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A virtual shuffleboard table gaming apparatus including a housing having a playing field, a game acquisition circuit, and a display. As a puck is propelled towards a puck return at the distal end of the playing field, the puck temporarily obstructs at least two beams from transmitters. Sensors that

A virtual shuffleboard table gaming apparatus including a housing having a playing field, a game acquisition circuit, and a display. As a puck is propelled towards a puck return at the distal end of the playing field, the puck temporarily obstructs at least two beams from transmitters. Sensors that receive the transmitted beams provide information to the game acquisition circuit indicative of the time when the beams were blocked and unblocked. The duration of time the beams are block are used by a game controller to calculate the angle of travel, location, and velocity of the puck. This information is then used by the game controller to determine the travel path and resting place of a virtual puck on a virtual playing field, as well as determine whether the virtual puck rests in a scoring zone and maintain a game score.

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1. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including an outer grove configured to receive the removable insertion of a cover, the lower surface including an orifice; anda ball retainer secured within an aperture in the puck,

1. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including an outer grove configured to receive the removable insertion of a cover, the lower surface including an orifice; anda ball retainer secured within an aperture in the puck, the ball retainer having an opening, a load ball, and a plurality of secondary balls, the plurality of secondary balls positioned against at least a portion of an outer surface of the load ball, at least a portion of the load ball protruding outside the puck through the opening and beyond the lower surface of the puck, the load ball being configured to rotate as the puck travels along a playing field of the gaming apparatus, the ball retainer includes having a rib that is configured to fit in a channel in the aperture. 2. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including an outer grove configured to receive the removable insertion of a cover, the lower surface including an orifice; anda ball retainer secured within an aperture in the puck, the ball retainer having a load ball and a plurality of secondary balls, the plurality of secondary balls positioned against at least a portion of an outer surface of the load ball, at least a portion of the load ball protruding outside the puck, the load ball being configured to rotate as the puck travels along a playing field of the gaming apparatus, at least a portion of the lower surface being constructed from a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the material of the playing field, the upper surface having an inner groove configured to receive the removable insertion of a disc that is configured to be positioned beneath the cover, the cover being is at least semi-transparent. 3. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including an outer grove configured to receive the removable insertion of a cover, the lower surface including an orifice;a ball retainer secured within an aperture in the puck, the ball retainer having a load ball and a plurality of secondary balls, the plurality of secondary balls positioned against at least a portion of an outer surface of the load ball, at least a portion of the load ball protruding outside the puck, the load ball being configured to rotate as the puck travels along a playing field of the gaming apparatus; andan identifier to associate game play information with either the puck or a player, the identifier configured to be detected by a sensor. 4. The identifier of claim 3 wherein the game play information associated with either the puck or the player indicates whether credits are available to allow for game play with the puck. 5. The puck of claim 3 wherein the outer diameter of the puck is approximately three times larger than the diameter of the load ball. 6. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface including an outer grove configured to receive the removable insertion of a cover, the lower surface including an orifice; anda ball retainer secured within an aperture in the puck, the ball retainer having a load ball and a plurality of secondary balls, the plurality of secondary balls positioned against at least a portion of an outer surface of the load ball, at least a portion of the load ball protruding outside the puck, the load ball being configured to rotate as the puck travels along a playing field of the gaming apparatus, the ball retainer is being placed on a shoulder inside an aperture in the puck, the shoulder being configured to receive the placement or removal or spacers to adjust the distance that at least a portion of the load ball protrudes outside of the puck. 7. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface, the upper surface having an outer groove configured to receive the insertion of a removable cover;a lower surface, the lower surface having an orifice;a load ball, at least a portion of the load ball secured in an aperture in the puck, at least a portion of the one load ball protruding beyond the lower surface of the puck, the load ball positioned at a generally central location along the length of the puck;a plurality of secondary balls positioned against at least a portion of an outer surface of the load ball, the secondary balls configured to assist with the rotation of the load ball as the puck travels along a playing field of the gaming apparatus; anda ball retainer operably secured in the aperture in the puck, the ball retainer configured to retain at least a portion of the load ball and the plurality of secondary balls between the upper and lower surfaces, the ball retainer is being placed on a shoulder inside the aperture, the shoulder being configured to receive the placement or removal of spacers to adjust the distance that at least a portion of the load ball protrudes outside of the puck. 8. The puck according to claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the lower surface is constructed from a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the material of the playing field. 9. The puck of claim 7 wherein the ball retainer includes an opening through which at least a portion of the load ball may protrude through the ball retainer and beyond the lower surface of the puck. 10. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface, the upper surface having an outer groove configured to receive the insertion of a removable cover;a lower surface, the lower surface having an orifice,a load ball, at least a portion of the load ball secured in an aperture in the puck, at least a portion of the one load ball protruding beyond the lower surface of the puck, the load ball positioned at a generally central location along the length of the puck;a plurality of secondary balls positioned against at least a portion of an outer surface of the load ball, the secondary balls configured to assist with the rotation of the load ball as the puck travels along a playing field of the gaming apparatus; andan identifier to associate game play information with either the puck or a player, the identifier configured to be detected by a sensor. 11. A puck for playing a gaming apparatus, the puck comprising: an upper surface, the upper surface having an outer groove and an inner groove, the inner groove configured to receive the insertion of a disc, the outer groove configured to receive the insertion of a cover,a lower surface, the lower surface having at least one orifice;at least one load ball, at least a portion of the at least one load ball secured in an aperture of the puck, at least a portion of the at least one load ball protruding through the at least one orifice to prevent at least a portion of the lower surface of the puck from touching the playing field; anda plurality of secondary balls positioned against at least a portion of an outer surface of the at least one load ball, the secondary balls configured to assist with the rotation of the at least one load ball as the puck travels along a playing field of the gaming apparatus. 12. The puck of claim 11 further including a ball retainer, the ball retainer configured to retain at least a portion of the at least one load ball and the plurality of secondary balls in the puck. 13. The puck of claim 12 wherein the ball retainer includes an opening through which at least a portion of the load ball may protrude through the ball retainer and beyond the lower surface of the puck. 14. The puck according to claim 11 wherein at least a portion of the lower surface is constructed from a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the material of the playing field. 15. The puck of claim 11 further including an identifier to associate game play information with either the puck or a player, the identifier configured to be detected by a sensor.