Game of chance   

This application claims the benefit of Israel Application No. 187433 filed Nov. 18, 2007 by the present inventor.

Roulette is a well known and popular game, it is easy and quick to play. The goal is to bet on the number on which the roulette wheel stops. Practically all roulette games are based on a player betting against a “house” with fixed odds that never change.

For example: for betting on the winning number the player receives from the “house” 1:36 odds which means he gets 36 bet units for each unit he bets. For betting on the winning color the odds are 1:2 and so on, for every turn of the roulette, without consideration in how many players are at the table, the level of the bet or the bet.

Many patents exist claiming different and/or improved roulette games.

Thus for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,425 claims a microprocessor controlled roulette game, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,838 relates to an apparatus and method of playing a roulette game using a roulette wheel having two independently rotatable plates and using two separate wagering areas. U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,834 relates to a system and method for remote roulette. U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,255 claims a multiple wheel roulette game. U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,488 teaches an alphabetic roulette game.

US 2007/0057452 discloses a roulette and dice game with poker hands.

The present invention is based on a roulette type game but entails a new method of playing it.

More specifically the object of the invention is to provide a game of chance for two or more players having no fixed odds in which the winner or winners take the entire jackpot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game of chance not necessarily requiring a dealer or croupier.

Another object is to provide a roulette type game of chance wherein the players play against each other and not against the “house”.

Thus in accordance with this invention there is provided a game of chance comprising:

• • a) a playing board having betting numbers and/or letters, and/or symbols and/or colors and/or groups of these upon which players can place bets,
  • b) a random number generator (RNG) that generates a winning number,
  • c) colored or marked chips of different denominations for placing bets,
    wherein each player can place one or more bets (chips) on a number, letter, symbol, color, group or groups to determine his position, characterized in that the winner of the entire jackpot is the one or ones having placed the bet (chip) on the winning position, which position is the smallest group of numbers that includes the winning number, relative to the bets of the other players.

The playing board can be a table top, a game board that may be foldable, or a number of boards. The random number generator may be a roulette wheel, a “bingo” type number generator, appropriate dice, etc. and may be manual, electrical or electronic. The game itself may be played manually, i.e., where all players are present, or over a network, such as by the internet. The playing board is generally square or rectangular with rows and columns and groups of these containing numbers, letters, symbols or colors. Other configurations of playing boards are also possible such as round, hexagonal or octagonal.

As was stated earlier, the players at the table play against each other and not against the “house”, and they are affected by the bets of the other players at the table.

There are no fixed odds and the winner or winners of the jackpot (all the bets on the tables) is/are the one(s) with the best position.

The game can have a “house” (dealer) that spins the wheel or throws the dice, collects the money, announces the winner and pays the jackpot. This can be done for a certain fee or percentage of the bets. The game can be played without a “house-type dealer” (i.e. there is no dealer against whom the remaining players play—whether that dealer be a house dealer or one of the players, rather all of the players play against each other). While it is envisioned that one of the players will act as a dealer or that they will take turns dealing. The game can also be played without any one actually dealing by rolling of dice or using electronic number generating means.

The goal of each player is to bet the winning number and to have this number included in the smallest group of numbers chosen, i.e. to have the best position between the wagers.

The rules of the game are as follows:

There must be a minimum of two players, a standard wheel of roulette or any Random Number Generator (RNG), a playing board and tokens of various colors and denominations for each player. The game will now be described in the form of a roulette game, but is not limited thereto. The game could be, for example, a bingo type game.

Typically a roulette wheel contains numbers from 1-36 and also 0 and 00 but the present invention is not limited to the use of particular numbers. However for the sake of explanation the typical 1-36, 0, 00, will be used.

The board game must include all the numbers that are on the wheel but it may be divided in a different way like in draw “Positions roulette” To illustrate how the game is played there are shown FIGS. 1 to 18 with different betting situations.

FIG. 1 illustrates a board in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates one view of the numbers and groupings.

For example: the box “1^st 6” include six numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. the box “3^rd 9” includes numbers: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. the box “2^nd 12” includes 12 numbers: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. The red or black have 18 numbers each and so on.

The numbers can be divided in any other way but there must be groups for any combination of numbers and the 0, 00 may or may not be in any group.

At the start of the game each player places his bets on any number or group, typically this stage is time limited. The player can bet on many positions as he like.

For example in FIG. 3, (the player's chip is the black token), the player can bet single number: (#1)

FIG. 4 shows a player betting on two numbers with a single chip: (#9& 12)

FIG. 5 shows a player betting on 3 numbers with a single chip: (#19, 20, 21)

FIG. 6 shows a player betting on 4 numbers: (#19, 20, 22, 23)

FIG. 7 shows a player betting on 6 numbers: (#25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)

FIG. 8 shows a player betting on 9 numbers: for example, (#28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)

FIG. 9 shows a player betting on 12 numbers: for example, (#13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)

FIG. 10 shows a player betting on 18 numbers: (all the red numbers)

In different versions the game can be play with any other numbers, groups or division.

After the time limit or after all the players have placed their bets the roulette wheel is turned or a RNG is activated and when it stops the winning number is decided.

The player that bets on the winning position takes the jackpot (all the bets on the table). The winning position being the position that includes the winning number in the smallest group of numbers chosen, i.e. the winning number has the best position between the wagers. If no player bets a position with the winning number the jackpot is carried over to the next round.

The best position—takes the jackpot.

For example, let us say that the winning number is 21.

If a player bet on 21 he is the winner, (see FIG. 11).

If no player bet on 21 then the next best position wins (see FIG. 12 or 13). These 2 positions are identical, where the winning number is included in one of two positions.

If no player has any of these positions it goes to the one having the next best position, in one of three positions (FIG. 14).

If no player has any of these positions it goes to the one having the next best position, in one of four positions (FIG. 15).

FIGS. 16 to 19 illustrate winning combinations in descending order from the better position (FIG. 16) to the poorest position FIG. 19).

If 2 players or more have the same position then the player with the higher bet wins. If player A bets 1$ on #21 and player B bets 2$ on #21 then player B is the winner. If the bets are the same they split the jackpot. If the winning number is 0 or 00 or any number that is not included in any players group and no player bet on it the jackpot moves to the next round because typically it does not belong to any group.