Video bingo-type game system

Abstract

A method for playing a game is provided, the method including the steps of (a) providing a game board including a matrix having a plurality of elements; (b) providing a plurality of markers; (c) marking at least one element of the plurality of elements using at least one marker of the plurality of markers upon receiving at least one input; (d) unmarking a set of elements of the plurality of elements upon meeting a first predetermined condition; (e) terminating the game upon meeting a second predetermined condition; and (f) repeating steps (b)-(d) if the second predetermined condition is not met. Furthermore, a gaming device for playing the game as an interactive computerized game is provided, where the gaming device includes a processor configured to enable game play.

In the claims:  
     
         1 . A method for playing a game, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a game board including a matrix having a plurality of elements;    b. providing a plurality of markers;    c. marking at least one element of the plurality of elements using at least one marker of the plurality of markers upon receiving at least one input;    d. unmarking a set of elements of the plurality of elements upon meeting a first predetermined condition;    e. terminating the game upon meeting a second predetermined condition; and    f. repeating steps b-d if the second predetermined condition is not met.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the markers has an associated type selected from a predetermined set of types.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first predetermined condition is met when the set of elements of the plurality of elements is marked with markers of the same type, wherein the set of elements is selected from the group consisting of elements of a row, column and diagonal of the matrix.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the steps are executed by a computing device within a network.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein one of the types of the predetermined set of types of markers is a spoiler type, and an element marked using a marker of the spoiler type does not contribute to meeting the first predetermined condition.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of selectively unmarking at least one element of the plurality of elements upon meeting the first predetermined condition, wherein the at least one element does not belong to the set of elements.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of markers comprises the step of controlling the percentage of markers provided having the spoiler type.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of markers comprises the step of one of randomly and non-randomly selecting the type of marker for each of the plurality of markers.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of markers comprises the step of selecting the type of marker for each marker according to the types of markers currently marking elements of the plurality of elements.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of awarding points for at least one of meeting the first predetermined condition and marking elements of the plurality of elements using the at least one marker.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of exchanging awarded points for prizes.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a plurality of markers comprises the step of providing the plurality of markers in groups, wherein the markers of a first group are all used for marking elements before the next group is provided.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of awarding points for marking elements of the plurality of elements with all of the markers belonging to a group.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined condition is marking all of the elements of the plurality of elements.  
     
     
         15 . A gaming device for playing an interactive computerized game, the gaming device comprising a processor configured to enable game play, the gaming device comprising: 
 means for receiving at least one user input;    means for displaying a game board including a matrix having a plurality of elements;    means for displaying a plurality of markers;    means for marking at least one element of the plurality of elements in accordance with the received at least one user input using at least one marker of the plurality of markers;    means for unmarking a set of elements of the plurality of elements upon meeting a first predetermined condition; and    means for terminating the game upon meeting a second predetermined condition.    
     
     
         16 . The gaming device of  claim 15 , further comprising means for assigning each marker of the plurality of markers an associated type selected from a predetermined set of types.  
     
     
         17 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein the first predetermined condition is met when the set of elements of the plurality of elements is marked with markers of the same type, wherein the set of elements is selected from the group consisting of elements of a row, column and diagonal of the matrix.  
     
     
         18 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein one of the types of the predetermined set of types of markers is a spoiler type, and an element marked using a marker of the spoiler type does not contribute to meeting the first predetermined condition.  
     
     
         19 . The gaming device of  claim 15 , wherein the processor further comprises means for selectively unmarking at least one element of the plurality of elements upon meeting the first predetermined condition, wherein the at least one element does not belong to the set of elements.  
     
     
         20 . The gaming device of  claim 18 , wherein the processor further comprises means for controlling the percentage of markers provided having the spoiler type.  
     
     
         21 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor further comprises means for randomly and non-randomly selecting the type of marker for each of the plurality of markers.  
     
     
         22 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor further comprises means for selecting the type of marker for each marker according to the types of markers currently marking elements of the plurality of elements.  
     
     
         23 . The gaming device of  claim 15 , wherein the processor further comprises means for awarding points for at least one of meeting the first predetermined condition and for marking elements of the plurality of elements.  
     
     
         24 . The gaming device of  claim 16 , wherein the processor further comprises means for providing the plurality of markers in groups, wherein the markers of a first group are all used for marking elements before the next group is provided.  
     
     
         25 . The gaming device of  claim 24 , wherein the processor further comprises means for awarding points for marking elements of the plurality of elements with all of the markers belonging to a group.  
     
     
         26 . The gaming device of  claim 15 , wherein the second predetermined condition is marking all of the elements of the plurality of elements.  
     
     
         27 . A computer readable medium storing a set of programmable instructions configured for execution by at least one processor for providing a player an opportunity to play a plurality of sequential interactive computerized game rounds, the programmable instructions comprising: 
 means for displaying a game board including a matrix having a plurality of elements;    means for displaying a plurality of markers;    means for marking at least one element of the plurality of elements using at least one marker of the plurality of markers upon receiving at least one input;    means for unmarking a set of elements of the plurality of elements upon meeting a first predetermined condition; and    means for terminating the game upon meeting a second predetermined condition.    
     
     
         28 . A casino video gaming device for playing an interactive computerized game comprising: 
 means for displaying a game board including a matrix having a plurality of elements;    means for displaying a plurality of markers;    means for marking at least one element of the plurality of elements using at least one marker of the plurality of markers upon receiving at least one input;    means for unmarking a set of elements of the plurality of elements upon meeting a first predetermined condition;    means for terminating the game upon meeting a second predetermined condition; and    means for awarding a player for at least one of meeting the first predetermined condition and for marking elements of the plurality of elements.    
     
     
         29 . A game comprising: 
 a game board including a matrix having a plurality of elements;    a plurality of markers;    means for enabling a player to selectively mark elements of the plurality of elements using the markers;    means for unmarking a set of elements of the plurality of elements upon meeting a predetermined condition; and    means for awarding the player for at least one of meeting the first predetermined condition and for marking elements of the plurality of elements;    wherein the game is terminated upon meeting a second predetermined condition.    
     
     
         30 . A method for playing a game, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a set of markers;    moving each marker of the set of markers to a respective position of a game board;    removing at least three markers from the game board upon meeting a predetermined condition; and    terminating the game when the predetermined condition can no longer be met.    
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein two of the at least three icons are positioned along the same line of the game board.