U.S. patent application number 15/498164 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-10 for table game.
This patent application is currently assigned to Rolled Up Gaming Partners. The applicant listed for this patent is Rolled Up Gaming Partners. Invention is credited to Richard Brian Lopez, SHAWN MICHAEL VAN ASDALE.
Application Number | 20170228981 15/498164 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50485814 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170228981 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
VAN ASDALE; SHAWN MICHAEL ;
et al. |
August 10, 2017 |
TABLE GAME
Abstract
The present invention involves live gaming tables where players
make one or more wagers on the outcome of a game played according
to a predetermined set of rules. The table game is characterized by
having a progressive prize that may be won through the play of a
plurality of different bonus games. Each bonus game has a different
triggering event associated with it and is preferably
differentiated from the other bonus games by the probability of
winning the progressive prize through the bonus game. The
triggering event for each bonus game is preferably a combination of
cards formed by the players' hands, the dealer's hand and/or a
combination thereof. In additional embodiments of the present
invention, a plurality of different table games played with
different rules employ a plurality of bonus games associated with
the different tables that allows different table games with
otherwise disparate and fixed odds to have fair odds of winning a
communal progressive prize.
Inventors: |
VAN ASDALE; SHAWN MICHAEL;
(Reno, NV) ; Lopez; Richard Brian; (San Rafael,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Rolled Up Gaming Partners |
Reno |
NV |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Rolled Up Gaming Partners
Reno
NV
|
Family ID: |
50485814 |
Appl. No.: |
15/498164 |
Filed: |
April 26, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13656745 |
Oct 22, 2012 |
9662563 |
|
|
15498164 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/34 20130101;
G07F 17/3213 20130101; G07F 17/322 20130101; G07F 17/3293 20130101;
G07F 17/3209 20130101; G07F 17/326 20130101; G07F 17/3267 20130101;
A63F 9/24 20130101; G07F 17/3255 20130101; G07F 17/3258 20130101;
G07F 17/3262 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G07F 17/32 20060101
G07F017/32; G07F 17/34 20060101 G07F017/34; A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A system comprising: a table with a table layout designed for a
play of a card game, the table having, 1) a plurality of player
positions wherein each player position includes i) a first location
for placing one or more first gaming chips used as a primary wager
on the play of the card game wherein the primary wager is required
to play the card game at the player position and ii) a second
location for placing one or more second gaming chips used as a
secondary wager at the player position wherein the secondary wager
is required to be eligible for a progressive prize resulting from
the play of the card game at the player position and wherein the
primary wager and the secondary wager are placed prior to a
beginning of the play of the card game at the player position, 2) a
dealer position for a dealer, 3) a wager detection mechanism to
detect whether the one or more second gaming chips are at the
second location at each of the plurality of player positions and 4)
a display device visible to the players at the plurality of player
positions, 5) an input mechanism at the dealer position on the
table where an indication of an occurrence of at least a first card
hand in an instance of the play of the card game or an occurrence
of a second card hand in the instance of the play of the card game
is input; a computer including a memory and at least one executable
program, the computer operatively connected to the wager detection
mechanism, the input mechanism and the display device, the computer
programmed to i) determine an amount to increment the progressive
prize in response to a detection of the one or more second gaming
chips at each of plurality of player positions received from the
wager detection mechanism, ii) generate a plurality of bonus games
including a generation of a graphical presentation for each of the
plurality of bonus games wherein the plurality of bonus games
include a) a first bonus game generated in response to an
occurrence of the first card hand associated with the instance of
the play of the card game at a first player position having the
secondary wager or b) a second bonus game, from among the plurality
of bonus games, generated in response to an occurrence of a second
card hand associated with the instance of the play of the card game
at the first player position having the secondary wager wherein an
equal amount is incremented to the progressive prize whether the
first bonus game or the second bonus game is generated in the
instance; iii) when the first card hand occurs in the instance of
the play of the card game having the secondary wager, output a play
of the first bonus game on the display device iv) when the second
card hand occurs in the instance of the play of the card game
having the secondary wager, output the play of the second bonus
game on the display device; and v) award the progressive prize in
response to the play of the first bonus game or the play of the
second bonus game, wherein a first probability to award the
progressive prize as an outcome to the first bonus game resulting
from the play of the instance of the card game is different from a
second probability to award the progressive prize as an outcome to
the second bonus game resulting from the play of the instance of
the card game wherein an overall probability of awarding the
progressive prize during the play of the instance of the card game
is determined from at least the first probability and the second
probability, v) generate a random number; vi) in response to
receiving from the input mechanism a first indication of the
occurrence of the first card hand in the instance of the play of
the card game, generate the first bonus game including determining
an award to the first bonus game using the random number and output
the play of the first bonus game having the determined award to the
display device and, vii) in response to receiving from the input
mechanism a second indication of the occurrence of the second card
hand in the instance of the play of the card game, generate the
second bonus game including determining the award to the second
bonus game using the random number and output the play of the
second bonus game having the determined award to the display
device.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein a third probability of the first
card hand occurring during the play of the instance of the card
game is different than a second probability of the second card hand
occurring during the play of the instance of the card game.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first paytable that
is used to generate the first bonus game, wherein the first
paytable includes a third probability to award the progressive
prize as an outcome to the first bonus game resulting from the play
of the instance of the card game.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first pay table further
includes a fourth probability to award a prize separate from the
progressive prize as the outcome to the first bonus game resulting
from the play of the instance of the card game.
