Bunko-Style Game

Abstract

A game is provided based on the results of a random value generator, and a playing surface useful for some versions of the game is also provided. Some versions of the game involve a dice game reminiscent of bunko, in which rewards are given based on the results of die rolls. Like bunko, these versions of the game require infrequent decision-making during play, allowing the players to relax and socialize instead of constantly concentrating on the details of play. A gambling version of the game is provided, in which payouts depend in part on the number of target values rolled.

1 . A method of playing a game of chance, comprising:
 (a) playing a first round;   (b) reading at least three random first round values from a random value generator;   (c) awarding a first reward if exactly one of the first round values is a first target value;   (d) awarding a second reward if exactly two of the first round values is the first target value;   (e) awarding a third reward if exactly three of the first round values is the first target value; and   (f) awarding a fourth reward if the sum of any three first round values equals the first target value.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the random values are numbers, the first target value is five, the second target value is five, and the third target value is five. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) playing a second round;   (b) reading at least three random second round values from a random value generator;   (c) awarding a fifth reward if exactly one of the second round values is a second target value;   (d) awarding a sixth reward if exactly two of the second round values is the second target value;   (e) awarding a seventh reward if exactly three of the second round values is the second target value; and   (f) awarding an eighth reward if the sum of any three of the second round values equals the second target value.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 (a) playing a third round;   (b) reading at least three random third round values from the random value generator;   (c) awarding a ninth reward if exactly one of the third round values is a third target value;   (d) awarding a tenth reward if exactly two of the third round values is the third target value;   (e) awarding an eleventh reward if exactly three of the third round values is the third target value; and   (f) awarding a twelfth reward if the sum of any three of the third round values equals the third target value.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising at least one of the following betting cycles:
 (a) accepting a first round wager, wherein the first reward is a one-hit payout on the first round wager, the second reward is a two-hit payout on the first round wager, the third reward is a three-hit payout on the first round wager, and the fourth reward is a three-sum payout on the first round wager;   (b) accepting a second round wager, wherein the fifth reward is the one-hit payout on the second round wager, the sixth reward is the two-hit payout on the second round wager, the seventh reward is the three-hit payout on the second round wager, and the eighth reward is the three-sum payout on the second round wager; and   (e) accepting a third round wager, wherein the ninth reward is the one-hit payout on the third round wager, the tenth reward is the two-hit payout on the third round wager, the eleventh reward is the three-hit payout on the third round wager, and the twelfth reward is the three-sum payout on the third round wager.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one-hit payout is about 1:1, the two-hit payout is about 2:1, the three-hit payout is about 3:1, and the three sum payout is about 1:1. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: accepting a bonus wager and awarding a bonus payout on the bonus wager. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising awarding a bonus payout on the bonus wager according to a schedule comprising:
 (a) defining a “bonus hit” as having occurred if any value rolled is the target value, or if the sum of any three values rolled in a given round equal the target value;   (b) awarding a three-hit bonus payout on the bonus wager if the union of the first round values, the second round values, and the third round values comprises exactly three bonus hits;   (c) awarding a four-hit bonus payout on the bonus wager if the union of the first round values, the second round values, and the third round values comprises exactly four bonus hits;   (d) awarding a five-hit bonus payout on the bonus wager if the union of the first round values, the second round values, and the third round values comprises at least five bonus hits;   (e) awarding a three-of-a-kind bonus payout on the bonus wager if at least one of the first round values, the second round values, or the third round values comprise three identical values;   (f) awarding a bunko bonus payout on the bonus wager if at least one of the first round values, the second round values, or the third round values comprise three of the target value; and   (g) awarding only the single highest applicable bonus payout on the bonus wager.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one-hit payout is about 1:1, the two-hit payout is about 2:1, the three-hit payout is about 3:1, the three-sum payout is about 1:1 the three-hit bonus payout is about 1:1, the four-hit bonus payout is about 1:1, the five-hit bonus payout is about 20:1, the three-of-a-kind bonus payout is about 3:1, and the bunko bonus payout is about 5:1. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 ,
 (a) wherein a non-bonus house edge is a function of the one-hit payout, the two-hit payout, the three-hit payout, and the three-sum payout;   (b) wherein the non-bonus house edge greater than at least one of about 0%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 45%, and about 50%; and   (c) wherein the non-bonus house edge is less than at least one of about 0%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 45%, and about 50%.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 ,
 (a) wherein a bonus house edge is a function of the three-hit bonus payout, the four-hit bonus payout, the five hit bonus payout, the three-of-a-kind bonus payout, and the bunko bonus payout; and   (b) wherein the bonus house edge is from about 0% to about 60%.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising at least one of:
 (a) accepting an additional first round wager;   (b) accepting an additional second round wager;   (c) accepting an additional third round wager; and   (d) accepting an additional bonus wager;   
     and further comprising awarding a payout on at least one additional wager. 
   
