each successive period (year) of the method of the invention. As mentioned, each PIN 12 which is awarded with a winner status is rendered ineligible to win in the following period (year). In addition, the number of PINs 12 being awarded a winner status increases period by period (year by year), Accordingly, as the yearly cycles of the method of the invention occur, the 12 remaining number of PINs 12 which are eligible for winner status decreases at an ever increasing rate. With reference to the table shown in Figure 2, the cyclical nature of the method according to an embodiment of the invention will be described. Although the cycles of the method might continue for many years (for example, over 100 years), only four years are represented in the table. Each row of the table represents a particular time period of one year. The contents of the columns are as follows: Column 1: sequence number of each year; Column 2: number of PINs 12 that are allocated a winner status in the particular year; Column 3: Overall retention amount 24 for all of the PINs 12 that are allocated a winner status in the particular year ($200,000 per PIN multiplied by the number of such PINs); Column 4: Overall portion of the retention amount 24 which is allocated to the additional winner pool 32 in the particular year (20% of the retention amount for each PIN 12 that is allocated a winner status); Column 5: Overall portion of the retention amount 24 which is allocated to the growth account 36 in the particular year (80% of the retention amount for each PIN 12 that is allocated a winner status); Column 6: Cumulative total of the overall portion of the retention amount 24 allocated to the growth account 32 (representing the effective total of the growth account not taking into consideration any interest or investment growth in that account); Column 7: Investment growth amount in the particular year relative to the previous year (10% of the total in the growth account 32 in the previous year); Column 8: Number of eligible PINs 12 in the particular year (being the number in the previous year less the number of PINs awarded a winner status in that previous year).

13 As will be seen, in the first year, year 1, of the method according to the present embodiment of the invention, of the one million PINs 12 (column 8), 600 are allocated a winner status by the random number generating device 16 (column 2). For each of these winning PINs 12, the associated participants are awarded a winning amount 28 of $400,000 (not shown in the table). Also, for each of these winning PINs 12, a retention amount 24 of $200,000 (totalling $120 million) is allocated to the retention pool 26 (column 3). Twenty percent of each retention amount 24, totalling $24 million, constitutes an additional winner allocation 30 which is allocated to the additional winner pool 32 (column 4), while 80%, i.e. totalling $96 million, is allocated as growth amounts 34 to the growth account 36 (column 5). These contributions to the growth account 36 are allowed to accumulate (column 6), while the investment growth for each year - i.e. growth based on interest accrual and investment growth (column 7) - together with the overall additional winner allocation (column 4) is allocated to the additional winner pool 32, to accommodate additional PINs 12 to be awarded winner status in the next year. In particular, in year 1, it will be seen that the investment growth from the previous year is zero (column 7) as there was no year before that in which the method was performed, and the invested funds had therefore not been invested for a full year. Thus, total contributed to the additional winner pool 32 is made up only of the $24 million overall additional winner allocation 30 (column 4). Thus, the number of additional winners (i.e. PINs 12 to be awarded a winner status) for the following year, year 2, is determined by dividing the total winner award (TWA) of $600,000 per PIN 12 into the total allocated to the additional winner pool 32 - i.e. $24 million. The result of this division is 40 which means that in year 2, the number of winners are the basic 14 number of 600 plus the additional 40 winners that can be accommodated by the additional winner pool 32, totalling 640 (see year 2, column 2). In year 2, the overall retention amount 24, based on the $200,000 for each of the 640 PINs 12 that are allocated winner status in that year, is $128 million (column 3). Of this amount, the overall amount allocated to the additional winner pool 32, being 20% of the retention amount per winning PIN 12, is 20% of $128 million, which is $25.6 million (column 4). Of the overall retention amount 24 of $200,000 per PIN 12, the overall growth amount 34 allocated to the growth account 36, being 80% of the retention amount per winning PIN, is 80% of $128 million, which is $102.4 million (column 5). The cumulative total of the growth account 36 in year 2 is $198.4 million, and the investment growth amount relative to year 1 is 10% of the $96 million in the growth account in year 1, i.e. $9.6 million. Thus, the amounts which are allocated in year 2 to the additional winner pool 32 are the overall additional winner allocation ($25.6 million - column 4) plus the investment growth amount relative to year 1 ($9.6 million - column 7) which totals $35.2 million. Accordingly, the number of additional PINs 12 to which to award a winner status in the following year, year 3, is determined by dividing the total winner award (TWA) of $600,000 per PIN 12 into the total allocated to the additional winner pool 32, i.e. $35.2 million. This division results in the number 58.67. As a winner status cannot be awarded to a fraction of a PIN 12, it is the integer component of this number, i.e. 58, which constitutes the number of additional PINs 12 to which to award a winner status in year 3. This additional number is to be added to the basic number of 600. Accordingly, as will be seen in the table, in year 3, column 2, there are 658 PINs 12 allocated a winner status.

