Amusement devices: games – Chance devices – Chance selection
Reissue Patent
1999-06-03
2001-09-18
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Chance devices
Chance selection
C463S026000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037371
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates generally to gaming. More particularly, the invention relates to a method, apparatus and gaming set for use in a progressive pull-tab game.
BACKGROUND
“Pull-tab” is game of chance, commonly played in casinos and taverns. In a pull-tab game, participants purchase pull-tab cards from a large fixed pool or set. The game ends when the entire pool of cards has been purchased. The cards in a set are marked at the time of manufacture with various patterns of symbols or indicia. The indicia on the otherwise identical cards is covered when they are sold so that neither the operator nor player can see the indicia before the card is purchased. A certain number of cards in each set are manufactured with a pattern of indicia indicating that they are winners. Such winning cards will have a predetermined pay-off value: $1, $5, $1,000, etc. The remaining cards all have zero value.
The winning and losing cards are randomly mixed and externally identical. Therefore, the value of a card is not ascertainable prior to its opening upon purchase. Whether winner or loser, the value of each card is dependent only on the pattern of indicia printed thereon and therefore is predetermined at the time the cards are printed. Because the number of winning cards in a set, and the value of each, is known, the operator of the game knows the total pay-out for a game in advance, as do the players.
Most games of chance can be described as either progressive or nonprogressive. In non-progressive games, such as traditional pull-tab, participants play for a chance to win a predetermined prize, i.e., one of the winning cards. Progressive games, in contrast, involve a jackpot or prize that grows during the play of the game. Many state lotteries, for instance, fall into the progressive category because the prize increases over time as more players participate. During the operation of a progressive game, a portion of each player's purchase is dedicated to the prize. Thus, the prize grows until the winning numbers are selected and the game ends. Some slot machines also offer a progressive jackpot.
While progressive games typically offer participants greater excitement and appeal because of the opportunity to win a larger prize, such games are more complex to operate. Moreover, not all games of chance lend themselves to a progressive implementation.
Pull-tab, for instance, has not been amenable for implementation in a progressive game because of the use of a pre-printed set of cards with predetermined winning amounts.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a progressive pull-tab game.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a gaming set of pull-tab cards suitable for use in a progressive pull-tab game.
One more object is to provide a method of conducting a progressive pull-tab game.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system suitable for conducting a progressive pull-tab game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a pull-tab gaming set, a progressive pull-tab gaming system and a method of operating a progressive pull-tab game. The gaming set includes a plurality of pull-tab cards, each card having a
from
front
portion, a back portion and a selectively revealable gaming section. The gaming section contains indicia of a redemption value of the card which is unascertainable until the gaming section is revealed. There are at least
three
two
classes of pull-tab cards in the gaming set in the form of winners having indicia of a fixed non-zero value,
losers having indicia of a zero value
and at least one jackpot card with indicia of an undetermined total value.
The invention also encompasses a progressive pull-tab card game system including a pull-tab dispensing unit configured to dispense pull-tab cards, a jackpot display, and a control system operatively connected to the dispensing unit to monitor the quantity of pull-tab cards dispensed. The control system is configured to compute a jackpot value dependant on that quantity and operatively connected to the jackpot display to cause it to display the computed jackpot value as pull-tabs are dispensed.
One more aspect of the present invention is a method of operating a progressive pull-tab game including the steps of providing a set of pull-tab cards which includes at least one jackpot card without a predetermined total value, setting a progressive jackpot to a predetermined value, displaying the progressive jackpot, dispensing one of the pull-tab cards to a player, selectively increasing the value of the progressive jackpot, repeating the steps of displaying, dispensing and selectively increasing until the jackpot card is dispensed and then awarding the progressive jackpot to the player that received the jackpot card.
Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will be apparent to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred embodiment incorporating the principles of this invention is disclosed as an illustrative example only.
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Layno Benjamin H.
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