GB2456397A

GB2456397A - Indicating bets on a roulette wheel

Info

Publication number: GB2456397A
Application number: GB0800956A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joe Phillips
Original assignee: Barcrest Group Ltd
Current assignee: Barcrest Group Ltd
Priority date: 2008-01-21
Filing date: 2008-01-21
Publication date: 2009-07-22
Also published as: GB0800956D0

Abstract

A roulette apparatus includes a rotatable wheel 11 bearing peripheral symbols 12, a betting grid or layout 21 allowing bets to be placed on symbols 22 corresponding to those provided on the wheel, a ball (not shown) which comes to rest against one of the peripheral symbols when the wheel stops rotating, and indicator means which, when a bet 24 is placed on the betting grid layout, causes the corresponding symbol or symbols 15 on the wheel to be visually indicated. The wheel 11 and betting layout 22 are preferably displayed on at least one video display 10, 20, either as simulated apparatus or as live real-time or recorded video, and the bets 24 are preferably placed using player controls, such as push-buttons or touch screen controls. The symbols 12 may be conventional roulette numbers coloured in a conventional roulette fashion, and the wheel may have a track around which the ball travels, with pockets or compartments 13 adjacent the numbers for receiving the ball, and the betting layout 21 may be a conventional roulette betting layout. The indicating means may comprise electronically highlighting the selected symbol(s) 15, e.g. by illumination, or changing the level or colour of existing illumination. The apparatus allows a player to identify whilst looking at the wheel which numbers would result in a winning bet.

Description

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ROULETTE APPARATUS This invention relates to roulette apparatus having a rotatable wheel with peripheral symbols, a betting table having corresponding symbols on which bets can be placed, and a ball movable around the wheel whilst the wheel rotates to come to 5 rest against one symbol when rotation of the wheel stops. The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, concerned with such roulette apparatus forming part of game-play apparatus, including player-operable coin operated gaming or amusement machines, and gaming or amusement systems having player-operable terminals connected to remote servers. As used herein the expression coin-operated 10 includes operation by coins, tokens, notes, credit or debit cards, or any other suitable means of providing credit or monetary value.

Game-play apparatus for playing games based on roulette are known. Such known apparatus has two video displays: a first display with a representation of a roulette table, and a second display with a representation of a roulette-wheel. The 15 player places bets by directly interacting with the first display which has a representation of the roulette table showing the available numbers (0-36) and number combinations on which the player can place bets. The player can then view a live video, or pre-recorded video, or graphic simulation of the roulette-wheel on the second display whereby the wheel rotates, a ball runs around the periphery of the reel, 20 and the wheel and ball come to rest with the ball in a compartment against a selected one of the numbers 0-36 marked around the periphery of the wheel. With such known apparatus, the viewing of the roulette-wheel and table is effected in a manner similar to the conventional game of roulette, whereby the player has to look at the table to check on the bets placed during rotation of the reel. This has the problem that the

player cannot readily check and confirm entitlement to winnings. If the player watches carefully where the ball stops, it is not possible at the same time for the player to check carefully where the bets have been placed. In the fast-moving context of a gaming machine, this can lead to player dissatisfaction at the inability to properly verify functioning of the machine.

An object of this invention is to overcome this problem by facilitating simultaneous player inspection of the roulette wheel and placed bets.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a roulette apparatus having a rotatable wheel with peripheral symbols, a betting table having corresponding symbols on which bets can be placed, and a ball movable around the wheel whilst the wheel rotates to come to rest against one symbol when rotation of the wheel stops, characterised by the provision of an indicator device which is operable when a bet is placed on a table symbol during rotation of the wheel to cause the corresponding symbol to be visually indicated on the wheel.

With this arrangement, the roulette wheel is linked to the roulette table such that bets placed on the roulette table by the player are visually indicated on the roulette wheel. This can enhance the player's experience and can provide assurance to the player as to correct functioning of the apparatus, by allowing the player to follow the roulette wheel and ball without constantly having to refer back to the roulette table in order to remember all the bets placed.

