GB2280615A

GB2280615A - Bingo

Info

Publication number: GB2280615A
Application number: GB9315318A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Neal
Original assignee: LEISURE TECH Ltd
Current assignee: LEISURE TECH Ltd
Priority date: 1993-07-23
Filing date: 1993-07-23
Publication date: 1995-02-08
Also published as: GB9315318D0

Abstract

In a bingo game each participant is provided with a single ticket and the tickets are selectively authorised individually for play in any one or plurality of games in a specific play session.

Description

"IMPRCVEMENTS IN OR BELBTIIJG W TRE PLAYING OF BINGO" This invention relates to a method for playing bingo and, more particularly, to an administration method for organising the playing of the game of bingo.

Bingo is normally played by a number of participants each of whom is in possession of a card or ticket (hereinafter called a ticket) on which a plurality of numbers individual to that ticket are displayed. A "caller" calls numbers in a random order until all the numbers for a ticket have been called, when the person having the ticket with all the numbers called will shout "bingo" and, after the ticket has been checked to ensure that all the numbers have been called, the winner will receive a prize. The game may be varied so that different combinations of numbers can constitute a winning ticket, for example the "winning" ticket may be the first ticket to have all the numbers in a single line called, or the ticket to have the four corner numbers called.

The game is normally played by one or the other of two methods.

(1) The method in which each player has a fixed location defined by a station, including a single bingo ticket display and generally provided with a coin-free apparatus, whereby the station can be activated for a specific game by inserting a coin into the coin-freed apparatus. With the station freed, by the insertion of a coin, the playing "ticket" display is normally illuminated, to indicate that the station has been activated. The station includes only one "ticket" arrangement and thus, in this method, all successive participants playing the game at that station play the same ticket allocated to that station.

The present invention is not concerned with the playing of the game of bingo at a fixed coin-freed station, and all such apparatus and methods for playing with such apparatus are disclaimed herefrom.

(2) In the alternative method for playing the game, sometimes called "club" bingo each participant must, by law, be a member of the club and on entering the bingo hall or play site for a game or session each member purchases a "bundle" of tickets to be played successively during the play period. The tickets in a bundle are generally differently coloured and are individually numbered, so that the ticket for a specific game can be readily identified.

With this method each member can purchase any number of "bundles" of tickets and all the tickets, coloured or numbered, for a specific game are played simultaneously.

With the tickets identified for play in a specific game, the unsuccessful tickets are, after the specific game has been played, discarded. The discarded cards are generally dropped to the floor, for convenience, and after a session of ten or more games, said discarded tickets create a cleaning problem and, perhaps more important, may in some circumstances create a fire risk. Further, as the proprietor must purchase the bundles of tickets and each bundle has only a "one-off" usage, the purchase of the bundles of tickets is a continuous expense to the proprietor(s).

The present invention seeks to provide a method for playing the game of bingo and wherein the discarding of tickets is avoided and the necessity of the proprietor providing bundles of one-off tickets is also avoided.

According to the present invention there is provided a method for playing the game of bingo comprising the steps of providing each participant with a single ticket, and authorising each participant's ticket for one or a plurality of games.

Preferably the method includes the steps of allowing each participant to take the ticket away from the play location.

As stated hereinbefore it is a requirement for participants who play "club" bingo to be members of a club and, in most clubs, many of the members may play more than once a week and frequently two or three times a week.

Preferably the method includes the steps of allowing a ticket presented by a member to be authorised for play.

Preferably the method includes the steps of arranging the ticket to be re-usable, preferably to be a "wipe clean" ticket.

Preferably the method includes the steps of identifying each ticket with a club membership, conveniently with the membership number of the participant.

Preferably the method includes the steps of identifying a member's membership details by a bar code system printed on the ticket.

Preferably the method includes the step of reading the bar code electronically and storing with said bar code with the game, or number and order of games, authorised for a given play period.

In another method in accordance with the invention each member on entering the play site is allowed to select a ticket from a plurality of displayed tickets for play during the play session, that selected ticket is authorised to play for one or a plurality of games during that session and after the session the ticket is returned by the member, to the play site authority, for re-use in a subsequent play session by any member who wishes to select that card.

Preferably the tickets offered to members on entry to the play site include tickets with only one play ticket display, whereupon the member will play the one ticket display for all the games authorised, and tickets including more than one play ticket displayed, so that the member can play a number of play ticket displays simultaneously.

In one preferred arrangement each member has a membership card identifying that member, each ticket has an identification code individual to that member and on presenting a membership card and a selected ticket for authorisation during a play session the identification of the member and the identification code for the selected ticket are stored in such manner that on a call for a winning ticket the membership details and the authorisation of the winning ticket can be checked.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Fig 1 shows one method for playing the game of bingo in accordance with the invention and Fig 2 shows an alternative method for playing the game in accordance with the invention.

In the method illustrated in Fig 1 a member will, on arrival at the play site, present a membership card 11 to a cashier 12 and will make a payment 13 to the cashier 12. The cashier 12 will visually examine information printed on the card 11 to ensure that the intending player is a member of the club and, thereby, authorised to play at that location. After ensuring that the card 11 is an authorised card the cashier 12 will return the card 11 to the intending player and, on receiving payment 13 for the game or games to be played, the cashier 12 will issue a receipt 14, identifying the game or games authorised to be played on the card 11.

The card 11 will include one bingo playing ticket permanently printed thereon and the intending player will play that bingo ticket for all authorised games. A member can of course have any number of cards 11 and can simultaneously play the game ticket on each of a plurality of cards 11 for any game for which the member is authorised, by the receipt 14 from the cashier 12.

