Method of playing a keno game of chance with a multiplier bonus payout play option

United States Patent Application 20070281774

This invention relates to the field of playing a Keno style game of chance which allows a player to potentially multiply its winnings by a factor of up to five (5) times the normal winning ticket payout amount by placing an additional wager on the game. The multiplying factor is determined based on one of the following two methods: (1) comparing the number that is selected on the Nth drawing of the twenty randomly drawn winning numbers to a predetermined multiplier map, or (2) taking the total matching numbers that exist between the twenty randomly drawn winning numbers for that game and the twenty numbers that are contained on a predetermined virtual Keno ticket. The object of the game is to bring additional excitement to the traditional Keno style game by providing the player the chance to win a lot more money if the player should obtain a winning ticket.

Khal, Zaki (Las Vegas, NV, US)

11/799131

12/06/2007

05/01/2007

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463/19

A63F9/00

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MCCULLOCH JR, WILLIAM H

Kevin J. Snyder (Henderson, NV, US)

What is claimed is:

1. A method of playing a numerical game of chance comprising: (a) a player selecting one (1) to twenty (20) numbers from a set of eighty (80) numbers and making an initial base wager on said selection of numbers; (b) the player making a second wager, which is called keno multiplier play option, based upon if the player has a winning initial wager, his total winnings will be determined by multiplying his base winning amount from his initial wager by the multiplier bonus payout factor; (c) the gaming establishment determines which of the twenty (20) randomly drawn winning numbers, which is called the multiplier factor number, will be used to determine multiplier bonus payout factor; (d) at a pre-specified time, the gaming establishment draws a series of twenty (20) winning numbers from a set of eighty (80) numbers; (e) the player compares his selected numbers to the twenty (20) randomly drawn winning numbers to determine if the player has a winning initial wager; (f) if the player's selected numbers matches any of the twenty (20) randomly drawn winning numbers, the player has a winning initial wager which pays out a base winning amount; (g) if the multiplier factor number selected is between the numbers 1-16 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by One (1×) to determine the players total winning amount; (h) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 17-32 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by two (2×) to determine the players total winning amount; (i) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 33-48 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by three (3×) to determine the players total winning amount; (j) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 49-65 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by four (4×) to determine the players total winning amount; (k) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 66-80 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by five (5×) to determine the players total winning amount.

2. A method of claim 1 additionally including: (a) the total winning amount is determined by; (b) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 1-71 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by two (2×) to determine the players total winning amount; (c) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 72-74 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by three (3×) to determine the players total winning amount; (d) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 75-77 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by four (4×) to determine the players total winning amount; (e) if the multiplier factor number selected in (c) above is between the numbers 78-80 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by five (5×) to determine the players total winning amount.

3. A method of playing a numerical game of chance comprising: (a) a player selecting one (1) to twenty (20) numbers from a set of eighty (80) numbers and making an initial wager on said selection of numbers; (b) the player making a second wager, which is called keno multiplier play option, based upon if the player has a winning initial wager, his total winnings will be determined by multiplying his base winning amount from his initial wager by the multiplier bonus payout factor; (c) the gaming establishment determines which of the twenty (20) randomly draws twenty (20) numbers from a set of eighty (80) numbers which are posted at the gaming establishment and will be used to determine multiplier bonus payout factor; (d) at a pre-specified time, the gaming establishment draws a series of twenty (2) winning numbers from a set of eighty (80) numbers; (e) the player compares his selected numbers to the twenty (20) randomly drawn winning numbers to determine if the player has a winning initial wager; (f) if the players selected numbers matches any of the twenty (20) randomly drawn winning numbers, the player has a winning initial wager which pays out a base winning amount; (g) the gaming establishment compares the twenty numbers drawn for determining the multiplier bonus payout factor to the twenty winning numbers to determine the total matching numbers called the multiplier factor matching numbers; (h) if the total number of multiplier factor matching numbers are between 1-4 inclusive, the player's base winning amount is multiplied by One (1×) to determine the players total winning amount; (i) if the total number of multiplier factor matching numbers are between 5-8 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by Two (2×) to determine the players total winning amount; (j) if the total number of multiplier factor matching numbers are between 9-12 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by three (3×) to determine the players total winning amount; (k) if the total number of multiplier factor matching numbers are between 13-15 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by four (4×) to determine the players total winning amount; (l) if the total number of multiplier factor matching numbers are between 16-20 inclusive, the players base winning amount is multiplied by five (5×) to determine the players total winning amount.

BACKGROUND

Field of Invention

This invention relates to the field of playing a game of chance such as Keno which allows a player to make a separate wager in addition to the base wager to potentially increase the player's winnings by providing a multiplier option which multiplies the players base winnings by one (1×), two (2×), three (3×), four (4×) or even 5 times (5×).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is associated with the improvement of the game of chance called Keno which allows a player to make an additional separate wager from the traditional base Keno wager which offers the player the opportunity to multiply the players payout on the base ticket up to five times or even higher up to ten times. The amount of the multiplier can be determined using two different methods. The first method the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor is determined based upon one of the numbers drawn from the twenty randomly drawn winning numbers. The gaming establishment will pre-determine which randomly drawn winning number will be used to determine Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor (i.e., the first, second, third, fourth, etc.). For example, if the gaming establishment determines that the first randomly drawn winning number will be used to determine the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor and the number drawn is between 1-40 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be One (1×); if the number drawn is between 41-50 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be Two (2×); if the number drawn is between 51-60 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be three (3×); if the number drawn is between 61-70 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be four (4×); and if the number drawn is between 71-80 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be five (5×).

