Multi-ball roulette gaming system and apparatus

Abstract

Multi-Ball roulette gaming systems and apparatuses are disclosed. A gaming apparatus may include an automated roulette wheel, a ball launcher configured to launch a plurality of roulette balls onto the automated roulette wheel at a specified time during a roulette gaming event, a standalone cabinet, a plurality of player stations positioned around the standalone cabinet, and a controller operating the roulette wheel, the ball launcher, and a roulette gaming event, based on communications with the plurality of player stations. The standalone cabinet may include a top surface supporting the automated roulette wheel and a hollow interior portion housing the ball launcher. The play stations may each include a display providing an interactive graphical user interface.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A roulette gaming apparatus, comprising:
 an automated roulette wheel;   a ball launcher configured to launch one or more balls onto the automated roulette wheel at a specified time during a multi-ball roulette gaming event;   a standalone cabinet comprising a top surface supporting the automated roulette wheel and further comprising a hollow interior portion housing the ball launcher;   a plurality of player stations positioned around the standalone cabinet, wherein a first player station comprises a display providing an interactive graphical user interface; and   a controller operating the automated roulette wheel, the ball launcher, and a roulette gaming event, based on communications with the plurality of player stations.   
     
     
         2 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-ball roulette gaming event comprises launching a first roulette ball to determine a multiplier, and launching a second roulette ball to determine a winning symbol, wherein the multiplier is applied to payout associated with a winning bet entered at a first player station. 
     
     
         3 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-ball roulette game comprises a plurality of roulette balls simultaneously spinning on the automated roulette wheel. 
     
     
         4 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a first roulette ball of the plurality of roulette balls is associated with a first round of play, and a second roulette ball is associated with a second round of play. 
     
     
         5 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a final position of a first roulette ball corresponds to a multiplier value, and a final position of a second roulette ball corresponds to a winning symbol. 
     
     
         6 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the multi-ball roulette game comprises launching a plurality of roulette balls on the automated roulette wheel, the plurality of roulette balls corresponding to a single round of play. 
     
     
         7 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of player stations comprises six player stations. 
     
     
         8 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automated roulette wheel is provided in a recessed portion of the top surface. 
     
     
         9 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is in remote communication with a central gaming server. 
     
     
         10 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a display positioned above the automated roulette wheel, the display providing live gaming information, and wherein the display is positioned to be viewable from each of the plurality of player stations. 
     
     
         11 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: a projection device to provide lighting effects on a top surface of the automated roulette wheel. 
     
     
         12 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one camera capturing video information comprising a live view of the automated roulette wheel. 
     
     
         13 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller acquires the video information; and streams the live view to the plurality of player stations for display on the interactive graphical user interface. 
     
     
         14 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automated roulette wheel further comprises a movable central cone, and a set of sub-pockets respectively associated with the plurality of pockets, and wherein the controller is configured to raise the movable central cone to receive the first roulette ball in a sub-pocket prior to the second roulette ball coming to rest in a same or different pocket of the roulette wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The roulette gaming apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a lighting system projecting gaming information on a top surface of the roulette wheel.