Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHODS OF PAYING WINNING BETS
THIS INVENTION relates to methods of paying winning bets against the
house in a game of chance or a gambling activity and a payout calculation aid
suitable for such methods.
In particular this invention is directed to a calculator which may be used in
a
game of chance or a gambling activity to assist in determining the value of a
winning
bet.
Reference will be made hereinafter to the game of roulette by way example,
however such reference is not to be understood as limiting the invention to
the game
of roulette as the present invention may also be applied to other casino games
or
situations where it is necessary to undertake mathematical computations to
determine winnings where bets are placed at various odds.
In a game of roulette there may be a number of player's bets on the table
differentiated only by the colours of their playing chips. Some players may
also be
betting with cash chips which do not have an indication of the player betting
them
Betting chips may be placed in various locations on the table to signify the
particular
bet including the payout odds.
Prior to the close of bets on the spin of a roulette wheel, any single player
can
place bets on a number of stations designating one or more numbers on the
wheel.
However the croupier must be very vigilant to ensure that chips are not
shifted after
close of bets and before winning bets are paid. This necessitates that the
croupier
does not shift his attention away from the placed bets.
When paying winning bets the croupier will first pay the even chance bets,
odds 1:1, and the double chance bets, odds 2:1. These are paid by distribution
of the
matching chips and being either the same quantity as placed or double the
number,
depending on the odds for the stations at which the bets are placed. The
players
themselves recover these chips from the table. Such low odds stations are
typically
arranged about the periphery of the table and may be referred to hereinafter
as
peripheral bets.
Subsequently the more complicated bets where each winning player may
have chips arranged at different stations signifying different payout odds are
calculated and paid sequentially to each winning player. Typically the
player's bet
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furtherest from the croupier is paid first as that player is the most
difficult to monitor to
ensure that their chips are not manipulated after the close of bets.
To effect a payout the croupier must preform a summation of totals arrived at
by counting the number and/or value of chips at each respective station and
multiplying that number and/or value by the odds for that station. At present
this
calculation is performed mentally by the croupier and as a result the
calculation is
subject to errors and challenges from players. Any such challenge stops
further play
until the matter has been cleared and this slows down the rate of play of
games with
obvious detrimental effects.
Furthermore, if the computation is disputed, there is no physical record of
that
computation to resolve any alleged discrepancy As the odds may be 35:1, 17:1,
11:1, 8:1, 6:1 or 5:1 the calculation can be relatively complex. In addition,
management or other staff of the casino or similar gambling venue may not have
any
record upon which to settle a dispute which may arise over a payout.
This invention aims to alleviate at least one of the abovementioned
disadvantages and to provide a method of paying winning bets and/or aid for
this
purpose.
With the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a
method of paying winning bets against the house in a game of chance in which a
player can have several bets at different odds, including:
providing a player's display for displaying to the players the bets of a
player
including the total of each bet and its respective odds and the total payout
to be
returned to the player;
providing house input means for inputting a player designation, the total bet
and its odds per winning bet and providing a further display at the input
means for
displaying the input values and the total payout to be paid to the designated
player,
whereby a house operative may input and check the input values and read the
payout without the house operative diverting their attention from the bets;
and
providing computation means linking the input means with the player's display
whereby upon the entering each respective winning bet the calculation of the
total
payout is performed and automatically displayed on the player's display and at
the
house input means whereby the house may pay the win, and wherein the win is
displayed on the player's display for checking by the winning player.
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If desired the player's display and/or the house input means may also display
the sub-totals for each winning bet which sum to the total payout for the win.
This method may be used for effecting winning payouts in such games as
roulette or other casino type game in which multiple bets at different odds
are
permitted.
Preferably for the game of roulette the method includes:-
paying peripheral bets by returning winning chips direct to the peripheral
stations;
providing a player's display for displaying to the players the bets of a
player
including the total number of chips played per winning station, the payout
odds per
winning station, and the total payout in chips and/or dollar value thereof to
be
returned to the player;
providing house input means for inputting the total number or value of chips
played per each respective winning station, and providing a further display at
the
house input means for displaying the input values in a recognisable manner and
the
total winning payout in chips and/or dollar value thereof to be returned to
the player,
and the house input means and its associated display being configured whereby
a
croupier may input and check the input values and read the payout without
turning
away from the table, and providing computation means linking the house input
means with the player's display whereby, upon the croupier entering the number
of
chips or bet value for each respective winning station, the calculation of the
win is
performed and automatically displayed to the players. If desired the house
input
means and/or the player's display may display the sub-totals for the
respective
winning stations which were summed to provide the total win. It is preferred
that the
house input means include designation means for designating the value of the
chips
of a respective player and suitably the house input means includes means for
designating each player. Typically in the game of roulette the player
designations
are chip colours.
