Maximum bet table game method and apparatus

• US 20010024015A1
• Filed: 05/03/2001
• Published: 09/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dennis A. Garcia, Nicholas Kurt Hogan
• Inventors: Garcia, Dennis A., Hogan, Nicholas Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 6,726,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/292
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/0017 progressive jackpot
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played

Abstract

A methods of and apparatus for playing table card games are provided wherein with multi token maximum level betting and displayed rankings of winning hands return enhanced pay out. A pay table matrix listing has the enhanced payments for ranked hands. The method and apparatus uses and has token acceptors and sensors for each player. The sensors are coupled to a count and computer for registering any maximum level bet that receives enhanced return for predetermined winning card combinations. The apparatus and its method, thus allow each player the opportunity to bet multiple tokens before the cards are dealt and to win enhanced amounts of money should specific predetermined card combinations be obtained.

Claims

1. A method of playing a card game at a card game table comprising the steps of:

providing one or more decks of playing cards;

displaying a pay table matrix listing predetermined hand ranking card combinations relative to the pay out for minimum to maximum level bets and wherein the maximum level bet pays an enhanced amount;

accepting a bet from each player by the act of each player placing one or more tokens into a table acceptor adjacent each player'"'"'s location at the card game table, each acceptor having a token sensor;

dealing a hand so each player has at least several cards from the one or more decks;

each player receiving a predetermined amount based on the predetermined ranking of the hand that each player holds, and

increasing the amount by the enhanced preset amount of pay out according to the pay table for each player that has made a maximum level bet and holds a card combination of predetermined ranking.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein the steps of dealing and the pay table matrix listing are performed during a card game of draw poker and ranking the card combinations accordingly.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein the step of placing the bets includes the step of recording automatically in a computer when each player places one or more tokens in the player'"'"'s respective acceptor and sensing placement with the sensor associated with each player'"'"'s respective acceptor.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein the dealing and the pay table matrix listing are performed during a card game of stud poker and ranking the card combinations accordingly.

5. The method of

claim 3

wherein the step of automatically recording is performed by connecting each sensor of each respective acceptor to the computer that is programmed for the steps of comparing and calculating each player'"'"'s pay out according to each respective player bet and the pay table matrix listing with comparison of each hand dealt and the pay table matrix listing of pay out.

6. The method of

claim 5

with the added step of displaying to at least the dealer the amount bet by each player and the potential calculated pay out for any possible winning hand of each player.

7. The method of

claim 5

wherein the step of connecting is performed by transmitting radio frequency signals between the sensor and the computer.

8. The method of

claim 6

wherein the step of connecting is performed by transmitting radio frequency signals between the sensor and the computer and the step of displaying is performed by receiving radio frequency information between the computer and the display.

9. The method of

claim 4

wherein the step of increasing the pay out received by each player according to the pay table matrix listing of predetermined hand rankings relative to pay out from minimum to maximum level bets and the enhanced preset pay out that each winning player may receive is as follows:

One TokenTwo TokensThree TokensRoyal Flush250X500X2500XStraight Flush 

50X100X 

500XFour-Of-A-Kind 

10X 

20X 

100XFull House 

6X 

12X 

120XFlush 

4X 

8X 

80XStraight 

3X 

6X 

60XThree-Of-A-Kind 

2X 

4X 

40XTwo Pair 

1X 

2X 

20X

and when X is the amount of each players bet and three tokens are the maximum level bet for the enhanced preset pay out.

10. A method of playing a betting game which uses standard playing cards, comprising the steps of:

providing one or more decks of playing cards;

posting a pay table matrix listing with predetermined hand rankings relative to pay out for minimum to maximum level bets and wherein the maximum level bet pays an enhanced preset amount;

each player placing an initial bet to participate in the game;

accepting a second bet from each player by the act of each player placing one or more tokens in a table acceptor adjacent each players location at the card game table;

dealing a hand so each player has at least several cards from the one or more decks;

each player receiving a predetermined pay out amount based on the predetermined ranking of the hand that each player holds, and

increasing the amount of pay out for each player that has made a maximum level bet for the enhanced preset amount according to the pay table matrix listing.

