Device and method for continuously shuffling and monitoring cards for specialty games

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas. The apparatus may use specialty cards to implement games such as roulette or craps, with only one or two cards used to provide the game outcome, and those cards, plus any additional cards removed from the shuffler, being returned to the shuffler prior to beginning any subsequent game plays.

1 - 43 . (CANCELLED)  
     
     
         44 . A method of playing a game of chance having rules consistent with the play of a game of where rolls of dice determine game outcomes, wherein rolls of the dice are effected by providing a group of cards having symbols, the cards in the group having a form representing die values, 
 providing the cards from a continuous shuffler to represent a roll of dice to determine a game outcome, and    reinserting cards used in each previous roll of dice into the shuffler, and    randomly inserting the reinserted cards into a set of cards already in the shuffler before a next removal of cards to effect a next game outcome.    
     
     
         45 . The method of playing a game of chance according to  claim 44  wherein the game of chance comprises a game of craps.  
     
     
         46 . The method of playing a game of craps according to  claim 45  wherein a shuffler reads specific values from cards leaving the shuffler to assist in determining game outcomes.  
     
     
         47 . The method of playing game of craps according to  claim 45  wherein players enter wagers through an electronic data entry system at each position for each player.  
     
     
         48 . The method of playing game of craps according to  claim 46  wherein players enter wagers through an electronic data entry system at each position for each player and wager resolutions are determined by a microprocessor comparing player wagers and read values of cards provided to determine game outcomes.  
     
     
         49 . The method of playing a game of chance according to  claim 44  wherein at least four cards are provided as the cards from a continuous shuffler, and fewer than four cards are used to determine a game outcome.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the game comprises craps, and only one or two cards are used to determine the game outcome.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein four to six cards are provided as the cards from the continuous shuffler.  
     
     
         52 . A method of playing a game of chance having rules consistent with the play of a game of chance wherein a game outcome is determined by a single numeric value, wherein determination of the single numeric value is effected by providing a group of cards having symbols, the cards in the group having a form representing single values, 
 providing the cards from a continuous shuffler to represent the selection of a single value to determine a game outcome,    reinserting cards used in each previous determination of a single value into the shuffler, and    randomly inserting the reinserted cards into a set of cards already in the shuffler before removal of cards to effect a next game outcome.    
     
     
         53 . The method of playing a game according to  claim 52  wherein the game of chance where a game outcome is determined by a single number comprises a roulette-type game.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the continuous shuffler has at least 36 cards in the shuffler before cards are provided to determine a game outcome.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54  wherein the continuous shuffler has between 36 and 380 cards in the shuffler before cards are provided to determine a game outcome.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55  wherein the game comprises roulette, and only one card is used to determine the game outcome.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56  wherein four to six cards are provided as cards from the continuous shuffler to determine the single numeric value.