In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a payout calculation aid,
including:-
a data-input module for inputting bet totals against the bet odds for a
winning
bet; computation means for computing the winning bet input into the data-input
module, and a display for displaying the win computed. It is preferred that
the data
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input module include a display for displaying the winning bet to the croupier
so that
the croupier may effect a payout without first making a mental calculation of
the win.
However such mental computations may be retained and the computed win may be
displayed only to the players as a means of checking win payouts.
In a typical embodiment of the invention the data-input module includes:
numeric keys zero to nine for inputting the bet totals; a bet key
corresponding
to an allowable bet in a gambling activity for which said calculator is being
used; a
screen to display the values input against an allowable bet and to display the
winning
bet total.
The win may be displayed in monetary value or in chip or token numbers or
the like when such are used in the gambling activity. The data-input module
may also
include at least an identification key which can function as a player
identification key
and which suitably enables a simplification of the information necessary to be
input
for each particular player.
For example where a player is playing with chips or tokens having a selected
value the identification key may enable that information to be input for the
player
whose win is being computed. Suitably the data-input module also includes a
key to
clear the screen in readiness for the calculation of the winnings of the next
player or
punter.
For the game of roulette each bet key may have indicia indicating the bet
station odds and/or the bet station designation such as for example, straight,
split,
street, corner, six line or first five. These designations can be displayed in
the
appropriate language of the country in which the calculator is being used.
This and
other keypad indicia may be tactile indicia so that a croupier or the like can
identify
the keys by feel. The keypad of the data input module may be fixed into the
table
and the display of the data input module may be remote from the keypad and
mobile
and/or hand held if desired so that the diversion of a players attention from
the table
is minimised.
In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into
practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings
which
illustrate a typical embodiment of this invention adapted for the game of
roulette, and
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic of the payout calculation aid;
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FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the face of a data-input module in
accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the face of the player's display, and
FIGS. 4a to 4e provide suitable algorithms for the computation means.
5 The payout calculation aid 10 illustrated schematically in Fig. 1 comprises
a
data-input module 12, a remotely connected display module 14 and computation
means 15 including a calculator 19 and a power supply 21. As illustrated in
Fig. 2,
the data-input module 12 has a housing 18 which accommodates a power on/off
button, not illustrated, a numeric keypad 16 containing numeric keys for the
entry
values 0 to 9; a clear key 20 and an associated keypad interface 17 to the
calculator
19; a row of seven player identification keys 22a-g which, in this embodiment,
are
colour coded to represent an individual player; six bet keys 24a-f which
correspond to
a bet in roulette and namely a straight, split, street, corner, six line and
first five
respectively; a further row of eight chip value buttons 26a-h each capable of
representing a numerical value which as illustrated are $1, $2, $5, $10, $25,
$50,
$100 and $500 a screen 28; a buzzer 30; and a recall key 32.
If desired, the chip value keys 26 could have appropriate stickers to indicate
the value and currency represented by each key, and this value may be
programmable to suit the country of interest.
The data-input module 12 includes internal memory similar to a conventional
calculator and can retain a sequence of data entry in order to compute and
store the
final computation.
The display module 14 illustrated in Fig. 3 is of multi sided prismatic
configuration with displays on the various sides and/or top if required. The
displays
are suitably video display units. Each of the side panels 40a-c and the top
panel 40d
may be adapted by any means known in the art to display an image transmitted
to
the display module 14. Each panel 40 is divided into segments. The segment 42
displays the colour or number assigned to the player whose payout is being
determined and an associated segment 43 displays the designated chip value for
that colour. This value may be input from the keypad 16 for each
player/colour.
A further six sub-segments 44a-f each correspond to a bet in roulette paying
particular odds and namely a straight, split, corner, street, six line and
first five. These
segments provide the bet designation and the number of winning chips input
through
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the data-input module for that for each bet. A third segment 50 displays a
running
total of the number of winning chips determined for the player as the
computation
progresses. A fourth segment 52 displays the cash equivalent of the payout as
a
running total.
In this embodiment the computations are calculated as per the algorithms
provided in Fig. 4 which clearly illustrate the chain of entry events and the
ensuing
calculations.
