Video poker system and method with bet allocation
View Patent ↗A method includes displaying a first set of card representations at a display device of a player station. This first set of card representations is divided into a number of card representation subsets. The method also includes receiving a subset selection input and a wager allocation input at the player station. The subset selection input selects a first and second subset of card representations from the various subsets that have been displayed. Each of these different subsets will be used together with a second, “community” set of card representations displayed at the player station to produce a respective final hand for the player. The wager allocation input allocates a wager amount between the first and second subsets of card representations. First and second prize values are awarded for hands produced from the selected subsets combined with the community card set and considering the wager allocations.
1. A method including:
(a) displaying a first set of card representations at a display device of a player station, the first set of card representations being divided into a number of card representation subsets representing mutually exclusive starting hands;
(b) receiving a subset selection input at the player station, the subset selection input selecting a first subset of card representations and a second subset of card representations from the first set of card representations;
(c) receiving a wager allocation input at the player station, the wager allocation input allocating a wager amount between the first subset of card representations and the second subset of card representations;
(d) identifying a first and second result based on either a bingo game outcome or a predetermined outcome record;
(e) displaying a second set of card representations at the player station display device, the second set chosen to combine with the first and second subsets and produce respective hands consistent with the first and second results; and
(f) awarding a first prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the first subset of card representations, and awarding a second prize value based on an optimum hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the second subset of card representations.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first subset of card representations and the second subset of card representations each includes two card representations.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first subset of card representations and the second subset of card representations are displayed card face up.
4. The method of claim 1 further including displaying a hand value indicator proximate each of the card representation subsets, including one or more card representation subsets that were not selected by the subset selection input, each hand value indicator identifying the optimum hand produced by combining the respective card representation subset with the second set of card representations.
5. The method of claim 1 further including receiving a wager input specifying the wager, the wager input being received prior to displaying the first set of card representations at the display device.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
(a) the subset selection input selects at least one additional subset of card representations;
(b) the wager allocation input includes an allocation from the wager amount to the additional subset of card representations; and
(c) further including awarding an additional prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the additional subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the additional subset of card representations.
7. The method of claim 1 further including:
(a) identifying the first and second results for the player prior to displaying the second set of card representations, the first result being associated with a first result payout value and the second result being associated with a second result payout value; and
(b) selecting the card representations for the second set of card representations so that the first result payout value is equal to one of the first prize value or the second prize value, and so that the second result payout value is equal to the other one of the first prize value or the second prize value.
8. A system including:
(a) a player station having a display device;
(b) a player input arrangement that (i) receives a subset selection input at the player station, the subset selection input selecting a first subset of card representations and a second subset of card representations from a number of card representation subsets representing mutually exclusive starting hands included in a first set of card representations displayed on the display device, and that (ii) receives a wager allocation input at the player station, the wager allocation input allocating a wager amount between the first subset of card representations and the second subset of card representations;
(c) a distribution controller that (i) identifies and distributing to the first player station the first set of card representations, and that (ii) determines a first and second result based on either a bingo game outcome or a predetermined outcome record, and that (iii) identifies and distributes to the first player station a second set of card representations to be combined with each of the first subset of card representations and the second subset of card representations, the second set chosen to combine with the first and second subsets and produce respective hands consistent with the first and second results; and
(d) a prize controller that (i) awards a first prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the first subset of card representations, and that (ii) awards a second prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the second subset of card representations.
9. The system of claim 8 further including a combination controller that (i) identifies the optimum poker hand of card representations from the combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations, and that (ii) identifies the optimum poker hand of card representations from the combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein the prize controller directs the display device to display a respective hand value indicator proximate each respective card representation subset, including one or more card representation subsets that were not selected by the subset selection input, each hand value indicator indicating the optimum poker hand produced from the respective combination of card representation subset and second set of card representations.
11. The system of claim 8 wherein:
(a) the subset selection input also selects at least one additional subset of card representations, the card representation subsets included in the first set of card representations, and the wager amount allocation input also allocates a portion of the wager amount to the additional subset of card representations; and
(b) the prize controller is also for awarding an additional prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the additional subset of card representations.