The rotatable wheel may be provided by a representation on a first video display device, and the betting table may be provided by a representation on a second video display device. The first and second display devices may individually comprise one or more video screens or other display devices, and/or combinations or selections

thereof. A common video display device may be used for both representations.

The rotatable wheel, with the movable ball, and betting table may each be shown on the respective display devices as simulations, although live real-time or recorded video may also be possible.

The peripheral symbols may be any suitable symbols such as numbers, letters, or graphical representations of shapes. The peripheral symbols may be of the same colour or of a suitable colour combination.

In a preferred embodiment, the symbols represent numbers such as conventionally used on a roulette wheel i.e. the numbers 1-36 and usually also 0 and possibly also 00. The numbers 1-36 may be alternately red and black with a separate colour used for 0 and 00 if present.

The rotatable wheel preferably has compartments respectively adjacent to the symbols and a peripheral track for the ball whereby the ball runs around the track in the opposite direction to the rotation of the wheel and comes to rest in one compartment.

The aforesaid visual indication on the wheel may correspond to all current bets, whether on individual symbols or groups of symbols. For example, if a bet is placed on all odd numerical symbols then all such symbols on the wheel will be visually indicated.

The visual indication may comprise highlighting of symbols displayed by electronic means e.g. by illumination, or by change of level or colour of existing illumination. Thus, the electronic means may comprise highlighting of the symbols by, for example, placing a coloured border around the periphery of the symbol or changing colour of the symbol.

The betting table may have the symbols arranged in a matrix of squares. Where the symbols are the numbers 1-36 these may be in three side by side columns in conventional roulette manner.

The betting table may also comprise areas representing combinations of symbols upon which the player may bet so as to simultaneously cover a plurality of said symbols.

Preferably, where the betting table is provided on the aforesaid second display device, this is at least optionally under player control such that the player may operate one or more controls, such as push buttons, touch screen controls, or the like, in order to select the (or each) corresponding symbols which are to be bet upon. In this way the player can apply judgement and skill, or at least personal choice on the selection of symbols.

The arrangement may be such that the selection of symbols on the second display device for betting upon are automatically indicated by modification of the display, and the player can accept or change this automatic selection. Any combination of the symbols on the second display device, or all symbols, may be selectable. Alternatively, a limit may be imposed on the number of symbols which can be bet upon.

The player may interact with the second display by any suitable method. The interaction may be directly with the second display, for example by touch, or may be indirectly with said display, for example by pressing buttons arranged around the second display.

The second display may allow for indicators of numbers, symbols or other areas on which the player decides to place bets. The indicators may be highlighting of

the numbers, symbols, or other areas, and may comprise representations of conventional betting chips.

The second display may also comprise further areas which display information of relevance to the player, such as total stake, remaining credits, and other suitable information. The second display may also comprise representations of commands available to the player, such as commands to start the game, exit the game, or to request help.

The first and second display devices may be in a proximal relationship such that the player is able to view both displays with minimal movement. For example, the first display may be arranged above the second display.

The display devices described above are preferably incorporated in a game-play apparatus as described above. The display devices may be operable in playing the sole or main game of the apparatus. Alternatively, the display devices may be operable for playing subsidiary games, such as a feature game which is made available independent on the outcome of a different main game. Operation of the display devices may be dependent on actuation of the apparatus with a predetermined game-play stake. The player may be entitled to repeat his operation of the second display device e.g. until termination of such operation takes place. Alternatively, a further stake of a predetermined or automatic or player selectable value may be required for each successive operation of the apparatus.

The betting sequence may comprise a period in which the rotatable wheel is spun with a ball spun in an opposite direction, and during which time a player can place bets on the second display device. When the ball slows to a predetermined level, the player may be prevented from placing any more bets on the second display

device. The ball would then come to a stop by dropping into one of the squares on the rotatable wheel. On termination of the betting sequence, the evaluation of the rotatable wheel on the first display device may be utilised to determine an award which may then be available to the player.

