The present invention relates to a roulette table for playing roulette.

Devices for playing roulette are known in the prior art.

When playing roulette, the roulette wheel is rotated either by a croupier or automatically. A ball is made to rotate in a supply track in an opposite direction of rotation. The ball rolls in the direction of the roulette wheel via the descending supply track. The ball will eventually land in a compartment on the circumference of the roulette wheel. The compartment is provided with an optically visible unique identification.

Depending on the variant of roulette which is being played, there are 37 or 38 compartments in which the ball may land. In this case, a maximum payout of 35 times the wager is achievable. In view of the rise in alternative lotteries and gambling games in which a higher payout with respect to the wager is achievable, the use of the roulette tables in casinos has decreased greatly.

American patent publication US7571910 describes a roulette table which achieves an increased payout. However, the degree of increased payout is limited due to the fact that the chance of correctly guessing the compartment in which the ball lands has not been reduced sufficiently. While the chance of correctly guessing the compartment is (1/37) with a standard roulette table, this is (1/74) in this invention. This embodiment is therefore not able to solve the abovementioned problem with one ball.

A second adjusted variant of the roulette table is known from WO2014135713 which describes a double roulette table. This variant comprises two concentric roulette wheels which can be used independently from each other. This makes it possible to perform a double draw by means of a second ball. The chance of correctly guessing the compartment in which the ball lands is thus reduced to (1/1369). This makes it possible to increase the possible payout with respect to the wager sufficiently. However, this invention is not able to achieve this increase of the payout using one ball, with the croupier not having to enter the playing area after introduction of the ball.

Digital variants of the roulette table offer various methods for increasing the payout. However, the show element which is associated with a physical roulette table is not present in this case. It is therefore not attractive to take part in a digital roulette game.

It is the object of the present invention to create a physical roulette table which overcomes the abovementioned drawbacks or forms an alternative for the existing roulette tables. It is furthermore an object to present a roulette table by means of which a significantly higher payout of the wager may be achieved, in particular in which this higher payout is brought about with one throw and with one ball.

The invention can achieve this object by means of a roulette table, comprising at least one rotatable ring, divided into several compartments corresponding to ring segments, each provided with an optically visible unique identification, and a mechanical restricting means, such as a raised portion, in order to prevent a ball situated in the compartment from leaving the compartment and a supply track for a roulette ball adjoining the rotatable ring and vertically descending in the direction of the rotatable ring, wherein the roulette table is provided with a device for returning a ball from the compartment directly onto a supply track.

The roulette table according to the present invention is able to autonomously return a ball situated in the compartment from the compartment directly onto a supply track. In contrast to the prior art, in which two balls have to be used to achieve such a higher payout and/or wherein constructions are provided by means of which the ball is removed from the playing area, the present invention is able to achieve this higher payout using one ball. By returning a ball from the compartment directly onto a supply track, the roulette table according to the present invention is able to bring about a second draw. This reduces the chance of correctly guessing the compartment in which the ball lands to (1/1369), but could also be implemented in a different embodiment with a third or fourth draw. By means of the present invention, it is possible to achieve all draws without the ball being hidden from view to the participants. In one embodiment, the roulette table comprises an acceleration mechanism for increasing a speed of rotation of the rotating ring in order to return a ball from the compartment directly onto the supply track by means of a centrifugal force for a next draw. In this case, the acceleration is chosen to be such that the centrifugal force exerted on the ball accelerates the ball in such a way that it leaves the compartment again. The centrifugal force itself is always in a radial direction, but together with the rotating movement which it will also display, the ball can land on the supply track in the desired direction again.

In a practical embodiment of the acceleration mechanism, the acceleration mechanism comprises a motor acting on a rotation shaft or a manually operable drive belt acting on a rotation shaft. This offers the advantage that a croupier does not have to enter the playing area, but that the roulette table can autonomously bring about the acceleration by means of the acceleration mechanism. The term playing area is understood to be the space in which the ball is situated during playing, which space usually comprises at least the supply track and rotatable ring and is, in some cases, also limited thereto.

In an alternative embodiment, the device for returning a ball from the compartment directly onto a supply track comprises a feed for pressurized air in order to return a ball directly onto a supply track under the action of air pressure. As a result thereof, the ball may be directed at a preferred side. Compared to the embodiment comprising an acceleration mechanism, this embodiment has the advantage that the random nature of the draw is influenced the least, which may also result in players trusting the objectivity of the draw more, and thus the popularity of the game.

In another preferred embodiment, the roulette table is also provided with a second rotatable ring, divided into several compartments corresponding to second ring segments, each provided with an optically visible unique identification, wherein the second rotatable ring is surrounded by a second supply track, wherein the rotatable rings and supply tracks, from the outside to the inside, are arranged concentrically in an alternating order, starting with a supply track. This embodiment is not limited to a second rotatable ring and second supply track. This embodiment offers the possibility of the two physical rotatable rings rotating with respect to each other in order thus to increase the randomness factor of the roulette game.

