Casino chip tray monitoring system

1. A casino chip tray monitoring system configured for use with a casino game, the casino chip tray monitoring system comprising:

a casino chip tray having a plurality of chip tubes and one or more displays positioned adjacent the chip tubes, the casino chip tray further having a first indicator, a second indicator and a third indicator, the first, second and third indicators positioned adjacent the chip tubes;

a plurality of gaming chips, chip spacers and/or a plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes; and

an imaging device configured to scan the plurality of gaming chips, chip spacers and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes and also configured to discern the chip spacers from gaming chips and further configured to discern individual gaming chips from other gaming chips, wherein a total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes can be calculated from an imaging device scan of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins and displayed on the one or more displays, and wherein the first indicator is configured to signal if the total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes shown by the one or more displays equals a desired pre-set cash value, the second indicator is configured to signal if the total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes shown by the one or more displays is different than the desired cash value for a pre-set period of time and the third indicator is configured to signal if the total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes shown by the one or more displays is different than the desired cash value for a pre-set period of time that is longer than the pre-set period of time used for the second indicator.

2. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the casino chip tray is formed from transparent materials.

3. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the casino chip tray includes a longitudinal slot configured to allow the imaging device to scan the plurality of gaming chips and/or the plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes.

4. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is positioned below the casino chip tray.

5. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is positioned above the casino chip tray.

6. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the gaming chips are arranged in the chip tubes with like dollar denominations in the same columns.

7. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the gaming chips are randomly arranged in the chip tubes in a manner such that a column of gaming chips can have dissimilar dollar denominations.

8. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is a digital camera.

9. The casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more indicators is a light.

10. A method of using a casino chip tray monitoring system configured for use with a casino game, the method comprising the steps of:

arranging a plurality of gaming chips, chip spacers and/or a plurality of coins in a plurality of chip tubes of a casino chip tray, the casino chip tray having one or more displays positioned adjacent the plurality of chip tubes and further having a first indicator, a second indicator and a third indicator, the first, second and third indicators positioned adjacent the chip tubes;

scanning the plurality of gaming chips, chip spacers and/or the plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes with an imaging device, the imaging device configured to discern individual gaming chips from other gaming chips and also configured to discern chip spacers from gaming chips;

calculating a total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or the plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes from an imaging device scan of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins; and

displaying the calculated total dollar value on one or more displays;

wherein the first indicator is configured to signal if the total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes shown by the one or more displays equals a desired pre-set cash value, the second indicator is configured to signal if the total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes shown by the one or more displays is different than the desired cash value for a pre-set period of time and the third indicator is configured to signal if the total dollar value of the plurality of gaming chips and/or plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes shown by the one or more displays is different than the desired cash value for a pre-set period of time that is longer than the pre-set period of time used for the second indicator.

11. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the casino chip tray is formed from transparent materials.

12. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the casino chip tray includes a longitudinal slot configured to allow the imaging device to scan the plurality of gaming chips and/or the plurality of coins arranged in the plurality of chip tubes.

13. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , including the step of positioning the imaging device below the casino chip tray.

14. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , including the step of positioning the imaging device above the casino chip tray.

15. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , including the step of arranging the gaming chips in the chip tubes with like dollar denominations in the same columns.

16. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , including the step of randomly arranging the gaming chips in the chip tubes in a manner such that a column of gaming chips can have dissimilar dollar denominations.

17. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the imaging device is a digital camera.

18. The method of using the casino chip tray monitoring system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more indicators is a light.