Interactive real-time network gaming system

A real-time interactive gaming system that permits a player to participate in a plurality of games of chance from a remote gaming location comprising:

• a plurality of game servers for generating a series of plays of said games of chance;
• detection means associated with each of said game servers for detecting an outcome of each play of the series of plays of the game of chance and for generating a video signal and an audio signal for the series of plays of the games of chance;
• a game machine having user interface means for placing wagers prior to one of the series of plays of the games of chance at a independent rate relative to the rate of play generated by said game servers;
• said game machine having means for displaying a bet board related to each of said games of chance and for displaying the video signal of the games of chance;
• said game machine having means for determining winning and losing bets placed by the player based on the outcome of the selected play of the series of plays of the game of chance in response to said detection means;
• transmission means for transferring said video and audio signals to said game machine and for transferring the outcome of each play of the series of plays of the games of chance detected by said detection means to said game machine.

A method whereby a player may participate in a one or more plays of at least one live-action game of chance from a gaming machine located at a remote location relative to the game of chance where the gaming machine is coupled to the game of chance by an interactive network, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a selection of games of chance on a display of the gaming machine;
• selecting one of the games of chance;
• establishing a stake for the player;
• providing a display of available bets for the selected one of the games of chance on the gaming machine;
• placing a wager on selected bets by the player at a rate independent from the rate of play of the selected game of chance;
• generating and transmitting video signals of the games chance;
• displaying the signals of the next to occur play of the selected game of chance and the bets placed by the player at the gaming machine;
• detecting the outcome of the next to occur play of the selected one of the games of chance;
• and
• providing means for the player to collect the stake upon termination of the remote participation.

A method whereby a player may participate in a one or more plays of at least one live-action game of chance from a gaming machine located at a remote location relative to the game of chance where the gaming machine is coupled to the game of chance by an interactive network comprising the steps of:

• initiating play at least one of a plurality of gaming machines;
• performing an authorization routine which includes establishing a player stake;
• providing a selection of games of chance on a display of said gaming machine;
• selecting at least one game server on which a game of chance is being played and establishing connection between said at least one game server and said gaming machine;
• providing a display of available bets for each game of chance being played on each of said selected at least one game server on the gaming machine;
• placing a wager for selected bets at a rate independent from the rate of play of each of the selected at least one game servers prior to the initiation of a next to occur play of the game of chance;
• detecting the outcome of the next to occur play;
• comparing the outcome of the next to occur play with said selected bets at a network manager;
• and
• providing means for the player to collect the stake upon termination of participation by the player.

A real-time interactive gaming system for placing wagers on at least one play of a plurality of live-action games of chance, said gaming system comprising:

• a plurality of game servers each generating a series of plays of a game of chance;
• detection means associated with each of said game servers for detecting outcomes of each play of the game of chance;
• a plurality of gaming machines, each capable of accepting wagers corresponding to at least one play of a sequence of plays of said selected games of chance, sad gaming machines adapted to accept said wagers at a rate that is independent from the rate of play at said selected game servers;
• means for transmitting signals showing the play of the at least one play and for transmitting said detected outcomes of each play to selected ones of said gaming machines;
• computing means, coupled to said game servers and to said plurality of gaming machines by said transmission means, for authenticating the player at each of said plurality of gaming machines, for creating a list of wagers placed by players at each of said gaming machines and for determining, in response to said designation generated by said gaming machine, whether wagers are accepted relative to the next to occur play and for terminating participation by each player at each gaming machine.