US20140084543A1

US20140084543A1 - Methods and gaming tables for wagering games that permit rewagering

Info

Publication number: US20140084543A1
Application number: US14/027,067
Authority: US
Inventors: Roger M. Snow; Ryan M. Yee
Original assignee: SHFL Enterteiment Inc
Current assignee: LNW Gaming Inc
Priority date: 2012-05-30
Filing date: 2013-09-13
Publication date: 2014-03-27

Abstract

Methods of administering wagering games comprise accepting a first wager to participate in a first wagering game according to a first set of game rules. A second wager to participate in a second, different wagering game according to a second, different set of game rules is accepted. The second wager is resolved according to the second set of game rules. An instruction is accepted from each player who won the second wager to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager. The first wager is resolved according to the first set of game rules. Games of the present disclosure may be implemented as live card games, EGM games, multi-player EGM games, on-line games, scratch ticket games and live card games with electronic betting interfaces.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/483,983, filed May 30, 2012, titled “Methods and Apparatus for Games that Permit Rewagering,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

FIELD

The disclosure relates generally to methods of administering wagering games for casinos and other gaming establishments, and related systems and apparatuses. More specifically, disclosed embodiments relate to methods of, and systems and apparatuses for, administering wagering games including at least one side wager, at least winnings from which may be added to another wager in the same round of play.

BACKGROUND

Blackjack is a popular wagering game played in casinos and other gaming establishments. Some alterations to traditional blackjack have been proposed, including side bets made while playing blackjack. For example, the ROYAL MATCH 21® game is a side bet on blackjack focusing on the first two cards a player is dealt. To begin each round, players make the standard blackjack wager and optionally make the ROYAL MATCH 21® side wager. Players are dealt their first two cards and, if the cards are the same suit or a king and queen in suit—they win. If both the player and the dealer receive a king and queen in suit, a CROWN TREASURE™ bonus payout is optionally awarded. The bonus payouts apply to the player's first two cards only, except for the CROWN TREASURE™ payout. As another example, the BET THE SET 21® game also focuses on a player's first two cards dealt. To begin each round, players make their standard blackjack wagers and the BET THE SET 21® side wager. Once each player has received his first two cards, the dealer settles all side wagers. If a player has any pair, they win according to a posted pay table. As yet another example, KING'S BOUNTY™ blackjack is a blackjack side bet that pays when a player's first two cards has a numerical point total 20. All face cards have a point value of 10. To play, players make a standard blackjack wager and the side bet. The dealer deals blackjack according to house procedures. Players win the side bet if the point value of the first two player cards adds up to 20. The top award occurs when a player has two kings of spades and the dealer has blackjack. This top award may only be achieved when the game is dealt from a multiple deck shoe. In progressive forms of the game, a progressive jackpot may be won when the dealer holds a blackjack in Spades and the player holds two King of Spades.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In some embodiments, methods of administering wagering games comprise accepting a first wager to participate in a first wagering game according to a first set of game rules. A second wager to participate in a second, different wagering game according to a second, different set of game rules is also accepted. Cards are dealt to each player and to a dealer. The second wager is resolved according to the second set of game rules. When a payout is awarded to the player on the second wager, an instruction is accepted from each player to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager. All or a portion of the second wager may also be added to the first wager. The first wager is resolved according to the first set of game rules. In some embodiments, the first wager is mandatory and the second wager is optional. In other embodiments, both the first and second wagers are mandatory.
In one embodiment, methods of administering wagering games comprise the dealer accepting a second wager to participate in a variant of a two-card poker game, and the dealer accepting a first wager to participate in a game of blackjack. The second wager is optional in this example of the disclosure. Two cards are dealt to each player and to a dealer. The second wager, if played, is resolved according to whether the two cards of each player constitute a two-card poker hand of a predetermined rank or higher. An instruction is accepted from each player in whose favor the second wager is resolved to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager. All or a portion of the second wager amount may also be added to the first wager in some examples of the disclosure. The second wager is resolved according to blackjack rules.
In another embodiment, the first set of game rules comprises a three-card poker hand against a dealer hand, using a known three-card poker ranking system. Players view the cards, and either make a play wager equal to the first wager, or in other embodiments, the player may check. The second set of game rules is a three-card poker game against a pay table of predetermined winning outcomes and predetermined payout odds. The second wager in one embodiment is mandatory, but can also be optional.
In yet another embodiment, the first set of game rules comprises a modified form of baccarat, in which the dealer and each player receives three cards each, and the hands are scored according to baccarat rules. Each card is assigned a point value, and the point values are combined, modulo 10. The hand closest to 9 wins. Ties are resolved in favor of the house. The rules deviate from conventional baccarat in two important ways. Each player receives a separate hand of cards, and each hand has three cards. The second set of game rules comprises the player making a best three-card poker hand, and playing against a pay table of a plurality of predetermined winning payouts and payout odds. In this embodiment, there may be a third game segment in which the player makes a third wager before receiving cards, and plays a three-card poker game against a dealer hand, the second set of rules comprising known three-card poker rankings. The rules may require the player to make a play wager or fold before the dealer reveals the dealer cards in the first game. Alternatively, the player may be permitted to make a play wager or check. Checking allows the player to stay in the game without further betting. Amounts wagered and/or payouts in the first and second segments may be combined with the third wager, or the third wager may payout according to predetermined payout odds, such as 1:1 for example.
In one form of the disclosure, games may be played on a standard gaming table with a cloth surface. Cards may be randomized with an automatic card shuffler, and the same shuffler may be used to dispense packets of cards to the player and the dealer. Alternatively, cards may be shuffled and then transferred into a shoe for manual delivery by a dealer.
In some embodiments, gaming tables for administering wagering games comprise a playing surface including at least one player interface, at least one dealer interface, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is programmed to accept a first wager to participate in a first wagering game according to a first set of game rules and to accept a second wager to participate in a second, different wagering game according to a second, different set of game rules. The at least one processor is programmed to resolve the second wager according to the second set of game rules and to accept from each player in whose favor the second wager is resolved an instruction to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player. The processor may also receive an instruction to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager. The at least one processor is also programmed to resolve the first wager according to the first set of game rules.
Games of the present disclosure may be played on an electronic gaming machine (EGM), such as on a multiple-player electronic game machine. In electronic forms of the game, a game display is provided to display game results. A processor is programmed to execute first and second sets of game rules. Player inputs are provided so that the processor can receive instructions to execute game play. When games of the present disclosure are executed on a multiple-player electronic game machine, all players in an embodiment simultaneously play the same game, to simulate live table game play. A common player display may be provided to display game pieces and game outcomes.
In yet other embodiments, systems for administering wagering games over computer networks comprise a game engine configured to be accessed by a client server over a network. The game engine is programmed to accept an instruction from a client server to place a first wager to participate in a first wagering game according to a first set of game rules and to accept an instruction from the client server to place a second wager to participate in a second, different wagering game according to a second, different set of game rules. The game engine is programmed to resolve the second wager according to the second set of game rules and to accept an instruction from each player for whom the second wager is resolved favorably an instruction to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager. The game engine is also programmed to resolve the first wager according to the first set of game rules. The game engine may be incorporated into an online casino server system or may be a separate system that interacts with an online casino server.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of administering wagering games. In accordance with such methods, a first wager may be accepted to participate in a first wagering game of blackjack. A second wager may also be accepted to participate in a second wagering game of whether a set of two cards to be dealt to a player matches at least one of a plurality of predetermined sets of two cards. The set of two cards may be dealt to the player, and the second wager may be resolved according to whether the dealt set of two cards matches one of a plurality of predetermined sets of two cards. An instruction may be accepted from the player to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager. The at least a portion of the winnings from the second wager may be added to the first wager. The first wager may be resolved according to blackjack rules.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes additional methods of administering wagering games. In accordance with such methods, a first wager to participate in a first wagering game of blackjack is accepted and thereafter a second wager to participate in a second wagering game of whether a set of two cards to be dealt to a player form a predetermined winning two-card hand is accepted. The set of two cards is dealt to the player. Second wager proceeds may be formed by adding a payout to the second wager based on the set of two cards dealt to the player forming the predetermined winning two-card hand. The methods may include allowing the player an option to receive payment of all of the second wager proceeds, add a portion of the second wager proceeds to the first wager and receive payment of a remaining portion of the second wager proceeds, or add all of the second wager proceeds to the first wager. The first wager may be resolved according to blackjack rules.
In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes gaming tables for administering a wagering game. Such gaming tables may include a playing surface including at least one player interface and at least one processor. The at least one processor may be programmed to accept a first wager to participate in a first wagering game of blackjack; accept a second wager to participate in a second wagering game of whether a set of two cards to be dealt to a player matches at least one predetermined set of two cards; resolve the second wager according to whether the set of two cards dealt to the player matches at least one of the predetermined set of two cards; accept from each player in whose favor the second wager is resolved an instruction to award at least a portion of proceeds from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of proceeds from the second wager to the first wager; and resolve the first wager according to blackjack rules. Wager proceeds includes amounts wagered and amounts won.
In embodiments, an online casino gaming system may offer a blackjack game with an optional or mandatory wager on the occurrence of a player 2-card initial hand of a predetermined winning combination. The casino gaming system server may receive an instruction from a remote user input device with a user display indicating a first and second wager have been received. The gaming system may transmit a randomly selected player two-card hand to the user device and may display the two-card hand on a user display. The rank and suit of the player cards are compared to a look-up table of predetermined winning combinations by the gaming system processor, and when the player hand is a winning combination, the gaming system awards a payout to the player on the second wager. In response to receiving a user instruction, all or a portion of the second amounts wagered plus amounts won may be added to the first wager. Any proceeds from the second wager not combined with the first wager are credited to a player account. Additional hit cards are delivered upon receiving a signal from the user input device to complete the player hand, and additional cards are dealt to the dealer hand according to house rules to complete the dealer hand The hands are compared and the winning hand is determined according to conventional blackjack rules. Payouts on the first wager are credited to the player's account and losses are deducted from the player's account. Losses post to a casino account.
In additional embodiments, play can be conducted in a play-for-fun format. For example, methods of administering a play-for-fun wagering game over a network may include sending from a user interaction server a quantity of valueless wagering elements usable within a predetermined time period to players and receiving at the user interaction server authorization from each player to allocate at least one valueless wagering element to a first blackjack wager. Authorization from at least one player to allocate at least one valueless wagering element to a second wager that a set of two cards to be dealt to the at least one player will match at least one of a predetermined set of two cards may be received at the user interaction server. Rank and suit information for two cards allocated to each player may be sent from the user interaction server. The second wager may be resolved at a game server by awarding additional valueless wagering elements to at least one winning player whose set of two cards matches the at least one predetermined set of two cards. Authorization from the at least one winning player to add at least one valueless wagering element awarded based on the resolution of the second wager to the first blackjack wager of the at least one winning player may be received at the user interaction server. The first blackjack wager may be resolved according to blackjack rules.
Further embodiments may include one, some, or all of the following: The acts of the dealer may be carried out by a visual representation of a dealer, the visual representation being generated and/or displayed by a computer. The visual representation may be a virtual person (e.g., an animation), or may be a transmission (e.g., a video) of an actual person. The visual representation may be part of an online gaming experience of the disclosed game. The acts described in this disclosure associated with a dealer, including dealing cards, displaying or turning cards over, receiving or paying bets, or any other actions, may be represented in any way when used in an online environment. For example, the cards associated with a dealer action, described as being dealt or otherwise handled by a dealer, may appear as virtual cards or as transmitted pictures of physical cards. This may include a display of virtual card decks where each deck, individual card, and hand is displayed to an online player in a manner consistent with the game play disclosed herein, but may or may not include a visual representation of a dealer with the cards. Likewise, betting activity may be displayed in any manner to a player, including, but not limited to, virtual chips, betting pools, numbers, or other indicia of a bet amount.
The online experience may involve players playing remotely (e.g., in a different physical location) from the dealer, remotely from the location of a game server, or remotely from both, interacting through a networked connection that may include, but is not limited to, the Internet. The online game play may involve players who are also physically remote from each other. Remote connections may use networks involving several types of network links including, but not limited to, the Internet. Networked connections allowing physically remote players to play a game using a game server or system may be part of an implementation of a virtual or online gaming environment.
Live, electronic, or online-implementations of the methods described herein may be configured for administration as either “play-for-pay” embodiments or “play-for-fun” embodiments. In play-for-pay embodiments, wagers having real-world monetary value are received and payouts having real-world monetary value may be distributed. Play-for-pay embodiments include “house-banked” embodiments. In house-banked embodiments, payouts are paid by, and losses are retained by, the game administrator (e.g., a casino or other gaming establishment). Aside from play-for-pay embodiments, play-for-fun embodiments (e.g., “free play-for-fun” configurations, “social play-for-fun” configurations) involve receiving wagers having no real-world monetary value and distributing payouts having no real-world monetary value.
The actions described in this disclosure as the acts of a player, including betting, card selection (if any), card evaluation, card discards (if any), play elections, or any other actions, may be carried out over a network where the indicated actions are received as input to a device. The input-receiving device is typically physically remote from the game server or game host and connected over a long-distance network, but may also be implemented over a wired or wireless LAN in one building, or even in one room, for example. In one embodiment, game play generated at the server or host location may be displayed on the same device as the receiving device. In some embodiments, game play may be conveyed to remote players in devices separate from the devices receiving input from a player, such as public screens or publicly broadcast data about a game coupled with individual or private input devices. The reception of an input at a device may be accomplished through any technology adapted for such a purpose including, but not limited to, keypads, keyboards, touchpads, touch screens, buttons, mice, optical location devices, eye movement/location detectors, sound input devices, etc. When discussing a device, it is understood the device may comprise multiple components and be complex, including hardware components combined with firmware and/or software, and may itself be a subcomponent of a larger system.
Yet other embodiments may comprise apparatuses and systems for administering wagering games according to embodiments of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the disclosure, various features and advantages of embodiments encompassed by the disclosure may be more readily ascertained from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method of administering a wagering game;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a live gaming table implementation of a first example of a wagering game;

