An amusement device that includes a horizontally oriented rotating wheel
having a plurality of apertures through the wheel and a release mechanism
that will release game pieces from a location above the wheel is
disclosed. The game can be played by exercising skill or it can be
configured to result in a random outcome. In the skilled based embodiment
of the invention, a user tries to time the activation of the release
mechanism so that a high energy ball drops down from the release
mechanism and falls through the rotating wheel. If a ball passes directly
through the wheel, the ball is detected by a detector that is positioned
below the wheel and an award is provided to the player. In an alternative
embodiment of the device, the device is designed to release a plurality
of balls which will bounce and roll on the rotating wheel until they are
captured in apertures that are provided through the wheel. Each aperture
has a detector and if the balls are captured in pre-selected apertures,
an award is provided to the player.