Gaming system and method for providing improved element setting options

• US 8,795,050 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Nicely, Mark C., Lafky, Ernie M., Richards, Timothy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoel, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US13/549,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20120282996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/20, 463 11- 13, 463 17- 19, 463/25, 463 26- 28, 463 30- 32, 463 40- 42, 273/292
• US Class Current: 463/11
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• 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 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• 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 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A gaming system configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of game elements is provided. The gaming system provides a quantity of the game elements to a player and a dealer. The gaming system forms a first dealer hand and a second dealer hand from the provided game elements according to one of a plurality of element setting rules. The gaming system enables the player to manually form a first player hand and a second player hand from the provided game elements or to instruct the gaming system to automatically do so according to one of the element setting rules. If the player manually sets the player hands, the gaming system indicates whether the player'"'"'s hands were formed in accordance with any of the element setting rules. The gaming system determines any awards based on a comparison of the player hands with the dealer hands.

Claims

1. 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;

(a) receive an initial wager from a player for a play of a card game associated with a plurality of different card setting rules;

(b) display a designated quantity of player cards;

(c) enable the player to place an additional wager;

(d) if the player does not place the additional wager, enable the player to select one of a first set of at least one of, but less than all of, the card setting rules;

(e) if the player places the additional wager, enable the player to select one of a second set of at least one of the card setting rules, the first set and the second set being different;

(f) automatically form a first player hand and a second player hand according to the selected card setting rule;

(g) display a designated quantity of dealer cards;

(h) form a first dealer hand and a second dealer hand according to a dealer card setting rule; and

(i) determine and display any awards based on a comparison of the first and second player hands with the first and second dealer hands.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the second set includes a designated card setting rule that the first set does not include.

3. The gaming system of claim 2, wherein said designated card setting rule provides a statistical advantage for the player that is greater than any statistical advantage provided to the player by any card setting rule of the first set.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein an amount of the additional wager is determined based on an amount of the initial wager.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein a rank of the second dealer hand is less than a rank of the first dealer hand and a rank of the second player hand is less than a rank of the first player hand.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine any awards by determining whether the first player hand beats the first dealer hand and whether the second player hand beats the second dealer hand.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein an amount of the additional wager is determined based on an amount of the initial wager.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein a rank of the second dealer hand is less than a rank of the first dealer hand and a rank of the second player hand is less than a rank of the first player hand.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to determine any awards by determining whether the first player hand beats the first dealer hand and whether the second player hand beats the second dealer hand.

7. 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 wager from a player for a play of a card game associated with a plurality of different card setting rules;

(b) display a designated quantity of player cards;

(c) enable the player to place an additional wager;

(d) if the player does not place the additional wager, enable the player to select one of a first set of at least one of, but less than all of, the card setting rules;

(e) if the player places the additional wager, enable the player to select one of a second set of at least one of the card setting rules, the first set and the second set being different;

(f) automatically form a first player hand and a second player hand according to the selected card setting rule;

(g) display a designated quantity of dealer cards;

(h) form a first dealer hand and a second dealer hand according to a dealer card setting rule; and

(i) determine and display any awards based on a comparison of the first and second player hands with the first and second dealer hands.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second set includes a designated card setting rule that the first set does not include.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said designated card setting rule provides a statistical advantage for the player that is greater than any statistical advantage provided to the player by any card setting rule of the first set.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein an amount of the additional wager is determined based on an amount of the initial wager.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a rank of the second dealer hand is less than a rank of the first dealer hand and a rank of the second player hand is less than a rank of the first player hand.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine any awards includes determining whether the first player hand beats the first dealer hand and whether the second player hand beats the second dealer hand.

13. The method of claim 7, which is provided through a data network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data network is an internet.

15. 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 wager from a player for a play of a card game associated with a plurality of different card setting rules;

(b) cause at least one display device to display a designated quantity of player cards;

(c) enable the player to place an additional wager;

(d) if the player does not place the additional wager, enable the player to select one of a first set of at least one of, but less than all of, the card selling rules;

(e) if the player places the additional wager, enable the player to select one of a second set of at least one of the card setting rules, the first set and the second set being different;

(f) automatically form a first player hand and a second player hand according to the selected card setting rule;

(g) cause the at least one display device to display a designated quantity of dealer cards;

(h) form a first dealer hand and a second dealer hand according to a dealer card setting rule; and

(i) determine and display any awards based on a comparison of the first and second player hands with the first and second dealer hands.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second set includes a designated card setting rule that the first set does not include.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said designated card setting rule provides a statistical advantage for the player that is greater than any statistical advantage provided to the player by any card setting rule of the first set.