FIG. 3 is an expanded view of a player area of a first example of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a live gaming table implementation of a second example of a wagering game;

FIG. 5 is an expanded view of a player area of a second example of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is an expanded view of a player area of a third example of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is an example of an individual electronic gaming device configured for implementation of embodiments of wagering games;

FIG. 8 is an example of a suitable table with electronic player interfaces configured for implementation of embodiments of wagering games;

FIG. 9 is an example of a suitable multiple player electronic gaming machine configured for implementation of embodiments of wagering games having a virtual dealer;

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of a gaming system 400 for implementing wagering games according to an embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a high-level block diagram of a computer 500 for acting as a gaming system 400 according to one embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a schematic of a scratch card implementation of a wagering game; and

FIG. 13 is an expanded view of a player area of a fourth example of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular act in a method of administering a wagering game, apparatus for use in administering a wagering game, or component thereof, but are merely idealized representations employed to describe illustrative embodiments. Thus, the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same or similar numerical designation. Elements with the same number, but including a different alphabet character as a suffix should be considered as multiple instantiations of substantially similar elements and may be referred generically without an alphabet character suffix. For example, elements 100 a, 100 b, and 100 c, may be a device that is instantiated three times and generically referred to herein as element 100.
The terms “gaming,” “gambling,” or the like, refer to activities, games, sessions, rounds, hands, rolls, operations, and other events related to wagering games such as web-based games, casino games, card games, dice games, and other games the outcome of which is at least partially based on one or more random events (“chance” or “chances”), and on which wagers may be placed by a player. Examples of wagering games include: live casino games, such as live card games, dice games, wheel games; electronic gaming machine games; multi-player electronic gaming machine games; games played on tables that are equipped with electronics to electronically measure or accept wagers, and/or electronically accept cards; and on-line games and other games of chance for which wagers may be placed by a player and payouts awarded. In addition, the word “wager,” “bet,” “bid” or the like, refer to any type of wagers, bet, or gaming venture that is placed on random events, whether of monetary or non-monetary value. Wagers may represent monetary amounts or non-monetary amounts. For example, players may wager, win and lose amounts of value or non-monetary points. Chips, credits, and other items of value, or points of non-monetary value may be issued, purchased, earned, or otherwise dispensed prior to beginning the wagering game. In some embodiments, purchased points, credits, or other items of value may have an exchange rate that is not one-to-one to the currency used by the user. For example, a wager may include money, points, credits, symbols, or other items that may have some value related to a wagering game. Wagers may be placed in wagering games that involve the risk of real-world monetary value for the potential of payouts with real-world monetary value (e.g., the “play-for-pay” configurations, which are described in more detail below) or in wagering games that involve no real-world monetary risks for the player (e.g., the “play-for-fun” and “social play-for-fun” configurations, which are described in more detail below).
As used herein, the term “wager” includes any form of wagering value, including money, casino chips, other physical means for payment, and online or remote electronic authorization of a wager in any acceptable form to the casino or online or virtual game host. Also included are physical representations of money (e.g., casino chips) at a local gaming table 126, 400, or 500 (see FIGS. 2, 7, and 8), or electronic authorizations of a transfer of money or digital representations of money (e.g., digital representations of bills or coins, digital representations of chips, numerical quantities of money, numerical quantities of points, or numerical quantities of credits) at a local or remote electronic gaming device 300, 400, 500, 620, or 640 (see FIGS. 6 through 10). In the “play-for-fun” and “social play-for-fun” configurations, a “wager” may not have a cash value (i.e., a real-world monetary value).
For the purposes of this description, it will be understood that when an action related to accepting wagers, making payouts, dealing cards, selecting cards, or other actions associated with a player or a dealer are described, the description includes a player or a dealer taking the action, the results of the action on a live or virtual table or display, and, if applicable, the reception or detection of such an action in an electronic form where player and dealer choices, selections, or other actions are received at an electronic interface. This further includes the results of a virtual dealer and virtual players, where the actions described are actually generated by a computer (typically associated with an online game). By way of a further example, if dealing of a card is described herein, the description includes (but is not limited to) the following: the dealing of a card by a dealer from a deck, shuffler, a shoe, or other card source and the reception or placement of the card at a table location associated with a player or reception directly by a player; the generation and transmission of an electronic indication or representation of a card from a game play source or server to an electronic receiver, where the receiver may be at a table (using virtual cards) including players and/or virtual players and/or a dealer or virtual dealer, at a public display in a casino, at a remote location (e.g., using online or Internet game play), or at other locations. Also included is the representation of a card on a display or displays, and, if applicable to the action described, an electronic reception of an indication that the card has been received, selected, or otherwise interacted with at a location associated with a player, or, associated with a virtual player. In addition, dealing of a card may refer to revealing a representation of a card on a scratch-off card (also referred to as “scratchers”).
Disclosed embodiments relate generally to methods of administering wagering games including at least one first bet, and a second bet. According to the present disclosure, at least a portion of the winnings from the second bet may be added to the first bet and put at risk in the same round of play. The second bet may be optional or mandatory in different embodiments. Various platforms are contemplated that are suitable for implementation of embodiments of wagering games according to the present disclosure. For example, embodiments of wagering games may be implemented such that wagers may be received from one or more players, and game play may be administered with the one or more players according to the rules of the wagering games. For example, wagering games may be implemented on a live gaming table, which may include physical game elements such as physical cards and physical chips, an automatic card handling device, a card dispensing shoe, a no-peek device, or a dealer instruction display, and may include a live dealer and a shuffler or shoe. More specifically, a live dealer may deal physical cards, evaluate hands, accept wagers, issue payouts, accept player elections, combine wagers, take wagers and perform other administrative functions of game play.
As an example, embodiments of wagering games may be implemented on an individual gaming device, such as a video poker machine, configured to accept wagers and having a display screen and input devices for enabling game play of the wagering games. Such an individual gaming device may be linked with other gaming devices that may be operated, for example, by other players. Some embodiments may be implemented on electronic devices enabling electronic gaming features, such as providing electronic displays for display of virtual cards, virtual chips, game instructions, pay tables, game outcomes, credit balances, play options, etc. Examples of electronic devices are adapted for single players or for multiple players to engage in the same game. Some individual electronic gaming devices may be referred to as an individual player “electronic gaming machine” and may be stationary, such as being located on a casino floor. Other individual electronic gaming devices may be portable devices that may be carried to different locations by the player. Portable devices may include both display of the ongoing game play and input reception for game play by a player, and may be configured for receiving input from a player while the game play is displayed on a public monitor, or other display device. Game play and game outcomes may also be displayed on a portable device. Other embodiments may include features that are a combination of physical and electronic features. Yet other embodiments are implemented for on-line, web-based play.
As previously noted, any of the present methods and games may be played as a live casino table card game, as a hybrid casino table card game (i.e., with virtual cards or virtual chips, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,262,475), on a multi-player electronic platform (as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/764,827, filed Jan. 26, 2004, published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0164759 on Jul. 28, 2005, now abandoned; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/764,994, filed Jan. 26, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,676, issued Feb. 16, 2010; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/764,995, filed Jan. 26, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,272,958, issued Sep. 25, 2012, the disclosure of each of which applications and patents is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference), on a personal computer for practice, on a hand-held game for practice, or on a legally-authorized site on the Internet.
For example, in one embodiment, the players may be remotely located from a live dealer, and a live dealer and a game table may be displayed to players on their monitors via a video feed. The players' video feeds may be transmitted to the dealer and may also be shared among the players at the table. In a sample embodiment, a central station may include a plurality of betting-type game devices and an electronic camera for each game device. A plurality of player stations, remotely located with respect to the central station, may each include a monitor, for displaying a selected game device at the central station, and input means, for selecting a game device and for placing a bet by a player at the player's station relating to an action involving an element of chance to occur at the selected game device. Further details on gambling systems and methods for remotely-located players are disclosed in connection with FIGS. 10 and 11 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,741 B1, issued Jun. 29, 2004, titled “Gambling Game System and Method for Remotely-Located Players,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
A flow diagram illustrating methods of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. To begin play, a second wager is accepted 602 by the dealer from each player to qualify the player to participate in a second wagering game according to a second set of game rules. In some embodiments, the second wager is mandatory. In other embodiments, the second wager is optional. In forms of the disclosure, the second set of game rules includes consideration of a player hand only and not consideration of a dealer hand. In other embodiments, both the dealer and player cards are considered according to the second set of game rules. When only player cards are considered, it is desirable to keep all dealer cards face down until the second wager is resolved. For example, the second set of rules may comprise comparing a player's two-card poker hand against a pay table of predetermined winning hand combinations and corresponding payout odds.
According to examples of the disclosure, a first wager is accepted 604 by the dealer from each participating player to participate in a first, different wagering game according to a first, different set of game rules. In some embodiments, the different set of game rules considers player cards, common cards, extra cards, wild cards and special cards as well as dealer cards in determining game outcome. In embodiments that require the dealer to accept a second wager from the player to qualify the player to participate in the game, the second wager is played first, and then the first wager is played, in order to prevent the player from viewing the dealer cards before play of the first wager. In embodiments where the second wager is optional, when the dealer receives an election from the player not to make the second wager, the first wager is played first. The second set of game rules may include blackjack rules, and may allow the players and dealer to initially receive two cards. The rules may allow the player and dealer to accept additional hit cards, allow the dealer to accept insurance wagers from the players, allow the dealer to accept elections to split pairs, etc. as with standard blackjack rules. In some forms of the game, the second game is played first, and the first game requires consideration of more cards than the second game, allowing for suspense to build as the game proceeds.
In examples of the disclosure, the method includes dealing cards to each player and to a dealer 606. In other embodiments, cards are dealt at least to a player. The second wager is resolved according to the second set of game rules 608. The second set of game rules may require the dealer or a processor to compare a player hand to a dealer hand, or compare the player hand to a pay table of one or more predetermined winning game outcomes. The dealer cards may be dealt face down, and the second wager resolved first according to the second set of game rules, and without considering the dealer cards, in order to keep the player engaged and build excitement for the resolution of the first wager. In other embodiments, dealer cards may be used to resolve the second wager.
An example of a method includes the step of accepting from each player for whom the second wager is resolved in favor of that player an instruction 610 to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager. The player has the choice of receiving the returned wager and payout on the second wager, or applying all or part of the wager and payout (i.e., the proceeds) to the first wager. In some embodiments, only part of the proceeds can be combined with the first wager. Regardless of the amount of the second wager payout and/or proceeds that is applied to the first wager, allowing the player to put payouts from a game at risk in the same game creates the impression that the player is being permitted to play with the casino's money. However, the player has already won these amounts and is free to take these payouts rather than bet them. For those players who like to win larger payouts, these amounts can be re-played in the same round, giving the player the potential of increasing payouts.
According to the disclosure, the first wager is resolved 612 according to the first set of game rules. In some examples of the disclosure, the first set of rules comprises blackjack rules. In other examples of the disclosure, a baccarat hand scoring system is applied to compare the total point value of the player and dealer hands, modulo 10. In yet other examples of the disclosure, the first set of rules comprises the players playing a three-card poker hand against a three-card dealer's poker hand.
Some embodiments of the method of the present disclosure includes dealing the players a two-card hand, and resolving the second wager by determining if the player holds a two-card poker hand of a predetermined rank or higher. This step can be performed before the first wager is resolved. The second set of game rules can include comparing a player hand with a set of predetermined winning poker hands. The poker hand ranking systems are well-known and depend upon the number of cards the player may use to make a poker hand. For example, the hierarchy of two-card poker hands is different from three-card, and five-card poker rankings.
Players may receive cards to make a best two-, three-, four-, five-, six- or seven-card poker hand, for example. The different set of game rules may be selected from the group consisting of two-card poker rankings, three-card poker rankings, four-card poker rankings, five-card poker rankings, six-card poker rakings and seven-card poker rankings. Other alternative embodiments include allowing players to discard and receive one or more cards to better their hand, include one or more extra wild cards or designate one or more cards in the set as wild.
In the examples described below, players receive the exact number of cards used to make a hand. In other embodiments, players are dealt one or more extra cards and then can make a best hand from the available cards. For example, in embodiments that require the dealer to dispense an extra card to each player for a two-, three-, four-, five-, six- or seven-card poker game, the dealer would deal to each player 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 cards, respectively. In some forms of the game, all of the player cards are dealt to a player position and are used exclusively by the player who made the wager or wagers. In other embodiments, one or more of the player cards are dealt to a common card position. Cards dealt to the common card position may be used by all players, the dealer or just some of the players, depending upon the game rules.
Blackjack/Two-Card Poker Against a Pay Table
In one example of the disclosure, the dealer administers a first wagering game of blackjack and a second wagering game of two-card poker. According to the second set of rules, the two-card poker game is played against a pay table and is played first, before the dealer hand is revealed to the player. The method includes the steps of accepting a first wager to participate in a game of blackjack. The method also includes accepting a second wager to participate in a variant of a two-card poker game. Two cards are dealt to each player and to a dealer. The second wager is resolved according to whether the two cards of each player constitute a two-card poker hand of a predetermined rank or higher. The method includes accepting from each player in whose favor the second wager is resolved an instruction to award at least a portion of winnings from the first wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager or to receive a payout. The first wager is then resolved according to blackjack rules.
The two-card poker game is resolved by the dealer examining the player cards to determine if the player holds a two-card straight, a pair, a straight flush, or an ace and a king of the same suit. Two examples of suitable pay tables are provided below. The first pay table may be used when multiple decks of cards are used in the play of the game. The second pay table may be used when a single deck of cards is used in the play of the game.

