AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR SECONDARY GAMES

• US 20110281627A1
• Filed: 08/01/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dean P. Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Howard Lutnick
• Original Assignee: Dean P. Alderucci, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Howard Lutnick
• Inventors: Lutnick, Howard W., Gelman, Geoffrey M., Alderucci, Dean P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,521 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 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

Various embodiments of amusement devices and methods for various games are described. In some embodiments, a secondary player may engage in a game started by a first player. Various additional methods and apparatus are described.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that are configured such that when the plurality of instructions are executed by a computing device, the computing device is configured to;

determine a respective set of first cards dealt to each of a plurality of players of a first game of poker being played at a gaming table;

determine a chance that a first player of the plurality of players will win the first game of poker based at least in part one respective set of first cards dealt to the first player;

determine odds for a wager based on the chance, in which the wager include a wager that the first player will win the first game of poker;

provide an opportunity for a secondary player to place the wager having the odds through an interface of a mobile device, in which the secondary player includes a player that is not playing the first game;

receive a request to make the wager from the secondary player;

determine a set of second cards dealt in the first game; and

determine an outcome of the wager based on the set of second cards and at least one of the set of first cards.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the first game includes a game of Texas hold '"'"'em.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which determining the outcome of the wager includes determining that the wager is a winning wager in response to determining that the first player won the first game.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the set of second cards includes a set of community cards dealt in the first game.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which determining the chance includes determining the chance based on an analysis of stored data describing historical games.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the computing device is further caused to:

require the wager to be made before an action is taken in the first game.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, in which determining the set of first cards includes receiving input from at least one of a camera, a scanner, and a sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, in which determining the odds includes determining the odds such that the house maintains a desired house edge.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the computing device is caused to:

provide a second opportunity for the secondary player to place a second wager on an identity of at least one of the set of second cards;

receive a second request to make the second wager from the secondary player; and

determine an outcome of the second wager based on the set of second cards.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the identity includes a rank and a suit of a single one of the set of second cards.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the single one includes a one with a position identified by the second wager.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the computing device is caused to:

provide an indication of the chance to the secondary player.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the computing device is further caused to:

provide a third opportunity for the secondary player to place a third wager that the first player will perform an action in the first game;

receive a third request to make the third wager from the secondary player; and

determine an outcome of the third wager based on an action performed by the first player in the first game.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, in which the action includes at least one of a bet and a fold.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, in which the computing device is caused to:

determine a respective third chance for each of a plurality of possible actions that the first player may take in the first game; and

determine respective odds for respective possible wagers that the player will perform each of the possible actions based on the respective third chances.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, in which the respective third chances are determined based actions taken in prior games.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the computing device is caused to:

require the wager to be made before an action is taken in the first game;

provide an indication of the chance to the secondary player;

provide a second opportunity for the secondary player to place a second wager on an identity of at least one of the set of second cards, in which the identity includes a rank and a suit of a single one of the set of second cards, in which the single one includes a one with a position identified by the second wager;

receive a second request to make the second wager from the secondary player;

determine an outcome of the second wager based on the set of second cards;

determine a respective third chance for each of a plurality of possible actions that the first player may take in the first game;

determine respective odds for respective possible wagers that the player will perform each of the possible actions based on the respective third chances;

provide a third opportunity for the secondary player to place a third wager that the first player will perform an action in the first game, in which the action includes at least one of a bet and a fold, in which the respective third chances are determined based actions taken in prior games;

receive a third request to make the third wager from the secondary player; and

determine an outcome of the third wager based on an action performed by the first player in the first game;

in which the first game includes a game of Texas hold '"'"'em,

in which determining the outcome of the wager includes determining that the wager is a winning wager in response to determining that the first player won the first game,

in which the set of second cards includes a set of community cards dealt in the first game,

in which determining the chance includes determining the chance based on an analysis of stored data describing historical games,

in which determining the set of first cards includes receiving input from at least one of a camera, a scanner, and a sensor,

in which determining the odds includes determining the odds such that the house maintains a desired house edge.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the computing device.

19. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, a respective set of first cards dealt to each of a plurality of players of a first game of poker being played at a gaming table;

determining, by the computing device, a chance that a first player of the plurality of players will win the first game of poker based at least in part one respective set of first cards dealt to the first player;

determining, by the computing device, odds for a wager based on the chance, in which the wager include a wager that the first player will win the first game of poker;

providing, by the computing device, an opportunity for a secondary player to place the wager having the odds through an interface of a mobile device, in which the secondary player includes a player that is not playing the first game;

receiving, by the computing device, a request to make the wager from the secondary player;

determining, by the computing device, a set of second cards dealt in the first game; and

determining, by the computing device, an outcome of the wager based on the set of second cards and at least one of the set of first cards.