In playing the game numbers are "called" or displayed in succession until a participant "calls" a ticket completed in accordance with the game being played and, on making a call for a completed ticket, the participant will present the card 11 to an authorised examiner 15, with the receipt 14 from the cashier 12, and the authorised person 15 will then check from the receipt 14 that the participant was entitled to play that particular game and then check the ticket printed the card 11 to confirm that the ticket 11 is a "winning" ticket. On the ticket on the card 11 being identified as a winning ticket, and authorised, the authorised person will return the membership card 11 and the receipt 14 to the participant, and the participant will be awarded the prize 16 for that game, and which in club bingo is generally a cash prize 16.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig 2 each member of a bingo club will have a membership card 21 individual thereto and the card 21 will include a bar code 21a, which identifies that membership card 21 from all other membership cards 21 held by other members.

At the entrance to a play site, for example a bingo hall, the member will present the membership card 21 to the cashier who will insert the card 21 into a bar code reader 22, which will read the bar code 21a and transmit electronic data identifying the membership card to a membership memory 23. The membership memory 23 will contain all the identification data for each member, including payment of subscriptions by each member when applicable, and a comparitor device 24 with access to the memory 23 will compare the data received from the reader 22 relative to the records of membership to ensure that the member is entitled to play at that location on that date.A confirmation that the submitted card 21 is in order to be authorised is transmitted from the memory 23 to the cashier location and, on an indication that the membership card is valid, conveniently by, for example a visual display 25 at the cashier location, the cashier can take the order from the member for the game, or the number of games to be authorised for the evening. On payment of the fees 26 for the desired game, or number of games to be played, the cashier will then type data identifying the game to be played, or the number of games to be played, this information is transmitted to the memory 23 and stored therein and the card 21 can then be removed from the reader 22 and returned to the member.

The member can then enter the hall, taking any unoccupied seat or play position, and when the, or the first, authorised game is to be played the player can participate in that game playing the bingo ticket printed on the card 21.

When a "winning" ticket is called the member will present the membership card 21 to an authorised person, who will insert the card into a reader 27 arranged to read the bar code and transmit that bar code identification data to the membership memory 23, and the authorised person will key in the order of the game, which will also be coded and transmitted to the membership memory 23. At the membership memory 23 the bar code identification and the game identification will be examined by the comparitor 24 relative to the stored information for that particular member and, again preferably by a visual display, the comparitor 24 will confirm that the member was authorised for the specific game.

Once the card has been checked for membership and payment for the game called, the authorised person can check the play ticket printed on the card against the numbers called to ensure that the ticket on the card 21 is a "winning" ticket and, if so, the winning member will receive the prize 28 for that game.

In a more sophisticated arrangement, the ticket printed on the card 21 may be scanned electronically to confirm that the ticket is a "winning" ticket.

At the end of a play period the member will take the card (11 or 21) away and will re present the card 11 or 21 for authorisation to play when attending the next play period.

In another method of play each member will have a membership card identifying the member and the card will not include a play ticket.

On arrival at a play site the member will select one or a plurality of game tickets from a plurality of displayed tickets, each ticket will be individually identified and, on the member presenting the membership card, the selected ticket or tickets and the payment for the desired games to be played, the member is authorised to play the selected ticket or tickets for the desired number of games. After the play session all the members will return their play tickets for reuse in a subsequent play session.

The authorisation of a ticket or tickets for play for a single game or a plurality of games may be made by recording the members membership identification and the identification code of the ticket or tickets being played. The authorisation to play may be printed on a receipt issued by the cashier or the information may be stored electronically and recalled when a winning ticket is called.

Claims

1. A method for playing the game of bingo comprising the steps of providing each participant with a single ticket and selectively authorising each participant's ticket individually for play in any one or plurality of games.

2. The method according to claim 1 including the steps of allowing each participant to take the ticket away from the play location.

3. The method according to claims 1 or 2, including the steps of allowing a ticket presented by a member to be authorised for play.

4. The method according to claims 1, 2 or 3, including the steps of arranging the ticket to be re-usable

5. The method according to claim 4, including the steps of, arranging the ticket to be a "wipe clean" ticket in so far as an authorisation of the ticket is concerned.

6. The method according to claims 1,2,3,4 or 5.

including the steps of identifying each ticket with a club membership number individual to the participant.

7. The method according to claim 6, including the steps of identifying a member's club membership details by a bar code system printed on the ticket.

8. The method according to claim 7, including the steps of reading the bar code electronically and storing with said bar code with the game, or number and order of games.

authorised for a given play period.

9. The method according to claim 1, including the steps of allowing each member on entering a play site for a play session to select a ticket for play from a plurality of tickets. authorising the selected ticket for play any one or plurality of games during that session and, after the play session, collecting the ticket for re-use and authorisation in a subsequent play session by any member who selects that card.

10. The method according to claim 1. including the steps of providing each member with a membership card including a code individual to that member. providing each ticket with an identification code individual to that ticket and, on presentation of a membership card and a selected ticket for authorisation during a play session. storing the identification code of the member and the identification code of the selected ticket in such manner that. on a call that a ticket is a winning ticket. the membership details and the authorisation of the winning ticket to play in that game can be readily checked.

11. The method according to claim 10. including the steps of storing the said identification code of the member and the identification code of a ticket selected and authorised for play in a specific game electronically in a memory capable of storing the identification codes of all the membership cards of all the members playing in a specific game and the identification codes of all the tickets authorised to play in that game.

12. A method of playing bingo according to claim 1. and substantially as hereinbefore described.