	TABLE I

	Hand	Odds

	Ace-king suited	9 to 1
	Straight flush	4 to 1
	Pair	3 to 1
	Straight	1 to 1

	TABLE II

	Hand	Odds

	Ace-king suited	9 to 1
	Straight flush	5 to 1
	Pair	3 to 1
	Straight	1 to 1

In some embodiments, the second wager is optional. If the dealer does not receive a player election to play the second wager, the player simply plays the first wager. In other embodiments, the second wager is mandatory. The second wager is resolved prior to resolving the first wager, otherwise the dealer cannot receive an election to move the wager to the first wager area before the first wager is resolved.
When the player wins the second wager, the dealer may receive a play election to move all of the amounts won on the second wager, plus the amount of the second wager to the first wager betting spot.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, this example of the game may be played on a cloth layout 800 with printed information and graphical designs. The layout 800 may include player areas 802, a dealer area 804, printed rules 810 for the first game, and printed rules 812 for the second game. The dealer may receive the first wager on betting spot 808, which designates participation in a blackjack game. Players may optionally make the second bet on betting spot 806. The second bet is a two-card poker bet against a pay table, in which the player hopes to receive a two-card hand of a straight, a pair, a straight flush, or a royal flush. The printed rules 812 preferably includes a pay table, which is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3. Each player area 802 includes a first wager area 808, a second wager area 806 and printed rules 812 comprising a pay table.
According to this embodiment, the dealer deals two cards to the dealer position 804 and two cards to each player position 802, face down. Dealer cards remain face down while the second game is being played. The two-card poker game is played first. The dealer examines the player hands and compares the hand ranking to the pay table 812 of winning hands and corresponding payout odds. If a predetermined winning hand is obtained, such as a straight flush, the dealer pays the player according to the odds posted in the pay table. In this example, the minimum ranking hand that is a winning hand is a straight or better. For a straight flush, the odds payout is 4:1. The amount wagered is multiplied by four to arrive at the payout amount. The amount wagered, the payout amount, part of the amount wagered, or part of the payout amount, or combinations thereof may be distributed to the player, or may be added to the first wager, at the option of the player. The dealer cards are not considered when resolving the second wager in this embodiment. If the player does not hold a predetermined winning two-card poker hand, the second wager is taken by the house, and play continues. In this embodiment, the first wager is mandatory.
If the player holds a winning hand, the dealer must receive an election from the player to move all or part of the second wager and the second payout to the first wager area, or pay the player a payout. After all or part of the second wager and payout is paid out or moved, play continues. It is to be understood that in some embodiments, the second wager is optional. In the event that a player elects not to make a second wager, the player will only play the first game, and the first game will be played first by that player. The dealer may receive second wagers from other players at the same table who may play the second game before the first game.
In this example of the game, the first wager 808 is made on a blackjack game. The players and dealer each receive a two-card hand. The player uses the same two cards used to resolve the second wager to resolve the first wager. After the second two-card poker game is played, blackjack play continues, except that when the dealer is dealt a two-card blackjack, play ends for the players, and the players cannot move all or part of the second wager or proceeds from the second wager to the first wager spot. The dealer deals players hit cards or receives elections to stand according to player requests, and the dealer takes hit cards and makes stand decisions according to house rules. For example, if the rules of the first game 810 include the requirement that the dealer hit on a soft 17, the dealer cannot deviate from this rule. The highest ranking hand that does not exceed a point count of 21 wins the round. If the player beats the dealer with less than a blackjack, the player is paid 1:1. If the player has a blackjack and beats the dealer hand, the player is paid 3:2. Other blackjack rules such as double downs, insurance bets and card splitting can be included as part of the rules of the first game. The first wager may be resolved using blackjack rules. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the second wager is optional. In other embodiments such as with one of the examples below, the second wager is mandatory.
Some players prefer to go “all in” and put all available wagers at risk. In this instance, examples of the present method would allow the player to move all amounts wagered and all amounts paid on the second wager to the first wager position. Examples of the present disclosure may allow for more conservative betting, allowing the dealer to accept a wager that represents a portion of the second wager or the second payout amount and combine that wager with the first wager. In one embodiment, the dealer requires players that have won the second wager to put all of the second wager and second wager payout amounts on the first wager betting circle.
Three-Card Poker Against a Dealer Hand/Three-Card Poker Pay Table Game
In another example of the disclosure, the first set of game rules comprises dealing three cards to each player and to the dealer, and comparing a point value of the player hands to the dealer hand, wherein three-card poker rankings are used to determine the winning hand. The game can be played on a suitable table surface, as shown in FIG. 4. A gaming table surface 819 is provided with multiple player areas 821. The second set of game rules is preferably played first, and comprises the player playing a three-card poker game against a pay table of predetermined winning hands and corresponding payout odds. The dealer's cards remain face down on the table while the second wager is being played. FIG. 5 is an expanded view of a player play area 821. According to this example, the first game is a three-card poker game against a dealer hand. The dealer may receive a first wager, also known as an ante wager from the player, the ante wager being the first wager, and placed in the ante betting circle 816. When the second game is a three-card poker game against a pay table, the player can make a second “pair plus” wager on betting circle 820. In this example of the game, both the ante and pair plus bets are mandatory, and the minimum winning hand on the pair plus wager is a pair or better. In other embodiments, other minimum hand rankings are the minimum winning ranking, such as a flush or better. In one embodiment, the player views his hand and the dealer receives an election to either fold or make a play wager in betting circle 818. In one embodiment, the play wager is equal to the ante. In other examples, the play wager is a multiple of the ante.
In other examples (not shown), the dealer receives an election to make a play wager or check, and the player may not elect to fold. No further betting is needed when the dealer receives a check election from the player. In yet another example, the dealer does not receive an election from the player to keep the ante wager in play, and no further wagering to keep the ante in play is allowed under the rules.
The second wager 820 is resolved first, before the dealer hand is revealed. If the player holds a predetermined winning hand, that wager is paid posted odds. The dealer then receives an election to either pay out all or portion of the pair plus wager 820 and corresponding payouts or combine the wager with the first ante wager 816. If the player holds less than the predetermined minimum winning hand, the house takes the bet on betting circle 820.
The dealer reveals the dealer hand. Player and dealer hands are compared and the dealer takes the ante (and play wager, if made) when the dealer hand outranks the player hand and pays the player a predetermined payout such as 1:1 or 2:1 on the ante (and play, when made) when made when the player hand outranks the dealer hand, using standard three-card poker hand rankings. In some forms of the disclosure, the dealer hand must qualify, such as with a queen-high or better, otherwise the ante, play or ante and play bets push. Alternatively, the ante or play can push and the other bet (the play or ante) can pay 1:1, depending on the desired house odds.
The second set of rules may comprise a three-card poker pay table such as Pay Table III below:

