Computer-implemented simulated card game

• US 7,874,902 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Pullman, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Peter DungBa
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCulloch; William H
• Application Number:
  US11/377,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 463 11- 13, 463/16, 463/42, 273/138.1, 273/138.2
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

Various embodiments of methods and apparatus and systems for playing a simulated card game, such as Texas Hold'"'"'em Poker, are provided. One embodiment comprises a method for playing a simulated card game. One such method comprises the steps of: displaying a plurality of entries and at least one of a set of community game elements to a virtual game to a player, each entry including at least two game elements, each game element associated with a game value according to a game rule for the virtual game; receiving a wager from the player, the wager associated with at least one bet type; displaying the remaining of the set of community game elements to the player; and determining whether the wager wins based on the plurality of entries, the at least one bet type, and according to the game rule for the virtual game.

Claims

1. A controller-implemented method for playing a simulated card game, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying on a display device in communication with a controller a plurality of entries of at least two game elements per entry and displaying at least one of a set of community game elements to a virtual game to a player, each game element of the entries and community game elements associated with a game value according to a game rule for the virtual game;

subsequent to displaying the plurality of entries, revealing at least one of the community game elements to the player prior to receiving an initial wager from the player associated with at least one of the plurality of entries such that the player has knowledge of at least one of the community game elements prior to selecting their initial hand and placing their initial wager, the wager associated with at least one bet type from a plurality of pari-mutuel bet types available to the player;

displaying winning odds associated with each entry in combination with the at least one community game element displayed to the player prior to receiving the wager from the player and displaying a plurality of prizes to the player, each prize associated with an entry;

at least one of the pari-mutuel bet types being a progressive event-based bet wherein an initial payout pool for the progressive bet is seeded with non-player funds;

displaying to the player odds of winning in each of the different available types of pari-mutuel bets for each of the entries, and updating the displayed odds of winning as more bets are placed;

displaying the remaining community game elements to the player once betting is closed;

wherein the step of displaying the remaining community game elements comprises;

displaying the remaining community game elements one at a time; and

updating the winning odds after each of the remaining community game elements is displayed;

determining whether the wager wins based on the plurality of entries, the at least one bet type, and according to the game rule for the virtual game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one bet type comprises at least one of a win bet, place bet, show bet, exacta bet, quinella bet, or trifecta bet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event-based bet comprises a hand-type bet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one bet type comprises a multiple game bet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing a ticket with an indication of the player'"'"'s wager.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of community game elements comprises five community game elements and the game rule comprises rules for Texas Hold'"'"'em Poker.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the plurality of entries and the set of community game elements and the displaying the remaining community game elements to the player are based on a live deal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of displaying the plurality of entries and the set of community game elements, displaying the remaining community game elements to the player, and receiving the wager from the player occur via a communications network.

9. An apparatus for playing a simulated card game comprising:

a controller;

a display device in communication with the controller, the display device configured to display a plurality of entries of at least two game elements per entry and to display a set of community game elements to a player, each game element of the entries and community game elements associated with a game value according to a game rule for the virtual game;

said display device further configured to reveal at least one of the community game elements to the player prior to receipt of the player'"'"'s selection of an entry from the plurality of entries and an initial bet from the player;

a player input device in communication with the controller, the player input device configured to receive the initial player bet associated with at least one of the plurality of entries selected by the player of at least one bet type selected by the player from a plurality of available pari-mutuel bet types and communicate the player bet to the controller subsequent to the display device displaying the plurality of entries and the revealed at least one community game element to the player such that the player may make their selection of entry and initial bet with knowledge of at least one of the community game elements;

said display device further configured to display winning odds associated with each entry in combination with the at least one community game element displayed to the player prior to receiving the bet from the player wherein the display device displays a plurality of prizes to the player, each prize associated with an entry;

said display device further configured to display the remaining community game elements wherein this comprises;

the display device displaying the remaining community game elements one at a time; and

the display device updating the winning odds after each of the remaining community game elements is displayed;

at least one of the available pari-mutuel bet types being a progressive event-based bet wherein an initial payout pool for the progressive bet is seeded with non-player funds; and

a ticket issuing device in communication with the controller, the ticket issuing device configured to receive ticket information from the controller and issue a ticket to the player, wherein the display device is configured to receive play information from the controller and further configured to display the play information to the player, including odds of winning in each of the different available pari-mutuel bets for each of the entries, and the controller is configured to determine whether the player bet wins based on the plurality of entries and according to the game rule for the virtual game.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one bet type comprises at least one of a win bet, a hand-type bet, a multiple game bet, a place bet, a show bet, an exacta bet, a quinella bet, or a trifecta bet.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the set of community game elements comprises five community game elements and the game rule comprises rules for Texas Hold'"'"'em Poker.

12. A system for playing a simulated card game, comprising:

a communication network;

at least one gaming machine in communication with the communication network; and

a server in communication with the at least one gaming machine through the communication network, the server configured to host a virtual game, wherein the at least one gaming machine is configured to;

receive game information from the server and display a plurality of game entries of at least two game elements per entry and display a set of community game elements to a player, each game element of the entries and the community game elements associated with a game value according to a game rule for the virtual game;

subsequent to displaying the plurality of game entries, revealing at least one of the community game elements to the player prior to receiving an initial player bet from the player associated with at least one of the entries such that the player may make their selection of entry from the plurality of game entries and initial bet with knowledge of at least one of the community game elements and displaying winning odds associated with each entry in combination with the at least one community game element displayed to the player prior to receiving the bet from the player and displaying a plurality of prizes to the player, each prize associated with an entry, and communicating the player bet to the server, the player bet being one of a plurality of pari-mutuel bet types available to the player, with at least one of the pari-mutuel bet types being a progressive event-based bet wherein an initial payout pool for the progressive bet is seeded with non-player funds;

receive ticket information from the server and issue a ticket to the player;

display the remaining community game elements to the player wherein this comprises;

displaying the remaining community game elements one at a time; and

updating the winning odds after each of the remaining community game elements is displayed; and

receive winning information from the server, the winning information specifying whether the player bet wins based on the plurality of entries and according to the game rule for the virtual game.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the player bet comprises at least one of a win bet, a hand-type bet, a multiple game bet, a place bet, a show bet, an exacta bet, a quinella bet, or a trifecta bet.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of community game elements comprises five community game elements and the game rule comprises rules for Texas Hold'"'"'em Poker.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the server hosts the virtual game based on a live game.