5. The system of claim 3, further comprising a second paytable that
is used to generate the second bonus game, wherein the second
paytable includes a fifth probability, which differs from the third
probability, to award the progressive prize as the outcome to the
second bonus game resulting from the play of the instance of the
card game.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the second pay table further
includes a sixth probability to award a second prize separate from
the progressive prize as the outcome to the second bonus game
resulting from the play of the instance of the card game.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the card game is played with at
least one predefined deck of playing cards.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the card game is one of either
black jack, pai gow, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Crazy For
Poker, 3 Hand Hold 'Em, Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em or a game based at
least in part on traditional rules of poker.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein game rules of the card game
comprise a plurality of predefined card hands made from at least
one predefined deck of playing cards and a predefined hierarchy of
card hands and wherein it is an object of the card game for a
player to have a card hand that is higher in the hierarchy than the
card hand made by a dealer.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first card hand or the
second card hand is an occurrence of a player's card hand, a
dealer's card hand or some combination thereof.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first card hand or the
second card hand is a predetermined combination of the playing
cards used by one or more players, the dealer, a group of community
cards or some combination thereof.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the secondary wager, required to
be eligible to win the progressive prize, is separate from the
primary wager, and wherein the primary wager is resolved in favor
of the player if a player's card hand beats a dealer's card hand
according to game rules for the card game.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein a multiplied return is awarded
from the secondary wager required to be eligible to win the
progressive prize and/or the primary wager upon the occurrence of
one of a plurality of predetermined combinations of playing cards
used by one or more of the players, the dealer, a group of
community cards or some combination thereof.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of
possible multipliers associated with a multiplied return, and
wherein a first portion of the multipliers are fixed for a portion
of predetermined combinations of playing cards, and wherein a
second portion of the multipliers are variably selected by one of
the plurality of bonus games.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism includes a
touch screen display accessible by the dealer and wherein the
computer is further programmed to output a list of selectable card
hands including at least the first card hand and the second card
hand to the touch screen display.
16. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second computer,
separate from the computer, configured to receive the amount to
increment the progressive prize from the computer.
17. The system of claim 1 wherein the input mechanism includes a
control pad or one or more input buttons.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphical presentation
includes a wheel or a reel.
19. The system of claim 1 wherein the outcome to the first bonus
game or the second bonus game is presented using a mechanical
device.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the mechanical device is one of
a mechanical wheel or a mechanical reel.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.120 and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
13/656,745, titled "TABLE GAME," filed Oct. 22, 2012, by Van
Asdale.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is an improved method and apparatus
for awarding a progressive prize on a casino table game. There are
a number of casino table games that are based on the rules of
poker, such as pai gow, as well as proprietary games such as 3 Hand
Hold 'Em.TM., Three Card Poker.TM., Crazy For Poker.TM., Ultimate
Texas Hold 'Em.TM. and others. Each of these games is typically
played with one standard deck of playing cards. Other popular
casino table games, such as blackjack, may be played with one or
more decks of cards.
[0003] The basic object of most casino table games is for the
player and house (represented by a dealer) to each make a hand. If
the house's hand is better than the player's hand, evaluated using
a predetermined set of rules, the player typically loses his wager.
If the player's hand is better than the house's, the player
typically is awarded a prize equal to his wager. In order for the
game to be profitable for the casino, the rules have to provide the
house with an edge over the player.
[0004] In some games, the house's edge in the game is large enough
that the player may be awarded a multiple of his wager in certain
situations. Players enjoy receiving multiplied returns on their
wagers. The house's edge is rarely great enough to support a
multiplier of greater than three however, and almost never greater
than ten. As the house's edge is increased, the players win much
less often and view the game as unfairly weighted to the house's
advantage and the game becomes less enjoyable for players. Thus, to
provide enjoyable table games, casinos must balance the player's
desire to receive a multiplied prize against the player's desire to
play a game where the house's edge is perceived as small.
