"BUY A PEEK" GAMING METHODS AND DEVICES

• US 20100144416A1
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Wolf, Bryan, Gail, Ted, Hollibaugh, Larry
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and devices for providing wagering games. A player pays an initial price to play a wagering game according to normal game rules. Game information that would normally be concealed from the player is offered for an additional price. In some implementations, the wagering game is a poker game and the game information is draw card information. The additional price may increase according to the amount of game information provided. In some implementations, a paytable percentage for the wagering game decreases according to the amount of game information provided.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a display device;

a user input device;

apparatus for accepting payment; and

a controller configured for controlling the gaming machine to do the following;

present a first stage of a poker game on the display device for a first payment received via the apparatus;

present a second stage of the poker game on the display device according to game decisions of a player received via the input device prior to the second stage, and

indicate an offer, on the display device and prior to the second stage, to provide first information about the second stage in exchange for a second payment.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the amount of first information varies according to an amount of the second payment.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein:

the indicating comprises offering to show at least one draw card on the display; and

the second payment varies according to a number of draw cards to be shown.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to apply a first paytable percentage if a player rejects the offer to provide first information.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to do the following:

apply a higher paytable percentage when a player rejects the offer to provide first information; and

apply a lower paytable percentage when a player accepts an offer to provide first information.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises an identity of at least one draw card.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to allow the player to select draw cards in an order that would violate normal rules of a poker game.

8. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein the indicating comprises offering to show a plurality of draw cards on the display, and wherein a second draw card may be selected without selecting a first draw card.

9. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to apply a second paytable percentage when a player accepts the offer to provide first information.

10. A gaming method, comprising:

providing, for a first payment, a first stage of a wagering game;

providing a second stage of the wagering game according to game decisions of a player made prior to the second stage, and

making an offer, prior to the second stage, to provide first information about the second stage in exchange for a second payment.

11. The gaming method of claim 10, wherein the amount of first information varies according to an amount of the second payment.

12. The gaming method of claim 10, wherein the wagering game comprises a poker game.

13. The gaming method of claim 10, wherein the wagering game comprises a poker game, wherein the step of offering to provide first information comprises offering to show at least one draw card and wherein the second payment varies according to a number of draw cards to be shown.

14. The gaming method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an indication that a player rejects an offer to provide first information; and

applying a higher paytable percentage than would have been applied if the player had accepted the offer.

15. The gaming method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an indication that a player accepts the offer; and

applying a lower paytable percentage than would have been applied if the player had rejected the offer.

16. The gaming method of claim 12, wherein the first information comprises an identity of at least one draw card.

17. The gaming method of claim 16, wherein the first information comprises identities of a plurality of draw cards, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the offer is accepted; and

allowing the player to select draw cards of the plurality of draw cards in any order, whether or not the order would violate normal rules of the poker game.

18. The gaming machine of claim 16, wherein the offering comprises offering to show a first draw card and a second draw card, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the offer is accepted; and

allowing the second draw card to be selected without selecting the first draw card.

19. The gaming method of claim 16, wherein the offer comprises an offer to show a first draw card and a second draw card, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the offer is accepted; and

requiring the first draw card to be selected before the second draw card may be selected.

20. A machine-readable medium having computer software stored thereon, the computer software containing instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform the following steps:

provide, for a first payment, a first stage of a wagering game;

provide a second stage of the wagering game according to game decisions of a player made prior to the second stage, and

offer, prior to the second stage, to provide first information about the second stage in exchange for a second payment.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the amount of first information varies according to an amount of the second payment.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the wagering game comprises a poker game.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the wagering game comprises a poker game, wherein the step of offering to provide first information comprises offering to show at least one draw card and wherein the second payment varies according to a number of draw cards to be shown.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising the step of applying a first paytable percentage when a player rejects an offer to provide first information.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to perform the following steps:

apply a higher paytable percentage when a player rejects an offer to provide first information; and

apply a lower paytable percentage when a player accepts an offer to provide first information.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to allow the player to select draw cards according to normal rules of the poker game.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to allow the player to select draw cards in any order, whether or not the order would violate normal rules of the poker game.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the first information comprises an identity of at least one draw card.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for controlling at least one device in a gaming network to apply a second paytable percentage when a player accepts an offer to provide first information.

30. A gaming machine, comprising:

means for providing, for a first payment, a first stage of a wagering game;

means for providing a second stage of the wagering game according to game decisions of a player made prior to the second stage, and

means for offering, prior to the second stage, to provide first information about the second stage in exchange for a second payment.