The gaming establishment may also change around the number of balls included in determining the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor based upon the probability of the payout. For example, the gaming establishment can eliminate any One (1×) payouts and have only 2×, 3×, 4× and 5× Multiplier Bonus Payout Factors by doing the following: if the number drawn is between 1-71 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be Two (2×); if the number drawn is between 72-74 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be three (3×); if the number drawn is between 75-77 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be four (4×); and if the number drawn is between 78-80 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be five (5×).

The following chart will show you how the probabilities are determined:

SCENARIO 1
Times	Number of Balls	Probability
1	40	50.00%
2	10	12.50%
3	10	12.50%
4	10	12.50%
5	10	12.50%
Base Keno Hold is 25.00%; Average Multiple is 2.25 and Multiplier Hold is 16.6%

SCENARIO 2
Times	Number of Balls	Probability
1	0	00.00%
2	71	88.75%
3	3	3.75%
4	3	3.75%
5	3	3.75%
Base Keno Hold is 25.00%; Average Multiple is 2.225 and Multiplier Hold is 16.6%.

In the second method, Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor is determined based upon the number of matching numbers between the twenty randomly drawn winning numbers and the twenty numbers identified on a pre-selected virtual Keno ticket posted at the gaming site. For example, if the number of matching numbers is between 1-4 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be One (1×); if the number drawn is between 5-8 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be Two (2×); if the number drawn is between 9-12 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be three (3×); if the number drawn is between 13-15 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be four (4×); and if the number drawn is between 16-20 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be five (5×).

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing the configuration of the game and showing how the game is played.

FIG. 2 is a description of how the Multiplier Payout Factor is determined.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the pool of numbers associated with the game.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 represents a flow diagram for playing a Keno game of chance with a Multiplier Bonus Payout Play Option (hereinafter “Keno Multiplier Option”). A Player starts the game by selecting between one (1) and twenty (20) numbers from a pool of numbers which typically consist of the numbers one (1) through eighty (80) (10). FIG. 3 depicts a diagram of the eighty numbers which are displayed at the gaming establishment were the Keno game is played which encompasses the numbers that may be selected from by the Player. Player then decides if he wants to place an additional wager on the Keno Multiplier Option of the game (20). The Player then purchases a Keno ticket including the Keno Multiplier Option from the gaming establishment (30) and is given a Keno Ticket from the gaming establishment which contains the numbers selected by the Player (40). After a certain period of time, the gaming establishment will stop selling tickets for that particular Keno Game (50) and then draw the Winning Keno Numbers by randomly drawing twenty numbers from the same pool of numbers (60). The gaming establishment will post the Winning Keno Numbers (70). The Player then matches his numbers on his Keno ticket to the twenty randomly drawn numbers to determine the number of matches he has (90). Based upon the gaming establishment's predetermined rules, the Player determines if he has a winning ticket based upon the number of matches he has (90). If the Player has a winning ticket, his total winnings will be calculated by multiplying his winnings by the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor (100). Upon presentation of the winning ticket, the Player will be paid his total winnings (110).

FIG. 2 outlines the two means by which the gaming establishment may determine the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor. In Option One (200), the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor is determined based upon one of the numbers drawn from the twenty randomly drawn winning numbers. The gaming establishment will pre-determine which randomly drawn winning number will be used to determine Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor (i.e., the first, second, third, fourth, etc.). For example, if the gaming establishment determines that the first randomly drawn winning number will be used to determine the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor and the number drawn is between 1-40 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be One (1×) (201); if the number drawn is between 41-50 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be Two (2×) (202); if the number drawn is between 51-60 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be three (3×) (203); if the number drawn is between 61-70 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be four (4×) (204); and if the number drawn is between 71-80 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be five (5×) (205). The reference to the specific numbers drawn and the corresponding Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor identified above is just one example of how the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor can be determined and this invention is not limited to the arrangement identified above. For example in a separate embodiment, the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor can be determined as follows: if the gaming establishment determines that the tenth (10^th) randomly drawn winning number will be used to determine the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor and the number drawn is between 1-71 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be Two (2×) (206); if the number drawn is between 72-74 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be Three (3×) (207); if the number drawn is between 75-77 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be three (4×) (208); and if the number drawn is between 78-80 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be four (5×) (209).

In another preferred embodiment, Option Two (300), Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor is determined based upon the number of matching numbers between the twenty randomly drawn winning numbers and the twenty numbers identified on a pre-selected virtual Keno ticket posted at the gaming site. For example, if the number of matching numbers is between 1-4 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be One (1×) (301); if the number drawn is between 5-8 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be Two (2×) (302); if the number drawn is between 9-12 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be three (3×) (303); if the number drawn is between 13-15 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be four (4×) (304); and if the number drawn is between 16-20 then the Multiplier Bonus Payout Factor will be five (5×) (305).