| Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry awardRelated Patent Categories: Amusement Devices: Games, Including Means For Processing Electronic Data (e.g., Computer/video Game, Etc.), In A Game Requiring Strategy Or Problem Solving By A Participant (e.g., Problem Eliciting Response, Puzzle, Etc.), With Chance Element Or Event (e.g., Backgammon, Scrabble, Etc.), Card- Or Tile-type (e.g., Bridge, Dominoes, Etc.), Ultimate Outcome Dependant Upon Relative Odds Of A Card Or Tile Combination (e.g., Poker, Etc.)Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070218968, Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to wagering games, casino table wagering games, casino table playing card wagering games, and variants of casino table wagering games that use poker ranks in determining outcomes. [0003] 2. Background of the Art [0004] Conventional card or wagering game tournaments require the players to pay an entry fee. This fee can vary but is commonly fairly expensive. After the entry fee is paid, the players play with tournament chips, which they do not purchase. Thus, the entry fee is typically the only cost of participation. [0005] Although such tournaments are exciting and fun for the players and audience, they often lack participants. This can be for a variety of reasons, the most obvious of which is that instead of paying the tournament entry fee, players would rather use that money to play on their own. [0006] It has been found that tournament participation has been increased by televising the events. However, this can be expensive. Moreover, this can be risky in that the organizers can suffer a financial loss should player participation not at least meet a minimum amount. [0007] There have been previous attempts at increasing tournament participation. For example, LET IT RIDE BONUS.RTM. Poker, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,614, entitled MULTI-TIERED WAGERING METHOD AND GAME, and the more basic play of LET IT RIDE.RTM. casino table poker game as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,273,424 and 5,288,081 disclose a card game in which the player plays a five card poker game. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,544,892 and 6,019,374 disclose a "Tournament" form of this game, among other things. The aforementioned patents are all assigned to Shuffle Master, Inc. The contents of these patents are also incorporated herein by reference. [0008] In the "Bonus" form of the LET IT RIDE.RTM. game, the player has an option to make a side bet on the occurrence of certain predetermined card combinations. The card combinations that qualify for bonus payments are a subset of winning card combinations appearing on the pay table in the base game, commonly the highest raking card combinations. In the "Tournament" form of the game, an optional side bet is made. The player qualifies for bonus payouts as described in the Bonus form of the game. Additionally, for certain high ranking hands, such as a royal flush, the player qualifies to return and participate in a playoff event. [0009] For reasons such as those cited above, among others, there is a compelling interest in developing methods that would increase player participation in wagering game tournaments. It would especially be beneficial and desirable to casinos, gaming suppliers, and players, if such a method was uncomplicated and did not add further burden or expense. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method which meets the aforementioned needs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention meets the aforementioned needs, among other things, by providing a new and interesting wagering games and methods for increasing tournament participation. [0011] In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of playing a wagering game using standard playing cards which includes a side bet wager providing players with the chance to win entry to a separate wagering game tournament, the method comprising the steps of: placing a wager on an underlying wagering game with predetermined rules; placing a side bet wager, wherein the outcome of the side wager depends on a comparison of the player's hand rank with a plurality of preset criteria; dealing the cards to form a player's hand and a dealer's hand; comparing the player's hand with the plurality of preset criteria to resolve the side bet wager, and awarding both a monetary amount determined by multiplying the side bet wager by a specific multiple, and wherein at least one of the plurality of preset criteria is operatively associated with the granting of a second award to a player upon satisfaction thereof, the second award including an entry pass to a separate wagering game tournament. The specific multiple is preferably based on the particular preset criteria satisfied. [0012] Preferably, the underlying game is one in which the player plays against the dealer's hand. In one embodiment, the plurality of preset criteria comprise at least one standard poker hand rank, and may comprise poker hand rankings of royal flush, straight flush, flush, straight and three-of-a-kind. Preferably, the preset criteria operatively associated with the granting of a second award to a player comprises a royal flush. [0013] In a preferred embodiment, the underlying game is Three Card Poker.RTM., a game marketed by Shuffle Master, Inc. The side wager may be optional or mandatory. Preferably, the plurality of preset criteria comprise poker hand rankings of a pair, flush, straight, three-of-a-kind, straight flush and mini-royal flush, and the second award is granted to players receiving a mini-royal flush. The monetary award is preferably determined by the following paytable: TABLE-US-00001 Player's hand rank Ratio of first award to side bet wager Pair 1 to 1 Flush 4 to 1 Straight 6 to 1 Three-of-a-Kind 25 to 1 Straight Flush 40 to 1 Mini Royal Flush 50 to 1 [0014] The present invention is also directed to a method of qualifying for tournament play, comprising: placing a first wager to play an underlying