Wagering game with table bonus

• US 6,923,446 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Snow, Roger M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US10/286,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20040084843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 273/274, 273/292, 273/303, 273/309, 463/11, 463/13
• US Class Current: 273/292
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082

Abstract

A method of playing a casino table wagering game with at least two players comprises wagering on an underlying game where players may receive a bonus for obtaining a player hand of at least a predetermined rank; placing a side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player hand of at least a predetermined rank; playing a hand of the casino table wagering game to conclusion; determining if at least one of the at least two players has obtained a player hand of said at least a predetermined rank; if a player has not obtained a player hand of at least a predetermined rank, but that player has placed the side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player hand of at least a predetermined rank, and if another player has obtained a player hand of at least a predetermined rank, awarding that player a predetermined proportional share of the bonus for obtaining a player hand of at least a predetermined rank.

Claims

1. A method of playing a casino table wagering game where players receive hands of playing cards with at least two players comprising:

wagering on an underlying game where players receive a bonus for obtaining a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank;

placing a side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank;

playing a hand of the casino table wagering game to conclusion;

determining if at least one of the at least two players has obtained a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of said at least a predetermined rank;

if a first player has not obtained a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank, but that first player has placed the side bet that at least one second player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank, and if another second player has obtained a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank, awarding that first player a predetermined proportional share of the bonus for the second player'"'"'s obtaining a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the card game is a poker-type card game.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the poker game is a form of five-card stud.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein different pay tables for the bonus are provided that differ in at least some awards depending upon the number of players that place the side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the predetermined proportional share of the bonus for each player placing the side bet is an equal share of the bonus with all players who are awarded proportional shares of the bonus.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein each player may place a table bet as the side bet, an individual bet as a side bet, or both a table bet and an individual bet as a side bet.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein different pay tables for the bonus are provided that differ in at least some awards depending upon the number of players that place the side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined proportional share of the bonus for each player placing the side bet is an equal share of the bonus with all players who are awarded proportional shares of the bonus.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined proportional share of the bonus for each player placing the side bet is an equal share of the bonus with all players who are awarded proportional shares of the bonus.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein different pay tables for the bonus are provided that differ in at least some awards depending upon the number of players that place the side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined proportional share of the bonus for each player placing the side bet is an equal share of the bonus with all players who are awarded proportional shares of the bonus.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the wagering card game is played with at least two players using standard playing cards having a standard rank, said game involving standard poker hand rankings and comprising:

each player placing at least four distinct wagering parts to participate in the game;

dealing three cards to each player and at least two common cards, all of said at least two common cards being dealt face down;

giving each player the chance to examine the cards received by that player and to withdraw at least a first part of said at least four distinct wagering parts wager based on the rank of said player'"'"'s cards prior to one of said at least two common cards being dealt face down being exposed;

showing said at least one common card, thereby providing at least a partial hand of playing cards for each player, each player'"'"'s at least a partial hand of playing cards comprising said shown at least one common card and the cards each player was dealt;

allowing each player to withdraw a second part of the at least four wagering parts and forfeiting a third part of the at least four wagering parts;

showing at least one more common card to expose all common cards that had been dealt face down; and

resolving each player'"'"'s remaining wager based on the rank of that player'"'"'s hand of playing cards, which remaining wager was not withdrawn.

13. The method according to claim 12, said wager to participate in the game comprising exactly four parts.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein there are exactly two common cards.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said four parts of said wager are equal.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said wager is divided into four parts and the number of common cards is two.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein said four parts of said wager are equal.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein a side bet is placed by the player, prior to receiving and viewing player cards, to play against a bonus pay table and/or progressive jackpot.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the card game is Let It Ride®

stud poker or a variant of Let It Ride®

stud poker.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein different pay tables for the bonus are provided that differ in at least some awards depending upon the number of players that place the side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein different pay tables for the bonus are provided that differ in at least some awards depending upon the number of players that place the side bet that at least one player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards at least a predetermined rank.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined proportional share of the bonus for each player placing the side bet is an equal share of the bonus with all players who are awarded proportional shares of the bonus.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined proportional share of the bonus for each player placing the side bet are not all equal shares of the bonus with all players who are awarded proportional shares of the bonus.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the side bet is an optional bet.

25. A method of playing a casino table wagering game where players receive hands of playing cards with at least two players comprising:

wagering on an underlying game where players receive a bonus for obtaining a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank;

a first player placing a side bet that at least one second player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of at least a predetermined rank;

playing a hand of the casino table wagering game to conclusion;

determining if at least one of the at least two players has obtained a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of said at least a predetermined rank;

if the first player has not obtained a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of the at least a predetermined rank, but that first player has placed the side bet that at least one second player of the at least two players will obtain a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of the at least a predetermined rank, and if at least one second player has obtained a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of the at least a predetermined rank, awarding that first player an award for the second player'"'"'s obtaining a player'"'"'s hand of playing cards of the at least a predetermined rank.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the side bet is an optional bet.