Sports theme gaming apparatus and method for playing the same

Abstract

A gaming apparatus includes a housing with a front operable surface and a visual display region thereon. The visual display region includes a plurality of windows disposed in a rectangular positional array of four rows and four columns with a plurality of paylines defined by a line intersecting four adjacent elements in a single row, column or diagonal on the array. A button or mechanical arm on the housing will cause all of the symbols in the array to be randomly selected and displayed as part of a gaming sequence. A payout is generated if one or more of the selected paylines contain a predetermined number of predetermined symbols. The housing further includes three additional screen displays of various table games, for potential play if a winning combination is achieved in the main window.

1 . A gaming display for use in a gaming apparatus with a sports theme, comprising: 
 a plurality of independently and randomly selected symbols disposed in a rectangular positional array of four rows and four columns of windows;    each said symbol of said plurality being directly related to a single predetermined sport; and    a plurality of individually selectable paylines respectively intersecting four rows, four columns and two diagonals of four symbols displayed in the windows of said array, whereby the outcome of a gaming sequence using said display is a function of the symbols displayed along a selected one or more of said paylines.    
   
   
       2 . A gaming apparatus having a sports theme, comprising: 
 a housing having a front operable surface with a visual display region thereon;    said visual display region including a plurality of windows, each window displaying one of a plurality of independently and randomly selected symbols;    each said symbol of said plurality being directly related to a single predetermined sport;    said windows disposed in a rectangular positional array of four rows and four columns;    a plurality of paylines, each payline defined by a line intersecting four adjacent elements in a single row, column or diagonal on the array;    means on the housing for causing all of the symbols in the array to be randomly selected and displayed as part of a gaming sequence; and    means for identifying and generating a payout at the conclusion of a gaming sequence upon the display of predetermined symbols along at least one predetermined payline.    
   
   
       3 . The gaming apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said housing further includes first, second and third display regions on the operating surface thereof, each said display region including means for displaying a round of a predetermined table game thereon.  
   
   
       4 . A method of playing a gaming apparatus of the type having a housing with a front operable surface and a visual display region thereon, said visual display region including a plurality of windows, each window displaying one of a plurality of independently and randomly selected symbols, said windows disposed in a rectangular positional array of four rows and four columns; comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of paylines on said visual display region, each payline defined by a line intersecting four adjacent elements in a single row, column or diagonal on the array;    providing means on the housing for causing all of the symbols in the array to be randomly selected and displayed as part of a gaming sequence;    a patron placing a bet on one or more paylines;    the patron operating the means for causing the symbols to be randomly selected, after placing the bet; and    identifying winning and losing bets at the conclusion of a gaming sequence upon the display of predetermined symbols along the paylines for which a bet was placed; and    generating a payout in the event a winning bet was placed by the patron.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of enabling the gaming apparatus to play a bonus round of a gaming sequence in the event that a patron selects a predetermined payline, bets a predetermined amount of money on the payline, and receives a predetermined arrangement of predetermined symbols along the predetermined payline.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bonus round is a single play of one of three predetermined table games.