Dice Game
Inter alia the present invention provides an apparatus for playing a dice game with bets on the outcome of throws of the dice, which apparatus comprises: a table with a playing surface: at least one die having a plurality of sides, each of said plurality of sides having a different one from a set of indicia; a plurality of substantially identical playing pieces/chips to be used by different players or by one player for different bets in a game, the playing surface of the table being marked with a plurality of independent betting areas each corresponding to a different outcome of a throw of the at least one die, wherein at least one of the betting areas is marked with a plurality of mutually differently marked zones, each of said plurality of differently marked zones to receive a playing piece/chip thereon that is specific to one player so that each playing piece/chip may be differentiated by player from another not by the colour of the playing piece/chip but by the selected differently marked zone of the at least one betting area that the playing piece/chip is placed on.
The present invention concerns dice games and more specifically a novel apparatus and method for playing a dice game that involves wagering on the outcome of throwing dice on a table.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTIONDice games of the type in question and which include ‘Craps’, ‘Sic Bo’, ‘Chuck-a luck’ or conventional Dice are a popular feature of casinos that have a range of different betting games. Such games are, however, quite expensive to administer since they generally involve use of a number of dedicated tables each taking up a substantial amount of floor space and each manned by several staff to supervise the game-play and betting. Also staff pr machines are needed to manage/sort and re-distribute the player-specific coloured chips/tokens at the end of each round of game play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for playing a dice game with bets on the outcome of throws of the dice, which apparatus comprises:
a table with a playing surface:
at least one die having a plurality of sides, each of said plurality of sides having a different one from a set of indicia;
a plurality of substantially identical playing pieces/chips to be used by different players or by one player for different bets in a game,
the playing surface of the table being marked with a plurality of independent betting areas each corresponding to a different outcome of a throw of the at least one die, wherein at least one of the betting areas is marked with a plurality of mutually differently marked zones, each of said plurality of differently marked zones to receive a playing piece/chip thereon that is specific to one player so that each playing piece/chip may be differentiated by player from another not by the colour of the playing piece/chip but by the selected differently marked zone of the at least one betting area that the playing piece/chip is placed on.
With differentiated player-specific zones in each betting area on the table there is no longer any need to provide and process differently colored player-specific chips, which avoids the need for manual labour or automated machinery for sorting the chips between each bout of use. This results in very considerable time and cost savings for the casino or other operator running the dice game and can enhance the players experience too. Cost-savings amounting to many thousands of pounds/dollars a year may be made.
Preferably the differently marked zones of the at least one betting area are configured in a radial array around a centre of the at least one betting area. Suitably the at least one betting area is polygonal and each side of the polygon is a differently marked zone. By this means an optimal number of players can be serviced on a single table.
Preferably each differently marked zone of the at least one betting area is differentiated by its colour. This makes the use of the new system simpler and more intuitive/easier for players to adjust to.
Suitably the table/playing surface is further marked along the perimeter of the table facing the players with a series of marks each corresponding to a different one of the marks of the differently marked player-specific zones so that each player will stand behind their specific marked position. Alternatively, each player might be given a single token when they start playing marked to show their player specific marking so that they are reminded/validated for playing in their designated zones. In other words they are, for example, given their single player-specific colored chip at the start corresponding to their colored zone in each betting area and they hold it and return it after they have played as many games as they wish.
The game is best played with at least two dice and suitably where the or each die is a six-sided die
For greatest appeal with a twin six-sided dice game arrangement there are suitably at least 21 independent betting areas, each corresponding to a different outcome of a throw of the pair of dice. A further six independent betting areas may be provided corresponding to the six different outcomes for one of the pair of dice. Suitably the at least 21 independent betting areas are configured on the playing surface grouped together in a triangular arrangement. This is optimally compact and easily viewed and followed by the supervisor and the players. The at least 21 independent betting areas are preferably configured on the playing surface grouped together with adjacent sides of adjacent betting areas being contiguous.
In a further major improvement the table is configured to have at least two dice-throwing zones, each having a perimeter wall towards which the dice may be thrown/rolled and serving to contain the dice on the table, there being an inset bay between the at least two dice-throwing zones where a game supervisor may stand.
By making the table in this form this can enable considerable savings to be made in number of tables and floor space for a given number of players as well as in supervisor man-power to run multiple simultaneous games.
For, example, one supervisor alone stationed in the bay between the two dice-throwing zones can manage un-assisted and replace four of five supervisors where the table is set up for playing multi-player American Craps. This can, of course, represent huge cost-savings to the casino or other operator.
