Amusement gaming machine

Abstract

This invention is directed to a system for playing bingo. The system comprises a computer readable medium having a set of computer readable instructions that may include instructions for determining whether sufficient credits exist to continue play, providing a set of unique bingo cards with each unique card having a plurality of card numbers, displaying at least one unique bingo card to the player, generating an initial set of called numbers having a population of numbers less than those on the bingo card winning pattern, comparing each called number with a card number, determining whether an intermediate prize should be awarded according to the initial set of called numbers and the bingo card, selecting additional called numbers from a set of remaining called numbers until a winning pattern is determined. The set of computer readable instructions may also include instructions for determining whether multiple players are playing before allowing game play to continue.

1 . A system for playing bingo comprising: 
 a computer readable medium;    a set of called numbers representing a finite number of possible card numbers in communication with said computer readable medium; and,    a set of computer readable instructions embodied within said computer readable medium for providing at least one unique bingo card having a plurality of card numbers, generating an initial set of called numbers having a population of numbers less than those on the bingo card, comparing each called number of the initial set of called numbers with each card number, determining whether an intermediate prize should be awarded according to said initial set of called numbers and said bingo card, and, selecting additional called numbers from a set of remaining called numbers until a winning pattern is determined on said at least one unique bingo card.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said winning pattern is a black-out pattern.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said set of computer readable instructions for providing at least one unique bingo card includes providing said bingo card upon a determination that sufficient credits exist for play.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said computer readable instructions include instructions for debiting said credits a predetermined amount to be credited to a wide area progressive prize.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 3  including: 
 an actuator; and,    said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for initiating a comparison of each called number of said initial set of called numbers with said card numbers upon a first actuation of said actuator.    
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for initiating the selection of additional called numbers until a winning pattern is determined upon a second actuation of said actuator.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for awarding a prize to said player upon a third actuation of said actuator.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the step of providing at least one unique bingo card includes the step of randomly generating a unique bingo card.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  where the step of providing at least one unique bingo card includes the step of selecting a unique bingo card from a pre-existing set of unique bingo cards.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  including: 
 a video display having award indicators in communication with said computer readable medium; and,    said set of computer readable instructions include instructions to activate said award indicators representing that said player has won a prize.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said award indicators are a set of reels displayed on said video display that are spun and stopped so that they represent said determination that the player has won a prize.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said computer readable instructions include instructions for receiving award indicator modification information from a remote terminal and modifying said award indicators according to said modification information.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  including: 
 a plurality of mechanical reels in communication with said computer readable medium; and,    said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for spinning said mechanical reels and stopping said mechanical reels so that they represent said determination that the player has won a prize.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for determining whether multiple players are playing before allowing game play to continue.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for determining whether said intermediate prize is a wide area progressive prize.  
   
   
       16 . A system for playing bingo comprising: 
 a central computer readable medium;    a plurality of game terminals having terminal computer readable medium in communications with said central computer readable medium; and    a set of computer readable central instruction embodied in said central computer readable medium for receiving a request to play from at least one game terminal, providing at least one unique bingo card having a plurality of card numbers for each game terminal requesting play, generating an initial set of called numbers, comparing each called number with each bingo card associated with each of said game terminals, determining whether an intermediate prize should be awarded according to said bingo cards and said initial set of called numbers, transmitting an intermediate prize award notification to said game terminal having an associated bingo card resulting in an intermediate prize, selecting additional called numbers from a set of remaining called numbers until a winning pattern is determined on at least one of said bingo cards, and transmitting a winning pattern notification to said game terminal associated with said bingo card having a winning pattern.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  including: 
 an actuator in communication with said game terminal in communication with said computer readable medium; and,    said set of computer readable terminal instructions for transmitting a request to play to said central computer readable medium upon actuation of said actuator.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16  including: 
 a terminal video display in communication with said terminal computer readable medium; and,    said set of compute readable terminal instructions include instructions for receiving an intermediate prize award notification from said set of computer readable central instructions and informing the player that a prize has been awarded via said video display.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said set of computer readable terminal instructions include instructions for displaying a set of virtual reels on said video display, spinning said set of reels, and stopping said reels so that they indicate whether the player has won a prize.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said computer readable instructions include instructions for receiving intermediate prize award notification modification information from a remote terminal and modifying said intermediate prize award notification according to said modification instructions.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 16  including: 
 a plurality of mechanical reels in communication with said terminal computer readable medium; and,    said set of computer readable terminal instructions include instructions for spinning said mechanical reels and stopping said mechanical reels so that they indicate whether the player has won a prize.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said set of computer readable instructions for providing at least one unique bingo card includes providing said bingo card upon a determination that sufficient credits exist for play.  
   
   
       23 . A system for playing bingo comprising: 
 a computer readable medium in communication with a server;    a display device in communication with said computer readable medium;    an actuator in communication with said computer readable medium; and,    a set of computer readable instructions embodied within said computer readable medium for providing a unique bingo card, receiving an initial set of called numbers from said server, displaying on said display device said bingo card with said card numbers daubed according to said initial set of called numbers upon a first actuation of said actuator, receiving an intermediate prize notification, and displaying intermediate prize information according to said intermediate prize notification, sending a select next called number request to said server upon a second actuation of said actuator, and awarding a prize upon said third actuation of said actuator.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  including: 
 a plurality of mechanical reels in communication with said computer readable medium; and,    said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for spinning said mechanical reels and stopping said mechanical reels so that they indicate whether the player has won a prize.    
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein said set of computer readable instructions include instructions for displaying a set of virtual reels on said display device, spinning said set of reels, and stopping said reels so that they indicate whether the player has won a prize.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23  wherein said computer readable instructions include instructions for receiving intermediate prize notification modification information from a remote terminal and modifying said intermediate prize award notification according to said modification instructions.