11. The method of

claim 10

wherein the step of each player placing the initial bet is performed by inserting a token into the respective player'"'"'s acceptor.

12. The method of

claim 10

wherein the step of displaying the predetermined ranking of cards includes the using of a plurality of poker hands.

13. The method of

claim 12

wherein prior to the step of awarding the preset amount, the method further comprises the steps of:

the player selecting cards in the hand to keep and cards to discard, and

dealing replacement cards to replace the discarded cards.

14. In an apparatus for including an enhanced pay out as an additional feature in a live casino table card game,

a gaming table having a plurality of player locations whereat a player receives playing cards from a dealer, the gaming table having a pay table matrix listing of posted pay out for number of tokens bet relating to card combinations received;

and

an acceptor associated with each player location for accepting token bets by which a player may make bets and also participate in the enhanced pay out from the live casino table card game, the acceptor coupled to a counter for registering the maximum level of tokens bet and necessary to win the enhanced pay out.

15. The apparatus of

claim 14

, further comprising a sensor within each acceptor for signaling the counter upon the event of each token bet and upon reaching the maximum level of tokens bet by each player.

16. The apparatus of

claim 15

, further comprising the counter electronically connected to a computer including the pay table matrix listing therein, the computer for comparing and calculating each player'"'"'s pay out according to each respective player'"'"'s bet when compared to the hand dealt and the pay table matrix listing of pay out.

17. The apparatus of

claim 15

having the counter connected within the computer for counting bets placed by each player into each respective acceptor and for determining the eligibility of each player for the enhanced pay out resulting from maximum tokens bet and card combinations received.

18. The apparatus of

claim 14

, wherein the live casino table game comprises poker and the pay table matrix listing of pay out includes the ranking according to card combinations of winning hands for poker and for enhanced pay out when maximum level of betting has been made by the player.

19. The apparatus of

claim 18

, wherein the live casino table card game comprises stud poker and the pay table matrix listing has at least a royal flush as the winning hand for the enhanced pay out with maximum tokens bet by the player.

20. The apparatus of

claim 14

wherein the live casino table card game is “

twenty one” and

the enhanced pay out is obtained with a maximum level bet and a two card combination totaling twenty one.

21. The apparatus of

claim 18

wherein the live casino table card game is draw poker and a pay table matrix listing shows that the winning combination of cards for the enhanced pay out with a maximum level bet includes a royal flush.

22. The apparatus of

claim 14

with a light associated with each playing location to indicate when the maximum level bet has been placed in the acceptor of that player to participate in the enhanced pay out.

23. The apparatus of

claim 14

, further comprising a lockout for preventing players from participating in the enhanced pay out jackpot by betting after cards are dealt.

24. The apparatus of

claim 23

, further comprising a reset for disconnecting the lockout and reinitiating the apparatus at the end of each hand of the live casino table card game upon activation of the reset by the dealer.

25. The apparatus of

claim 14

, further comprising a card shoe for delivery of cards to be dealt by the dealer and a reader in the card shoe for monitoring card hands dealt therefrom, the reader connected to the computer for indicating each player'"'"'s hand and for computing the pay out consistent with the pay table matrix listing and number of tokens placed in the respective acceptor by each player.

26. The apparatus of

claim 14

, further comprising a counter and display coupled to each acceptor for showing the amount of each player'"'"'s bet and that player'"'"'s eligibility to win the enhanced pay out when dealt a predetermined winning card combination and when betting a maximum level of tokens.

27. A table for playing a live casino card game includes enhanced pay out as an additional feature wherein the maximum level bet to participate in the enhanced pay out is optional and in addition to bets for the card game, the table includes:

an acceptor accessible to each player, the acceptor is on the table and operative to recognize and signal placement of gaming tokens at each player location of the table for participation in the enhanced pay out, and

an indicator for illuminating when the maximum level or number of gaming tokens have been recognized by the acceptor for participation in the enhanced pay out.

28. A table according to

claim 27

wherein the acceptor includes a sensor operatively connected to read the presence of gaming tokens, the sensor coupled to the indicator.

