GAME OF CHANCE WITH BETSBackground of the Invention This invention relates to a game of chance with bets, and in particular, to a game in which the participants of the game advance on the basis of a draw of randomly selected elements. In a typical lottery-type game, the components of a winning combination of pieces are selected at random. Since the random selection of components in a lottery-type game occurs linearly, during the course of the game players are quickly excluded from the possibility of winning the first prize that is equally awarded to all or most of the players. selected components. In such a lottery-type game, there is generally little chance that a particular player will win the jackpot, while the payouts for a small number of winning players may be many. In a typical keno game (family lottery played with slides), more winning components than a player needs to win the jackpot are selected at random. Therefore, a player may be missing some of the components that are randomly selected and still win the jackpot. For example, the player can select 10 elements from a field of 80 elements, while 20 elements of the 80 elements in the field are drawn as winning components. In this case, a player may miss 10 of the 20 elements selected as winning components and still win the jackpot. Another type of game is racing, in which each element of the race competes against a clock to reach the goal. See U.S. Patent Number 5,560,603. In this game, all elements of the race start at the same time you specify. Usually players place their bets from the beginning of the game to the element of the race that will win the race.
Compendium of the Invention In general, in one aspect, the invention is characterized by a game of chance that includes a plurality of different participants in the game. A plurality of draw elements correspond to each of the participants of the game, the same amount of the plurality of elements are for each of the participants of the game. A selection device randomly selects the elements to be drawn from among all the plurality of draw elements that correspond to all the plurality of game participants one at a time during the game, each drawing element being subject to being selected only once. during the game. There is a goal towards which each participant advances when the selection device selects one of the plurality of draw elements that correspond to the game participant. The game participant reaches the goal when a sufficient amount of the plurality of draw items corresponding to the game participant has been selected. The implementations of the invention may also include one or more of the following characteristics. The probability that each of the game participants will advance towards the goal as a result of the change of a next random selection of one of the draw items each time one of the draw items is randomly selected by means of the winning device. selection. The selection device can be an electronic random number generator or a manual draw device. The game may include a visual display of video to visually display the game participants and the draw elements. The visual display of video can visually display the progress of the game participants towards the goal during the development of the game. You can identify each of the participants of the game and the plurality of the draw elements that correspond to each of the participants of the game by means of a color, which is different in color for each of the participants of the game. You can distinguish the participants of the game by colors. The game participants can be race cars. In general, in another aspect, the invention is characterized by a method for playing a game of chance that includes the provision of a plurality of different game participants. A plurality of draw elements corresponding to each of the game participants are provided, and the plurality of the draw elements are of the same amount for each of the game participants. A draw element is randomly selected from among the plurality of draw elements for all the plurality of game participants one at a time during the game, so that each draw item is selected only once during the game. The game participant advances towards the goal when one of the plurality of draw items corresponding to the game participant is selected. The game participant reaches the goal when a sufficient amount of the plurality of draw items corresponding to the game participant has been selected. The implementations of the invention may also include one or more of the following characteristics. The probability that each of the participants of the game will advance toward the goal as a result of the change that occurs by a next random selection of one of the draw elements that has been calculated and displayed visually. A bet can be placed with respect to the advance of one or more participants of the game towards the goal. The bet can be made at any time during the game. The disbursement of the bet amount is based on the probability that the participants of the game reach the goal in a particular sequence. The payout to cover the bet may be based on the probability that a particular game participant reaches the goal before a predetermined number of items has been randomly selected. In general, in another aspect, the invention is characterized by a system for playing a game of chance. A processor conducts the game, in which a plurality of different game participants advance towards a goal. A memory stores a plurality of draw elements corresponding to each of the plurality of game participants, which is of the same amount as the plurality of draw elements for each of the game participants. A random number generator randomly selects lottery items stored in memory one at a time during the course of the game, and each of the draw items is subject to being selected only once during the game. A visual display device visually displays the participants of the game as they progress towards the goal, each of the participants of the game advances to the goal when one of the plurality of draw items corresponding to the game participant is selected at random. by means of the random number generator. A game participant reaches the goal when a sufficient amount of the plurality of draw items corresponding to the game participant has been selected. The implementations of the invention may also include one or more of the following characteristics. The processor can calculate, and the visual display device can visually display, the probability that each of the game participants will advance towards the goal as a result of the next random selection of the random number generator. The system can include a terminal in communication with the processor to place bets in the game. The visual display device can visually display the disbursements associated with the bets. The visual display device can visually display the game participants and the draw elements. The draw elements can be displayed visually as colored blocks in a grid. The present invention has the advantage of not excluding any player from winning the jackpot until in fact the jackpot is won.
