Amusement devices and games including means for processing electronic data where ultimate outcome of the game is dependent on relative odds of a card combination and/or where chance is a factor: wagering on hands of cards

• US 7,980,932 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2009
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Miller, Mark, Alderucci, Dean P., Plott, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall; Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US12/368,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20100203938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 463 10- 13, 463 16- 22, 463 25- 29, 463 40- 42, 273/138.1, 273/139, 273/142.B, 273/142.A, 273/142.J, 273/148.A, 273/148.R, 273/148.B, 273/149.P, 273/149.R, 273/274, 273292-293, 273/304, 273/306, 273/309
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may be formulated to exploit biases such as long shot bias and favorite bias. Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may be formulated to exploit biases relating to the Monty Hall paradox. Games related to the provision of information are described. Games may include wagering on hands of cards, e.g., poker wagering games.

Claims

1. A method, the method comprising:

providing, by one or more processors of one or more servers, first information about a set of hands of cards to a first player of a gaming device, wherein the first information identifies a first set of cards of a first hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the first hand comprises at least one card of the first hand and less than all cards of the first hand, and wherein the one or more servers are configured to communicate with one or more gaming devices via a communications network, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise the gaming device;

providing, by the one or more processors, second information about the set of hands of cards to a second player of a second gaming device, wherein the second gaming device comprises at least one of the gaming device and a separate gaming device of the one or more gaming devices, wherein the second information identifies a first set of cards of a second hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the second hand comprises at least one card of the second hand and less than all cards of the second hand;

for the first hand of the set of hands, providing, by the one or more processors, third information to the first player, wherein the third information identifies a number of first wagers that the first hand will be a winning hand;

for the second hand of the set of hands, providing, by the one or more processors, fourth information to the second player, wherein the fourth information identifies a number of first wagers that the second hand will be the winning hand;

updating, by the one or more processors, at least the third information based on any additional first wagers placed after at least the first information and the third information were provided;

determining, by the one or more processors, a first set of likelihood values corresponding to the set of hands using the first wagers, wherein a first likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the first hand of the set of hands and a second likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the second hand of the set of hands;

determining, by the one or more processors, at least one other likelihood value responsively to comparing the first set of likelihood values to one or more predetermined values, the one or more predetermined values being derived from player data regarding expected biases of at least the first player and the second player; and

providing, by the one or more processors, the at least one other likelihood value to at least the first player.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the one or more processors, fifth information to the first player and the second player, wherein the fifth information identifies all cards of a third hand of the set of hands.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first information comprises:

providing, by the one or more processors, first information about the set of hands of cards to the first player, wherein the first information identifies all cards of a third hand of the set of hands.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the second information comprises:

providing, by the one or more processors, second information about the set of hands of cards to the second player, wherein the second information identifies all cards of a third hand of the set of hands.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each wager of the first wagers and the additional first wagers, assessing, by the one or more processors, a premium for the wager during a round of wagering.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the premium assessed for the wager increases during the round of wagering.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

for each card of the first hand and the second hand, providing the first player and the second player, by the one or more processors, with fifth information, wherein the fifth information identifies a number of players to whom the card was identified.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

for each card of the first hand and the second hand, updating, by the one or more processors, the fourth information so that the fourth information identifies an updated number of players to whom the card was identified.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein for each card of the first hand and the second hand, the updated number of players is equal to the number of players if the card was not identified to a number of players other than the number of players.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein for each card of the first hand and the second hand, if the card was not identified to any players, the number of players to whom the card was identified is zero.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information also identifies a second set of cards of the second hand, the second set of cards of the second hand comprising at least one card that is different from the first set of cards of the second hand;

and

wherein the second information also identifies a second set of cards of the first hand, the second set of cards of the first hand comprising at least one card that is different from the first set of cards of the first hand.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the one or more processors, fifth information identifying a second set of cards of the first hand to at least one of the second player or a third player, the second set of cards of the first hand comprising at least one card that is different from the first set of cards of the first hand.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, the first set of cards of the first hand using data regarding biases of at least one of the first player or of other players.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the one or more processors, pseudo-wagers from internal processing;

using, by the one or more processors, the pseudo-wagers to supplement actual wagering by at least the first and the second players.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, a wager from the first player after updating the third information, the wager being that a first selected hand of the set of hands is the winning hand, the wager comprising one of the additional first wagers;