	TABLE III

	Hand	Odds

	Straight flush	40 to 1
	3 of a kind	30 to 1
	Straight	6 to 1
	Flush	4 to 1
	Pair	1 to 1

Automatic ante bonus odds payouts or fixed payout amounts for certain high-ranking hands, such as a straight or better may also be paid.
Three-Card Poker Pay Table/Three-Card Baccarat
In another example of the disclosure, players and the dealer make a mandatory first three-card baccarat bet 822 as shown in FIG. 6, a mandatory “pair plus” second bet 824 and an optional ante bet 826. The ante bet 826 in another example of the disclosure is mandatory. In alternate forms of the disclosure, no ante bet is offered.
The second wager 824 is played first, in order to avoid exposing dealer cards to the player and in order to maintain suspense in the game. After the dealer receives a player election to make a play wager or fold, the former keeping the ante in play and the latter resulting in a loss of the ante, the dealer reviews the player's revealed hand. If the player holds a predetermined winning hand as shown in Pay Table III, above, the dealer may receive an election to pay the player a payout on the second wager, and return the second wager to the player, or put all or part of the funds eligible for return on the baccarat bet. If the player holds a lower ranking poker hand than the minimum winning poker hand, the dealer takes the wager on betting spot 824.
Prior to playing the second wager, or after the second wager is played but before the first wager is played, players who made the ante wager view the player cards and elect to make a play wager 828, or check. The dealer then receives the election, including the check or the play wager 828. The ante wager 826 stays in play. In other forms of the disclosure, the player must make a play wager 828 or fold. In some embodiments, the ante wager is not offered.
After the play or check election is received, the first wager is resolved. The dealer reveals the dealer cards, and at this point, all player and dealer cards are exposed. The first wager 822 is made on the occurrence of a player three-card hand having a higher ranking hand than a dealer three-card hand, using baccarat scoring, modulo 10 as the rules of the first game. Unlike standard baccarat, no hit cards can be taken
The player wins 1:1 on the baccarat bet if the player hand beats the dealer hand. Ties go to the house. The dealer takes all bets if the dealer hand outranks the player hand. Last, all ante and play wagers or just ante wagers are resolved by comparing the player hand rank to the dealer hand rank.
Blackjack/Winning Set of Two Cards Against a Pay Table
In one example of the disclosure, the dealer may administer a first wagering game of blackjack and a second wagering game of whether the initial two cards dealt to a player for the game of blackjack match at least one predetermined winning arrangements of cards. For example, administering the second wagering game may include receiving a second wager that the initial two cards dealt to the player are a two-card straight, a flush, two cards of the same color, two black cards, two red cards, a straight flush, a pair, a pair of the same suit, a pair of different suits, a pair of aces, a pair of aces of the same suit, a pair of aces of different suits, a pair of kings, a pair of kings of the same suit, a pair of kings of different suits, a pair of queens, a pair of queens of the same suit, a pair of queens of different suits, an ace and a king of the same suit, a king and a queen of the same suit, and/or any combination thereof. Such a wagering game may be administered using one or more card decks, such as from one deck to eight decks. In some embodiments, higher payouts may be achieved by also considering dealer cards. For example, if the dealer holds a blackjack in spades and the player holds a King-Queen of spades, the player could win a progressive payout or a very large fixed odds payout, since the probability of the player and dealer hands holding this combination of cards is very low.
Referring to FIG. 13, a player area 832 may be used to administer wagering games according to such embodiments. A first wager may be accepted from each participating player in a first wager area 836 to participate in the first wagering game of blackjack. After the first wager is accepted in wager area 836, a second wager may be accepted from at least one player in a second wager area 838 to participate in the second wagering game of whether the initial set of two cards to be dealt to the player matches at least one predetermined winning outcome, such as a set of two cards of the same suit. After respective sets of two cards are dealt to the participating players, the second wager of the at least one player may be resolved according to whether the two cards of the at least one player match the predetermined winning set of two cards. If the at least one player holds such a winning two-card hand, all or part of the proceeds of the payout on the second wager may be added to the at least one player's first wager. For example, a pay table 842 may optionally be displayed in the player area 832 and may be used to determine the appropriate payout to be added to the at least one player's first wager.
For example, the second wager may be received that the initial two cards to be dealt to the player are of the same suit, with a higher payout awarded to a player with two specific cards of the same suit, such as a king and a queen of the same suit. In such embodiments, the pay table 842 may be, by way of example and not limitation, a fixed odds pay table as follows.

	TABLE IV

	Hand	Odds

	King-Queen Suited	15 to 1
	Any Other Pair of Two Suited Cards	2 to 1

By way of another example, the second wager may be received that the initial two cards to be dealt to the player are a pair, a pair of the same suit, or a pair of different suits. A nonlimiting example of a pay table that pays odds payouts on the second wager for predetermined pairs is included in Table V below:

TABLE V

Hand	Table 1	Table 2	Table 3

Suited Pairs	15 to 1	20 to 1
Any Pair	7 to 1	8 to 1	11 to 1
No. of Decks	4, 6, or 8	2	1

By way of yet another example, the second wager may be received that the initial two cards to be dealt to the player are a pair of kings; a pair of kings of the same suit; a pair of kings of a particular suit; a pair of kings of different suits; two cards of the same suit each selected from the group consisting of a 10, a jack, and a queen; two cards having a combined blackjack point value of twenty; two suited cards having a combined blackjack point value of twenty; and two unsuited cards having a combined blackjack point value of twenty. A nonlimiting example of a pay table that pays odds payouts on the second wager for certain pairs of pairs of Kings, Queens and Jacks, both suited and unsuited is included in Table VI below:

	TABLE VI

	Hand	Pays

	2 King of Spades w/Dealer BJ	1000 to 1
	2 King of Spades	75 to 1*
	2 Suited Kings	25 to 1*
	2 Suited Q's, J's or Tens's	10 to 1*
	Suited 20	6 to 1*
	2 Offsuit Kings	4 to 1*
	Unsuited 20	2 to 1*

