Game of Chance with Balls Dropped on a Board

Abstract

A game of chance wherein players predict the locations at which dropped balls will land on a board has a game apparatus that provides a plurality of spherical balls, a shaking means, and a board. The board is circular, having a plurality of indentations or grooves in which the balls will become trapped. The board may have a lip around the edge to prevent balls from rolling off the board. The board face is marked with a plurality of concentric circles which define regions. Players predict, prior to dropping the balls, how many balls will land in each region. Scoring may proceed in any of a number of ways; for example, where players compete against each other, the player with the most accurate prediction may be said to win or each player may be awarded points for each correctly predicted landing location. Where the game is played as a gambling game with a house or bank opposing each player separately, varying payouts may be awarded to each player based on the accuracy of their predictions.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for playing a game of chance comprising:
 (a) a board;   (b) said board being circular;   (c) the face of said board being shaped with a plurality of grooves;   (d) said grooves being shaped as concentric circles about the center of said board;   (e) a plurality of balls;   (f) said balls being of a diameter such that said balls may become entrapped in said grooves; and   (g) a shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 1  further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of balls is eleven in number; five of said plurality of balls being a first color; five of said plurality of balls being a second color; said first and said second color being contrasting; one of said balls being transparent or of a neutral color; and the five of said plurality of balls that are said first color and the five of said plurality of balls that are said second color bearing indicia so as to be numbered zero through nine. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 1  wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 3  further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 4  further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 3  wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 5  wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 3  wherein said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 5  wherein said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 8  wherein said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color. 
     
     
         12 . A method of playing a game of chance using an apparatus comprising:
 (a) a board;   (b) said board being circular;   (c) the face of said board being shaped with a plurality of grooves;   (d) said grooves being shaped as concentric circles about the center of said board;   (e) a plurality of balls;   (f) said balls being of a diameter such that said balls may become entrapped in said grooves; and   (g) a shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls; and the method comprising:   (h) each of a plurality of players recording or announcing a guess as to how many of said plurality of balls will land in each of said plurality of grooves;   (i) shaking said plurality of balls using said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls and dropping said plurality of balls onto said board;   (f) determining a winner, said winner being that of said plurality of players who has guessed closest to the actual position of said plurality of balls within said plurality of grooves.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each of said grooves is assigned a point value; wherein each of said plurality of players is awarded points for each correctly predicted of said plurality of balls landing in each of said plurality of grooves; and wherein said winner is that of said plurality of players that has been awarded the most points. 
     
     
         14 . A method of playing a game of chance using an apparatus comprising:
 (a) a board;   (b) said board being circular;   (c) the face of said board being shaped with a plurality of grooves;   (d) said grooves being shaped as concentric circles about the center of said board;   (e) a plurality of balls;   (f) said balls being of a diameter such that said balls may become entrapped in said grooves;   (g) a shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls;   (h) said plurality of balls is eleven in number;   (i) five of said plurality of balls being a first color;   (j) five of said plurality of balls being a second color;   (k) said first and said second color being contrasting;   (l) one of said balls being transparent or of a neutral color; and   (m) said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color   and the method comprising:   (n) assigning said first color to a first player;   (o) assigning said second color to a second player;   (p) shaking said plurality of balls using said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls and dropping said plurality of balls onto said board;   (q) determining a winner, said winner being that of the group of said first player and said second player that has the most of said plurality of balls of that player's color landing within those of said plurality of grooves that are of the player's color; and   (r) using the position, with a groove of said first color or of said second color, of the one of said plurality of balls that is transparent or of a neutral color to resolve a tie in favor of that of the group of said first player and said second player whose colored of said plurality of grooves the one of said plurality of balls that is transparent or of a neutral color has landed in.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the five of said plurality of balls that are said first color and the five of said plurality of balls that are said second color bearing indicia so as to be numbered zero through nine; and the method further comprising said first player and said second player making specific predictions as to the location of particular ones of said plurality of balls in particular ones of said plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus for playing a game of chance of  claim 19  further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board.