Fig. 4a provides the logic of the keypad entry algorithm from start of a
calculation to clearing that calculation from the display and including
provision for a
recalculation process.
Fig. 4b provides the logic of the computations performed by the computation
means which is suitably a programmable personal type computer, while Fig. 4c
and
4d provide the algorithms for the house display and the player's display.
In use, the calculator is first programmed to enable the players to be
identified
by colour and the value and denomination of the chips being played to be
entered.
To calculate each player's winnings, other than simple 1:1 and 1:2 odds bets,
the
croupier proceeds as follows. In this example a player has been assigned
yellow
coloured chips which have been designated as $500 chips and the player has 99
chips on all six possible betting odds/stations.
As each key is pressed, the buzzer 30 provides the audible confirmation of
entry of that key stroke so that the croupier's attention is not diverted from
the table.
The croupier first presses the appropriate player identification key 22c. The
colour
and/or number assigned to that player is displayed in the segment 42 of the
player's
display module 14 as is the chip value selected by pressing the key 26h. The
croupier then presses the bet key 24a for the 5:1 station an enters the number
of
chips that the player has on that bet by pressing the appropriate numeric keys
16.
The number of chips thus entered is displayed in the sub-segment 48a of the
display
module 14 and also on the screen 28 of the data input module 12. The
computation
of 5 times the number of chips entered is stored in memory and is also
displayed in
the segment 50 of the display module 14. The cash equivalent of the chips is
displayed in the segment 52 of the display module 14 as a running total.
The croupier repeats the action for the remaining bets. As each winning total
is computed the further number of winning chips is added to the result
previously
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stored in the memory of the data input module 12 at 50 and this cumulative
total is
also displayed in the segment 52 in $ value.
Should the croupier inadvertently enter incorrect details for a particular
bet,
then immediately overwriting the incorrect data entry with the correct details
reverses
the prior entry and its associated running calculations.
After the total win has been calculated and displayed and there is no
challenge
from the winning player, the winning chips are presented in accordance with
the
number displayed. The croupier then presses the clear key 20 on the data-input
module 12 and clears all segments on the display module 14 and also on the
screen
9 of the data input module 12 in readiness for the calculation of the winnings
of the
next player.
If a previous computation is to be reviewed, pressing the recall key 32
retrieves the computation from the memory of the data input module 12 and is
displayed on the screen 28 and on the display module 14.
If a player is betting using cash chips than by coded coloured or numbered
chips of a prefixed denomination, then a similar procedure to that described
above is
followed to determine the appropriate payout. In this instance, it is only
necessary
first to press the appropriate buttons 26a-h designating the value of the
chips played.
The croupier then presses the appropriate bet key 9a-f followed by the number
of
chips placed on that bet. Once again, the number of the chips for each bet is
displayed on the appropriate sub-segments 48a-f on the display module 14 and
the
cumulative number of chips for the player is displayed on the screen 28 of the
data
input module 12 and the running total is displayed on segment 50 and also on
the
screen 28 of the data input module 1. The cash equivalent of the chips is
displayed
in the segment 52 of the display module 14 as a running total.
The process is repeated until all winning players have been presented and a
fresh game is to be commenced.
Power for the operation of the calculator can be by battery or mains, AC or
DC. The power unit can be integral with said data-input module or remote
therefrom.
An optional feature is a recall key to recall a bet calculation previously
computed. In
this embodiment, the clear key also simultaneously stores the calculation to
memory
for later recall by the recall key.
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By using the calculator of the present invention, a number of advantages are
available, including assisting the croupier to determine the computation by
electronic
means rather than manually, thus reducing the possibility of error. As the
computation is displayed in a manner which can be viewed by patrons and other
staff, particularly the security staff which monitor the gambling tables from
a remote
location, such monitoring usually being recorded on video, there can be a
record of
the computation which could assist in settling any dispute that may arise
between a
patron and a croupier on the bet payout.
In particular the croupier can, with practice, manipulate the keys on the
data-input module 12 which is suitably arranged in their line of sight with
the table, or
at least the display 18 is, so that entries can be checked on entry and
winning totals
can be viewed for payout without the croupier needing to divert their full
attention
away from the playing table. For this purpose the data-input module 12 may be
a
hand held module so that it can be held in the appropriate line of sight
position to
assist in the croupier's maintenance of control of the game.
It will be appreciated that the above embodiment is given by way of example
only and that other modifications and alterations can be made without
departing from
the inventive concept as defined in the appended claims.
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