revealing, by the one or more processors, to the first player, after receiving the wager, that a first subset of hands of the set of hands does not comprise the winning hand, wherein a second subset of hands of the set of hands comprises the winning hand, and wherein the set of hands consists of the first and second subsets of hands; and

providing, by the one or more processors, the first player with an opportunity to change from the wager to a second wager if the second subset of hands comprises the first selected hand, the second subset of hands comprising a second selected hand, the second wager being that the second selected hand is the winning hand.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the expected biases comprise at least one of a long shot bias or a favorite bias.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first player and the second player comprise respective first and second players of a wagering system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the wagering system comprises a pari-mutuel wagering system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise one or more mobile gaming devices.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second hands each comprise the same number of cards.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and the second hands each comprise five cards, and wherein the first and the second hands respectively comprise first and second poker hands.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

randomly determining the first set of cards of the first hand.

23. A method, the method comprising:

providing, by one or more processors of one or more servers, first information about a set of hands of cards to a first player of a gaming device, wherein the first information identifies a first set of cards of a first hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the first hand comprises at least one card of the first hand and less than all cards of the first hand, and wherein the one or more servers are configured to communicate with one or more gaming devices via a communications network, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise the gaming device;

providing, by the one or more processors, second information about the set of hands of cards to a second player of a second gaming device, wherein the second gaming device comprises at least one of the gaming device and a separate gaming device of the one or more gaming devices, wherein the second information identifies a first set of cards of a second hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the second hand comprises at least one card of the second hand and less than all cards of the second hand;

for the first hand of the set of hands, providing, by the one or more processors, third information to the first player, wherein the third information identifies a number of first wagers that the first hand will be a winning hand;

for the second hand of the set of hands, providing, by the one or more processes, fourth information to the second player, wherein the fourth information identifies a number of first wagers that the second hand will be the winning hand;

updating, by the one or more processors, at least the third information based on any additional first wagers placed after at least the first information and the third information were provided;

receiving, by the one or more processors, fifth information, the fifth information being based on at least the first wagers;

determining, by the one or more processors, a first set of likelihood values corresponding to the set of hands using the fifth information, wherein a first likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the first hand of the set of hands and a second likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the second hand of the set of hands;

determining a second set of likelihood values based at least in part on the first set of likelihood values if one or more likelihood values of the first set of likelihood values are less than a first threshold value or greater than a second threshold value;

wherein the first threshold value is different from the second threshold value, and wherein the first threshold value and the second threshold value are derived from player data regarding expected biases of at least the first player and the second player;

associating the second set of likelihood values with at least some hands of the set of hands; and

providing sixth information based on the second set of likelihood values to at least the first player.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first player and the second player comprise respective first and second players of a wagering system.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the wagering system comprises a pari-mutuel wagering system.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise one or more mobile gaming devices.

27. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with one or more gaming devices via a communications network; and

memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause at least one of the one or more processors to;

provide first information about a set of hands of cards to a first player of a gaming device, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise the gaming device, wherein the first information identifies a first set of cards of a first hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the first hand comprises at least one card of the first hand and less than all cards of the first hand;

provide second information about the set of hands of cards to a second player of a second gaming device, wherein the second gaming device comprises at least one of the gaming device and a separate gaming device of the one or more gaming devices, wherein the second information identifies a first set of cards of a second hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the second hand comprises at least one card of the second hand and less than all cards of the second hand;

for the first hand of the set of hands, provide third information to the first player, wherein the third information identifies a number of first wagers that the first hand will be a winning hand;

for the second hand of the set of hands, provide fourth information to the second player, wherein the fourth information identifies a number of first wagers that the second hand will be the winning hand;

update at least the third information based on any additional first wagers placed after at least the first information and the third information were provided;

determine a first set of likelihood values corresponding to the set of hands using the first wagers, wherein a first likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the first hand of the set of hands and a second likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the second hand of the set of hands;

determine at least one other likelihood value responsively to comparing the first set of likelihood values to one or more predetermined values, the one or more predetermined values being derived from player data regarding expected biases of at least the first player and the second player; and

provide the at least one other likelihood value to at least the first player.

28. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium, the non-transitory tangible computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of one or more processors to:

provide first information about a set of hands of cards to a first player of a gaming device, wherein the first information identifies a first set of cards of a first hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the first hand comprises at least one card of the first hand and less than all cards of the first hand;

provide second information about the set of hands of cards to a second player of a second gaming device, wherein the second information identifies a first set of cards of a second hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the second hand comprises at least one card of the second hand and less than all cards of the second hand;

for the first hand of the set of hands, provide third information to the first player, wherein the third information identifies a number of first wagers that the first hand will be a winning hand;

for the second hand of the set of hands, provide fourth information to the second player, wherein the fourth information identifies a number of first wagers that the second hand will be the winning hand;

update at least the third information based on any additional first wagers placed after at least the first information and the third information were provided;

determine a first set of likelihood values corresponding to the set of hands using the first wagers, wherein a first likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the first hand of the set of hands and a second likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the second hand of the set of hands;

determine at least one other likelihood value responsively to comparing the first set of likelihood values to one or more predetermined values, the one or more predetermined values being derived from player data regarding expected biases of at least the first player and the second player; and

provide the at least one other likelihood value to at least the first player;

and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to communicate with one more gaming devices via a communications network, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise the gaming device, and wherein the second gaming device comprises at least one of the gaming device and a separate gaming device of the one or more gaming devices.

29. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with one or more gaming devices via a communications network; and

memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause at least one of the one or more processors to;

provide first information about a set of hands of cards to a first player of a gaming device, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise the gaming device, wherein the first information identifies a first set of cards of a first hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the first hand comprises at least one card of the first hand and less than all cards of the first hand;

provide second information about the set of hands of cards to a second player of a second gaming device, wherein the second gaming device comprises at least one of the gaming device and a separate gaming device of the one or more gaming devices, wherein the second information identifies a first set of cards of a second hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the second hand comprises at least one card of the second hand and less than all cards of the second hand;

for the first hand of the set of hands, provide third information to the first player, wherein the third information identifies a number of first wagers that the first hand will be a winning hand;

for the second hand of the set of hands, provide fourth information to the second player, wherein the fourth information identifies a number of first wagers that the second hand will be the winning hand;

update at least the third information based on any additional first wagers placed after at least the first information and the third information were provided;

receive fifth information, the fifth information being based on at least the first wagers;

determine a first set of likelihood values corresponding to the set of hands using the fifth information, wherein a first likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the first hand of the set of hands and a second likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the second hand of the set of hands;

determine a second set of likelihood values based at least in part on the first set of likelihood values if one or more likelihood values of the first set of likelihood values are less than a first threshold value or greater than a second threshold value;

wherein the first threshold value is different from the second threshold value, and wherein the first threshold value and the second threshold value are derived from player data regarding expected biases of at least the first player and the second player;

associate the second set of likelihood values with at least some hands of the set of hands; and

provide sixth information based on the second set of likelihood values to at least the first player.

30. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium, the non-transitory tangible computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor of one or more processors to:

provide first information about a set of hands of cards to a first player of a gaming device, wherein the first information identifies a first set of cards of a first hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the first hand comprises at least one card of the first hand and less than all cards of the first hand;

provide second information about the set of hands of cards to a second player of a second gaming device, wherein the second information identifies a first set of cards of a second hand of the set of hands, wherein the first set of cards of the second hand comprises at least one card of the second hand and less than all cards of the second hand;

for the first hand of the set of hands, provide third information to the first player, wherein the third information identifies a number of first wagers that the first hand will be a winning hand;

for the second hand of the set of hands, provide fourth information to the second players, wherein the fourth information identifies a number of first wagers that the second hand will be the winning hand;

update at least the third information based on any additional first wagers placed after at least the first information and the third information were provided;

receive fifth information, the fifth information being based on at least the first wagers;

determine a first set of likelihood values corresponding to the set of hands using the fifth information, wherein a first likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the first hand of the set of hands and a second likelihood value of the first set of likelihood values corresponds to the second hand of the set of hands;

determine a second set of likelihood values based at least in part on the first set of likelihood values if one or more likelihood values of the first set of likelihood values are less than a first threshold value or greater than a second threshold value;

wherein the first threshold value is different from the second threshold value, and wherein the first threshold value and the second threshold value are derived from player data regarding expected biases of at least the first player and the second player;

associate the second set of likelihood values with at least some hands of the set of hands; and

provide sixth information based on the second set of likelihood values to at least the first player;

and

wherein the one or more processors are configured to communicate with one more gaming devices via a communications network, wherein the one or more gaming devices comprise the gaming device, and wherein the second gaming device comprises at least one of the gaming device and a separate gaming device of the one or more gaming devices.