[0005] One of the ways casinos achieve the desired balance is to
award multipliers based on the probability of the hand made by the
players or the house or a combination thereof. These hands can have
sufficiently rare probabilities that attractive multipliers can be
awarded to the player. For instance, in a five-card stud poker
game, the highest and rarest hand that can be achieved using a
standard fifty-two card deck and traditional poker hand rankings is
a royal flush (ace, king, queen, jack and ten, all of the same
suit). The probability of that hand occurring is 325,635 to 1. A
casino could conceivably pay a player a multiplier of
300,000.times. on a wager when they achieve a royal flush and still
maintain an edge.
[0006] The multiplier may be paid based on the player's primary
wager (typically the wager the player makes that their hand will be
better than the house's) or it may be paid on a separate side
wager. The advantage of using a side wager is that higher
multipliers may be paid while maintaining the house's edge. For
instance, if a five-card stud table game pays even money on a
primary wager and the player wins 48% of the time, the house's edge
would be 4% (i.e., 1-(2.times.0.48)=0.04). It will be understood by
those skilled in the art that if the house's edge is 4%, the return
to the player is the remainder from 100%, or 96%. Any additional
multiplier payout made on the primary wager would reduce the
house's edge further. So if a multiplier were to be paid for a
player receiving a royal flush, and only a royal flush, it would be
limited to approximately 13,025 to 1 (i.e., 4% of 325,635). As
additional hands other than a royal flush are included in the group
of hands that award multipliers, the maximum multiplier would be
reduced even further. By awarding multipliers on a side wager
versus a primary wager, the house is no longer constrained by the
4% edge associated with the primary wager.
[0007] With sufficiently rare hands, the casino can also award a
player a progressive prize. A progressive prize is generally
understood to be a large prize (typically the largest prize
available at a given game) with an amount that is increased over
time. This is typically done by taking a small portion of each
wager made and adding it to the progressive amount. Other
progressive prizes may increment solely on the amount of time it
takes for a player to win it. Still further, progressive prizes
have been suggested that decrease over time or that reset to a
minimum value once a maximum value is reached. Typically the
progressive prize could only be won by a player at a table game by
achieving the rarest hand possible (e.g., a royal flush in
five-card stud). To further increase the odds, some casinos have
specified additional restraints, such as suit (e.g., a royal flush
in spades in the five-card stud game). In such instances, lesser or
more commonly occurring hands (e.g., a royal flush in any of the
other three suits) may be awarded a small percentage, perhaps 10%,
of the progressive. By requiring a rarer hand to win the
progressive prize, casinos ensure that the progressive prize will
grow for a longer period of time. Players typically are attracted
to games with larger progressive prizes. However, it is believed
that players also become frustrated if the progressive prize is too
difficult to achieve. Therefore, once again casinos are left to
find the best balance for a game that is profitable to the casino
and enjoyable to the player.
[0008] Two related inventions that attempt to allow casinos and
game designers to more easily achieve this balance is Johnson, U.S.
Pat. No. 7,931,532 and Place, U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,285 issued to
Paltronics and incorporated herein by reference. These references
generally teach allowing table game player to play a bonus game
driven by a computer generated random number (or random number
generator or RNG) whenever the player achieves a specific
qualifying event (e.g., a black jack in a twenty-one game). The
bonus game disclosed is a physical wheel which is spun to indicate
one of a variety of payouts, one of which includes the progressive
prize.
[0009] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that by
adding the intermediate bonus game, these references necessarily
decrease the probability of the player winning the progressive.
Indeed, this is the stated intent of Place. For instance, if in the
hypothetical five-card stud game previously discussed, the player
gets to play the bonus game disclosed in Johnson and Place upon
achieving a royal flush, and the bonus game awards the progressive
once every hundred tries, then the odds of winning the progressive
are 325,635 (the odds of a royal flush) times 100 (the odds of
winning the progressive in the bonus game) or 32,563,500 to 1.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention improves on the prior art by providing
players the opportunity to achieve at least one of a plurality of
qualifying events for at least one of a plurality of bonus games.
In the preferred embodiment, the method for the player to qualify
for a bonus game will be for the player and/or the house to achieve
one of a plurality of predetermined hand combinations. The
qualifying event will entitle the player to play one of a plurality
of bonus games. Preferably, each qualifying event will be
associated with a different bonus game and the bonus games will be
at least differentiable by the probability of winning a progressive
prize and/or their expected return to the player.
[0011] By providing a plurality of qualifying events and a
plurality of differentiated bonus games, the casino and/or table
game designer is afforded a much greater flexibility in awarding a
progressive prize. The progressive prize can now be awarded more or
less frequently, as the casino desires. Additionally, prior art
games were generally constrained by the inherently fixed odds of
achieving a specific hand combination in a table game using a
standard playing deck of cards for a given game's established
rules. Therefore it was impractical for two different types of
table games to compete for the same progressive prize. The present
invention overcomes that limitation and allows players of multiple
distinct games the opportunity to fairly contribute to a single
progressive prize and compete for the prize through a plurality of
bonus games.
