Mechanical wheel casino game of chance having a free-motion internal indicator and method therefor

Abstract

A mechanical wheel casino game of chance using a freely moving internal indicator such as a ball within a housing to randomly move and bounce into one possible outcome segment in a set of possible outcome segments. The expected value is controlled through a combination of geometrical and mathematical considerations. The set of possible outcome segments randomly picked and placed at the bottom of the wheel so that as the wheel stops, the freely moving, bouncing ball lands in one of the possible outcome segments. The segment the ball lands in is sensed and the award associated with the landed in segment is paid out to the player. A periodic testing method determines whether mechanical bias exists in the casino game of chance.

1 . A method of operating a casino game of chance, the casino game of chance having a mechanical housing, said mechanical housing divided into a plurality of segments, the method comprising:
 spinning the mechanical housing under control of a processor; freely moving an internal indicator confined within the mechanical housing in response to spinning;   randomly selecting in the casino game of chance one set of possible outcome sets from a plurality of sets located in the mechanical housing; stopping spin of the mechanical housing, under control of the processor, at said randomly selected one set at a predetermined location of the mechanical housing;   randomly landing the freely moving internal indicator in one possible outcome segment in the randomly selected one set of possible outcome segments as the mechanical housing stops at the predetermined location, the possible outcome segments in the randomly selected one set uniformly disposed in the stopped mechanical housing;   sensing the one possible outcome segment the internal indicator landed in;   awarding a payout, under control of the processor, based on an award value associated with the one sensed possible outcome segment the internal indicator landed in;   the associated award values of each set of the plurality of sets of possible outcome segments having a range of player expected values, the casino game of chance having an overall range of player expected values for all play of the casino game of chance.