   
       13 . A method of playing a game of chance, comprising the steps of:
 (a) accepting a first round wager, a second round wager, and a third round wager;   (b) accepting a bonus wager;   (c) reading a set of random values from a random value generator, the set of random values comprising a first round subset that comprises three random values, a second round subset that comprises three random values, and a third round subset that comprises three random values;   (d) awarding a payout on at least one of the first round wager, second round wager, or third round wager according to a schedule comprising:
 (i) awarding a one-target payout on the first round wager if the first round subset comprises exactly one of a target value; 
 (ii) awarding a two-target payout on the first round wager if the first round subset comprises exactly two of the target value; 
 (iii) awarding a three-target payout on the first round wager if the first round subset comprises exactly three of the target value; 
 (iv) awarding a three-sum payout on the first round wager if the sum of any three values of the first-round subset equals the target value; 
 (v) awarding the one-target payout on the second round wager if the second round subset comprises exactly one of the target value; 
 (vi) awarding the two-target payout on the second round wager if the second round subset comprises exactly two of the target value; 
 (vii) awarding the three-target payout on the second round wager if the second round subset comprises exactly three of the target value; 
 (viii) awarding the three-sum payout on the second round wager if the sum of any three values of the second-round subset equals the target value; 
 (ix) awarding the one-target payout on the third round wager if the third round subset comprises exactly one of a target value; 
 (x) awarding the two-target payout on the third round wager if the third round subset comprises exactly two of the target value; 
 (xi) awarding the three-target payout on the third round wager if the third round subset comprises exactly three of the target value; 
 (xii) awarding the three-sum payout on the third round wager if the sum of any three values of the third-round subset equals the target value; 
   (e) awarding a bonus payout on the bonus wager according to a schedule comprising:
 (i) defining a “bonus hit” as having occurred if any value rolled is the target value, or if the sum of any three values rolled in a given round equal the target value; 
 (ii) awarding a three-hit bonus payout on the bonus wager if the set of random values comprises exactly three bonus hits; 
 (iii) awarding a four-hit bonus payout on the bonus wager if the set of random values comprises exactly four bonus hits; 
 (iv) awarding a five-hit bonus payout on the bonus wager if the set of random values comprises at least five bonus hits; 
 (v) awarding a three-of-a-kind bonus payout on the bonus wager if at least one of the first round subset, the second round subset, or the third round subset comprises three identical values; 
 (vi) awarding a bunko bonus payout on the bonus wager if at least one of the first round subset, the second round subset, or the third round subset comprises three of the target value; and 
 (vii) awarding only the single highest applicable bonus payout on the bonus wager. 
   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one-hit payout is about 1:1, the two-hit payout is about 2:1, the three-hit payout is about 3:1, the three-sum payout is about 1:1, the three-hit bonus payout is about 1:1, the four-hit bonus payout is about 1:1, the five-hit bonus payout is about 20:1, the three-of-a-kind bonus payout is about 3:1, and the bunko bonus payout is about 5:1. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13   (a) wherein a non-bonus house edge is determined by the one-hit payout, the two-hit payout, the three-hit payout, and the three-sum payout;   (b) wherein the non-bonus house edge greater than at least one of: about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 45%, and about 50%; and   (e) wherein the non-bonus house edge is less than at least one of: about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 45%, and about 50%.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the non-bonus house edge is about 2-5%. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 ,
 (a) wherein a bonus house edge is a fuinction of the three-hit bonus payout, the four-hit bonus payout, the five hit bonus payout, the three-of-a-kind bonus payout, and the bunko bonus payout; and   (b) wherein the bonus house edge is from about 0% to about 60%.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the random value generator comprises three dice. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the random values are numbers, the first target value is five, the second target value is five, and the third target value is five. 
   
   
       20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . (canceled) 
   
   
       24 . (canceled) 
   
   
       25 . (canceled) 
   
   
       26 . A playing surface for use with the method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 (a) a player area, the player area comprising:
 (i) a non-bonus wager spot; 
 (ii) a bonus wager spot; and 
   (b) a stickman area comprising a dice spot.   
   
   
       27 . The playing surface of  claim 20 , wherein the non-bonus wager spot is a first round wager spot, and further comprising:
 (a) a second round wager spot; and   (b) a third round wager spot.   
   
   
       28 . The playing surface of  claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of player areas. 
   
   
       29 . The playing surface of  claim 20 , wherein said playing surface is part of a table. 
   
   
       30 . A process comprising operating a gaming facility and performing the game of  claim 1  at said facility. 
   
   
       31 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the facility is selected from the group consisting of a casino and a passenger liner.