casino card game; placing a second wager on the occurrence of one of a plurality of predetermined winning card combinations; dealing cards to each player; dealing cards to a dealer when the casino card game rules so require; resolving the first wager according to the rules of the casino card game; resolving the second wager against the predetermined winning card combinations and when a player holds a predetermined winning card combination, a payout is made, and when the winning card combination is designated for tournament entry, awarding the winning player an entry voucher. The entry voucher may be transferable. [0015] The underlying casino game is typically a game where the players play against a dealer hand, and in a preferred embodiment, the game is a Three Card Poker.RTM. game. In such an embodiment, the first and second bets are preferably mandatory, but the first and/or second bets may be optional. The designated tournament entry hand is preferably a mini-royal. Winning payouts on the second bet are preferably resolved using a pay table. In another embodiment, the earnings from the second bet are used to fund tournament prizes. [0016] The present invention is also directed to a multi-player platform that provides multiple player positions for live players to engage in an interactive wagering game with a virtual dealer and virtual cards comprising at least two player positions that enable players to place wagers on the game, a display system for showing a virtual dealer, a display system for showing the virtual cards used in play of the game, and a database that contains the rules of the wagering game, and a game engine for processing a game script including instructional steps enabling game play for each player according to the rules in the database. [0017] In one embodiment, the multi-player platform is configured and adapted to operate a game having a game script comprising the steps of: receiving a wager on an underlying game with predetermined rules; receiving a side wager from a player, wherein the outcome of the side bet wager depends on a comparison of the player's hand rank with a plurality of preset criteria; dealing cards to form a player's hand and a dealer's hand; comparing the player's hand with the plurality of preset criteria to resolve the side bet wager, and awarding both a monetary amount determined by multiplying the side bet wager by a specific multiple, the specific multiple being based on the particular preset criteria satisfied, and wherein at least one of the plurality of preset criteria is operatively associated with the granting of a second award to a player upon satisfaction thereof, the second award including an entry pass to a separate wagering game tournament. [0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned game and platform are configured and adapted so that the plurality of preset criteria comprise at least one standard poker hand rank. [0019] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned game and platform are configured and adapted so that the at least one of the plurality of preset criteria operatively associated with the granting of a second award to a player comprises a royal flush. [0020] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned game and platform are configured and adapted so that the underlying game is a Three Card Poker.RTM. game. The game and platform may be configured and adapted so that the side wager is mandatory. The side wager may also be optional. In this embodiment, the game and platform may also be configured and adapted so that the plurality of preset criteria comprise poker hand rankings of a pair, flush, straight, three-of-a-kind, straight flush and mini-royal flush, and the second award is granted to a player that receives a mini-royal flush. [0021] The present invention is also directed to a system for playing a wagering game comprising a database, a processor and a user interface. The database preferably is configured and adapted for storing game data relating to rules of a poker-type game and a side wager associated therewith, side wager winning criteria and a pay table relating thereto. The processor is preferably configured and adapted for: receiving a wager on an underlying game with predetermined rules; receiving a side wager from a player, wherein the outcome of the side bet wager depends on a comparison of the player's hand rank with a plurality of preset criteria; dealing cards to form a player's hand and a dealer's hand; and comparing the player's hand with the plurality of preset criteria to resolve the side bet wager, and awarding both a monetary amount determined by multiplying the side bet wager by a specific multiple, the specific multiple being based on the particular preset criteria satisfied, and wherein at least one of the plurality of preset criteria is operatively associated with the granting of a second award to a player upon satisfaction thereof, the second award including an entry pass to a separate wagering game tournament. The user interface may also be configured and adapted for facilitating player wagers and communicating game activity. [0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the user interface is a portable, semi-portable or handheld device configured to provide the player with access to a game through wireless communication with other system components. Continue reading about Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award... Full patent description for Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: User interface device for electronic game using cards Next Patent Application: Configurable celebration system Industry Class: Amusement devices: games ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Wagering game with side wager providing tournament entry award patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.6022 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Software: Finance , AI , Databases , Development , Document , Navigation , Error 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