[0012] These and other advantages of the present invention will
become more clear as explained below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a first table layout that may be used for
implementing the present invention on a pai gow poker game.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a second table layout that may be used for
implementing the present invention on a Four Card Poker.TM.
game.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a functional view of a display device and control
pad shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as well as a computer that may be used
for implementing the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic of a computer that may be used for
implementing the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a schematic showing a plurality of tables
networked to implement the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] One embodiment of the present invention may be played on a
table 50 as shown in FIG. 1. The layout for table 50 is designed to
accommodate a pai gow game. A dealer employed by the casino stands
behind the table 50 with access to a tray 55. The tray 55 holds
chips of various denominations used to pay out players' winning
wagers. Each player sits at the table 50 behind a player position
60. In the pai gow poker embodiment shown, each player position has
a high hand position 62a, and a low hand position 62b. Each hand
position 62 also has an associated primary wager circle 64 located
directly in front of the high hand position 62a where players place
their primary wagers on the hand. Each hand position 62 also has an
associated secondary wager circle 65 located adjacent to the
primary wager circle 64 where players place their secondary wagers
on the hand. Preferably, the table 50 also has at least one legend
66 showing the multiplier associated with certain hands. The table
50 is also equipped with a video display 80. The video display is
used to display the bonus games of the present invention and is
under control of a dealer control pad 82.
[0019] Play of the game begins by each player placing a wager in
the primary wager circles 64 of their player position 60. The
players may also place a wager in the secondary wager circles 65 of
their player position 60. In the preferred embodiment, the
secondary wager is voluntary and the primary wager is mandatory.
However, in alternative embodiments the secondary wager may be
mandatory. Once all of the wagers have been placed, the dealer
deals seven cards to at least each occupied player position 60 and
to the dealer from a randomly shuffled deck of cards. Preferably it
is a standard playing card deck with fifty-two suited cards and one
joker that can be used as an ace or to complete a straight, flush
or straight flush.
[0020] The player then examines his cards and divides them into a
high hand consisting of five cards and a low hand consisting of two
cards. The rules of pai gow poker dictate that the high hand (using
standard five-card poker hand rankings) must be higher in value
than the two card hand. The standard rank of five-card poker hands
is shown in the table below:
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 5 CARD POKER HANDS Royal Flush Straight
Flush Four of a Kind Full House Flush Straight Three of a Kind Two
Pair One Pair High Card
[0021] The player indicates his hand is set by placing the high
hand in the high hand position 62a and the low hand in the low hand
position 62b. Once all of the player hands are set, the dealer
reveals her hand and sets the hand according to pre-established
house rules. The dealer sets her high hand in a dealer high hand
position 70 and her low hand in a dealer low hand position 68.
[0022] The dealer then reveals each of the player's hands and
compares them to the dealer's hands. The primary wager is resolved
as follows: If player's high hand beats the dealer's high hand and
the player's low hand beats the dealer's low hand, the dealer pays
the player even money on the primary wager in primary wager circle
64. If player's high hand loses to the dealer's high hand and the
player's low hand loses to the dealer's low hand, the player loses
and the dealer collects the primary wager in primary wager circle
64. All other instances result in a push between the dealer and the
player.