	*Based on the player's first two cards only

An instruction may be accepted from the at least one player holding a winning set of two cards to add only a portion of the second wager proceeds to the first wager and to award a remaining portion of the second wager proceeds to the at least one player, to add all of the second wager proceeds to the first wager, or to award all of the second wager proceeds to the at least one player. In other words, the at least one player may be given the optional ability to add all or part of the second wager proceeds to the first wager in lieu of directly receiving all or part of the second wager proceeds.
In some embodiments, the at least one player may not be given the option to add any of the second wager proceeds to the first wager in the event that the dealer has received a blackjack (i.e., two cards having a combined blackjack point value of twenty-one). In such embodiments, the dealer's two initial cards may be evaluated to determine and verify that the dealer's two initial cards do not form a blackjack hand prior to allowing the at least one player the option to add all or a portion of the second wager proceeds to the first wager.
The second wager may be resolved at any convenient time during the underlying first wagering game of blackjack. For example, when each player's cards are dealt face up, the second wager may be resolved as soon as each player is dealt his or her initial set of two cards. Alternatively, when each player's cards are dealt face down, the second wagers of any participating players may be resolved one at a time as a hit or stand determination is received from each participating player (e.g., immediately before or immediately after receiving the hit or stand determination). The second wager may also be resolved after all initial two-card hands are dealt and before or after the dealer reveals his or her two-card hand.
After an instruction from the at least one player has been accepted as to whether at least a portion of the second wager proceeds is to be added to the first wager, the indicated portion of the second wager proceeds may be placed in the first wager area 836 with the first wager, and may become a part of the first wager. Next, the first wagering game of blackjack may be played out and the first wager (including any added portion of the second wager proceeds) may be resolved according to standard blackjack rules.
Additional Game Formats
In some embodiments, the wagering games described herein may be played against the game administrator, i.e., “the house” (i.e., may be “house-banked”), which may involve the game administrator (e.g. a casino or other gaming establishment) receiving (via a dealer who may be employed by the administrator) wagers having real-world monetary value, comparing a player hand with a dealer hand, distributing payouts having real-world monetary value to winning players, and retaining lost wagers. For example, the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6 and 13 has been described as being played in a house-banked format. Such “house-banked” embodiments may be implemented in the form of a live table game, in a virtual table game, in an electronic game, or in an online game configuration. In online game configurations, the wagering game described above with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6 and 13 may be administered as described above, except that players may be located remotely and may use an interface such as a computer, a handheld mobile device, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, etc.
In some embodiments, wagering games may be administered without players risking money in connection with the wagers (i.e., “play-for-fun” games). Access to play-for-fun wagering games may be granted on a time period basis in some embodiments. For example, upon initially joining the wagering game, each player may automatically be given wagering elements, such as, for example, chips, points, or simulated currency, that is of no redeemable value. After joining, the player may be permitted to place bets using the wagering elements and a timer may track how long the player has been participating in the wagering game. If the player exhausts his or her supply of the wagering elements before a predetermined period of time has expired, the player may be permitted to simply wait until the period of time passes to rejoin the game, at which time another quantity of the wagering elements may be distributed to the player to permit the player to resume participation in the wagering game.
In some embodiments, a hierarchy of players may determine the quantity of wagering elements given to a player for each predetermined period of time. For example, players who have been participating in the wagering game for a longer time, who have played closest to optimal strategy for the game, who have won the largest percentage of wagers, who have wagered the most in a play-for-pay environment, or who have won the largest quantities of wagering elements from their wagers may be given more wagering elements for each allotment of time than players who have newly joined, who have played according to poor strategy, who have lost more frequently, or who have lost larger quantities of wagering elements. In some embodiments, the hierarchy of players may determine the duration of each allotment of time.
For example, players who have been participating in the wagering game for a longer time, who have played closest to optimal strategy for the game, who have won the largest percentage of wagers, or who have won the largest quantities of wagering elements from their wagers may be given shorter allotments of times to wait for an award of more wagering elements than players who have newly joined, who have played according to poor strategy, who have lost more frequently, or who have lost larger quantities of wagering elements. In some embodiments, players who have not run out of wagering elements after the period of time has expired may have the balance of their wagering elements reset for a subsequent allotment of time. In other embodiments, players who have not run out of wagering elements may be allowed to retain their remaining wagering elements for subsequent allotments of time, and may be given additional wagering elements corresponding to the new allotment of time to further increase the balance of wagering elements at their disposal. Players may be assigned to different categories of players, which determine the number of wagering elements awarded. In a given period of time, higher level players, or players who have invested more time playing the game may be allotted more wagering elements per unit of time than a player assigned to a lower level group.
Therefore, in some embodiments, the wagering game may be administered by receiving wagers (e.g., the first wager and the second wager described above with reference to FIG. 13) of no real-world monetary value, and payouts (e.g., payouts as described above with reference to FIG. 13) may be paid without transferring real-world monetary value to the players. Such embodiments, referred to herein as “free play-for-fun” embodiments, are nonetheless contemplated as modes of carrying out the methods described herein.
In some embodiments, referred to herein as “social play-for-fun” embodiments, a player may be permitted to redeem an access token of no redeemable face value, such as, for example, points associated with a player account (e.g., social media account credits, online points associated with a transacting account, etc.), to compress the period of time and receive more wagering elements. The access tokens may be sold or may be given without directly exchanging money for the access tokens. For example, access tokens may be allocated to players who participate in member events (e.g., complete surveys, receive training on how to play the wagering game, share information about the wagering game with others), spend time participating in the wagering game or in a player account forum (e.g., logged in to a social media account), or view advertising. Thus, an entity administering social play-for-fun wagering games may not receive money from losing player wagers or may not take a rake (e.g., a commission) on wagers, but may receive compensation through advertising revenue or through the purchase of access tokens redeemable for time compressions to continue play of the wagering game or simply to increase the quantity of wagering elements available to a player.
After receipt of an indication that a player has stopped participating in a play-for-fun wagering game (e.g., a free play-for-fun embodiment, a social play-for-fun embodiment), any remaining quantities of the wagering elements may be relinquished by the player and retained by the administrator, in some embodiments. For example, receipt of an indication that the player has logged out of a play-for-fun wagering game administered over the Internet may cause any remaining wagering elements associated with a respective player to be lost. Thus, when the player rejoins the play-for-fun wagering game, the quantity of wagering elements given to the player for an allotment of time may not bear any relationship to the quantity of wagering elements held by the player when he or she quit playing a previous session of the wagering game. In other embodiments, upon receipt of an indication that a player has stopped playing, the quantity of wagering elements held by the player at that time may be retained and made available to the player, along with any additional quantities of wagering elements granted for new allotments of time, upon receipt of an indication that the player has rejoined the wagering game.
As a specific, nonlimiting example, a free play-for-fun wagering game may comprise providing a quantity of valueless wagering elements usable within a predetermined time period to players. The players may allocate at least one valueless wagering element to a first blackjack wager. At least one of the players may allocate at least one valueless wagering element to a second wager that a set of two cards to be dealt to the at least one player will match a predetermined set of two cards, such as two suited cards. Two cards may be dealt to each player, and the second wager may be resolved. Additional valueless wagering elements may be awarded to at least one winning player whose set of two cards matches the predetermined set of two cards. A winning player may be allowed to add at least one valueless wagering element awarded based on the resolution of the second wager to the first blackjack wager. The first blackjack wager may then be resolved according to blackjack rules.
As another specific, nonlimiting example, a social play-for-fun wagering game may comprise selling a quantity of valueless wagering elements to a player, receiving authorization from the player to allocate at least one valueless wagering element to a first blackjack wager, receiving authorization from the player to allocate at least one valueless wagering element to a second wager that a set of two cards to be dealt to the at least one player will match a predetermined set of two cards, dealing two cards allocated to the player, determining whether the two cards allocated to the player match the predetermined set of two cards, resolving the second wager by awarding additional valueless wagering elements to the player whose set of two cards matches the predetermined set of two cards, receiving authorization from the player to add at least one valueless wagering element awarded based on the resolution of the second wager to the first blackjack wager of the player, and resolving the first blackjack wager according to blackjack rules. Such a social play-for-fun wagering game may be implemented online, as described herein.
The present disclosure may also be characterized as a gaming table or a gaming system for administering a wagering game, comprising: a playing surface including at least one player interface; at least one dealer interface; and at least one processor programmed to: accept a first wager to participate in a first wagering game according to a first set of game rules; accept a second wager to participate in a second, different wagering game according to a second, different set of game rules; resolve the second wager according to the second set of game rules; accept from each player in whose favor the second wager is resolved an instruction to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager; and resolve the first wager according to the first set of game rules. The processor may be programmed to resolve the second wager according to whether the player hand is of a predetermined minimum winning poker rank or higher. Examples of winning poker hands include: a straight, a pair, a straight flush, or an ace and a king of the same suit. In other examples, the second game may be resolved by comparing the player's two-card hand to a pay table of predetermined winning combinations, such as pairs, two cards of the same suit, suited pairs, particular pairs such as pairs of Kings, Queens and Jacks, both suited and unsuited, and combinations of player two-card hands and dealer two-card hands such as a dealer blackjack of a particular suit and a pair of Kings of the same suit in the player hand. According to examples of the disclosure, processor may be programmed to resolve the first wager according to a first set of rules, such as blackjack, three-card poker, four-card poker, five-card poker, six-card poker, seven-card poker or baccarat rules.
When the second wager is resolved in favor of the player, the system may accept an instruction to add all or part of the winnings from the second wager (including the initial wager) to the first wager. In examples, an instruction to add all of the second wager winnings to the first wager may be accepted. The processor may be programmed to treat the second wager as optional.
The present disclosure may also be characterized as a system for administering a wagering game over a computer network, comprising: a game engine configured to be accessed by a client server over a network, the game engine being programmed to: accept an instruction from a client server to place a first wager to participate in a first wagering game according to a first set of game rules; accept an instruction from the client server to place a second wager to participate in a second, different wagering game according to a second, different set of game rules; resolve the second wager according to the second set of game rules; accept an instruction from each player for whom the first wager is resolved favorably an instruction to award at least a portion of at least one of the second wager and winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add all or a portion of the amounts to the first wager; and resolve the first wager according to the first set of game rules.
The system for administering a wagering game over a computer network may also include an online casino with one or more servers, accessible to players over a network such as the internet. In this embodiment, the system receives instructions from a user interface to accept the wagers, deliver game results and resolve the wagers. Wins are credited to player accounts managed by the online casino and losses are debited from the player accounts and credited to the casino account. Online casinos may comprise a game engine and a client server as part of the same system.
The computer-based system may be programmed to treat the second wager as optional or mandatory. The second wager may be resolved according to whether the two cards of each player constitute a two-card poker hand of a predetermined rank or higher. The game engine may be programmed to resolve the second wager according to whether the two cards of each player constitute a two-card poker hand of a straight, a pair, a straight flush, or an ace and a king of the same suit. The game engine may also be programmed to determine if the initial two-card player hand is one of a plurality of predetermined combinations, such as two card of the same rank, suited or unsuited, two specific cards of the same rank, such as two Aces, two Kings, two Queens or two Jacks, suited or unsuited, or two cards of the same suit, as nonlimiting examples. These winning combinations may pay an odds payout, a fixed payout or in some instances, a progressive payout.
In some embodiments, the game engine is programmed to resolve the first wager according to blackjack rules. When the first game is blackjack, the game engine may be programmed to return the second wager and winnings on the second wager to the player when the dealer hand is a blackjack. In other examples, the player loses the winnings on the second wager when the dealer holds a blackjack.
Embodiments of the present disclosure include electronic gaming machines that perform the steps of the methods described herein. For example, an electronic gaming machine may be provided for administering a wagering game, comprising: at least one player display and at least one player interface; wherein the player interface enables a player to input a wager instruction; at least one processor programmed to: accept a player first wager instruction to participate in a first wagering game according to a first set of game rules; accept a player second wager instruction to participate in a second, different wagering game according to a second, different set of game rules; display a game result; resolve the second wager according to the second set of game rules; accept from each player in whose favor the second wager is resolved an instruction to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to a player account or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager; and resolve the first wager according to the first set of game rules based on at least the same displayed game result.
The processor may be programmed to resolve the second wager according to whether the two cards of each player constitute a two-card poker hand of a predetermined rank or higher. Suitable predetermined winning ranks include: a two-card poker hand of a straight, a pair, a straight flush, or an ace and a king of the same suit. In other embodiments, the processor is programmed to determine if the initial two-card player hand is one of a plurality of predetermined winning combinations, such as two cards of the same rank, suited or unsuited, two specific cards of the same rank, such as two Kings, Queens or Jacks, suited or unsuited, or two cards of the same suit, as nonlimiting examples. These winning combinations may pay an odds payout, a fixed payout or in some instances, a progressive payout. The processor may be further programmed to administer a first game of blackjack, three-card poker against a dealer hand, or three-card baccarat.
The processor may be programmed to receive a signal designating a player election to combine all or part of the second wager winnings with the first wager. In some examples, an instruction to accept all amounts won on the second wager, the amount wagered in the second wager or both to the first wager. The second wager may be mandatory or optional. The gaming machine may be configured for single player play or multiple player play. When the machine is configured for multiple player play, some examples include a common display, and multiple players may play the same game.
When the game is an electronic gaming machine (EGM), for single player use, the EGM may have a display screen and inputs for enabling game play of the wagering games. EGM may be linked with other EGMs and/or other gaming devices that may be operated, for example, by other players. Some EGMs include an upright player display that may be located on a casino floor. Other electronic gaming devices may be portable devices that may be carried to different locations by the player.
Referring to FIG. 7, illustrated is an example of an individual electronic gaming device 100 (e.g., an electronic gaming machine (EGM)) configured for implementation of embodiments of wagering games according to the present disclosure. The individual electronic gaming device 100 may include an individual player position 114 that includes a player input area 132 configured to enable a player to interact with the individual electronic gaming device 100 through various input devices (not shown). The input area 132 may include touch screen controls and/or button controls. The individual electronic gaming device 100 may include a gaming screen 174 configured to display indicia for interacting with the individual electronic gaming device 100, such as through processing one or more programs stored in memory 140 to implement the rules of game play at the individual electronic gaming device 100. The screen 174 may also include touchscreen user controls. Accordingly, game play may be accommodated without involving physical playing cards, physical poker chips, and/or live personnel. The action may instead be simulated by a control processor 150 operably coupled to the memory 140 and interacting with and controlling the individual electronic gaming device 100.