Thus, according to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a dice game with bets on the outcome of throws of the dice, which apparatus comprises: a table with a playing surface on which the dice may be thrown wherein the table has at least two dice-throwing zones, each having a perimeter wall towards which the dice may be thrown/rolled and serving to contain the dice on the table, there being an inset bay between the at least two dice-throwing zones where a game supervisor may stand
Preferably in this table each of the perimeter walls curves/bows outwardly from the table as viewed from above. Suitably a first of the perimeter walls curves/bows outwardly oriented in a first direction and a second perimeter wall curves/bows outwardly oriented in a second direction at an acute angle to the first direction. Suitably each perimeter wall curves/bows outwardly substantially symmetrically and each is oriented with its axis of symmetry at an acute angle to the axis of symmetry of the other perimeter wall.
In further improvements the playing surface is suitably further marked with a further group of betting areas wherein each betting area of the group corresponds to multiple different outcomes of a throw of the at least one die so that a player may bet on multiple different outcomes with one placed bet. This further group suitably is arranged as a linear series or matrix of adjacent and suitably contiguous areas on the table
In a further aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a dice game with bets on the outcome of throws of the dice, which apparatus comprises:
a table with a playing surface, the playing surface of the table being marked with a plurality of independent betting areas each corresponding to a different outcome of a throw of the at least one die, wherein at least one of the betting areas is marked with a plurality of mutually differently marked zones, each of said plurality of differently marked zones to receive a playing piece/chip thereon that is specific to one player so that each playing piece/chip may be differentiated by player from another not by the colour of the playing piece/chip but by the selected differently marked zone of the at least one betting area that the playing piece/chip is placed on.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Table. 1 shows a pay table containing the true odds and payoffs.
Table. 2 shows a pay table where on a perfect average all players will lose one chip every 36 rolls of the dice providing an overall advantage to the house of about 2.77%.
Table. 3 shows a pay table where on a perfect average all players will lose two chips every 36 rolls of the dice providing an overall advantage to the house of about 5.54%
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSMain Game Layout
Outside Betting Area
Inside Betting Area
On every roll of the dice one of the “inside” bets must be the winning combination. When one of the combinations shown in
Double Betting Area
When the winning combination of dice is a double, shown in
Optional/Auxiliary Game Layouts
Cozy Bets
The first of these “group” bets are shown in
The second and third group of track bets are concerned with the total value of both dice when added together unlike the “Cozy Bets” which represent specific combinations of dice,
Bevy Bets
Eliminating The Use Of Colour Chips
The use of different coloured chips to indentify where each player is placing their bets is a firmly established feature of conventional games which offer multiple betting areas. However, we dispense with the need for colour chips and by doing so we remove the ongoing cost of replacing colour chips and avoid need for any staff time or automated chip processing machines to separate mixed lots of colour chips.
These marking will surround all twenty-seven betting options of the main game layout in a similar fashion.
Method One.
Each player is given a colour marker or button that that player retains whilst playing; when they have finished playing they give the marker back to the dealer so that colour is available for the next player.
Method Two.
A player wishing to play would be offered an available colour; for example yellow. In colour method one as described above, the dealer would then give the player a yellow marker. The player would then place their chip(s) on any of the corresponding coloured areas on the layout, in this instance, yellow 103. The player would surrender the coloured marker to the dealer prior to leaving the game. Alternatively, to avoid the vacating player retaining the coloured marker after finishing their play a system of assigning colour to a player can be employed by using the method as described in
Alternative Embodiments
Embodiment of the Second Aspect of the Invention
In a further improvement over the prior art in game play the game may be played with unconventional payouts/pay-offs where all of the betting areas offer the exact same house advantage. Furthermore the payouts/pay-offs may be exclusively whole numbers, ie X to 1 where X is a whole number. To achieve this unique payout we pay a bonus to players when a double number (eg two sixes) is the outcome of throwing the pair of dice. This has a number of benefits—making the payouts easier to comprehend and work with and uniquely offering different pay-outs for bets placed on the same betting area. The odds are also well balanced between the needs of casino and player.
Table. 2 shows a pay table where on a perfect average all players will lose one chip every 36 rolls of the dice providing an overall advantage to the house of about 2.77%. Alternative pay tables are displayed in Table.1 and Table.3 and are not exhaustive. Other pay tables are possible as are different methods of play corresponding with various pay tables. For instance, a method of play could involve a different outcome and corresponding pay table when a double number is the outcome of both dice. In an embodiment, when a double is the outcome of the dice roll, all corresponding bets on the middle betting area as in
Operation of the preferred Embodiment
The player stands at one of the coloured areas around the table shown in
Touch Bets
In the last 5 years casinos in many jurisdictions have introduced a new method of delivering casino games known as Touch Bet gaming that involves electronic machines that have a screen representing a gambling layout, most commonly Roulette. The player inserts cash or card to buy credits and places bets by touching the screen over the betting area. These machines are linked to a live game via a video camera that televises the outcome of a spin of a roulette wheel. The player often has the choice of either a live game or may choose to rely on numbers being generated by an automatic casino wheel which is self contained where the ball is propelled by a gas mechanism. Because Roulette is played with colour chips, normally eight to ten different colours, once all the colours are in play no more players can join the game. Remote touch bet machines permit the casino operator to effectively add further players to an existing game thereby having no limit to the amount of players who can be connected to a single roulette game. This touch bet technology may be used in the context of the present invention with changes only in the software. The game may be run from a live game or an automatic dice generator either remotely or attached to a touch bet machine. It will be appreciated that the present invention and claims embrace within their scope virtual dice tables and game play and remote televised dice games using touch bet screens.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention in which all terms are meant in their broadest, reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. The two primary aspects of the present invention both individually and together dramatically improve efficiency in the operation of dice games, whether the game be played under the rules of ‘Craps’, ‘Sic Bo’, ‘Chuck-a luck’ or conventional Dice or any other rules that involve betting on the outcome of the roll of dice on a table. Other aspects of the invention will also be apparent from the foregoing description and the claims and drawings that follow.
