MODIFIED ROULETTE TABLE LAYOUT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a modified roulette table layout.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roulette is a popular casino and gambling game, in which players may choose to place bets on a number, a range of numbers, the color red or black, or whether the number is odd or even. To determine the winning number and color, a croupier spins a wheel in one direction, then spins a ball in the opposite direction around a tilted circular track running around the circumference of the wheel. The ball eventually loses momentum and falls on to the wheel and into one of 37 (in European roulette) or 38 (in American roulette) colored and numbered pockets on the wheel.

Players can place a variety of 'inside' bets (selecting the number of the pocket the ball will land in, or range of pockets based on their position), and 'outside' bets (including bets on various positional groupings of pockets, pocket colors, or whether it is odd or even). The payout odds for each type of bet is based on its probability.

To facilitate the placement of bets, a roulette table layout is provided, the layout typically taking the form of a cloth covering on a roulette table. The cloth covering defines a plurality of betting areas that enable a variety of bets, such as the inside and outside bets to be placed.

Examples of inside bets include straight up, in which a single number is bet, with a player's chip being placed entirely in the middle of a number square, a split, in which a bet is placed on two adjoining numbers, and a street in which a bet is placed on three numbers on a single horizontal line.

Outside bets typically have smaller payouts with better odds at winning, and include 1 to 18, in which a bet is made that one of the first low eighteen numbers will come up, 19 to 36, in which a bet is made that one of the last high eighteen numbers will come up, red or black, in which a player bets on which color the roulette wheel will show, and even or odd, in which a bet is placed on either an even or odd number coming up.

Finally, call (or called) bets may be made, and these are typically based on the fact that different number series' in roulette have special names attached to them. For example, "Neighbors of zero" may be called, which is the name for the numbers which lie between 22 and 25 on the wheel, including 22 and 25 themselves. Another example is Orphans", which covers numbers making up two slices of the wheel that contain a total of eight numbers, namely 17, 34, 6, 1, 20, 14, 31 and 9. For convenience, a separate call bet race track may be provided to facilitate the placement of call bets.

There is a continual need to provide different bets for players, thereby stimulating interest in the game and encouraging participation. It is thus an aim of the present invention to provide such a variation by providing a modified roulette table layout.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a roulette table layout comprising:

a first array of betting zones for accommodating at least one betting chip for a bet associated with a first spin of a roulette wheel; and

a second array of double spin betting zones for accommodating a double spin marker, the second array of double spin betting zones coming into play if the bet with the at least one betting chip is a winning bet after the first spin of the roulette wheel, the placement of the double spin marker in the second array of double spin betting zones signaling the player's intention not to take his/her winnings but to bet his/her winnings, or a portion thereof, that the number produced from the first spin of the wheel will come up again after a second spin of the roulette wheel, the player then winning at predetermined odds.

In an embodiment, the first array of betting zones comprises individual numbers or a group of numbers, the group of numbers being based on colour, sequence or position on the roulette wheel.

In an embodiment, the second array of betting zones corresponds at least in part to the first array of betting zones. In one particular embodiment, the second array of betting zones comprises individual numbers or a group of numbers based on their position on the roulette wheel.

In an embodiment, the second array of double spin betting zones is part of a racetrack layout, the racetrack layout comprising an array of call betting zones.

In an embodiment, the second array of double spin betting zones defines a path on the outside of the array of call betting zones.

In an embodiment, the second array of double spin betting zones defines a path on the inside of the array of call betting zones.

In an example embodiment, a number marker may be provided for placement on one of the double spin betting zones for indicating the winning number of the first roulette wheel spin.

In an example embodiment, the predetermined odds are 1200:1.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of playing a game of roulette, the method comprising:

allowing a player to place at least one bet by placing at least one betting chip on a zone or zones of a first array of betting zones;

spinning an associated roulette wheel to generate a winning number;

if it is a winning spin, allowing the player to place a double spin marker into a double spin betting zone associated with the winning number;

spinning the roulette wheel a second time; and

if the same winning number is generated again by the roulette wheel, paying the player at predetermined odds.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of playing a game of roulette, the method comprising:

allowing a player to place at least one bet by placing at least one betting chip on a zone or zones of a first array of betting zones;

allowing the player to place a double spin marker into a double spin betting zone associated with the first array of betting zones;

spinning an associated roulette wheel to generate a winning number;

spinning the roulette wheel a second time; and

if the same winning number is generated again by the roulette wheel, and it corresponds to the bet placed in the double spin betting zone, paying the player at predetermined odds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The only figure shows a schematic view of a modified roulette table layout, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the only drawing, a roulette table layout 10 comprises a first array of betting zones 12, 14 for allowing a player to place at least one bet by placing at least one betting chip 16 on the relevant betting zone or zones 12, 14. Betting zone 12 is part of a conventional roulette betting layout 18, and betting zone 14 is part of a conventional call bet racetrack 20.

A second array of double spin betting zones 22 is also provided, each zone 22 being associated with one of the betting zones 12, 14 of the first array. In the

illustrated embodiment, the second array of double spin betting zones 22 defines a path on the inside of the array of call betting zones 14. Alternatively, the second array of double spin betting zones 22 defines a path on the outside of the array of call betting zones 14.

A double spin cup or marker 24 is provided to indicate a player's intention that he or she wishes to play a modified version of a game of roulette. There are 2 ways in which the modified version may be played, as follows:

Upfront placement of the double spin marker

In this version, at the time of placing the at least one betting chip 16 on the relevant betting zone or zones 12, 14, and before a first spin of a roulette wheel, the double spin marker 24 is placed into one of the double spin betting zones 22. Once the bets have been set up, the roulette wheel is spun to generate a first winning number. For players who have not elected to play the double spin modified version, they will either win or lose their bets, in a conventional manner. However, for players who have elected to play the double spin modified version, by placing the double spin marker 24, and their betting chip 16 corresponds to a winning bet, the roulette wheel is spun a second time to generate a second winning number. If the second winning number corresponds to the first winning number, and thus to the winning bet with the betting chip 16, the player is paid at a predetermined payout ratio.

Intermediate placement of the double spin marker In this version, the player places the at least one betting chip 16 on the relevant betting zone or zones 12, 14. The roulette wheel is then spun a first time to produce a first winning number, and if their betting chip 16 corresponds to a winning bet, the player then has the option to play the double spin modified version. If the player wishes to play the modified version, then he or she places the double spin marker 24 into one of the double spin betting zones 22. The roulette wheel is then spun a second time to generate a second

winning number. If the second winning number corresponds to the first winning number, and thus to the winning bet with the betting chip 16, the player is paid at a predetermined payout ratio.

In an example embodiment, a number marker 26 may be provided for placement on one of the double spin betting zones 22 for indicating the first winning number of the first roulette wheel spin.

In an example embodiment, the predetermined payout ratio is 1200:1. In one version, the amount of money that may be placed as a bet on the second spin may be capped, at, for example, the table maximum divided by twenty. Thus, examples of the value of the double spin bets and payouts for various table limits are as follows:

• R5 minimum to R200 maximum table: Double Spin bet of R10 pays R12,000. • R10 minimum to R200 maximum table: Double Spin bet of R10 pays

R12.000.

• R25 minimum to R500 maximum table; double spin bet of R25 pays R30,000.

• On higher limit tables, where the minimum/maximum spread is ten times, the double spin bet may be half the table minimum unless authorized by to be raised to the Table minimum.

The present invention thus allows additional betting opportunities for the player based on a conventional game of roulette.