15 Consequently, the random number generating device 16 is adapted or programmed in year 3, to allow 658 numbered balls 20 to fall into the receptacle 22, representing the selected PINs 12 which are to be allocated a winner status. The 640 PINs 12 that were awarded a winner status in year 2 are rendered ineligible to be awarded a winner status after year 2, and as a result, there are only 998,760 eligible PINs in year 3. The same procedure as described above is then applied in successive years. The $400,000 winning amount 28 awarded to the associated participant for each PIN 12 that has been awarded a winner status is taken from the primary payment pool 14 until such time as that pool has insufficient funds. Then, the winning amounts 28 are taken from the retention pool 26, and more specifically, from the growth account 36 which is part of the retention pool. Once all of the PINs 12 have been awarded a winner status, at which point the method of the invention is essentially completed, any funds remaining in any of the pools, such as in the growth account 36, may be dealt with according to the rules applicable in the embodiment of the invention concerned, for instance being the property of the operator of the method. In addition, any amounts that are required to administer the method of the invention or any aspects of it may also be taken from the growth account 36. These might include, for example, management fees for the operator. According to a preferred embodiment, the method of the invention is carried out for successive time periods (years) until all of the eligible PINs 12 have been awarded a winner status and the relevant amounts allocated. Thus according to this preferred embodiment, the amounts forming part of the invention, including the initial payment amount received from the purchaser of each PIN 12 and in relation to each PIN in successive time periods, the length of the time periods, the winning amounts 28, retention amounts 24, additional 16 winner allocations 30, growth amount 34, and so on, can be selected, such that all PINs are guaranteed to be awarded a winner status as the period-wise cycles of the method of the invention take place, within a predetermined number of years. Where a participant is or includes a natural person, and if the number of years for a guaranteed win is greater than the expected natural lifetime of a person (e.g. between 100 and 150 years), the winning amount may be received by a successor or heir to that person. The various numbers may also be selected such that a predetermined group of PINs 12, e.g. 10 PINs or 100 PINs, are extremely likely to be awarded a winner status within a predetermined number of years - for instance 100 years for a group of 10 PINs and 10 years for a group of 100 PINs. This can serve as an incentive for participants to acquire such numbers of PINs. For example, the numbers might be selected such that the chance of such an outcome is greater than a certain percentage, e.g. 99%. For instance, if a particular participant owns 1000 PINs 12, then there is close to a 100 percent probability that at least one of those PINs will be awarded a winner status during each period (year). It will be appreciated that, as a result of the use of the random number generating device 16, the selection of PINs 12 that are awarded a winner status is essentially unbiased and fair. However, in embodiments of the invention, the rules of the method according to which participants agree to participate may be such that the selection of the PINs 12 is weighted in favour of those PINs associated with participants having certain minimum numbers of PINs, e.g. those participants having, say, 10 PINs or 100 PINs. Indeed, the weighting may increase in favour of participants associated with more PINs. To achieve this, the random number generating device 16, especially if it is, or includes, a computer random number generator or pseudo- random number generator, may be adapted to effect this weighting in relation to the selection of PINs 12 to be awarded with a winner status. In such embodiments, it will be appreciated that the selection is not completely random (or pseudo-random).

