Entertainment machines

Abstract

A player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine for playing a roulette-type game with enhanced award opportunities has a symbol selector with a range of different symbols. The symbol selector has multiple selector elements for selecting multiple symbols. A betting means is provided for placing a number of stakes on one or more symbols during a game, by selecting a number of selector elements. Each selector element moves over the symbols, each one eventually coming to rest over a selected symbol. In the case of a selected symbol being one on which a stake has been placed, an award is made available to the player. Therefore, the stake value for each symbol can remain the same, whilst the stake value per game and the award for a win with one or more selector elements, is increased.

1 . A player-operable coin-operated entertainment machine for playing a roulette-type game, said machine comprising: 
 a symbol selector operable in play of a game, the symbol selector providing a display in which a plurality of selector elements moves across a range of different symbols, each one of the selector elements then coming to rest in predetermined relationship with a selected one of said symbols;    betting means for placing a bet including one or more stakes on one or more of said symbols at a start of the game; and    award means for making an award available to a player at an end of the game in the event that one or more of the selected symbols is one on which a stake has been placed.    
   
   
       2 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , which includes a processor in control of the display, the processor enabling the bet to be made selectively in relation to an outcome of a maximum number of the selected symbols.  
   
   
       3 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bet is placed for a plurality of the selector elements resting in predetermined relationship with a single one of the symbols, said bet constituting a single stake placed on said symbol.  
   
   
       4 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the bet is placed for a plurality of the selector elements resting in predetermined relationship with a plurality of the symbols, said bet constituting a stake placed on a combination of the symbols.  
   
   
       5 . The entertainment machine of  claim 2 , wherein the bet is of a predetermined kind.  
   
   
       6 . The entertainment machine of  claim 2 , wherein the bet is selectable by the player.  
   
   
       7 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein, the betting means is operable to place a single stake on one or more individual symbols such that an award is made available only when said one or more individual symbols is selected.  
   
   
       8 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the betting means permits placing of a stake on a group of the symbols such that an award can be made available if any one symbol of the group is selected.  
   
   
       9 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the betting means is adapted for multiple player use, and the betting means is operable by different players.  
   
   
       10 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , which includes multiple separate betting means for placing bets, each said bet including one or more stakes on one or more of said symbols at a start of the game, said multiple separate betting means being operatively coupled to one another, each one of the betting means operable by a different player.  
   
   
       11 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the symbols comprise numbers which are distinguished by colors.  
   
   
       12 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein: (a) the symbol selector comprises a rotatable wheel with circumferentially distributed symbol-bearing compartments; and (b) each one of the selector elements comprises a ball which runs around the periphery of the wheel over the compartments and then comes to rest by dropping into one or more respective compartments corresponding to selection of the symbol or symbols which correspond thereto.  
   
   
       13 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , wherein the betting means comprises a betting zone having multiple individual areas marked with the symbols, in conjunction with markers placeable on one or more areas on said zone to indicate a stake bet on one or more of said symbols.  
   
   
       14 . The entertainment machine of  claim 13 , which includes one or more peripheral areas on the betting zone related to groups of said symbol-bearing areas, wherein the markers are placeable on individual one of said peripheral areas.  
   
   
       15 . The entertainment machine of  claim 13 , wherein the markers are placeable such as to straddle two or more adjacent ones of the areas.  
   
   
       16 . The entertainment machine of  claim 13 , wherein the markers are placeable in stacks such that the stake value is determined by a quantity of markers in the stack.  
   
   
       17 . The entertainment machine of  claim 1 , which includes a video display device operable to provide the display, the video display device simulating a mechanical roulette game.  
   
   
       18 . The entertainment machine of  claim 17 , which includes: (a) at least one touch screen control operatively coupled to the video display device; and (b) at least one press button control operatively coupled to the video display device.  
   
   
       19 . A gaming device comprising: 
 a game;    a display device operable to display a series of symbols and a plurality of selector elements;    a processor in control of the display device, the processor operable to: 
 (a) receive a bet that is based on at least one of the symbols being indicated by at least one of the selection elements;  
 (b) cause the display device to cause each one of the selector elements to move across a range of the symbols and then come to rest on or adjacent to at least one of the symbols so as to indicate said at least one symbol; and  
 (c) provide an award that varies with how many of the selector elements indicate said at least one symbol.  
   
   
   
       20 . The gaming device of  claim 19 , wherein: (a) the game includes a game based upon roulette; and (b) the processor is operable to cause the display device to cause a plurality of the selector elements to move across a range of the symbols and then come to rest on or adjacent to a single one of the symbols so as to indicate said single symbol.