All awards may be a monetary value paid or credited to the player. Alternatively or additionally there may be other kinds of awards, such as transfer to a bonus or feature game which may enhance possibilities for obtaining monetary awards. In the case where the player has the option of termination as described above, the player may be able to choose whether to terminate the game and accept a monetary award. Alternatively the player may choose to continue to play the game and allow the awards to remain as credits for the game apparatus to be used in subsequent games.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a first display of one form of roulette apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a second display of the apparatus.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a diagrammatic representation of a first display 10 showing a roulette wheel 11.

The first display 10 in this example has a rendered 3-D image of a roulette wheel 11 displayed thereupon. The roulette wheel 11 shown is of the conventional type with 37 numbered squares 12 (0-36) having corresponding compartments or slots 13 to accommodate a ball.

The first display 10 also has other information displayed thereupon, including

a list of previous numbers 14 on which the ball has landed on. Other information may also be displayed on the first display outside the area showing the roulette wheel 11.

Referring to Figure 2 there is shown a second display 20 having a representation of a roulette betting table 21. The betting table 21 has a grid of numbers 22 from 0-36. Additionally, around the periphery of the number grid 22 are a number of boxes 23 which represent multiple number squares, such as odd and even, 1-18 and 19-36, etc. The 3-D rendered table also has shown a number of chips 24 placed upon numbers or combination of numbers such as being placed on a split, street, corner, sixline, even money bets, group bets, or column bets.

The chip representations 24 are placed on the diagram electronically by the player touching the second display at the point at which the chips 24 should be placed. Alternatively, the roulette apparatus may comprise numbers or a key-pad arranged below the second display 20 which allows the player to enter bets or combinations of bets which would then be represented electronically by graphical representations of chips 24 placed on the roulette table 21.

The second display 20 also contains other information areas such as a total stake readout 25 or credits remaining readout 26. The total stake readout 25 provides a real-time display of the current amount of credit that the user has placed on the betting table 21 for the current betting sequence. Other command buttons and logos may also be shown on the second display 20.

Additionally, the second display 20 comprises a spread-out representation 27 of the roulette wheel 11 of the first display 10. The representation 27 displays the numbers arranged in the same sequence as the roulette wheel 11 of the first display

The interaction of the first display 10 and second display 20 as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 is such that when the player places bets on the second display 10, the corresponding numbers are highlighted 15 on the first display as shown in Figure 1. Additionally, the corresponding numbers are also highlighted 28 on the spread-out representation 27 of the roulette wheel on the second display 20. The highlighting 15 and 28 of the numbers on the roulette wheel 11 and spread-out representation 27 is achieved by rendering a highlighting box around the respective numbers.

The player can therefore easily view the roulette wheel 11 of the first display 10 whilst the ball is spinning, and easily identify which numbers will lead to a winning bet, without reference to the roulette table 21 of the second display 20.

The player may initiate the roulette apparatus by insertion of coins, tokens or notes into the apparatus to an amount at least equal to the predetermined game-play stake value, such that the machine can be operated to play a game. Operation of the apparatus may require the player to press a start button. When sufficient coins or tokens are inserted into the apparatus, a main game-play procedure is then started whereby the VDU screen displays of the first display and second display simulate the roulette table as described above. After each simulated spin of the roulette wheel, the player has the option to operate a collect button, in which case the game is terminated. Alternatively, the player can continue, by pressing the continue button.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiments, which are described by example only.

The invention also provides an improved version of a game, such as roulette,

wherein:

a rotatable wheel is rotated with a ball;

at least one peripheral symbol is selected from a betting table by a player; the rotatable wheel comprises symbols corresponding to the betting table, and selection of said symbols on the betting table provides an indicator device to highlight said corresponding symbol on said wheel;

on reaching a predetermined time, the ball comes to rest against one symbol on the rotatable wheel, and an award is provided to the player if the symbol is identical to any player selected corresponding symbol on the betting table.

Claims

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1. A roulette apparatus having a rotatable wheel with peripheral symbols, a betting table having corresponding symbols on which bets can be placed, and a ball movable around the wheel whilst the wheel rotates to come to rest against one symbol when rotation of the wheel stops, characterised by the provision of an indicator device which is operable when a bet is placed on a table symbol during rotation of the wheel to cause the corresponding symbol to be visually indicated on the wheel.

2. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rotatable wheel is provided by a representation on a first video display device, and the betting table is provided by a representation on a second video display device.

3. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second display devices individually comprise one or more video screens.

4. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein a common video display device is used for both representations.

5. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the rotatable wheel, with the movable ball, and betting table are each shown on the respective display devices as simulations.

6. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the rotatable wheel, with the movable ball, and betting table are each shown on the respective display devices as live real-time or recorded video.

7. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the peripheral symbols are any suitable numbers, letters, or graphical representations of shapes.

8. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the peripheral symbols are of the same colour or of a suitable colour combination.

9. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the symbols represent the numbers 0-36.

10. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the numbers 1-36 are alternately red and black with a separate colour used for 0.

11. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the symbols include 00 and 00 is the same colour as 0.

12. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the rotatable wheel has compartments respectively adjacent to the symbols and a peripheral track for the ball whereby the ball runs around the track in the opposite direction to the rotation of the wheel and comes to rest in one compartment.

13. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the visual indication on the wheel corresponds to all current bets, whether on individual symbols or groups of symbols.

14. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the visual indication comprises highlighting of symbols displayed by electronic means.

15. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the highlighting is achieved by illumination, or by change of level or colour of existing illumination.

16. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the highlighting of the symbols is by placing a coloured border around the periphery of the symbol or changing colour of the symbol.

17. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the betting

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table has the symbols arranged in a matrix of squares.

18. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 17 when dependent directly or indirectly upon any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the numbers 1-36 are provided in three side by side columns in conventional roulette manner.

19. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the betting table also comprises areas representing combinations of symbols upon which the player may bet so as to simultaneously cover a plurality of said symbols.

20. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 19 wherein the betting table is provided on the aforesaid second display device, and under player control such that the player may operate one or more controls in order to select the (or each) corresponding symbols which are to be bet upon.

21. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the player controls are push buttons or touch screen controls.

22. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein the arrangement may be such that the selection of symbols on the second display device for betting upon are automatically indicated by modification of the display.

23. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21 wherein the player can accept or change this automatic selection.

24. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 23 wherein any combination of the symbols on the second display device, or all symbols, are selectable.

25. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 24 wherein a limit is imposed on the number of symbols which can be bet upon.

26. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25 wherein the

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indicators comprise highlighting of the numbers, symbols, or other areas, or comprise representations of conventional betting chips.

27. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the second display also comprises further areas which display information of relevance to the player, such as total stake, remaining credits, and representations of commands available to the player.

28. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 27 wherein the first and second display devices are in a proximal relationship such that the player is able to view both displays with minimal movement.

29. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 28 wherein the first display is arranged above the second display.

30. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 29 wherein the display devices are incorporated in a game-play apparatus.

31. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein the display devices are operable in playing the sole or main game of the apparatus.

32. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 31 wherein the display devices are operable for playing subsidiary games, made available dependent on the outcome of a different main game.

33. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 32 wherein operation of the display devices is dependent on actuation of the apparatus with a predetermined game-play stake.

34. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 33 wherein the player is entitled to repeat his operation of the second display device.

35. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 341 wherein a further stake of a

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predetermined or automatic or player selectable value is required for each successive operation of the apparatus.

36. A roulette apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 35 wherein the betting sequence comprises a period in which the rotatable wheel is spun with a ball spun in an opposite direction, and during which time a player can place bets on the second display device.

37. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 36 wherein when the ball slows to a predetermined level, the player is prevented from placing any more bets on the second display device.

38. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 36 or claim 37 wherein on termination of the betting sequence, the evaluation of the rotatable wheel on the first display device is utilised to determine an award which is then available to the player.

39. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 38 wherein the awards are a monetary value paid or credited to the player or transfer to a bonus or feature game

40. A roulette apparatus as claimed in claim 39 wherein the player is able to choose whether to terminate the game and accept a monetary award.