Bingo game

Abstract

A bingo game is disclosed in which players select one or more numbers prior to game play. If the player obtains a bingo on one of the selected numbers, an additional prize is awarded.

1 . A gaming console comprising programmable electronics including at least one processor and a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium storing data instructions, which when executed by the programmable electronics, cause the programmable electronics to:
 identify one or more numbers as special numbers;   display at least one bingo card including a plurality of card numbers arranged in a grid;   receive called numbers;   graphically display marks in the grid for card numbers that match one of the called numbers;   determine that a pattern of the marks in the grid forms a bingo pattern; and   identify the at least one bingo card as a special winning card if a last of the called numbers matches one of the special numbers.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the special numbers are selected from numbers in a range from 1 to 75. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the special numbers are player-selected numbers. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the bingo card includes 24 numbers arranged in the grid, and wherein the grid is a five-by-five grid with a free space in the center. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern is selected from four corners, a single line, and a double line. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the marks are graphical elements displayed in a space of the grid, wherein the marks do not completely obscure a number in the space from view. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the data instructions further cause the programmable electronics to award the player with a payment, the payment being at least a portion of sales of special numbers. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming console sends data to another computing device resulting in a payout of a prize to the player for getting a bingo on one of the player's bingo cards, and a payout of an additional prize to the player for having a special winning card. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , further comprising a touch sensitive display configured to receive inputs from the player, a wireless network communication device configured to communicate data across a network, and a housing that is a portable size and configured to be held with the player's hands. 
     
     
         10 . The gaming console of  claim 1 , wherein the gaming console is a personal computer. 
     
     
         11 . A method of playing a bingo game, the method comprising:
 identifying one or more player-specific numbers for a player;   identifying a set of called bingo numbers;   determining, with a computing device, that at least some numbers on a player's bingo card match numbers in the set of called bingo numbers, and that at least some of the matching numbers form a predetermined pattern; and   determining that one of the matching numbers that form the predetermined pattern is a last of the called bingo numbers and is also one of the player-specific numbers.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: highlighting, with a display device, the player-specific numbers that are possible winners prior to determining that at least some of the matching numbers form a predetermined pattern. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising generating a sound after determining that one of the matching numbers is the last of the called bingo numbers and also one of the player-specific numbers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein identifying one or more player-specific numbers comprises retrieving the player-specific numbers from a point of sale computing device by sending a request to the point of sale computing device, the request including an identification number received from an input provided by the player. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing the player with a printed receipt, the receipt including the identification number and a list of the player-specific numbers. 
     
     
         16 . A method of playing a bingo game, the method comprising:
 receiving an identification of at least one selected number from a player, along with a payment for each of the at least one selected numbers;   providing at least one bingo card to the player;   calling a plurality of bingo numbers;   determining that at least some of the numbers on the player's bingo card that match the bingo numbers form a predetermined pattern;   comparing a most recently called of the called bingo numbers with the numbers on the player's bingo card that form the predetermined pattern and with the at least one selected numbers to identify a matching number; and   awarding at least a portion of payments received from all players to the player after identifying a matching number.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising computing a value of a pot by computing at least a percentage of payments of selected numbers to players, and wherein the pot is seeded with an initial value. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the percentage of payments is about 50 percent. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one bingo card is a physical card having numbers printed thereon, and further comprising marking each of the called bingo numbers on the at least one bingo card with a first dauber having a first color. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising marking each of the selected numbers on the at least one bingo card with a second dauber having a second color, the second color being different than the first color.