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US 2003O197330A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2003/0197330 A1 Mathis (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 23, 2003 (54) METHOD OF PLAYING CRAPS AND (57) ABSTRACT APPARATUS THEREFOR An apparatus and associated method which computes a (76) Inventor: Torrance Mathis, New York, NY (US) betting Strategy for a craps game based Solely on the total Correspondence Address: amount the craps player wagers. The device comes in both Alfred F. Hoyte, Esq. a mechanical form and an electronic form. The mechanical 7734 16th Street, N.W. form is configured to appear as a notepad in all respects and Washington DC 20012 (US) allows a player to Select the total wager amount and provides 9 instructions on which bets to place at Selected areas of the (21) Appl. No.: 10/122,403 craps table, and the Suggested amounts. The electronic form is a microprocessor driven handheld device having a keypad (22) Filed: Apr. 16, 2002 to allow the bettor to manually enter the total amount to be wagered. A display driven by the microprocessor will have Publication Classification a plurality of fields corresponding to the areas of the craps table. In response to the entry of a valid total wager amount, (51) Int. Cl. ..................................................... A63F 9/00 numeric values are assigned to the various fields thereby (52) U.S. Cl. ........................................................ 273/148 R informing the bettor of the Suggested betting Strategy Craps Reference Chart As EE ". come. SAFE AS as it se first EEF, FEiE f : ..... 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HORN BET PASS/COME BT CH Y. 11 11-5 9 4 t US 2003/O197330 A1 Oct. 23, 2003 METHOD OF PLAYING CRAPS AND APPARATUS driven by the microprocessor will have a plurality of fields THEREFOR corresponding to the areas of the craps table. In response to the entry of a valid total wager amount, numeric values are BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION assigned to the various fields thereby informing the bettor of the Suggested betting Strategy. 0001) 1. Field of the Invention 0002 The present invention concerns a method and asso 0010. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention ciated apparatus for playing casino games. More particu to provide a new and improved gaming device which larly, the invention is directed to an apparatus for assisting overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art in a simple but a craps player, the apparatus incorporating a method which effective manner. increases the odds of obtaining a winning payout. 0011. It is a major object of this invention to provide an improved gaming device which calculates a winning Strat 0003 2. Description of the Prior Art egy for a craps player given a Selected total wager amount. 0004 Gaming accessories and devices for assisting casino players are well known in the art of gaming devices. 0012. It is another object to provide an improved gaming Most of these devices are characterized by the provision of device which can provide a winning craps betting Strategy as a number System or algorithm, e.g., card counting for an output on a microprocessor driven display given a blackjack, the calculations for which are printed and con predetermined valid input. tained in various forms within a handheld apparatus. 0013. It is another object to provide an improved gaming Manipulation of the apparatus produces a Series of numbers device which can provide a winning craps betting Strategy upon which a bettor may rely in order to increase his odds. on a Selected page of a notepad, the notepad having an 0005 U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,906 issued to Green discloses overlay to isolate a Selected entry. a blackjack Strategy calculator which utilizes well known 0014 Finally, it is a general goal of the invention to card counting algorithms. The device uses a microprocessor provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an to generate Suggested play, with the Suggestions made apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, Viewable on an associated display. The display may be dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended Visual or tactile and the entire device is Small enough to be purposes. held discreetly or hidden by the bettor. 0015 These and other objects of the present invention 0006 U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,770 issued to Yeager discloses will become readily apparent upon further review of the yet another blackjack Strategy calculator. The device relies following specification and drawings. Solely on mechanical movements, which allow the Sug 0016. The present invention meets or exceeds all the gested Strategy to be made available to the user discreetly above objects and goals. Upon further Study of the Specifi using a tactile output. cation and appended claims, further objects and advantages 0007 U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,334 issued to Kosi discloses a of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the reminder System for craps players. The System records the art. number of rolls of the dice and reminds the bettor to bet only when predetermined criteria are met. The present invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS differs from the prior art devices and methods in that it contemplates a device which provides a recommended Strat 0017 Various other objects, features, and attendant egy which does not rely upon Statistics or percentages. advantages of the present invention will become more fully Instead, the present invention provides a device which appreciated as the same becomes better understood when allows a craps player to enter the game at any time, and considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, provides a betting Strategy which ensures no losses are in which like reference characters designate the same or incurred regardless of the outcome of the Series of rolls. Similar parts throughout the Several views, and wherein: 0008. None of the above inventions and patents, taken 0018 FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating the layout of a either Singly or in combination, is seen to describe the typical craps table. instant invention as claimed. 0019 FIG. 2a is a perspective view of a mechanical apparatus formed in accordance with the concept of the SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION present invention. 0009 Briefly, the invention comprises an apparatus 0020 FIG.2b is plan view detailing the arrangement of which computes a betting Strategy for a craps game, where a component of the apparatus of FIG. 2a. the bets are placed at amounts which are based Solely on the total amount the craps player wagers. The device comes in 0021 FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating the keypad and both a mechanical form and an electronic form. The display of an electronic apparatus formed in accordance with mechanical form is configured to appear as a notepad in all concept of the present invention. respects and Simply allows a player to Select the total wager DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE amount and provides instructions on which bets to place at Selected areas of the craps table, and the Suggested amounts. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The electronic form is a microprocessor driven handheld 0022 Referring now to FIG. 1 a craps table layout is device having a keypad to allow the bettor to manually enter shown. There are a plurality of areas delineated on the craps the total amount to be wagered, and provides betting instruc table 20 where bettors can place bets. Bets are placed using tions based on the outcome of the roll of the dice. A display chips which are purchased at predetermined incremental US 2003/O197330 A1 Oct. 23, 2003 values, the placement of the chips on one of the delineated areas indicating that the bettor desires to bet the correspond ing dollar amount. The delineated areas allow bettors to 1. Present horn bet(PH) amount placed on the horn for the place bets which, depending upon the outcome of each roll upcoming roll. 2. Cumulative horn bet(CH) amount lost on all horn bets for a (known as the roll Sum) of a pair of dice (not shown), either particular roll series. win, lose, or remain on the table 20 pending Subsequent 3. Horn bet payout(HP) amount won on the horn bet rolls. A winning bet will win an amount corresponding to the 4. Present come/pass bet(PC/PP) amount placed on the come/pass for the upcoming roll payout odds in light of the value of the chips placed in the 5. Roll series all of the rolls occurring between Selected area, a losing bet results in the loSS of an amount a seven or an eleven roll sum. corresponding to the value of the chips placed in the Selected 6. Board total (BT) total of all bets currently on the board, not including the current come?pass bet area.