17 Although the invention is described above in relation to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not limited to those embodiments, but may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (8)

1. A method of gaming, the gaming involving a plurality of participants, the method including: 5 1.1 storing, in a computer database, a predetermined number of eligible participant identifiers wherein each participant is associated with at least one said identifier; the method further including, after the step 1.1, in a current time period of a predetermined length, 10 1.2 receiving, from each said participant, a predetermined fixed payment in relation to each identifier with which that participant is associated, the payments being equal to one another and together constituting a primary payment pool; 1.3 causing a random number generator device to generate a 15 predetermined number of different random numbers, the number of different random numbers being less than the total number of eligible identifiers, each random number corresponding to a respective one of said eligible identifiers; 1.4 allocating a winner status in the database to each identifier to which a said random number corresponds, and rendering each such identifier 20 a non-eligible identifier; 1.5 allocating from the primary pool, for each identifier having a winner status, a predetermined retention amount to a retention pool, these retention amounts being equal to one another; 1.6 awarding, for each identifier having a winner status, a 25 predetermined winning amount to the participant associated with that identifier, these winning amounts being equal to one another, wherein the winning amounts are allocated from the primary payment pool to the extent that that pool is sufficiently large, and for any of the winning amounts for which the primary payment pool is insufficiently large, allocating the winning 30 amounts from the retention pool; 1.7 repeating all the steps after step 1.1 in a said time period immediately successive to said current time period, wherein the successive time period constitutes the current time period. 19

2. A method according to claim 1, including, after steps 1.5 and 1.6 and before step 1.7: 2.1 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a winner status in the current time period, a predetermined additional winner 5 allocation to an additional winner pool, these additional winner allocations during the current time period being equal to one another; 2.2 determining a number of additional eligible identifiers to which to allocate a winner status in a said time period immediately successive to said current time period, the number of additional eligible identifiers being equal to 10 the number of times, expressed as an integer, that a total of a said winning amount plus a said retention amount can be divided into the total amount in said additional winner pool, wherein, in said successive time period, in step 1.3, the predetermined number of different random numbers is a predetermined basic fixed number plus said number of additional eligible 15 identifiers.

3. A method according to claim 1, including, after steps 1.5 and 1.6 and before step 1.7: 3.1 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a 20 winner status in the current time period, a predetermined growth amount to at least one growth account.

4. A method according to claim 3, including: 4.1 after step 3.1, and before step 1.7, if the total amount in said at 25 least one growth account in said current time period, apart from the predetermined growth amount allocated in step 3.1 in the current time period, is larger than the total amount in the at least one growth account in a time period immediately preceding said current time period, the difference between these two total amounts being an investment growth amount, allocating the 30 investment growth amount to the additional winner pool; 4.2 determining a number of additional eligible identifiers to which to allocate a winner status in a said time period immediately successive to said current time period, the number of additional identifiers being equal to the number of times, expressed as an integer, that a total of a said winning 20 amount plus a said retention amount can be divided into the total amount in said additional winner pool, wherein, in said successive time period, in step 1.3, the predetermined number of different random numbers is a predetermined basic fixed number plus said number of additional eligible 5 identifiers.

5. A method according to claim 1, including, after steps 1.5 and 1.6 and before step 1.7: 5.1 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a 10 winner status in the current time period, a predetermined additional winner allocation to an additional winner pool, the additional winner allocations during the current time period being equal to one another; 5.2 allocating within the retention pool, for each identifier having a winner status in the current time period, a predetermined growth amount to at 15 least one growth account; 5.3 then, if the total amount in said at least one growth account in said current time period, apart from the predetermined growth amount allocated in step 5.2 in the current time period, is larger than the total amount in the at least one growth account in a time period immediately preceding the 20 current time period, the difference between these two total amounts being an investment growth amount, allocating the investment growth amount to the additional winner pool; 5.4 then, determining a number of additional eligible identifiers to which to allocate a winner status in a said time period immediately successive 25 to said current time period, the number of additional identifiers being equal to the number of times, expressed as an integer, that a total of a said winning amount plus a said retention amount can be divided into the total amount in said additional winner pool, wherein, in said successive time period, in step 1.3, the predetermined number of different random numbers is a 30 predetermined basic fixed number plus said number of additional eligible identifiers. 21

6. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein, in step 1.6, said allocating of the winning amounts from the retention pool includes allocating said winning amounts from the at least one growth account. 5

7. A method of gaming substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1.

8. A method of gaming substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 2. 10