Method for assigning prizes in a bingo-type games

#This invention relates to bingo-type gaming systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for assigning prizes from a number of different prize levels available in a bingo-type game.

#Numerous gaming systems have been developed in which participants may be awarded prizes based on the result or outcome of a game play. The outcome of a game play in a gaming system may be determined in a number of different fashions. Video and electronic games available in casinos may determine a win or loss for each play of the game according to some algorithm. Lottery-type games rely on predetermined game records which are analogous to lottery tickets. Each game record is predetermined as being a winning or losing record, and winning records are associated with some prize. These predetermined game records are distributed to players in the course of game play, and a player receiving a winning record is entitled to the prize associated with that record.

#Bingo-type games make up another general class of gaming systems. A bingo-type game is played with predetermined cards that include a number of symbols randomly arranged in a grid of spots or locations. The cards may be physically printed on paper or another suitable material or may be represented by a data structure which defines the various card locations and symbols associated with the locations. In the course of play, symbols are randomly selected from a pool of the symbols and matched to the symbols on the card. A card having matching symbols arranged in some predetermined pattern is considered a winning card.

#FIG. 1 shows an example prize distribution or prize table which may be used according to the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the process steps according to the present invention.

#FIG. 3 shows a group of pattern probabilities for a bingo-type game.

#FIG. 1 shows a prize distribution or prize table with which the present invention may be employed. The prize distribution shown in FIG. 1 includes five prize levels, levels 0 through 4. The first column of FIG. 1 shows the prize level, while the second column shows an exemplary desired probability for winning at that particular prize level in the game. For example, level 0 is associated with the probability 0.299. The final column in each entry in FIG. 1 contains a prize value associated with the particular prize level. Prize level 0 is associated with prize value N0, for example.

#The prize levels and probabilities for a prize distribution within the scope of the invention may be developed in any suitable manner. Developing prize distributions in gaming systems is well known in the art and will not be described in detail here so as not to obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. It will be appreciated that a prize distribution which may be used with the present invention is not limited to five levels as shown for purposes of example in FIG. 1, and is not limited to any particular probabilities at each level. A particular prize distribution used with the invention may have more or fewer prize levels than the five shown in FIG. 1. The prize levels may be chosen to imitate a pre-existing game, or an entirely new type of game. It will also be appreciated that each prize level in a prize distribution may be associated with several different prize values. The different prize values may correspond to different wagers that may be made by a player in a game which uses the prize distribution.

#Referring now to FIG. 2, the method of the invention includes determining the probabilities for several target patterns which may be achieved in a bingo-type game under given rules of play. This pattern probability determination step is shown at process block 200 in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a number of different target patterns, each target pattern associated with an example pattern probability. Each row in FIG. 3 is dedicated to a particular target pattern and includes a target pattern label or identifier 300 in the first column, a target pattern definition or description 301 in the second column, and the actual probability 302 of achieving that target pattern in the final column. For example, the first row in FIG. 3 shows that the target pattern “straight line” is associated with the probability 0.2 and for purposes of this disclosure is identified with the label P1. The number of patterns shown in FIG. 3 is shown only for purposes of description. More or fewer pattern definitions may be used according to the present invention. Also, it should be noted that the example probability values shown in the final column of FIG. 3 are purely fictional and are selected simply for convenience in describing the present invention. Depending upon the rules of game play in the bingo-type game, many different probabilities may be created for the described patterns. For example, in the actual implementation described below, the black out pattern is actually associated with the highest probability in the group of probabilities, and not the lowest as indicated in FIG. 3. Also, it should be noted that a pattern used in the invention may be an identifiable pattern, an unidentifiable pattern, or a composite of the two. For example, a pattern may be defined as a pattern for the letter “M.” Another pattern may be defined as a pattern making the letter “M,” plus any one or more other locations on the grid. Yet another pattern may be defined as some arbitrary arrangement of daubed locations on a grid.