Method and apparatus to play a roulette game

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of playing a roulette game played along with a primary game, comprising: obtaining a roulette game triggering event in the primary game, determining a player indicia, activating a roulette device and randomly determining roulette indicia. The player indicia is compared to the roulette indicia to determine a roulette outcome. A method of playing a shared roulette game and a method of awarding a prize in conjunction with such a game, are also provided. This invention also provides a roulette device, a game system and computer programs to apply such a roulette game.

1 . A method of playing a roulette game played along with a primary game, comprising: 
 obtaining a roulette game triggering event in said primary game;    determining a player indicia;    activating a roulette device;    randomly determining roulette indicia; and    comparing the player indicia to the roulette indicia to determine a roulette outcome.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining a roulette game triggering event comprises gathering a roulette game access permission.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a player indicia comprises receiving a player selection of said player indicia.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a player selection comprises archiving said player indicia for a later roulette game play.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of comparing comprises comparing the roulette indicia to archived player indicia.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of comparing comprises erasing the archived player indicia after the roulette outcome is determined.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of activating the roulette device comprises obtaining a roulette activation triggering event.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of comparing comprises awarding a prize according to game rules.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the player indicia comprise one of a) a number; b) a combination of numbers; c) a color or d) a characteristic; and the roulette indicia comprise a number and its associated color and characteristics.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sharing said bonus roulette game between a plurality of players.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein players having a roulette game access permission participate in the roulette game together.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of comparing comprises awarding a prize according to game rules.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of awarding a prize comprises awarding a participation prize to all players participating in a winning roulette game.  
   
   
       14 . A method of playing a shared roulette game comprising: 
 obtaining a roulette game triggering event in a primary game;    determining a player indicia;    activating a roulette device;    randomly determining roulette indicia; and    comparing the player indicia to the roulette indicia to determine a roulette outcome.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of obtaining a roulette game triggering event comprises gathering a roulette game access permission.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of activating the roulette device comprises allowing players having a roulette game access permission to participate in the roulette game together.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of determining a player indicia comprises receiving a player selection of said player indicia.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of determining a player indicia comprises archiving said player indicia for a later roulette game play.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of comparing comprises comparing the roulette indicia to archived player indicia.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of comparing comprises erasing the archived player indicia after the roulette outcome is determined.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of activating the roulette device comprises obtaining a roulette activation triggering event.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the player indicia comprise one of a) a number; b) a combination of numbers; c) a color or d) a characteristic; and the roulette indicia comprise a number and its associated color and characteristics.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of comparing comprises awarding a prize according to game rules.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of awarding a prize comprises awarding a participation prize to all players participating in a winning roulette game.  
   
   
       25 . A method of awarding a prize in a roulette game played along with a primary game comprising: 
 receiving a wager from a player;    determining an outcome in said primary game;    upon occurrence of a roulette game triggering event in said primary game, determining a player indicia;    activating a roulette device;    randomly determining a roulette indicia;    comparing the player indicia to the roulette indicia to determine a roulette outcome; and    determining and awarding a prize based on said comparison.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of determining a prize comprises determining said prize based on standard roulette rules.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of comparing the player indicia to the roulette indicia comprises determining the number of characteristics shared by said player indicia and said roulette indicia  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of determining a prize comprises determining said prize based on the number of characteristic shared by said player indicia and said roulette indicia.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the steps of randomly determining a roulette indicia and comparing the player indicia to the roulette indicia are repeated.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the steps of randomly determining a roulette indicia and comparing the player indicia to the roulette indicia are repeated until a predetermined number of roulette indicia determination has been used up.  
   
   
       31 . A roulette device which play is tied to a primary game comprising: 
 a physical or virtual roulette wheel;    control means to activate said roulette wheel;    indicating means to determine and indicate roulette indicia; and    communication means to communicatively link said roulette device to one or more gaming machine.    
   
   
       32 . The roulette device of  claim 31 , further comprising selection means to receive a player selection of a player indicia.  
   
   
       33 . A game system comprising: 
 a gaming machine to play a primary game;,    a roulette device to play a roulette game; and    controller means to communicatively link the gaming machine and the roulette device and to control the play of said roulette device according to primary game information.    
   
   
       34 . A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium or in processor-readable memory having codes adapted to: 
 obtain a roulette game triggering event in a primary game;    determine a player indicia;    activate a roulette device;    randomly determine roulette indicia; and    compare the player indicia to the roulette indicia to determine a roulette outcome.    
   
   
       35 . A computer program carried on an electrical or electro-magnetic carrier signal having codes adapted to: 
 obtain a roulette game triggering event in a primary game;    determine a player indicia;    activate a roulette device;    randomly determine roulette indicia; and    compare the player indicia to the roulette indicia to determine a roulette outcome.