Although the figure has an outline of a traditional gaming cabinet, the individual electronic gaming device 100 may be implemented in any number of ways, including, but not limited to, client software downloaded to a portable device, such as a smart phone, tablet, or laptop personal computer. The individual electronic gaming device 100 may also be a non-portable personal computer (e.g., a desktop or all-in-one computer) or other computing device. In some embodiments, client software is not downloaded but is native to the device or is otherwise delivered with the device when distributed to a player.
A communication device 160 may be included and operably coupled to the processor such that information related to operation of the individual electronic gaming device 100, information related to the game play, or combinations thereof may be communicated between the individual electronic gaming device 100 and other devices (not shown) through a suitable communication media, such, as, for example, wired networks, Wi-Fi networks, and cellular communication networks.
The gaming screen 174 may be carried by a generally vertically extending cabinet 176 of the EGM 100. The EGM 100 may further include banners (not shown) configured to communicate game identity, rules of game play, bonus features, entertainment features, attract features and/or the like, such as along a top portion 178 of the cabinet 176 of the individual electronic gaming device 100. The individual electronic gaming device 100 may further include additional decorative lights (not shown), and speakers (not shown) for transmitting and/or receiving sounds during game play. Further detail of an example of an individual electronic gaming device (as well as other embodiments of tables and devices) is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/215,156, filed Aug. 22, 2011, published as U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0053117 on Feb. 28, 2013, and titled “Methods of Managing Play of Wagering Games and Systems for Managing Play of Wagering Games,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
Some embodiments may include a plurality of player stations, as shown in FIG. 9, below. Such player stations may include a common electronic display screen 364 for display of game information, such as displaying virtual cards, virtual chips, and game instructions, and for accepting wagers and facilitating credit balance adjustments. Such player stations may, optionally, be integrated in a table format employing a live dealer, shown in FIG. 8. While some features may be automated through electronic interfaces (e.g., virtual cards, virtual chips, etc.), some features may remain in the physical domain. As such, the game play may be administered by a live dealer, a virtual dealer, with physical cards, card handling devices, physical chips or combinations thereof.
Referring to FIG. 8, a top plan view of an example of a suitable table 200 configured for implementation of embodiments of wagering games according to the present disclosure is shown. The table 200 may include a playing surface 204. The table 200 may include a plurality of player stations 212 a-212 g. Each player station 212 a-212 g may include a player interface 216 a-216 g, which may be used for displaying of game information (e.g., game instructions, input options, wager information including virtual chips, game outcomes, etc.). The player interface 216 a-216 g may include a display screen in the form of a touch screen, which may in one embodiment be at least substantially flush with the playing surface 204. Each player interface 216 a-216 g may be coupled respectively with its own game processor 214 a-214 g (shown in dashed lines), although, in some embodiments, a central game processor 228 (shown in dashed lines) may be employed and may communicate directly to player interfaces 416 a through 416 g. In some embodiments, a combination of individual game processors 214 a-214 g and the central game processor 228 may be employed.
A communication device 260 may be included and may be operably coupled to one or more of the local game processors 214 a-214 g, the central game processor 228, or combinations thereof, such that information related to operation of the table 200, information related to the game play, or combinations thereof may be communicated between the table 200 and other devices (not shown) through a suitable communication media, such as, for example, wired networks, Wi-Fi networks, and cellular communication networks.
The table 200 may further include additional features, such as a dealer chip tray 220, which may be used by the dealer to cash players in and out of the wagering game, whereas wagers and balance adjustments during game play may be performed electronically, and may be performed using virtual chips. For embodiments using physical cards 206 a, 206 b, the table 200 may further include a card-handling device 222 that may be configured to shuffle, read, and deliver physical cards for the dealer and players to use during game play or, alternatively, a card shoe configured to read and deliver cards that have already been randomized. For embodiments using virtual cards, such virtual cards may be displayed at the individual player interfaces 216 a through 216 g. Common virtual cards may also be displayed on a common display in a common card area (not shown).
The table 200 may further include a dealer interface 218, which, like the player interfaces 214 a-214 g, may include touch screen controls for assisting the dealer in administering the wagering game. The table 200 may further include an upright display 230 configured to display images that depict game information such as game identity, pay tables, hand counts, historical win/loss information by player, and a wide variety of other information considered useful to the players. The upright display 230 may be double sided to provide such information to players as well as to provide other types of information to casino pit personnel, such as player win/loss record, average amounts bet, previous wins/losses, etc.
Further detail of an example of a table and player displays is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0016050, filed Jul. 15, 2008, published Jan. 21, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,262,475, issued Sep. 11, 2012, and now titled “Chipless Table Split Screen Feature,” the disclosure of each of which application and patent is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. Although an embodiment is described showing individual discrete player stations, in some embodiments, the entire playing surface 204 may be an electronic display that is logically partitioned to permit game play from a plurality of players for receiving inputs from, and displaying game information to, the players, the dealer, or both.
Referring to FIG. 9, an example of a suitable multiple-player gaming machine or table 300 configured for implementation of embodiments of wagering games having a virtual dealer according to the present disclosure is shown. Games suitable for this type of machine include card games in which all players participate in the same game, simulating live casino game play. The table 300 may include player positions 314 a-314 e that are arranged in a bank about an arcuate edge 320 of a video device 358 that may comprise a common display screen 364 and a virtual dealer screen 360. The virtual dealer screen 360 may display a video simulation of the dealer (i.e., a virtual dealer) for interacting with the common display screen 364, such as through processing one or more stored programs stored in memory 595 to implement the rules of game play at the video device 358. The dealer screen 360 may be carried by a generally vertically extending cabinet 362 of the video device 358. The common player display screen 364 may be configured to display at least one or more of the dealer's cards, community cards, and/or player's cards by the virtual dealer depicted on the dealer screen 360 (virtual dealer not depicted in FIG. 9).
Each of the player positions 314 a-314 e may include a player interface area 332 a through 332 e that is configured for wagering and game play interactions with the video device 358 and/or virtual dealer. Accordingly, game play may be accommodated without involving physical playing cards, physical chips or other currency, and/or live personnel. The action may instead be simulated by a control processor 397 interacting with and controlling the gaming machine 300. The control processor 397 may be located internally within, or otherwise proximate to, the video device 358. The control processor 397 may be programmed, by known techniques, to implement the rules of game play at the video device 358. As such, the control processor 397 may interact and communicate with display/input interfaces and data entry inputs for each player interface area 332 a through 332 e of the video device 358. Other embodiments of tables and gaming devices may include a control processor that may be similarly adapted to the specific configuration of its associated device.
A communication device 399 may be included and operably coupled to the control processor 397 such that information related to operation of the table 300, information related to the game play, or combinations thereof may be communicated between the table 300 and other devices (not shown) through a suitable communication media, such as, for example, wired networks, Wi-Fi networks, and cellular communication networks.
The video device 358 may further include banners (not shown) configured to communicate rules of play, pay tables and/or the like, which may be located along one or more walls 370 of the cabinet 362. The video device 358 may further include additional decorative lights (not shown), functional lights (not shown) and speakers (not shown), which may be located on an underside surface 366, for example, of a generally horizontally depending top 368 of the cabinet 362 of the video device 358 generally extending towards the player positions 314 a through 314 e.
Further detail of an example of a table and player displays is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/764,995, filed Jan. 26, 2004, published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0164762 on Jul. 28, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,272,958, issued Sep. 25, 2012, and titled “Automated Multiplayer Game table with Unique Image Feed of Dealer,” the disclosure of each of which application and patent is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. Although an embodiment is described showing individual discrete player stations, in some embodiments, the entire playing surface (e.g., player areas 332 a-332 e, card screen 364, etc.) may be one unitary electronic display that is logically partitioned to permit game play from a plurality of players for receiving inputs from, and displaying game information to, the players, the dealer, or both.
Wagering games in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure may be administered over the Internet, or otherwise on-line, using a gaming system employing a client server. Referring to FIG. 10, illustrated is a schematic block diagram of a gaming system 400 for implementing wagering games according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The gaming system 400 enables end users to access proprietary and/or non-proprietary game content. Such game content may include, without limitation, various types of wagering games such as card games, dice games, big wheel games, roulette, scratch tickets, and any other wagering game with a randomized element in determining wagering outcomes. This includes, but is not be limited to, Class II and Class III games as defined under 25 U.S.C. §2701 et seq. (“Indian Gaming Regulatory Act”). Such games may include house banked, player banked and player pooled games.
The wagering games supported by the gaming system 400 may be operated with real currency or with virtual credits or other virtual (e.g., electronic) value indicia. For example, the real currency option may be used with traditional casino and lottery-type wagering games in which money or other items of value are wagered and may be cashed out at the end of a game session. Real currency includes wagering on an account. The virtual credits option may be used with wagering games in which credits (or other symbols or tokens) may be issued to a player to be used for the wagers. A player may be credited with credits in any way allowed, including, but not limited to a player purchasing credits; being awarded credits as part of a contest or a win event in this or another game (including non-wagering games); being awarded credits as a reward for use of a product, casino, or other enterprise, time played in one session, or games played; or may be as simple as being awarded virtual credits upon logging in at a particular time or with a particular frequency, etc. Although credits may be won or lost, the ability of the player to cash out credits may be controlled or prevented. In one example, credits purchased for use in a play for fun game may be limited to non-monetary redemption items, awards, or credits usable in the future or for another game or gaming session. The same credit redemption restrictions may be applied to some or all of credits won in a wagering game as well.
An additional variation includes web-based sites having both play-for-fun and wagering games, including issuance of free (non-monetary) credits usable to play the play-for-fun games. This may attract players to the site and to the games before they engage in real wagering. In some embodiments, a limited number free or promotional credits may be issued to entice players to play the games. Another method of issuing credits includes issuing free credits in exchange for identifying friends who may want to play. In another embodiment, additional credits may be issued after a period of time has elapsed to encourage the player to resume playing the game. The gaming system 400 may enable players to buy additional game credits to allow the player to resume play. Objects of value may be awarded to play for fun players, which may or may not be in a direct exchange for credits. For example, a prize may be awarded or won for a highest scoring play for fun player during a defined time interval. All variations of credit redemption are contemplated, as desired by game designers and game hosts (the person or entity controlling the hosting systems).
The gaming system 400 may include a gaming platform that establishes a portal for an end user to access a wagering game hosted by a game server 406 through a user interaction server 402. The user device 420 may communicate with a user interaction server 402 of the gaming system 400 using a network 430 (e.g., the Internet). The user interaction server 402 may communicate with the game server 406 and provide game information to the user. In some embodiments, the game server 406 may also be a game engine. In some embodiments, a single user device 420 communicates with a game provided by the game server 406, while other embodiments may include a plurality of user devices 420 configured to communicate and provide end users with access to the same game provided by game server 406. In addition, a plurality of end users may be permitted to access a single user interaction server 402, or, a plurality of user interaction servers 402 to access the game server 406.
The user interaction server 402 may communicate with the user device 420 to enable access to the gaming system 400. The user interaction server 402 may enable a user to create and access a user account and interact with game server 406. The user interaction server 402 may enable users to initiate new games, join existing games, and interface with games being played by the user.
The user interaction server 402 may also provide a client 422 for execution on the user device for accessing the gaming system 400. The client 422 provided by the gaming system 400 for execution on the user device 420 can comprise a variety of implementations according to the user device and method of communication with the gaming system 400. In one embodiment, the user device 420 connects to the gaming system 400 using a web browser, and the client 422 executes within a browser window or frame of the web browser. In another embodiment, the client 422 is a stand-alone executable on the user device 420.
In one embodiment, the client 422 may comprise a relatively small amount of script (e.g., JAVASCRIPT®), also referred to as a “script driver,” including scripting language that controls an interface of the client 422. The script driver may include simple function calls requesting information from the gaming system 400. In other words, the script driver stored in the client 422 may merely include calls to functions that are externally defined by, and executed by, the gaming system 400. As a result, the client 422 may be characterized as a “thin client.” As that term is used herein, the client 422 may be little more than a script player. The client 422 may simply send requests to the gaming system 400 rather than performing logic itself. The client 422 receives player inputs, and the player inputs are passed to the gaming system 400 for processing and executing the wagering game. In one embodiment, this includes providing specific graphical display information to client 422 as well as game outcomes.
In other embodiments, the client 422 comprises an executable file rather than a script. In that case, client 422 may do more local processing than does a script driver, such as calculating where to show what game symbols upon receiving a game outcome from game server 406 through user interaction server 402. In one embodiment, it may be that portions of an asset server 404 are loaded onto the client 422 and used by the client in processing and updating graphical displays. Due to security and integrity concerns, most embodiments will have the bulk of the processing of the game play performed in the gaming system 400. However, some embodiments may include significant game processing by client 422 when the client and user device 420 are considered trustworthy, or, when there is reduced concern for security and integrity in the displayed game outcome. In most embodiments, it is expected that some form of data protection, such as end-to-end encryption, will be used when data is transported over network 430. Network 430 may be any network, including, but not limited, to the Internet, or a casino network.
In an embodiment where the client 422 implements further logic and game control methodology beyond the thin client, the client 422 may parse and define player interactions prior to passing the player interactions to the gaming system 400. Likewise, when the client 422 receives a gaming interaction from the gaming system 400, the client 422 may be configured to determine how to modify the display as a result of the gaming interaction. The client 422 may also allow the player to change a perspective or otherwise interact with elements of the display that do not change aspects of the game.
The gaming system 400 may include an asset server 404, which may host various media assets (e.g., audio, video, and image files) that may be sent to the client 422 for presenting the various wagering games to the end user. In other words, in this embodiment, the assets presented to the end user may be stored separately from the client 422. In one embodiment, the client 422 requests the assets appropriate for the game played by the user; in other embodiments, especially those using thin clients, just those assets that are needed for a particular display event will be sent by game server 406 when the game server 406 determines they are needed, including as few as one asset. In one example, the client 422 may call a function defined at the user interaction server 402 or asset server 404, which may determine which assets are to be delivered to the client 422 as well as how the assets are to be presented by the client 422 to the end user. Different assets may correspond to the various clients that may have access to the game engine 406 or to different games to be played.