[0023] After the dealer has resolved the primary wager, the dealer
evaluates the secondary wager. Preferably the secondary wager is
paid according to the pay table shown on the legend 66. Each player
hand is preferably evaluated regardless of how the player chose to
set their hand. For instance, a player dealt a full house that
chooses to play three of a kind for his high hand and a pair for
his low hand is still paid for a full house. The seven-card hand
rankings, with the associated multipliers that are paid for the
player's secondary wager for a prior art game are shown in the
table below:
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 PRIOR ART 7 CARD HANDS AND PAYS HAND
PROBABILITY PAY 7 Card St Flush No Joker 2.07599E-07 Progressive 7
Card St Flush W/ Joker 1.27155E-06 1000 5 Aces 7.31788E-06 400
Royal Flush 0.000169271 150 Straight Flush 0.001197874 50 Four of a
Kind 0.001994718 25 Full House 0.027172988 5 Flush 0.040041292 4
Three of a Kind 0.049775183 3 Straight 0.071584167 2 All Other
Hands 0.808055710 0 1.000000000
[0024] The seven-card hand rankings, with the associated pay table
(that is preferably shown legend 66) for a preferred embodiment of
the present invention applied to a pai gow poker game are shown in
the table below:
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 7 CARD HANDS AND PAYS HAND PROBABILITY PAY 7
Card St Flush No Joker 2.07599E-07 Progressive 7 Card St Flush W/
Joker 1.27155E-06 Bonus Game 1 5 Aces 7.31788E-06 Bonus Game 2
Royal Flush 0.000169271 Bonus Game 3 Straight Flush 0.001197874
Bonus Game 4 Four of a Kind 0.001994718 Bonus Game 5 Full House
0.027172988 Bonus Game 6 Flush 0.040041292 4 Three of a Kind
0.049775183 3 Straight 0.071584167 2 All Other Hands 0.808055710 0
1.000000000
[0025] As demonstrated by Table 3, whenever a player achieves a
flush, straight or three of a kind, they receive a fixed multiplier
on their secondary wager, as in the prior art game. Whenever a
player achieves the rarest hand possible, the seven-card straight
flush without the use of a joker, the player is awarded the
progressive prize without further play as in the prior art game
demonstrated on Table 2. However when the player achieves one of
the six hands comprising a seven-card straight flush with a joker,
five aces (using the joker), a royal flush (with or without the
joker), a straight flush (with or without the joker), four of a
kind or a full house, the player will be awarded the opportunity to
play a bonus game. The bonus game to be played is determined by the
combination of cards, or hand hierarchy, achieved.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 3, in the preferred embodiment, each
of the six hands that qualify the player to play a bonus game,
entitle the player to play a bonus game that is specific to the
qualifying hand. The bonus game to be played is preferably played
on the video display 80. In the preferred embodiment each of the
bonus games is the spin of a wheel 300 on the video display 80. The
wheel 300 is divided into six segments, 300A, 300B, 300C, 300D,
300E and 300F. Each segment indicates a prize. Preferably, one of
the segments indicates that the player has won the progressive
prize. The other segments preferably indicate a multiplier that the
player is paid on his secondary wager.
[0027] The segment and therefore the prize to be awarded to the
player is indicated by a pointer 305. In practice, the wheel is
spun and the segment is selected using a computer 400 executing a
RNG using methods well known in the art. The probability of a
specific segment being selected can therefore be weighted as
desired.
[0028] The amount of the progressive prize may also be shown on the
video display 80 in a banner 310 that is continually updating the
amount of the progressive. Alternatively, the amount of the
progressive may be shown on a separate display (not shown).
[0029] In the preferred embodiment the dealer enters a player's
qualifying hand in the control pad 82. The control pad 82
communicates with the computer 400 via an input pathway 410 and the
computer 400 alters the video output sent to the video display 80
via a video pathway 420 to display the appropriate bonus wheel 300.
In the exemplar shown on FIG. 3 a wheel corresponding to Bonus Game
1 is being shown. The bonus game may then be played automatically
or initiated through additional input from the dealer or player
through the control pad 82 or additional inputs, such as buttons
installed at each player position (not shown).
[0030] Each bonus wheel 300 comprises the bonus game and can be
defined by the multiplier values shown on the segments 300A to 300F
as well as the probability of each segment being selected. Tables 4
to 9 below shows the bonus games and average return to the player
for the preferred embodiment of the present game where the
progressive resets at an amount of $5,000 and the secondary wager
is $1. The bonus game shown on the display device 80 in FIG. 3
corresponds to Bonus Game 1 below.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 BONUS GAME 1 - 7 CARD STRAIGHT FLUSH W/
JOKER SEGMENT PRIZE PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.02000 100 B
2,500X 0.08000 200 C 1000X 0.20000 200 D 900X 0.24000 216 E 800X
0.26000 208 F 600X 0.20000 120 1.00000 1044
[0031] By displaying a different wheel 300 with different amounts
indicated in segments 300A-F, the same display 80 can also be used
to play the following bonus games:
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 BONUS GAME 2 - 5 ACES SEGMENT PRIZE
PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00160 8.0 B 800X 0.04800 38.4 C
600X 0.08000 48.0 D 400X 0.28000 112.0 E 300X 0.31200 93.6 F 250X
0.27840 69.6 1.00000 369.6
TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 BONUS GAME 3 - ROYAL FLUSH SEGMENT PRIZE
PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00100 5.0 B 250X 0.04000 10.0 C
200X 0.08000 16.0 D 150X 0.32000 48.0 E 100X 0.35100 35.1 F 75X
0.20800 15.6 1.00000 129.7
TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 BONUS GAME 4 - STRAIGHT FLUSH SEGMENT PRIZE
PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00040 2.00 B 250X 0.08000 8.00 C
200X 0.11960 8.97 D 150X 0.18000 9.00 E 100X 0.32000 9.60 F 75X
0.30000 6.00 1.00000 43.57
TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 BONUS GAME 5 - 4 OF A KIND SEGMENT PRIZE
PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00020 1.000 B 50X 0.01000 0.5000
C 30X 0.02000 0.6000 D 25X 0.24000 6.000 E 20X 0.37500 7.500 F 15X
0.35480 5.322 1.00000 20.922
TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 BONUS GAME 6 - FULL HOUSE SEGMENT PRIZE
PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00004 0.2000 B 8X 0.02000 0.1600
C 6X 0.05996 0.3598 D 5X 0.32000 1.6000 E 4X 0.32000 1.2800 F 3X
0.28000 0.8400 1.00000 4.4398
[0032] The total return to the player for the secondary wager can
be calculated by summing the return to the player for each hand
combination along with the percentage contribution of each bet that
is added to the progressive prize. The return for each hand is the
probability of each hand times the average return to the player for
that hand, when expressed as a "for one" pay for its associated
bonus game (e.g., the return on a full house is
0.027172988.times.(4.44+1)=0.147814531). Similarly, the probability
of a player winning the progressive prize can be calculated by
summing the probability of a qualifying hand by the probability of
winning the progressive through the associated bonus game. These
two calculations are illustrated for the discussed preferred
embodiment in Table 10 below:
TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 PAI GOW SECONDARY WAGER RETURNS HAND RETURN
PROGRESSIVE WIN 7 Card St Flush No Joker 0.001038204 2.07599E-07 7
Card St Flush W/ Joker 0.001328765 2.54309E-08 5 Aces 0.002712005
1.17086E-08 Royal Flush 0.022123759 1.69271E-07 Straight Flush
0.053389248 4.7915E-07 Four of a Kind 0.043728211 3.98944E-07 Full
House 0.147814531 1.08692E-06 Flush 0.200206458 0 Three of a Kind
0.199100732 0 Straight 0.214752501 0 All Other Hands 0.00000000 0
Progressive Contribution 0.05000000 0.936194414 2.37902E-06
[0033] Therefore, the secondary wager in the preferred embodiment
discussed has a house edge of approximately 6.4%. By inverting the
total probability of winning the progressive, the average number of
hands required for the progressive to be won, or progressive cycle,
can also be determined. In the preferred embodiment discussed the
progressive cycle is 420,341 games (e.g. 1/2.37902E-06). It will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that the progressive cycle
for the prior art games was always greater than 4,816,971. Thus,
through the addition of a plurality of bonus games and associated
qualifying events the progressive cycle has been reduced to a level
more desired by the casino.
[0034] Preferably, as indicated in the previously discussed
embodiment, the probability of the hand resulting in the bonus game
is inversely related to the probability of winning the progressive
prize by playing the associated bonus game. In other words, when
players qualify for a bonus game with rarer hand, they are more
likely to win the progressive prize relative to when players
qualify for a bonus game with a hand that is not as rare.
[0035] Although the bonus games in the preferred embodiment have
been described as a plurality of video reels, there is no
requirement that all of the bonus games be the same type of game.
For instance, one of the bonus games could be a video reel, or a
group of reels as is routinely used in slot machines. Other bonus
games are also possible. Additionally, although the bonus games
described have been played in a video format, it would be a simple
matter to develop one or more mechanical bonus games, such as a
mechanical wheel. The use of the video display 80 is preferable
because the plurality of bonus games can readily be played on a
single device, however.
[0036] FIG. 4 shows the primary components comprising the computer
400 used in the present invention. The computer 400 comprises a
processor 200 and memory device 210. Preferably the computer 400 is
located at the gaming table, but it should be appreciated that it
is possible for both the processor 200 and memory device 210 to
reside at a central location instead of at the gaming table. In
such a situation, a network server may be used to communicate to
the gaming device over an Internet connection, local area network
(LAN), or wide area network (WAN).
[0037] The computer 400 is configured to output video to one or
more display devices 230 using a video controller 270 or
controllers 275. The display devices 230 preferably include the
control pad 82 and video display 80. Preferably the computer 400
receives inputs from a touch screen 260 affixed to the control pad
82 utilizing a touch screen controller 265. Other input devices
220, such as buttons, may also be utilized by either the player or
the dealer to communicate with the computer 400. Other input
devices 220 may be used to detect wagers placed in the wager
circles 65 and 64. In addition to video output, the computer may
provide audio output via a sound card 240 and speakers 250.
[0038] The computer 400 has two primary purposes in the present
invention. The first is to administer the progressive prize and
increment accordingly. This is done by storing the amount of the
progressive prize in memory 210. Additionally, preferably secondary
wagers placed on secondary wager circles 65 are detected using
methods well known in the gaming art, such as, but not limited to,
mechanically detecting a gaming chip placed in a slot, or using
light, sonic waves, RFID technology or cameras communicating with
pattern recognition software to detect the presence and/or
denomination of gaming chips. Such systems are generally described
in Bahar, U.S. Pat. No. 7,559,839, incorporated herein by
reference. The current amount of the progressive prize is
preferably shown by the computer 400 using one of the display
devices 230.
