Casino style game of chance apparatus

Abstract

A casino style game apparatus preferably having a table layout for playing a roulette or roulette-like game without a roulette wheel. The preferred embodiment uses a ball blower to select a numbered ball from a set of thirty-eight numbered balls. A monitor displays the selected ball as viewed from a video camera mounted above the ball blower. The number displayed constitutes the random number decision generation replacing the use of a roulette wheel. An additional embodiment uses a random number generator to select a number from one to thirty-eight for random number decision generation. Another embodiment uses a shuffled thirty-eight card deck from which a numbered card is selected constituting the random number decision generation. An additional embodiment uses a remote control activated by a player to initiate the random number generator for selection of a number from one to thirty-eight to constitute the random number decision generation.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A game of chance comprising: 
 (a) a table having number indicia for placing bets thereupon,    (b) a number selector which when actuated for a game, produces a randomly selected number, the number being determinative of the game's winning indicia, and    (c) a display associated with the table, for displaying the selected number, the display being clearly viewable by all the players at the table.    
     
     
         2 . The game according to    claim 1    wherein the number selector comprises a ball selector which, when actuated, randomly singulates one of a plurality of numbered, agitated balls contained within a chamber, the number on the singulated ball being the selected number.  
     
     
         3 . The game according to    claim 2    wherein the chamber contains thirty-eight balls, each ball marked with a different number, the numbers ranging from one to thirty-eight, inclusive.  
     
     
         4 . The game according to    claim 2    wherein each ball selected is blown to the top of the chamber and into a singulating chute communicating with the chamber.  
     
     
         5 . The game according to    claim 2    wherein the display comprises: 
 (a) a structure affixed to the table and disposed, in part, above the number selector,  
 (b) a camera affixed to the structure proximate the singulated ball for viewing the number on the ball, and  
 (c) a display screen affixed to the structure for displaying to participants and observers of the game the camera's view of the singulated ball.  
 
     
     
         6 . The game according to    claim 1    wherein the table's number indicia resembles the indicia of a conventional roulette table, and wherein indicia numbers thirty-seven and thirty-eight are used in place of the conventional indicia numbers zero and double zero.  
     
     
         7 . The game according to    claim 1    wherein the number selector comprises: 
 (a) a numerical processor proximate the table,  
 (b) software installed in the processor for selecting a number at random, when actuated, and  
 (c) a display communicating with the processor for displaying the selected number, the display being clearly viewable by all the players at the table.  
 
     
     
         8 . The game according to    claim 7    wherein the random number is selected from a range of one to thirty-eight, inclusive.  
     
     
         9 . The game according to    claim 7    further comprising a CRT communicating with the processor by which a dealer controls the software.  
     
     
         10 . The game according to    claim 7    further comprising a remote control communicating with the processor for activating the software for selecting a random number.  
     
     
         11 . The game according to    claim 10    wherein the random number is selected from a range of one to thirty-eight, inclusive.  
     
     
         12 . The game according to    claim 1    wherein the number selector comprises: 
 (a) a deck of numbered cards,  
 (b) a shuffler for arranging the cards in a random sequence, and  
 (c) a structure for assisting a dealer in singulating one numbered card from the shuffled deck.  
 
     
     
         13 . The game according to    claim 12    wherein the display comprises the singulated card disposed to allow all players at the table to view the number on the card.