The game server 406 is configured to perform game play methods and determine game play outcomes that are provided to the user interaction server 402 to be transmitted to the user device 420 for display on the end user's computer. For example, the game server 406 may include game rules for one or more wagering games, such that the game server 406 controls some or all of the game flow for a selected wagering game as well as the determined game outcomes. The game server 406 may include pay tables, game rules, and other game logic. The game server 406 may also perform random number generation for determining random game elements of the wagering game. In other embodiments, random game elements are generated in a separate server (not shown). In one embodiment, the game server 406 is separated from the user interaction server 402 by a firewall or other method of preventing unauthorized access to the game server 406 from the general members of the network 430.
The user device 420 may present a gaming interface to the player and communicate the user interaction to the gaming system 400. The user device 420 may be any electronic system capable of displaying gaming information, receiving user input, and communicating the user input to the gaming system 400. As such, the user device 420 can be a desktop computer, a laptop, tablet computer, set-top box, mobile device (including, but not limited to, a smart phone), kiosk, terminal, or other computing device. The user device 420 may operate the client 422 for connecting to the interactive gaming system 400, as described above. The client 422 may be a specialized application or may be executed within a generalized application capable of interpreting instructions from an interactive gaming system, such as a web browser.
The client 422 may interface with an end user through a web page or an application that runs on a device including, but not limited, to a smartphone, tablet, or general computer, or the client 422 may, be any other computer program configurable to access the gaming system 400. The client 422 may be illustrated within a casino webpage (or other interface) indicating that the client 422 is embedded into a webpage, which is supported by a web browser executing on the client device 420.
In one embodiment, the gaming system 400 may be accessed and/or operated by multiple different entities. The user device 420 may be operated by a third party, such as a casino or an individual, that links to the gaming system 400, which may be operated, for example, by a wagering game service provider. Therefore, in some embodiments, the user device 420 and client 422 may be operated by a different administrator than the operator of the game server 406. In other words, the user device 420 may be part of a third-party system that does not administer or otherwise control the gaming system 400 or game server 406. In another embodiment, the user interaction server 402 and asset server 404 are provided by a third-party system. For example, a gaming entity (e.g., a casino) may operate the user interaction server 402 or user device 420 to provide its customers access to game content managed by a different entity that may control game server 406, amongst other functionality. In some embodiments, these functions are operated by the same administrator. For example, a gaming entity (e.g., a casino) may elect to perform each of these functions in-house, such as providing both the access to the user device 420 and the actual game content and providing administration of the gaming system 400.
The gaming system 400 may communicate with external account servers 410, optionally through another firewall. For example, the gaming system 400 itself may not directly accept wagers or issue payouts. That is, the gaming system 400 may facilitate online casino gaming but may not be part of a self-contained online casino itself Instead, the gaming system 400 may facilitate the play of wagering games owned and controlled by a company offering games and gaming products and services, such as SHFL entertainment, Inc. Another entity (e.g., a casino or any account holder or financial system of record) may operate and maintain its external account servers 410 to accept bets and make payout distributions. The gaming system 400 may communicate with the account servers 410 to verify the existence of funds for wagering and to instruct the account server 410 to execute debits and credits.
In some embodiments, the gaming system 400 may directly accept bets and make payout distributions, such as in the case where an administrator of the gaming system 400 operates as a casino. As discussed above, the gaming system 400 may be integrated within the operations of a casino rather than separating out functionality (e.g., game content, game play, credits, debits, etc.) among different entities. In addition, for play for fun wagering games, the gaming system 400 may issue credits, take bets, and manage the balance of the credits according to the game outcomes, but the gaming system 400 may not permit payout distributions or be linked to account server 410 that permits payout distributions. Such credits may be issued for free, through purchase, or for other reasons, without the ability for the player to cash out. Such play-for-fun wagering games may be played on platforms that do not permit traditional gambling, such as to comply with jurisdictions that do not permit online gambling.
The gaming system 400 may be configured in many ways, from a fully integrated single system to a distributed server architecture. The asset server 404, the user interaction server 402, the game server 406, and the account server 410 may be configured as a single, integrated system of code modules running on a single server or machine, where each of the servers is functionality implemented on a single machine. In such a case, the functionality described herein may not be implemented as separate code modules. The asset server 404, the user interaction server 402, the game server 406, and the account server 410 may also be implemented as a plurality of independent servers, each using its own code modules running on a separate physical machine, and may further include one or more firewalls between selected servers (depending on security needs). Each server could communicate over some kind of networked connection, potentially as varied as that described for network 430. Further, each single server may be implemented as a plurality of servers with load balancing and scalability factors built into the embodiment. All such embodiments and variations are fully contemplated.
Additional features may be supported by the game server 406, such as hacking and cheating detection, data storage and archival, metrics generation, messages generation, output formatting for different end user devices, as well as other features and operations. For example, the gaming system 400 may include additional features and configurations as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/353,194, filed Jan. 18, 2012, and application Ser. No. 13/609,031, filed Sep. 10, 2012, both titled “Network Gaming Architecture, Gaming Systems, and Related Methods,” the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties by this reference.
The network 430 may enable communications between the user device 420 and the gaming system 400. A network (not shown) may also connect the gaming system 400 and account server 410, and further one or more networks may interconnect one or more of the other servers shown collectively as the game system 400. In one embodiment, the network 430 uses standard communications technologies and/or protocols. Thus, the network 430 can include links using technologies such as Ethernet, 802.11, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WIMAX®), 3G, digital subscriber line (DSL), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), InfiniBand, PCI Express Advanced Switching, etc. Similarly, the networking protocols used on the network 430 can include multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), the hypertext transport protocol (HTTP), the simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), the file transfer protocol (FTP), etc. The data exchanged over the network 430 can be represented using technologies and/or formats including the hypertext markup language (HTML), the extensible markup language (XML), etc. In addition, all or some of links can be encrypted using conventional encryption technologies such as secure sockets layer (SSL), transport layer security (TLS), virtual private networks (VPNs), Internet Protocol security (IPsec), etc. In another embodiment, the entities can use custom and/or dedicated data communications technologies instead of, or in addition to, the ones described above. Depending upon the embodiment, the network 430 can include links comprising one or more networks such as the Internet.
Referring to FIG. 11, a high-level block diagram of a computer 500 for acting as the gaming system 400 according to one embodiment is shown. Illustrated are at least one processor 502 coupled to a chipset 504, as indicated in dashed lines. Also coupled to the chipset 504 are memory 506, a storage device 508, a keyboard 510, a graphics adapter 512, a pointing device 514, and a network adapter 516. A display 518 is coupled to the graphics adapter 512. In one embodiment, the functionality of the chipset 504 is provided by a memory controller hub 520 and an I/O controller hub 522. In another embodiment, the memory 506 is coupled directly to the processor 502 instead of to the chipset 504.
The storage device 508 is any non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, such as a hard drive, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), a DVD, or a solid-state memory device (e.g., a flash drive). The memory 506 holds instructions and data used by the processor 502. The pointing device 514 may be a mouse, track ball, or another type of pointing device, and it is used in combination with the keyboard 510 to input data into the computer system 500. The graphics adapter 512 displays images and other information on the display 518. The network adapter 516 couples the computer system 500 to a local or wide area network.
As is known in the art, the computer system 540 can have different and/or other components than those shown in FIG. 11. In addition, the computer system 540 can lack certain illustrated components. In one embodiment, the computer 540 acting as the gaming system 400 (FIG. 10) lacks the keyboard 510, pointing device 514, graphics adapter 512, and/or display 518. Moreover, the storage device 508 can be local and/or remote from the computer system 540 (such as embodied within a storage area network (SAN)). Moreover, other input devices, such as, for example, touch screens, may be included.
The network adapter 516 (which may also be referred to as a communication device) may include one or more devices for communicating using one or more of the communication media and protocols discussed above with respect to FIG. 10. In addition, some or all of the components of this general computer system 500 of FIG. 11 may be used as part of the processor and memory discussed above with respect to the systems of FIGS. 7, 8, and 9.
The gaming system 400 (FIG. 10) may comprise several such computer systems 540. The gaming system 400 may include load balancers, firewalls, and various other components for assisting the gaming system 400 to provide services to a variety of user devices.
As is known in the art, the computer system 540 is adapted to execute computer program modules for providing functionality described herein. As used herein, the term “module” refers to computer program logic utilized to provide the specified functionality. Thus, a module can be implemented in hardware, firmware, and/or software. In one embodiment, program modules are stored on the storage device 508, loaded into the memory 506, and executed by the processor 502.
Embodiments of the entities described herein can include other and/or different modules than the ones described here. In addition, the functionality attributed to the modules can be performed by other or different modules in other embodiments. Moreover, this description occasionally omits the term “module” for purposes of clarity and convenience.
Some portions of the detailed description are presented in terms of algorithms (e.g., as represented in flowcharts, prose descriptions, or both) and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps (instructions) leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical, magnetic, or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It is convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. Furthermore, it is also convenient at times to refer to certain arrangements of steps requiring physical manipulations or transformation of physical quantities or representations of physical quantities as modules or code devices, without loss of generality.
However, all of these and similar tennis are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “displaying,” “determining,” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device (such as a specific computing machine), that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices.
Certain aspects of the embodiments include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the embodiments can be embodied in software, firmware, or hardware, and, when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by a variety of operating systems. The embodiments can also be in a computer program product that can be executed on a computing system.
Some embodiments also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. Such an apparatus may be specially constructed for the purposes, e.g., a specific computer, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), FPGA or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. Memory can include any of the above and/or other devices that can store information/data/programs and can be transient or non-transient medium, where a non-transient or non-transitory medium can include memory/storage that stores information for more than a minimal duration. Furthermore, the computers referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability.
The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the method steps. The structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description herein. In addition, the embodiments are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the embodiments as described herein, and any references herein to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode.
With reference to FIG. 12, an example of a wagering game implemented as a scratch card 700 as an on-line game or lottery-type scratch ticket is shown. A player may purchase a physical scratch card 700 or may access a virtually displayed scratch card 700. In some embodiments, a verification code 702 may be displayed (e.g., printed) on the scratch card 700 to indicate whether a player made the first wager and optionally the amount of the first wager, for example, where the amount of the first wager is not fixed by the seller. In other embodiments, a portion of the purchase price of the scratch card 700 may be mandatorily allocated to the first wager and a remainder of the purchase price of the scratch card 700 may be mandatorily allocated to the second wager. For example, 33% of the purchase price may be allocated to the first wager and 67% of the purchase price may be allocated to the second wager.
In some embodiments, the player may then scratch off an opaque covering over an area 704 to reveal individual images of cards that may be said to have been dealt to the player. In other embodiments, the player may scratch off individual opaque coverings over distinct areas of a virtual scratch card 700 to reveal two images of cards that may be said to have been dealt to the player. Such scratching off, and other scratching described below, may involve scraping physical opaque coverings from a physical scratch card 700 or may involve digitally concealing and subsequently digitally revealing (e.g., displaying a blank area and subsequently displaying card values in that area) electronic images on an electronic image of a scratch card 700. If the suit and rank of the cards dealt to the player constitute a royal flush, a straight flush, a pair, or a straight, then the first wager is resolved in the player's favor. In some embodiments, such a first set of rules for resolving the first wager may be displayed on the scratch card 700. If the suit and rank of cards dealt to the player do not constitute a winning two-card poker hand, the player loses at least the amount of the first wager.
In some embodiments, the player may select whether to risk or keep winnings from the first wager (and optionally the amount of the first wager itself) at the time of purchase, and the player's selection may be displayed (e.g., printed) using another verification code 706 on the scratch card 700. In other embodiments, a player may indicate whether he would like to keep or to risk an entire amount of the winnings (optionally including the first wager) by scratching off an appropriate label, one label to retain them and another label to add them to the second wager. Such a scratch card 700 may require supervision to ensure that a player scratches off the labels in the proper order (i.e., after scratching off the appropriate area 704 or areas for the player's cards and before scratching off any other areas 708 for the dealer's cards).
In some embodiments, the player may then scratch one of a plurality of other opaque coverings over a plurality of other areas 708 (e.g., 3, 4, 5, etc.) to reveal individual total combined card rankings of cards that may be said to have been dealt to the dealer. In other embodiments, the player may scratch off a single opaque covering over an area of the scratch card 700 to reveal two images of cards that may be said to have been dealt to the dealer or may scratch off two opaque coverings over two areas among a plurality of areas to reveal two individual cards that may be said to have been dealt to the dealer. In some embodiments, the scratch card 700 may comprise additional opaque coverings over additional areas 710 (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) to reveal individual hit cards that may be said to have been dealt to the player. Such a configuration may enable a player to make and resolve the first wager using only the cards in the area 704, to evaluate the dealer's hand, and to elect to stand using only the cards in the area 704 or to hit and play with one or more of the additional cards in the additional areas 710. If the combined rank of the player's cards is greater than the combined rank of the dealer's cards according to the rules of blackjack, without exceeding 21, then the second wager is resolved in the player's favor. The player may redeem the scratch card 700 for the appropriate amount of winnings. If the combined rank of the player's cards is less than the combined rank of the dealer's cards, then the scratch card 700 may only be redeemed for value in embodiments where the player won the first wager and elected to keep the winnings from the first wager (and optionally the first wager itself).
While certain illustrative embodiments have been described in connection with the figures, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and appreciate that embodiments encompassed by the disclosure are not limited to those embodiments explicitly shown and described herein. Rather, many additions, deletions, and modifications to the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the scope of embodiments encompassed by the disclosure, such as those hereinafter claimed, including legal equivalents. In addition, features from one disclosed embodiment may be combined with features of another disclosed embodiment while still being encompassed within the scope of embodiments encompassed by the disclosure as contemplated by the inventors.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of administering a wagering game, comprising:

accepting a first wager to participate in a first wagering game of blackjack;

accepting a second wager to participate in a second wagering game of whether two cards to be dealt to a player form at least one of a predetermined winning combination;

dealing the two cards to the player;

resolving the second wager according to whether the two cards dealt to the player form a predetermined winning combination;

accepting from the player an instruction to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager;

adding the at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager; and

resolving the first wager according to blackjack rules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined winning combination is selected from the group consisting of: a straight, a flush, two cards of the same color, two black cards, two red cards, two cards of the same suit, a straight flush, a pair, a pair of the same suit, a pair of different suits, a pair of aces, a pair of aces of the same suit, a pair of aces of different suits, a pair of kings, a pair of kings of the same suit, a pair of kings of different suits, a pair of queens, a pair of queens of the same suit, a pair of queens of different suits, an ace and a king of the same suit, a king and a queen of the same suit, and any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wagering game is administered using one or more card decks, wherein the number of the card decks is selected from the group consisting of one deck, two decks, three decks, four decks, five decks, six decks, seven decks, and eight decks.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined winning combination is two cards of the same suit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second wager is resolved according to the following fixed odds pay table:

Hand Odds King-Queen Suited 15 to 1 Any Other Pair of Two Suited Cards 2 to 1

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a hit or stand determination from the player according to blackjack rules and wherein resolving the second wager is performed before receiving the hit or stand determination.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a hit or stand determination from the player according to blackjack rules and wherein resolving the second wager is performed after receiving the hit or stand determination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wager is accepted prior to accepting the second wager.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the player an option to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting from the player an instruction to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager comprises accepting from the player an instruction to add all of the winnings from the second wager to the first wager.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting from the player an instruction to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager comprises accepting from the player an instruction to add only a portion of the winnings from the second wager to the first wager.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined winning combination is selected from the group consisting of a pair, a pair of the same suit, and a pair of different suits.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined winning combination is selected from the group consisting of a pair of kings; a pair of kings of the same suit; a pair of kings of a particular suit; a pair of kings of different suits; two cards of the same suit each selected from the group consisting of a 10, a jack, and a queen; two cards having a combined blackjack point value of twenty; two suited cards having a combined blackjack point value of twenty; and two unsuited cards having a combined blackjack point value of twenty.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein resolving the first wager comprises resolving the accepted first wager and the at least a portion of winnings from the second wager added to the first wager.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second wager is resolved according to the following fixed odds pay table:

Hand Payout odds Payout odds Payout odds Suited Pairs 15 to 1 20 to 1 Any Pair 7 to 1 8 to 1 11 to 1 No. of Decks 4, 6, or 8 2 1

16. The method of claim 1, wherein second wager is resolved according to the following fixed odds pay table:

Hand Payout 2 King of Spades with Dealer BJ 1000 to 1 2 King of Spades 75 to 1* 2 Suited Kings 25 to 1* 2 Suited Queens, Jacks or Ten's 10 to 1* Suited 20 6 to 1* 2 Offsuit Kings 4 to 1* Unsuited 20 2 to 1* *Based on player's first two cards only

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising dealing two cards to a dealer position, wherein resolving the second wager further comprises determining whether the two cards in the dealer position and the two cards dealt to the player form a predetermined winning combination of hands.

18. A method of administering a wagering game, comprising:

accepting a first wager to participate in a first wagering game of blackjack;

after accepting the first wager, accepting a second wager to participate in a second wagering game of whether two cards to be dealt to a player form a predetermined winning two-card hand;

dealing the two cards to the player;

adding a payout to the second wager to form second wager proceeds based on the two cards dealt to the player forming the predetermined winning two-card hand;

allowing the player an option to receive payment of all of the second wager proceeds, add a portion of the second wager proceeds to the first wager and receive payment of a remaining portion of the second wager proceeds, or add all of the second wager proceeds to the first wager; and

resolving the first wager according to blackjack rules.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving from the player an indication to pay all of the second wager proceeds to the player, add a portion of the second wager proceeds to the first wager and pay a remaining portion of the second wager proceeds to the player, or add all the second wager proceeds to the first wager; and

according to the indication, paying all of the second wager proceeds to the player, adding the portion of the second wager proceeds to the first wager and paying the remaining portion of the second wager proceeds to the player, or adding all of the second wager proceeds to the first wager.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving from the player an indication comprises receiving from the player an indication to add at least a portion of the second wager proceeds to the first wager.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein resolving the first wager comprises resolving the accepted first wager and the at least a portion of the second wager proceeds added to the first wager.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

dealing another two cards to a dealer; and

determining that the another two cards dealt to the dealer does not have a combined blackjack point value of twenty-one.

23. A gaming table for administering a wagering game, comprising:

a playing surface including at least one player interface; and

at least one processor programmed to:

accept a first wager to participate in a first wagering game of blackjack;

accept a second wager to participate in a second wagering game of whether two cards to be dealt to a player form a predetermined winning combination;

resolve the second wager according to whether the two cards dealt to the player form a predetermined winning combination;

accept from each player in whose favor the second wager is resolved an instruction to award at least a portion of winnings from the second wager directly to the player or to add at least a portion of winnings from the second wager to the first wager; and

resolve the first wager according to blackjack rules.

24. The gaming table of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to resolve the second wager according to whether the two cards of the player are a queen and a king of the same suit or are two cards of the same suit other than a king and a queen.

25. A method of administering a wagering game over a network, comprising:

receiving at the user interaction server authorization from each player to accept a first wager on a blackjack game;

receiving at the user interaction server authorization from at least one player to accept a second wager on the occurrence of at least the first two player cards are of a predetermined winning rank;

sending from the user interaction server rank and suit information for at least two cards allocated to each player;

resolving at a game server the second wager by awarding a payout to at least one winning player whose two cards form a predetermined winning rank;

receiving at the user interaction server authorization from the at least one winning player to add at least a portion of a payout awarded on the second wager to the first wager; and

resolving at a game server the first blackjack wager according to blackjack rules.