[0039] The second primary purpose of the computer 400 is to conduct
the play of the plurality of bonus games. Preferably the software
for play of the bonus games, including probabilities, pays,
associated animations and a RNG are stored on the memory 210.
[0040] Additional advantages of the present invention will now be
described by discussing another embodiment utilizing a different
basic table game. FIG. 2 shows a table 52 suitable for playing a
table game known as Four Card Poker.TM. as described in U.S. Pat.
No. 7,584,966 issued to Shuffle Master, Inc. In the game, each
player places an initial primary wager in a first primary wager
circle 64a as well as a secondary wager in secondary wager circle
65. Each player and the dealer is then dealt five cards from a
standard card deck of fifty-two cards that they use to make a
four-card poker hand. If the player desires to play his hand
against the dealer's the player places an additional primary wager
in second primary wager circle 64b and places his hand in a player
hand position 62c. If the player doesn't desire to play further, he
folds his hand and the dealer collects the wagers from circles 65
and 64a.
[0041] Once all player hands are set, the dealer reveals the
dealer's hand at a dealer hand position 69. Each player's hand is
then compared to the dealer's hand using a predetermined hierarchy
of hands and the player is paid on for winning hands on the primary
wagers. If the player's hand is sufficiently high on the hierarchy
of hands, they were also paid, in the prior art game, a fixed
multiplier of the player's secondary wager. By applying the present
invention to this known game a plurality of bonus games will now be
awarded to the player in lieu of the fixed multiplier. The
hierarchy for the four card poker hands as well as the pays (which
are indicated on legend 66) and probabilities associated with each
in a preferred embodiment are shown in Table 11, below:
TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 4 CARD HANDS AND PROBABILITIES HAND
PROBABILITY PAY 4 Aces 1.84689E-05 Bonus Game 7 4 Kings to Tens
7.38757E-05 Bonus Game 8 4 Nines to Twos 0.000147751 Bonus Game 9
Straight Flush 0.000797242 Bonus Game 10 Three of a Kind
0.022569028 Bonus Game 11 Flush 0.044100717 4 Straight 0.039172592
3 Two Pair 0.047539016 2 Pair of Aces 0.031203251 Push All Other
Hands 0.814378059 0 1.000000000
[0042] As with the Bonus Games 1 to 6 for the previous embodiment
involving pai gow, Bonus Games 7 to 11 for an embodiment of the
present invention for use in a Four Card Poker.TM. game can be
defined by the following Tables 12 to 16.
TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 BONUS GAME 7 - 4 ACES SEGMENT PRIZE
PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.040132 200.6600 B 2,500 0.040000
100.0000 C 1,500 0.200000 300.0000 D 1,000 0.239880 239.8800 E 700
0.240000 168.0000 F 500 0.239988 119.9940 1.00000 1128.5340
TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 13 BONUS GAME 8 - 4 KINGS TO 4 TENS SEGMENT
PRIZE PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00416 20.800 B 500 0.15780
78.900 C 300 0.20000 60.000 D 250 0.20400 51.000 E 150 0.20800
31.200 F 100 0.22604 22.604 1.00000 264.504
TABLE-US-00014 TABLE 14 BONUS GAME 9 - 4 NINES TO 4 TWOS SEGMENT
PRIZE PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00160 8.00 B 250 0.07040
17.60 C 150 0.08000 12.00 D 100 0.32000 32.00 E 75 0.32000 24.00 F
50 0.20800 10.40 1.00000 104.00
TABLE-US-00015 TABLE 15 BONUS GAME 10 - STRAIGHT FLUSH SEGMENT
PRIZE PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00024 1.2000 B 100 0.17976
17.9760 C 70 0.22400 15.6800 D 50 0.24000 12.0000 E 35 0.23600
8.2600 F 20 0.12000 2.4000 1.00000 57.5160
TABLE-US-00016 TABLE 16 BONUS GAME 11 - 3 OF A KIND SEGMENT PRIZE
PROBABILITY RETURN A Progressive 0.00004 0.2000 B 25 0.10000 2.5000
C 10 0.26000 2.6000 D 8 0.32000 2.5600 E 5 0.19996 0.9998 F 4
0.12000 0.4800 1.00000 9.3398
[0043] Again, the total return to the player for the secondary
wager in an embodiment suited for the game Four Card Poker.TM. can
be calculated by summing the return to the player for each hand
combination along with the percentage contribution of each bet that
is added to the progressive prize. The return for each hand is the
probability of each hand times the average return to the player for
that hand, when expressed as a "for one" pay for its associated
bonus game. Similarly, the probability of a player winning the
progressive prize can be calculated by summing the probability of a
qualifying hand by the probability of winning the progressive
through the associated bonus game. These probabilities are
illustrated for the discussed embodiment of Four Card Poker.TM. in
Table 17 below:
TABLE-US-00017 TABLE 17 FOUR CARD POKER .TM. SECONDARY WAGER
RETURNS HAND RETURN PROGRESSIVE WIN 4 Aces 0.020861280 7.41195E-07
4 K's to Tens 0.019614295 3.07323E-07 4 Nines to Twos 0.015513898
2.36402E-07 Straight Flush 0.046651411 1.91338E-07 3 of a Kind
0.233359232 9.02761E-07 Flush 0.220503586 0 Straight 0.156690368 0
Two Pair 0.142617047 0 Pair of Aces 0.031203251 0 All Other Hands
0.000000000 0 Progressive Contribution 0.05000000 0.937014368
2.37902E-06
[0044] As demonstrated before, the progressive cycle is the inverse
of the total probability of winning the progressive, 420,341
hands.