29. A table according to

claim 27

further including a counter electronically interconnected to each acceptor and operative to count gaming tokens received by the acceptor from each player.

30. A table according to

claim 27

wherein the pay table matrix listing has the enhanced pay out including a progressive jackpot or portion thereof attainable with maximum level bets.

31. A table according to

claim 27

wherein the jackpot includes preselected, fixed fee jackpot pay out of enhanced amounts for maximum level betting.

32. A table according to

claim 30

further including a computer electronically interconnected with the acceptor, the sensor and the counter is operative to control and register the occurrence or recognition of the placement of the maximum level of gaming tokens in the acceptor.

33. A table according to

claim 32

further including a manually operable lock out switch operatively connected to deactivate the acceptor such that the computer does not register the occurrence or recognition of the placement of a gaming token by the acceptor.

34. A table for playing a live casino card game having an enhanced pay out as an additional feature, wherein the bet to participate in the enhanced pay out is optional and separate from bets for the card game, the table including:

an acceptor operatively associated with the table and operative to recognize the placement of the maximum level of gaming tokens for participation in the enhanced pay out; and

a counter electronically interconnected to the acceptor and adapted to count gaming tokens bet through the acceptor.

35. A table for playing a live casino card game having an enhanced pay out as an additional feature, wherein the bet to participate in the enhanced pay out is optional and separate from bets for the card game, the table including:

an acceptor operatively associated with the table to recognize the placement of the maximum level of gaming tokens necessary for participation in the enhanced pay out;

a computer electronically interconnected with the acceptor and operative to register and control the occurrence or recognition of the placement of the maximum level of gaming tokens in the acceptor; and

a manually operable lock out switch operatively connected to deactivate the acceptor such that the computer does not register the occurrence of the placement of gaming tokens after the cards are dealt.

36. A table according to

claim 35

wherein a pay table has a matrix listing the enhanced pay out jackpot including a preselected, fixed fee enhanced jackpot pay out amount for maximum level betting.

37. A table according to

claim 35

further including:

a counter electronically interconnected between the acceptor and the computer to count gaming tokens recognized by the acceptor and registered by the computer.

38. In a live casino card gaming table having an enhanced pay out as an additional feature, wherein the bet to participate in the enhanced pay out is optional and separate from bets for the card game, the table comprising at least one electronic acceptor operatively associated with the table and operative to recognize placement of maximum level of gaming tokens as a bet for participation in the enhanced pay out.

39. In a live casino card gaming table having an enhanced pay out as an additional feature, wherein the bet to participate in the enhanced pay out is optional and separate from bets for the card game, the table including a plurality of player locations at which players receive cards from a dealer to play the card game, and

a plurality of electronic acceptors, each of the acceptors operatively associated with a corresponding one of the player locations, and operative to recognize placement of maximum level of gaming tokens at each player location as bets for participation in the enhanced pay out.

40. In a live casino card gaming table having an enhanced pay out as an additional feature, wherein the bet to participate in the enhanced pay out is optional and separate from bets for the card game, the table comprising a plurality of player locations at which a player receives playing cards from a dealer and a jackpot control including a plurality of buttons adapted for manual activation by the dealer, the buttons corresponding to a plurality of predetermined winning arrangements of the playing cards achieved by a player for winning a progressive jackpot payoff amount in accordance with a predetermined payoff table that includes an enhanced pay out for at least one type of achieved player hands or card combinations when a bet has been made to the maximum level.

41. In a live casino card game table, the table having a plurality of player locations at which a player receives playing cards from a dealer to play the live casino table card game;

a plurality of sensors, one sensor associated with each corresponding one of the player locations, for sensing placement of gaming tokens bet by a player, and

a plurality of light indicators, one indicator associated with each corresponding one of the player locations, for visually indicating that a player has bet the maximum level of gaming tokens.

42. The table according to

claim 41

, further comprising a counter connected with the sensors for counting tokens bet by each player.