Claims
1. An apparatus for playing a dice game with bets on the outcome of throws of the dice, which apparatus comprises: a table with a playing surface, the playing surface of the table being marked with a plurality of independent betting areas each corresponding to a different outcome of a throw of the at least one die, wherein at least one of the betting areas is marked with a plurality of mutually differently marked zones, each of said plurality of differently marked zones to receive a playing piece/chip thereon that is specific to one player so that each playing piece/chip may be differentiated by player from another not by the colour of the playing piece/chip but by the selected differently marked zone of the at least one betting area that the playing piece/chip is placed on.
2. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 1, which apparatus further comprises: at least one die having a plurality of sides, each of said plurality of sides having a different one from a set of indicia; and a plurality of substantially identical playing pieces/chips to be used by different players or by one player for different bets in a game.
3. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the differently marked zones of the at least one betting area are configured in a radial array around a centre of the at least one betting area.
4. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one betting area is polygonal and each side of the polygon is a differently marked zone.
5. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 1, wherein each differently marked zone of the at least one betting area is differentiated by its colour.
6. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are at least two dice and each die is a six-sided die
7. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 6, wherein there are at least 21 independent betting areas, each corresponding to a different outcome of a throw of the pair of dice.
8. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 7, wherein there are a further six independent betting areas corresponding to the six different outcomes for one of the pair of dice.
9. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least 21 independent betting areas are configured on the playing surface grouped together in a triangular arrangement.
10. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least 21 independent betting areas are configured on the playing surface grouped together with adjacent sides of adjacent betting areas being contiguous.
11. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the table has at least two dice-throwing zones, each having a perimeter wall towards which the dice may be thrown/rolled and serving to contain the dice on the table, there being an inset bay/recess between the at least two dice-throwing zones where a game supervisor may stand.
12. An apparatus for playing a dice game with bets on the outcome of throws of the dice, which apparatus comprises: a table with a playing surface on which the dice may be thrown wherein the table has at least two dice-throwing zones, each having a perimeter wall towards which the dice may be thrown/rolled and serving to contain the dice on the table, there being an inset bay between the at least two dice-throwing zones where a game supervisor may stand
13. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of the perimeter walls curves/bows outwardly from the table as viewed from above.
14. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 12, wherein a first of the perimeter walls curves/bows outwardly oriented in a first direction and a second perimeter wall curves/bows outwardly oriented in a second direction at an acute angle to the first direction.
15. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of the perimeter walls curves/bows outwardly substantially symmetrically and each is oriented with its axis of symmetry at an acute angle to the axis of symmetry of the other perimeter wall.
16. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the playing surface is further marked with a further group of betting areas wherein each betting area of the group corresponds to multiple different outcomes of a throw of the at least one die so that a player may bet on multiple different outcomes with one placed bet.
17. An apparatus for playing a dice game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the playing surface is further marked along the perimeter of the table facing the players with a series of marks each corresponding to a different one of the marks of the differently marked player-specific zones so that each player will stand behind their specific marked position.
18. A method for playing a multi-player game of chance in which bets are placed using betting areas marked on a playing surface, the method comprising marking the betting areas thereon with a plurality of markings each of which markings is specific to one player so that each player's playing piece/chip may be differentiated from that of another player not by the colour of the playing piece/chip but by the selected differently marked zone of the betting area that the playing piece/chip is placed on.
19. A method for playing a multi-player game of chance as claimed in claim 18, wherein the game is a dice game and the pay-offs for all of the available betting areas offer the same house advantage.
20. A method for playing a multi-player game of chance as claimed in claim 18, wherein the game is a dice game and pay-offs for all of the available betting areas are whole number (ie odds of X to 1 where X is a whole number).
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 12, 2009
Publication Date: Oct 7, 2010
Inventor: Patrick Thomas McGrath (Luton)
Application Number: 12/577,413