An optional further embodiment describes the roulette table, wherein the continuous compartment ring is dish-shaped. This results in the ball being retained in at least the radial direction by the mechanical restricting means placed at the side facing away from the discharge track after landing in a compartment. As an alternative, an embodiment is conceivable in which the ball is able to move in the radial direction within the compartment up to the mechanical restricting means by means of the force of gravity.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the device for returning the ball from the compartment directly onto a supply track comprises a displaceable part of the raised part, the raised part comprising a partition which is situated between two adjoining compartments, and a displaceable part, the displaceable part being situated between the first rotatable ring and the second supply track, wherein the displaceable part is at least displaceable between a first position, in which it limits the freedom of movement of the ball in the compartment, and a second position, in which it allows the displacement of the ball. This offers the possibility of regulating the timing of the release of the ball, the ball preferably being held for at least 1 .0 second, but more preferably 1 .5 and most preferably more than 2 seconds. This not only offers the possibility of automatically reading off the position, but also gives the players sufficient time to see the score.

Preferably, the present invention is configured in such a way that the displacement of the upright edge takes place in the axial direction. In this case, the upright edge preferably moves upwards, but it is not limited thereto. The axial displacement of the upright edge does not disturb the balance of the rotating ring and thus prevents excessive wear.

In an alternative embodiment, the combination of raised parts of the compartment would form a funnel slowing down the passage in the direction of the second supply track, which slows down at least the radial movement component of the ball. This is beneficial with regard to wear of the rotatable ring as no moving elements are added which are subject to wear. Preferably, the distance between the raised parts of the compartment on the side facing away from the discharge track is as large as the diameter of the ball, the height of the raised parts being at least equal to the radius of the ball.

In another embodiment, the device comprises a hatch, wherein the hatch initiates the radial movement of the ball. This embodiment is configured in such a way that the ball is not hidden from the view of the participants, for example by passing the ball through a transparent tube or over rails after the movement has been initiated. The hatch could preferably be set in such a manner that the ball is dropped at a random moment, which contributes to the stochastic nature of roulette.

In a specific embodiment, the roulette table is provided with a transparent canopy above the first and/or second rotatable ring and/or the first and/or second supply track. In this case, the transparent canopy serves to keep the ball in the playing area.

The present invention will be explained in more detail by means of the following figures, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a top view of a roulette table with a first and second supply track and a first and second rotatable ring according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of a roulette table with a first and second supply track and a first and second rotatable ring according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows a first embodiment of a part of the rotatable ring.

Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of a part of the rotatable ring.

Fig. 1 shows a roulette table 1 according to the present invention, comprising a first rotatable ring 2b, divided into several compartments 5 corresponding to ring segments, each provided with an optically visible unique identification 6, and a mechanical restricting means 7, such as a raised portion, to prevent the ball 12 situated in the compartment 5 from leaving the compartment 5, and a first supply track 2a for a roulette ball 12 adjoining the first rotatable ring 2b and vertically descending in the direction of the first rotatable ring 2b, wherein the roulette table 1 is also provided with a second rotatable ring 3b, divided into several compartments 13 corresponding to second ring segments, each provided with an optically visible unique identification 14, wherein the second rotatable ring 3b is surrounded by a second supply track 3a, wherein the rotatable rings 2b, 3b and supply tracks 2a,

3a, from the outside to the inside, are arranged concentrically in an alternating order, starting with a supply track 2a, 3a, wherein the roulette table 1 is provided with a device 20 for returning a ball 12 from the compartment 5, 13 directly onto a supply track 2a, 3a. The ball 12 is preferably situated in the first supply track 2a with a direction of rotation opposite to that of the first rotatable ring 2b.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the roulette table 1 according to the present invention, which illustrates the raised part 8. In this embodiment, the raised part 8 also prevents the ball 12 from moving from the first roulette section 2 to the second roulette section 3 without first producing a draw in the first rotating ring 2b, wherein a draw may be described by a ball 12 which lands in a compartment 5 of the first rotating ring 2b. The device 10 in this embodiment is provided with an acceleration mechanism 4 for increasing the speed of rotation of a rotating ring 2b, 3b, in order to return a ball 12 directly onto a supply track 2a, 3a from a compartment 5, 13 by means of centrifugal force. The acceleration mechanism 4 acts on a rotation shaft 15. A transparent canopy 18 is fitted above the roulette table 1 which, in another embodiment, may also be fitted only above roulette section 2 or roulette section 3. The transparent canopy 18 serves to keep the ball in the playing area.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the device 2, wherein the device 2 comprises a displaceable part 9 of the raised part 8 in order to return the ball 12 from the compartment directly onto a supply track 2a, 3a, wherein the raised part 8 comprises a partition 7 which is situated between two adjoining compartments 16, 17, and a displaceable part 9, the displaceable part 9 being situated between the first rotatable ring 2b and the second supply track 3a, wherein the displaceable part 9 is at least displaceable between a first position, in which it limits the freedom of movement of the ball 12 in the compartment 16, and a second position, in which it allows the displacement of the ball 12 in the compartment 16.

Fig. 4 shows another embodiment, in which the device 3 comprises a feed 19 for pressurized air in order to return a ball 12 from the compartment 5, 13 directly onto a supply track 2a, 3a under the action of air pressure. In this embodiment, highly pressurized air is stored in a vessel 11 , but, in a different embodiment, the feed 19 may be connected to an alternative source for supplying highly pressurized air. In this embodiment, the compartment 5, 13 is provided with a semicircular recess 10 to prevent a ball 12 which is situated in the semicircular recess 10 from moving.