43. In a live casino card game table, the card game including an enhanced pay out as an additional feature and having a jackpot bet separate from the bets for the card game:

a sensor for sensing the placement of gaming tokens by which a player makes a maximum level bet to participate in the additional enhanced pay out.

44. The table according to

claim 43

further comprising a counter for counting the tokens bet by the player to participate by the maximum level bet in the enhanced pay out, the counter coupled to the sensor for counting the tokens bet by the player to participate by the maximum level bet, and the counter coupled to a light indicator for visually indicating that a player has bet the maximum level of gaming tokens necessary to participate in the enhanced pay out from a progressive jackpot.

45. An acceptor on a table gaming apparatus including a visual display, comprising:

a slot for each acceptor for receiving one or more tokens, each slot positioned in the table and located accessible to each player for deposit of tokens therein;

a computer operatively connected to the acceptor;

a sensor within the acceptor for sensing placement and acceptance of the one or more tokens into the acceptor and for signaling the computer when at least the maximum level of tokens have been bet;

a counter within the computer, the counter for counting the number of signaled accepted tokens; and

a visual display operatively connected to the computer and operative, pursuant to control instructions from the computer, to display visually the maximum level or number of tokens placed and accepted in the acceptor.

46. The acceptor of

claim 45

, wherein the visual display comprises a plurality of light sources disposed in a predetermined pattern.

47. The acceptor of

claim 45

, wherein the display for maximum tokens accepted corresponds to simultaneous flashing of the light sources.

48. The acceptor of

claim 45

, wherein the display for maximum tokens accepted corresponds to sequential flashing of the light sources.

49. The acceptor of

claim 45

, wherein the acceptor is on the table gaming apparatus including cards, the acceptor for detecting bets.

50. The acceptor of

claim 45

, wherein the slot is dimensioned for insertion of the one or more tokens in the form of coins.

51. The acceptor of

claim 45

, wherein the slot includes a receptacle dimensioned for receipt of the one or more tokens and the sensor detects each token placed in the receptacle.

52. A table gambling device including an acceptor and a visual display, the device comprising:

one or more acceptors for receiving one or more tokens, each acceptor positioned in the device and located accessible to a player for deposit of tokens therein;

a computer operatively connected to the acceptors;

a sensor within the acceptor for sensing tokens bet and for acceptance of each token as a bet into the acceptor;

a counter within the computer and connected to each sensor, the counter for recording the number of tokens bet and accepted, and

a visual display operatively connected to the computer and functioning pursuant to control instructions from the computer, to display at least a visual state corresponding to the maximum level of tokens bet in each acceptor.

53. The gambling device of

claim 52

further comprising a pay table matrix listing coupled to the counter, the pay table matrix listing including the card combinations necessary to win an enhanced pay out with maximum level betting and with one acceptor disposed at each player location of the table and operatively connected to display the visual state of at least the maximum level of tokens bet to win an enhanced pay out and to allow multi player participation in the enhanced pay out wherever each player bets the maximum level of tokens in their respective acceptor.

54. The gambling device of

claim 53

, wherein the visual display comprises a plurality of light sources disposed in a predetermined pattern to show maximum level bets by simultaneous or sequential flashing of the light sources.

55. A method of indicating the condition of an acceptor of a card game table for one or more players, comprising the steps of:

providing an acceptor dimensioned to receive one or more tokens from one or more players, the acceptor associated with the card game table and having respective token receiving receptacles for each of the one or more players;

providing a computer operatively connected to the acceptor;

providing a sensor within the acceptor for sensing bets by acceptance of one or more tokens into the acceptor;

providing a counter within the computer for counting the number of bet and accepted tokens;

providing a visual display operatively connected to the computer;

displaying on the visual display pursuant to control instructions from the computer the maximum level or number of tokens bet by each player, and

registering any maximum level betting for enhanced pay out.

56. The method of

claim 55

, wherein the step of providing the visual display includes the step of providing a plurality of light sources.

57. The method of

claim 55

, wherein the step of displaying the visual display includes the step of simultaneously or sequentially flashing the light sources.

58. The method of

claim 55

, wherein the step of displaying includes the step of showing which of the one or more players has bet the maximum level of tokens.