Multiplay poker wagering game with payout differentiating display of probabilities

• US 8,628,396 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Jackson, Kathleen Nylend
• Primary Examiner(s): Coburn, Corbett B
• Application Number:
  US13/773,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20130172065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 463/13
• US Class Current: 463/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• 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 17/3293 Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack

Abstract

A method of operating a gaming system including receiving credits from a player for a play of each of a quantity of games; for each play, displaying a partial play; automatically applying a first amount of credit to each displayed partial play; thereafter, displaying: for each displayed partial play, an individual probability of the play resulting in a winning outcome; distinct payout rates for each displayed individual probability; and enhanced payout rates for each displayed individual probability; thereafter, enabling the player to select one of the displayed partial plays; automatically applying a second amount of credit on the player selected partial play; for each play, displaying a result and any associated award; if the result of the player selected play is a winning outcome, determining an enhanced payout according to the enhanced payout rate associated with the player selected play; and displaying any awards associated with said displayed results.

Claims

1. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device and at least one input device to;

(a) receive an initial indication of a quantity of credits from a player for a play of each of a quantity of at least two games, wherein the quantity of credits of the initial indication is greater than the quantity of games and the initial indication is placed prior to displaying any symbols determined for any of said plays of said games;

(b) for each play of the quantity of games, display a partial play of said game including displaying at least one but not all of symbols determined for said play of said game;

(c) automatically apply a first amount of at least one credit from the initial indication of credits to each of the displayed partial plays of said games, wherein a sum of all the first amounts of credits is less than the quantity of credits of the initial indication;

(d) thereafter, display;

(i) for each of the displayed partial plays of said games, an individual probability of said play of the game resulting in a winning outcome;

(ii) distinct payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities; and

(iii) enhanced payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities;

(e) thereafter, enable the player to select one of the displayed partial plays of said games;

(f) automatically apply a second amount of at least one credit from the initial indication of credits on the player selected partial play of the game;

(g) for each play of the quantity of games, determine and display a result and any associated award; and

(h) if the result of the player selected play of the game is a winning outcome, determine an enhanced payout award according to the enhanced payout rate associated with the player selected play of the game; and

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any awards associated with said displayed results for the plays of the games.

2. The method of claim 1, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display payout rates for each play of the quantity of games.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first amount of at least one credit is equal to (the initial indication of credits minus the second amount of at least one credit) divided by the quantity of games.

4. The method of claim 1, which is provided through a data network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the data network is an internet.

6. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions stored in at least one memory device to operate with at least one display device and at least one input device to;

(a) for each play of a quantity of at least two games, enable a player to cause an initial amount of credits to be applied to said play of the game and display a partial play of said game including displaying at least one but not all of symbols determined for said play of the game;

(b) thereafter, display;

(i) for each of the displayed partial plays of said games, an individual probability of said play of the game resulting in a winning outcome;

(ii) distinct payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities; and

(iii) enhanced payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities;

(c) thereafter, enable the player to select one of the displayed partial plays of said games to apply an additional amount of at least one credit on the player selected partial play of the game;

(d) for each play of the quantity of games, determine and display a result and any associated award; and

(e) if the result of the player selected play of the game is a winning outcome, determine an enhanced payout award according to the enhanced payout rate associated with the player selected play of the game; and

causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display any awards associated with said displayed results for the plays of the games.

7. The method of claim 6, which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to operate with the at least one display device to display payout rates for each play of the quantity of games.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first amount of at least one credit is equal to (the initial indication of credits minus the additional amount of at least one credit) divided by the quantity of games.

9. The method of claim 6, which is provided through a data network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data network is an internet.

11. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) receive an initial indication of a quantity of credits from a player for a play of each of a quantity of at least two games, wherein the quantity of credits of the initial indication is greater than the quantity of games and the initial indication is placed prior to displaying any symbols determined for any of said plays of said games;

(b) for each play of the quantity of games, display a partial play of said game including displaying at least one but not all of symbols determined for said play of said game;

(c) automatically apply a first amount of at least one credit from the initial indication of credits to each of the displayed partial plays of said games, wherein a sum of all the first amounts of credits is less than the quantity of credits of the initial indication;

(d) thereafter, display;

(i) for each of the displayed partial plays of said games, an individual probability of said play of the game resulting in a winning outcome;

(ii) distinct payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities; and

(iii) enhanced payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities;

(e) thereafter, enable the player to select one of the displayed partial plays of said games;

(f) automatically apply a second amount of at least one credit from the initial indication of credits on the player selected partial play of the game;

(g) for each play of the quantity of games, determine and display a result and any associated award;

(h) if the result of the player selected play of the game is a winning outcome, determine an enhanced payout award according to the enhanced payout rate associated with the player selected play of the game; and

(i) display any awards associated with said displayed results for the plays of the games.

12. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display payout rates for each play of the quantity of games.

13. The gaming system of claim 11, wherein the first amount of at least one credit is equal to (the initial indication of credits minus the second amount of at least one credit) divided by the quantity of games.

14. A gaming system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one display device;

at least one input device; and

at least one memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to;

(a) for each play of a quantity of at least two games, enable a player to cause an initial amount of credits to be applied to said play of the game and display a partial play of said game including displaying at least one but not all of symbols determined for said play of the game;

(b) thereafter, display;

(i) for each of the displayed partial plays of said games, an individual probability of said play of the game resulting in a winning outcome;

(ii) distinct payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities; and

(iii) enhanced payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities;

(c) thereafter, enable the player to select one of the displayed partial plays of said games to apply an additional amount of at least one credit on the player selected partial play of the game;

(d) for each play of the quantity of games, determine and display a result and any associated award;

(e) if the result of the player selected play of the game is a winning outcome, determine an enhanced payout award according to the enhanced payout rate associated with the player selected play of the game; and

(f) display any awards associated with said displayed results for the plays of the games.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device to display payout rates for each play of the quantity of games.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the first amount of at least one credit is equal to (the initial indication of credits minus the additional amount of at least one credit) divided by the quantity of games.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) receive an initial indication of a quantity of credits from a player for a play of each of a quantity of at least two games, wherein the quantity of credits of the initial indication is greater than the quantity of games and the initial indication is placed prior to displaying any symbols determined for any of said plays of said games;

(b) for each play of the quantity of games, cause at least one display device to display a partial play of said game including displaying at least one but not all of symbols determined for said play of said game;

(c) automatically apply a first amount of at least one credit from the initial indication of credits to each of the displayed partial plays of said games, wherein a sum of all the first amounts of credits is less than the quantity of credits of the initial indication;

(d) thereafter, cause the at least one display device to display;

(i) for each of the displayed partial plays of said games, an individual probability of said play of the game resulting in a winning outcome;

(ii) distinct payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities; and

(iii) enhanced payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities;

(e) thereafter, enable the player to select one of the displayed partial plays of said games;

(f) automatically apply a second amount of at least one credit from the initial indication of credits on the player selected partial play of the game;

(g) for each play of the quantity of games, determine and cause the at least one display device to display a result and any associated award;

(h) if the result of the player selected play of the game is a winning outcome, determine an enhanced payout award according to the enhanced payout rate associated with the player selected play of the game; and

(i) cause the at least one display device to display any awards associated with said displayed results for the plays of the games.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to display payout rates for each play of the quantity of games.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first amount of at least one credit is equal to (the initial indication of credits minus the second amount of at least one credit) divided by the quantity of games.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

(a) for each play of a quantity of at least two games, enable a player to cause an initial amount of credits to be applied to said play of the game and cause at least one display device to display a partial play of said game including displaying at least one but not all of symbols determined for said play of the game;

(b) thereafter, cause the at least one display device to display;

(i) for each of the displayed partial plays of said games, an individual probability of said play of the game resulting in a winning outcome;

(ii) distinct payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities; and

(iii) enhanced payout rates for each of the displayed individual probabilities;

(c) thereafter, enable the player to select one of the displayed partial plays of said games to apply an additional amount of at least one credit on the player selected partial play of the game;

(d) for each play of the quantity of games, determine and cause the at least one display device to display a result and any associated award;

(e) if the result of the player selected play of the game is a winning outcome, determine an enhanced payout award according to the enhanced payout rate associated with the player selected play of the game; and

(f) cause the at least one display device to display any awards associated with said displayed results for the plays of the games.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to cause the at least one display device to display payout rates for each play of the quantity of games.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the first amount of at least one credit is equal to (the initial indication of credits minus the additional amount of at least one credit) divided by the quantity of games.