The present invention has the additional advantage that each of the players has a greater than zero chance of being one of the winners until such time as the winners of the game have in fact been determined. The present invention has the additional advantage that the game tends to be a closed competition between all the participants of the game until the game is considered finished. The present invention has the additional advantage that there is a relatively high probability of winning the game. The present invention has the additional advantage that players can place bets at any time during the course of the game. The present invention has the additional advantage that it is evident that the game is interactive from the point of view of the players of the game. The present invention also has the additional advantage that the bets for the participants of the game are simple to place. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the claims. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a system for playing the game of chance of the present invention. Figure 2 is a visual display showing the game of chance of the present invention. Figure 3 is a diagram of the examples of options for placing bets in the gambling game of the present invention. Figure 4 shows a ticket for the game of chance of the present invention. Figure 5 is a diagram of the examples of disbursements for the game of chance of the present invention. Figure 6 is a flow diagram showing a method for playing the game of chance of the present invention.
Description of Preferred Modalities The gambling game of the present invention allows players to place bets on the outcome of a series of random events. The series of random events form a contest or race that produces a winner of at least one participant of the game. All the results of the events are strictly random events. Your previous performance, strategy, environmental conditions, player skills and betting activity have no impact on the results. Therefore, the gambling of the present invention satisfies the requirements of a lottery game; that is, a game that provides equal probabilities for all players without the requirement of specific knowledge or skills. The game of chance of the present invention can be played through the use of a variety of visual display means, i.e., a manual visual display or a visual display of video. Figure 1 shows an array 10 for playing the game using a visual display of video, in which a central processor 14 activates a video display device 12. By using configuration 10, players can place bets on games that are visually displayed in the visual display 12 if one or more ticket terminals are used, such as terminal 16, which is in digital communication with central processor 14 . The central processor 14 can be placed near the visual display 12 and the terminal 16, for example, in the same game establishment, or it can be in a remote location. The game of chance of the present invention is played with a predetermined amount of game participants. For example, as shown in the visual display 12 in Figure 2, the game participants in the form of racing cars can be five 20 to 28. Each of the game participants can be associated with a distinctive color to easily distinguish. to each of the participants of the game. Therefore, the five cars 20 to 28 can be identified, for example, by means of the colors white, red, green, blue and brown, respectively. A game of draw elements is associated with each of the game participants. The number of draw elements for each of the participants of the game is the same. For example, as shown in Figure 2, seven lottery elements correspond to each car from 20 to 28 of the race. The draw elements are illustrated in the visual display 12, for example, as colored blocks in the form of a grid 30. In the present example, there are seven blocks for each car 20 to 28 of races, with all seven blocks of the same. color of the race car to which they correspond. The grid 30 contains 35 blocks of colors in five columns each of a single color. As shown in Figure 2, to play the game of chance of the present invention, each of the participants of the game advances a space 32 at a time along the track, for example, a race track 34, from the starting point 35 towards the goal, that is, the end of line 36. A game participant advances a space 32 when one of its draw elements corresponding to a total collection of draw items is randomly selected. available. Each game participant must advance a sufficient number of spaces, for example, the number of spaces on a race track 34, to reach the goal. In the present example, a race car reaches the 36th goal when all seven lottery elements have been drawn. During the course of the game, a raffle element is randomly selected from among the remnants of the raffle collection. After a draw item has been chosen, it is removed from the available collection of draw items. The random selection can be performed electronically by means of a random number generator 17 in a central processor 14. A memory 18 in the central processor 14 can store the collection of draw elements corresponding to the game participants. The random number generator 17 can then be used to randomly select a draw item from among the remnants in the memory 18. Alternatively, the draw items can be chosen using a manual draw device such as a machine or drum. draw spheres. In the example of Figure 2, game players are notified of which draw item has been randomly selected during the draw by eliminating block 33 of color corresponding to the draw item chosen from grid 30. The colored block 33 that is removed is illustrated as a shaded space in Figure 2. The racing car 22 corresponding to the selected draw element is then shown advancing a space 32 along runway 34 to the finish line 36. When a participant of the game advances a space towards the goal because one of its corresponding draw elements has been chosen, the probability of the game participant advancing another space toward the goal decreases when the draw item is chosen, since among the collection of draw elements there is a raffle element less than those corresponding to the participant of the game. In the example of Figure 2, at the start of the game, the probability that each race car advances a space in the first draw is 1/5 or 7/35. If one of the first draw items 33 corresponding to the red racing car 22 is chosen, the probability that the draw item corresponding to the red car 22 is selected in the second draw is 6/34. However, the probability of selecting a draw item that corresponds to other race cars 20, 24, 26, 28 is 7/34, which is greater than 6/34. The players of the game do not know which of the participants of the game will be the first to reach the goal until one of the participants of the game actually arrives at the goal. The game participants who are farthest from the goal are those who are likely to advance to the goal, and the game participants who are closest to the goal will be the least likely to advance towards the goal. Thus, the game is self-regulating in the sense that if among the lottery elements that correspond to one of the participants of the particular game is drawn a number of times disproportionately, the probability that the participant of the game advances is proportionally reduced to the goal in the next draw. This nature of self-regulation causes the game to tilt to a competitive end among the participants