Method of playing a table card game with an electronic multiplier bonus feature and apparatus for playing the game

• US 6,659,461 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dunn, Russell B., Wasinger, Timothy S., Crowley, Walter J., Lychock, Ferdinand Paul Jr., Yoseloff, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Dolores R
• Application Number:
  US09/967,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20020074726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 273/274, 273/143.R, 273/138.2, 463/9, 463/16, 463/17, 463/20, 463/25
• US Class Current: 273/274
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A method of playing a casino table card game with a bonus event has a player placing a first wager on a casino table card game; providing a hand of cards to the player; determining if the hand of cards provided to a player is within a definition of specific triggering events; if the hand is determined to be within the definition of specific triggering events, allowing the player to enter a bonus game; the player enters at least one bonus game where a random symbol is displayed on a visual display device associated with the casino table, the random symbols identifying an award of an absolute amount of value or a factor that is used to increase a base amount; and resolving all wagers and awards for the player. An apparatus for implementing the method is also shown.

Claims

1. A method of playing a casino table card game with a bonus event comprising:

a player placing a first wager on a casino table card game;

providing a hand of cards to the player;

determining if the hand of cards provided to a player is within a definition of specific triggering events;

if the hand is determined to be within the definition of specific triggering events, allowing the player to enter a bonus game;

the player enters at least one bonus game where a random symbol is displayed on a visual display device associated with the casino table, the random symbol selected from the group consisting of;

an absolute amount, a factor;

a maximum payout symbol, a maximum payout factor, extra round(s), extra round(s) plus a factor and move at least one space in a predetermined direction,

wherein when the random symbol is a factor, the factor is applied to one or more of;

the first wager, a separate side bet wager, payout on the casino table card game or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonus game randomly awards a multiplying factor to be applied to a separate side bet wager to determine a bonus award.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the player must place a side bet wager for the player'"'"'s hand to be determined within the definition of a specific triggering event.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the casino table card game comprises a game of twenty-one.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific triggering event is a single hand of cards with at least a specific rank.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific triggering event is a sequence of hands with at least specific ranks.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the specific triggering event comprises a blackjack.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the casino table card game comprises a game of twenty-one.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the casino table card game comprises a game of twenty-one.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the specific triggering event comprises a blackjack.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the factor is applied in a manner selected from the group consisting of a) a wager placed to participate in said casino table card game, b) an amount won in play of the first casino table card game, and c) an amount won in play of the first casino table card game, less said wager placed to participate in said game.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one bonus game where a random symbol is displayed on a visual display device associated with the casino table comprises at least two bonus games.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a second bonus game of said second gaming segment is substantially the same as the first bonus game.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein there is a compulsory second and third bonus game, and the third bonus game is substantially the same as the first bonus game.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein during play of the one bonus game where a random symbol is displayed on a visual display device associated with the casino table, at least one factor area is highlighted on the visual display device.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein during play of the one bonus game where a multiplicity of frames are displayed on a visual display device associated with the casino table, and frames are alternatively highlighted and not highlighted on the visual display device.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein at least some of the random symbols identify factors.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein values of factors are changed on the visual display device during play of the bonus game, but before final selection of a random factor.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the change between highlighting and not highlighting is stopped, with a highlighting feature identifying at least one factor.

20. An apparatus for playing a live casino table card game with a bonus game comprising:

a casino table with player locations;

a microprocessor operatively connected to the table;

a video display device associated with the table for displaying video information to players at the table;

the computer containing a program to display a collection of symbols;

the symbols being related to identifying an award of at least one award selected from the group consisting of;

an absolute amount, a factor, at least one extra bonus event, a maximum payout, a whammy, at least one extra bonus event and a factor, at least one extra bonus event and an absolute amount, a move at least one space in a predetermined direction, wherein a dealer or players having a dealer or player controlled element to initiate display on the display device of an award that is randomly selected by the microprocessor.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein a multiplicity of frames used to identify the award is used to increase the base amount and are displayed on the visual display device associated with the casino table, and frames are alternatively highlighted and not highlighted on the visual display device.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein a separate wagering area is on the table to identify side bet wagers for players to enter a bonus game.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein placing of a side bet wager on the table is indicated at each player position by a visible indicator other than the presence of a token, coinage or chip.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the visible indicator is activated by a sensor for placement of a wager.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein a spin button is present which is engaged to alter a display on the visual display device.

26. A method of playing a casino table card game with a bonus event comprising:

a player placing a first wager on a casino table card game and an optional wager to participate in a side bet game;

providing a hand of cards to the player;

determining if the hand of cards provided to a player is within a definition of specific triggering events;

if the hand is determined to be within the definition of specific triggering events and the optional wager has been placed, allowing the player to enter a bonus game comprising at least two distinct bonus events;

the player enters at least two consecutively played bonus events wherein at least one randomly selected symbol is displayed in a display device in each bonus event; and

resolving all wagers and awards for the player.

27. A method of playing a casino table card game with a bonus event comprising:

a player placing a first wager on a casino table card game;

providing a hand of cards to the player;

determining if the hand of cards provided to a player is within a definition of specific triggering events;

if the hand is determined to be within the definition of specific triggering events, allowing the player to enter a bonus game;

the player enters at least one bonus game where a random symbol is displayed on a visual display device associated with the casino table, the random symbol selected from the group consisting of;

an absolute amount, a factor;

a maximum payout symbol, a maximum payout factor, extra round(s), extra round(s) plus a factor and move at least one space in a predetermined direction, wherein when the random symbol is a factor, the factor is applied to one or more of;

the first wager, a separate side bet wager, payout on the casino table card game or a combination thereof; and

resolving all wagers and awards for the player.