Mahjong roulette gaming system, and method

Abstract

A gaming system combines roulette and mahjong gaming into a single new game for ball-effecting a mahjong event. The game may comprise a grouped series of roulette wheel assemblies bearing mahjong symbols and a plurality of balls respectively receivable in ball-receiving sectors for identifying a number of mahjong symbols. The group of mahjong symbols identified by the randomly received balls defines a wagerable mahjong event. Players may participate in the gaming in a player participation area, which area is opposed a theatrical or auditorium type visual display of the grouped roulette wheel assembly action. Players may input their wagers in the player participation area and watch the roulette action unfold on the visual displays. Certain methodology for effecting the mahjong event is further supported by the roulette medium.

1 . A roulette-gaming system, the roulette-gaming system for effecting a multi-wheel roulette gaming experience, the roulette-gaming system comprising:
 a grouped series of roulette wheel assemblies, each roulette wheel assembly comprising a roulette wheel, a roulette ball, automated rotation means for rotating the roulette wheel, and automated launch means for launching the roulette ball, each roulette wheel comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors, each ball-receiving sector comprising a select wheel symbol, the roulette balls being respectively receivable in one of the ball-receiving sectors for providing a multi-sector event;   a player participation area, the player participation area for enabling grouped player participation, the player participation area being spatially separated from the roulette wheel assemblies and comprising wager-inputting means, the wager-inputting means for enabling entry of wagers, the wagers for identifying select wager symbols, the wheel and wager symbols having paired symbol correspondence;   central processing means, the central processing means for collecting the wagers, for governing the automated rotation and launch means, for comparing wagers to the multi-sector event, for calculating payouts to players should a wager match the multi-sector event, and for governing credits-debits during roulette gaming; and   visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying grouped roulette wheel assembly action to the player participation area, the grouped roulette wheel assembly action comprising the multi-sector event, the grouped wheel assembly action for effecting a multi-wheel roulette gaming experience.   
   
   
       2 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the wheel and wagerable symbols are defined by mahjong symbols. 
   
   
       3 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the automated launch means are defined by comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       4 . A roulette-gaming system, the roulette-gaming system for effecting a multi-symbol roulette gaming experience, the roulette-gaming system comprising:
 a roulette wheel assembly, the roulette wheel assembly comprising a roulette wheel and a plurality of roulette balls, the roulette wheel comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors, each ball-receiving sector comprising a select wheel symbol, the roulette balls being respectively receivable in one of the ball-receiving sectors for providing a multi-sector event;   a player participation area, the player participation area for enabling grouped player participation, the player participation area comprising wager-inputting means, the wager-inputting means for enabling entry of wagers, the wagers for identifying a series of wagerable symbols, the wheel and wagerable symbols having paired symbol correspondence, the multi-sector event for effecting a multi-symbol roulette gaming experience.   
   
   
       5 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 4  wherein the wheel and wagerable symbols are defined by mahjong symbols, the mahjong symbols for effecting a mahjong event. 
   
   
       6 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 5  comprising visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying roulette wheel assembly action to the player participation area. 
   
   
       7 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 4  comprising means for effecting a self-launching roulette ball, said means comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       8 . A mahjong roulette game, the mahjong roulette game for ball-effecting a mahjong event, the mahjong roulette game comprising:
 a grouped series of roulette wheel assemblies, each roulette wheel assembly comprising a roulette wheel, a roulette ball, means for rotating the wheel, and means for launching the roulette ball, each roulette wheel comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors, each ball-receiving sector comprising a select mahjong wheel symbol, the roulette balls being respectively receivable in one of the ball-receiving sectors for providing a multi-symbolic event;   a player participation area, the player participation area for enabling wagering input and comprising select mahjong wager symbols, the wheel and wager symbols having paired symbol correspondence, the paired symbol correspondence and the multi-symbolic event for effecting a mahjong event.   
   
   
       9 . The mahjong roulette game of  claim 8  comprising visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying the multi-symbolic event to the player participation area. 
   
   
       10 . The mahjong roulette game of  claim 9  wherein the means for launching the roulette ball are defined by means for effecting a self-launching roulette ball, said means comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       11 . A mahjong roulette game, the mahjong roulette game for ball-effecting a mahjong event, the mahjong roulette game comprising:
 a roulette wheel assembly, the roulette wheel assembly comprising a roulette wheel, a plurality of roulette balls, the roulette wheel comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors, each ball-receiving sector comprising a select mahjong wheel symbol, the roulette balls being respectively receivable in one of the ball-receiving sectors for providing a multi-symbolic event; and   a player participation area, the player participation area for enabling wagering input and comprising select mahjong wager symbols, the wheel and wager symbols having paired symbol correspondence, the paired symbol correspondence and the multi-symbolic event for effecting a mahjong event.   
   
   
       12 . The mahjong roulette game of  claim 11  comprising visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying the multi-symbolic event to the player participation area. 
   
   
       13 . The mahjong roulette game of  claim 12  comprising means for effecting a self-launching roulette ball, said means comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       14 . A mahjong roulette game, the mahjong roulette game for ball-effecting a mahjong event, the mahjong roulette game comprising:
 a roulette medium, the roulette medium comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors and a plurality of balls, each ball-receiving sector comprising a select mahjong wheel symbol, the roulette balls each being receivable in one of the ball-receiving sectors, the select ball-receiving sectors and the roulette balls for ball-effecting a mahjong event.   
   