of the game, which intensifies the emotion of the players. The game of chance of the present invention can be played to determine which of the game participants is the first to reach the goal. The game can also be played to determine the arrival sequence of the finalists of all game participants, thus allowing a more complex structure of the game. The players place their bets on the result of the contest, that is, when the events related to the progress of the game participants happen. Such bets can be, for example, in money. Players place their bets in various combinations and event swaps in a single game or by multiple games being played. Figure 3 shows examples of the types of bets that players can make in one or more games. This betting scheme allows players to bet with a high probability of winning, for example, that a specific participant of the game is the first to reach the goal for three consecutive games. It is noted that the disbursement will be relatively low for games that offer a high probability of winning, and that the disbursement for games with a low probability of winning will be relatively high. Players can place bets using various betting techniques. For example, players can place bets by using a wide area as a point of sale terminal 16 from where the ticket receipts are printed. Alternatively, players can place bets using wireless betting devices or fixed wiring in a gambling establishment. By using any of these two betting systems, the players' bets are recorded in the central processor 14 to guarantee an accurate and detailed record of the betting activities of each of the players. For example, as shown in Figure 4, when a player places a bet at the point of the sale terminal 16 using that betting system, a ticket 40 is produced. The ticket 40 is printed with the game 42 in particular ( that is, contest or race), the combination of the participants of the game for which the bet was placed 46, the amount of the bet 48, the date of the bet 50, a serial number of the ticket 52, and a code of bars 56 that can be read on a machine, representing the serial number 52 of the ticket and an identifier 54 of the point of the sale terminal 16 where ticket 40 was issued. Employees can place bets at any time during the course of the game. However, the chances of any of the participants in the particular game reaching the goal in a certain sequence and in a certain number of draws changes with each draw of the collection of draw items. Therefore, the disbursement to cover a bet depends on the status of the participants of the game at the time the bet is made. Since the disbursement of each bet is affected by the state of the game at the time of betting, the central processor 14 records each bet together with the state of the game in memory 18. The software can be used 19 in the central processor 14, for example, to determine the probabilities of each of the game participants arriving in first, second and third place at the goal, and the probabilities that each of the game participants arrive in a specific number of draws. These probabilities can be updated after each lottery item is drawn. The odds calculated by software 19 can be visually displayed to players in the visual display 12 so that players can decide in the course of the game when they want to place bets. For example, as shown in Figure 5, when the visual display 12 is shown, that is, after five draws, the disbursement for the red car 22 that reaches the finish line 36 in the first place from 11 to 14 raffles wins $ 100 with a $ 1 betSince the gambling of the present invention can be played with more than one type of bets, the game may continue until enough game participants have reached the goal for all types of permissible bets. For example, if you allow gambling, place and presentation bets placed, for example, that the race cars reach the 36th place in first, second and third place bets must be placed until the three race cars have arrived. to finish 36 before the end of the game. At the conclusion of the game, the payments are made to the players of the game based on the amounts of their bets and the status of the participants of the game when the bets were placed. In Figure 6 a method 100 for playing the game of chance of the present invention is shown. At the beginning of the game, a player can make his bet (step 102). If the player makes a bet, the bet is recorded in the memory 18 of the central processor 14 (step 104). If the player bets or not, a raffle item is drawn from the raffle collection (step 106). Then a space (step 108) advances the game participant corresponding to the chosen draw element. After each draw, the central processor 14 determines whether the game has already been completed, that is, whether the required number of game participants has reached all the available betting options (step 110). If the game is over, payments are made to the players (step 112). If the game has not been completed, the software 19 in the central processor 14 again calculates the probabilities related to the remaining participants of the game reaching the goal (step 114). The game then proceeds to step 102, where the player can place a bet before the next draw of a draw item. Because the completion point of the game is indeterminate and / or the number of draws required to produce a winner is indeterminate, each player has the opportunity to be a winner until the winning players are actually determined. Since the players do not know exactly when the game will end, the level of excitement and anticipation of the players increases as the activity increases without reaching a conclusion of the game. As the number of draws increases, the likelihood of more game participants reaching the goal increases, which increases the players' excitement. In the game of chance of the present invention, no player is excluded from winning the jackpot until the participant or winning participants of the game are determined. Since there is an indeterminate number of draws required to produce a winner or winners of the game, there is a greater than zero probability that each player will be the winner up to that moment in which the winning game participants are actually determined. The game of chance of the present invention appears to be an interactive game from the point of view of the players. Each game represents many lottery draw draws corresponding to the number of game participants. In most cases, all game participants will have advanced at least some of the way to the goal before the conclusion of the game. Players may feel that they are competing with each other, even though the progress of the game participants is determined at random. In addition, the game of chance of the present invention is easy to play, based on known or understandable events. Players only need to guess the result of the contest, for example, which will be the race car that arrives in the first place to the goal 36, in order to place their bets. The game of the present invention is applicable to a wide variety of game environments, including traditional lotteries online with daily draws, online lotteries with draws at short intervals in a social environment, video lottery stations of personal lotteries. , games oriented to casinos in a social environment, paid games for playing in a social environment, and free promotion games of prizes in a social environment. Other modalities are within the scope of the following claims.