[0045] By comparing Tables 3 and 10 with Tables 11 and 17 some
important similarities as well as differences between the two
exemplars will become apparent. First, it will be appreciated that
the probabilities of the rarest hands in each exemplar game differ
by nearly two orders of magnitude. The seven card straight flush
with no joker in pai gow is almost 100 times less probable than the
four aces in Four Card Poker.TM.. However, by utilizing the present
invention, the probability of a player winning the progressive on a
given pai gow hand has been shifted to be greater than the
probability of the of the rarest hand. In contrast, by utilizing
the present invention, the probability of a player winning the
progressive on a given hand of Four Card Poker.TM. has been shifted
to be less than the probability of the rarest hand.
[0046] But more importantly, the probability of a player winning
the progressive prize in either game is now substantially equal. In
fact, the progressive cycle for the two games is identical to the
nearest whole number. By equalizing the progressive cycle, the two
disparate games can now contribute to, and play for the same
progressive prize fairly. Gambling regulators often require this
level of fairness for two games to contribute and vie for the same
progressive prize. Therefore, for the purposes of this invention,
substantially equal probabilities of winning the progressive prize
or the progressive cycle should be understood to mean meeting the
required level of fairness imposed by various gaming regulators in
the United States.
[0047] Similarly, a progressive prize that is fairly awarded should
be understood to mean that when players of two different types of
games are both contributing to a single progressive prize, each
player will have a substantially equal chance of winning the prize
if their contributions to the prize are equal. Although it is
preferable to have each player's contribution be equal when
calculated on a "per wager" basis, it should be understood that
this does not need to be the case as long as the overall
contribution of each player is proportional to the player's chances
of winning the prize. Thus, if a player of game A contributes $1 to
a progressive prize for each play of game A and game A has, based
on the chances of winning the prize at game A, a progressive cycle
of 100,000 games, the progressive prize could be fairly competed
for by a player of game B, if a player of game B contributes $2 to
the prize for each play of game B if game B has a progressive cycle
of 50,000 games. Both the player of games A and B would contribute,
on average $100,000 to the progressive prize before it is won.
[0048] Referring now to FIG. 5 a plurality of tables networked
together to share a common progressive prize will now be described.
Tables 50a and 50b are pai gow tables as described above. Tables
52c and 52d are Four Card Poker tables as described above. Each
table has a local computer 400a-d that now performs the primary
function of conducting the bonus games at its associated table
50a-b and 52c-d. Additionally, local computers 400a-d may perform
some of the duties of administering the progressive prize.
Preferably, these duties comprise collecting information about the
wagers place at each computer's table and relaying that information
over a network pathway 430 to a centralized progressive controller
425. The centralized controller 425 may be similar in construction
to local computer 400. Centralized controller 425 collects
progressive contribution data from the plurality of tables and
maintains the amount of the progressive prize. The amount may then
be relayed back to the local computers 400a-d so that local
computers 400a-d can display the amount, preferably on video
displays 80a-d. Alternatively, centralized controller 425 may
directly communicate with a plurality of local displays.
[0049] The centralized controller 425 may physically reside on the
same casino floor as tables 50a-b and 52c-d or it may be located at
a remote site. In such a configuration disparate table games on
different casino floors can be linked to the same progressive
prize. Network pathway 430 may comprise an Internet connection, a
wired or wireless local area network (LAN) or a wide area network
(WAN). Further, it may include additional servers, switches and
other networking hardware for relaying the required data.
[0050] Other combinations, orders of operation, additions and
modifications to the foregoing may also be made without departing
from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the foregoing should
be considered illustrative rather than limiting the invention,
which is defined only by the following claims.
* * * * *