   
       15 . The mahjong roulette game of  claim 14  comprising visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying the multi-symbolic event to a player participation area. 
   
   
       16 . The mahjong roulette game of  claim 14  comprising means for effecting a self-launching roulette ball, said means comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       17 . A roulette game, the roulette game for ball-effecting a hand event, the roulette game comprising:
 a grouped series of roulette wheel assemblies, each roulette wheel assembly comprising a roulette wheel and a roulette ball, each roulette wheel comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors, each ball-receiving sector comprising a select hand-forming symbol, the roulette balls being respectively receivable in one of the ball-receiving sectors for effecting a multi-symbol hand event.   
   
   
       18 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 17  wherein the hand-forming symbols are defined by mahjong symbols, the mahjong symbols for effecting a mahjong event. 
   
   
       19 . The roulette game of  claim 17  comprising visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying the multi-symbol hand event to a player participation area. 
   
   
       20 . The roulette game of  claim 17  comprising means for effecting a self-launching roulette ball, said means comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       21 . A roulette card game, the roulette card game for ball-effecting a hand event, the roulette card game comprising:
 a roulette wheel assembly, the roulette wheel assembly comprising a roulette wheel and a plurality of roulette balls, the roulette wheel comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors, each ball-receiving sector identifying a select hand-forming card, the roulette balls being respectively receivable in one of the ball-receiving sectors for effecting a multi-card hand event.   
   
   
       22 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 21  wherein the hand-forming cards comprise mahjong symbols, the mahjong symbols for effecting a mahjong event. 
   
   
       23 . The roulette card game of  claim 21  comprising visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying the multi-card hand event to a player participation area. 
   
   
       24 . The roulette card game of  claim 21  comprising means for effecting a self-launching roulette ball, said means comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       25 . A roulette game, the roulette game for effecting a wagerable hand event, the roulette game comprising:
 a roulette medium, the roulette medium comprising a plurality of ball-receiving sectors and a plurality of balls, the ball-receiving sectors comprising select hand-forming symbolism, the roulette balls being respectively receivable in the ball-receiving sectors for ball-effecting a wagerable hand event via the hand-forming symbolism.   
   
   
       26 . The roulette gaming system of  claim 25  wherein the hand-forming symbolism comprises mahjong symbolism, the mahjong symbolism for effecting a mahjong event. 
   
   
       27 . The roulette card game of  claim 25  comprising visual display means, the visual display means for visually displaying the wagerable hand event to a player participation area. 
   
   
       28 . The roulette card game of  claim 25  comprising means for effecting a self-launching roulette ball, said means comprising ball-conducting conduit, the ball-conducting conduit for converting a potentially energetic roulette ball to a kinetically energetic roulette ball and for outletting the kinetically energetic roulette ball upon the roulette wheel. 
   
   
       29 . A roulette gaming method, the roulette gaming method for enhancing a roulette gaming experience, the roulette gaming method comprising the steps of:
 arranging mahjong symbols in radial adjacency to a central axis;   randomly depositing symbol identifiers in radial adjacency to the central axis;   identifying a plurality of mahjong symbols via the deposited character identifiers; and   effecting a multi-symbolic event via the identified mahjong symbols.   
   
   
       30 . The roulette gaming method of  claim 29  wherein the central axis is an axis of rotation, the mahjong symbol arrangement being rotatable about the axis of rotation to facilitate random symbol identifier deposition. 
   
   
       31 . The roulette gaming method of  claim 30  comprising the step of predicting the multi-symbolic event before randomly depositing symbol identifiers in radial adjacency to the axis of rotation. 
   
   
       32 . The roulette gaming method of  claim 31  comprising the step of wagering property while predicting the multi-symbolic event. 
   
   
       33 . The roulette gaming method of  claim 32  comprising the step of awarding property after wagering property. 
   
   
       34 . A method for dealing a hand event, the method comprising the steps of:
 arranging hand-forming symbols in radial adjacency to a central axis;   randomly depositing symbol identifiers in radial adjacency to the central axis;   identifying a plurality of hand-forming symbols via the deposited character identifiers; and   effecting a dealt hand event via the identified hand-forming symbols.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the central axis is an axis of rotation, the hand-forming symbol arrangement being rotatable about the axis of rotation to facilitate random symbol identifier deposition. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  comprising the step of predicting the hand event before randomly depositing symbol identifiers in radial adjacency to the axis of rotation. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36  comprising the step of wagering property while predicting the hand event. 
   
   
       38 . The gaming method of  claim 37  comprising the step of awarding property after wagering property. 
   
   
       39 . A standalone gaming system, the gaming system for enabling mahjong roulette play, the gaming system comprising at least one gaming device, each gaming device comprising:
 random number generating means, the random number generating means for generating game results;   visual display means, the visual display means for displaying at least one roulette wheel and at least one roulette ball;   wagering means, the wagering means for enabling a player to wager from a mahjong roulette wager grouping; and   central processing means, the central processing means for comparing generated game results with wagers and for awarding prizes if the generated game results match wagers and produce jackpot hit events.   
   
   
       40 . The gaming system of  claim 39  comprising multiple gaming devices, the gaming devices being linked to a progressive jackpot controller, the jackpot controller for controlling the accumulation of individual progressives, driving the visual display means, and paying out the awarded prizes when jackpot hit events are notified by respective gaming devices, the jackpot hit events being triggered by mahjong specific combinations of multi-symbolic events.