12. The system of claim 8 wherein the distribution controller identifies and distributes the second set of card representations so that the optimum poker hand of card representations identified from the combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations is consistent with a first result obtained from another game and so that the optimum poker hand of card representations identified from the combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations is consistent with a second result received from another game.
13. The system of claim 8 wherein the distribution controller identifies and distributes the second set of card representations so that the optimum poker hand of card representations identified from the combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations and the optimum poker hand of card representations identified from the combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations are together consistent with a result received from another game.
14. A program product stored on at least one storage medium, the program product including a set of machine-readable instructions that when executed are configured to:
(a) cause a first set of card representations to be displayed at a display device of a player station, the first set of card representations being divided into a number of card representation subsets representing mutually exclusive starting hands;
(b) receive a subset selection input, the subset selection input selecting a first subset of card representations and a second subset of card representations from the first set of card representations;
(c) receive a wager allocation input, the wager allocation input allocating a wager amount between the first subset of card representations and the second subset of card representations;
(d) identify a first and second result based on either a bingo game outcome or a predetermined outcome record;
(e) cause a second set of card representations to be displayed at the player station display device, the second set chosen to combine with the first and second subsets and produce respective hands consistent with the first and second results; and
(f) award a first prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the first subset of card representations, and award a second prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the second set of card representations.
15. The program product of claim 14 wherein the machine-readable instructions when executed are also configured to cause a hand value indicator to be displayed proximate each of the card representation subsets, including one or more card representation subsets that were not selected by the subset selection input, each hand value indicator identifying the optimum poker hand produced by combining the respective card representation subset with the second set of card representations.
16. The program product of claim 14 wherein the machine-readable instructions when executed are also configured to receive a wager input specifying the wager amount, the wager input being received prior to the first set of card representations being displayed at the display device.
17. The program product of claim 14 wherein the machine-readable instructions when executed are also configured to:
(a) receive the first and second results prior to displaying the second set of card representations, the first result being associated with a first result payout value and the second result being associated with a second result payout value; and
(b) select the card representations for the second set of card representations so that the first result payout value is equal to one of the first prize value or the second prize value, and so that the second result payout value is equal to the other one of the first prize value or the second prize value.
18. A method including:
(a) displaying a first set of card representations at a display device of a player station, the first set of card representations being divided into a number of card representation subsets representing mutually exclusive starting hands;
(b) receiving a subset selection input at the player station, the subset selection input selecting a first subset of card representations and a second subset of card representations from the first set of card representations;
(c) receiving a wager input at the player station, the wager input associated with a wager amount;
(d) displaying a second set of card representations at the player station display device;
(e) awarding a first prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations and a portion of the wager amount allocated for the first subset of card representations, and awarding a second prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations and a portion of the wager amount allocated for the second subset of card representations; and
(f) displaying a hand value indicator proximate each of the card representation subsets, including one or more card representation subsets that were not selected by the subset selection input, each hand value indicator identifying the optimum poker hand produced by combining the respective card representation subset with the second set of card representations.
19. The method of claim 18 further including:
(a) identifying one or more results for a player, based on either a bingo game outcome or a predetermined outcome record, prior to displaying the second set of card representations, the one of more results being associated with a result payout value; and
(b) selecting the card representations for the second set of card representations so that the result payout value is equal to the total of the first prize value and the second prize value.
20. The method of claim 18 further including:
(a) identifying a first result and a second result for the player prior to displaying the second set of card representations, the first result being associated with a first result payout value and the second result being associated with a second result payout value; and
(b) selecting the card representations for the second set of card representations so that the first result payout value is equal to one of the first prize value or the second prize value, and so that the second result payout value is equal to the other one of the first prize value or the second prize value.
21. A method including:
(a) receiving an indication of a wager, the wager having a wager amount;
(b) displaying a first set of card representations at a display device of a player station, the first set of card representations being divided into a number of card representation subsets representing mutually exclusive starting hands;
(c) receiving a subset selection input at the player station, the subset selection input selecting a first subset of card representations and a second subset of card representations from the first set of card representations;
(d) receiving a wager allocation input at the player station, the wager allocation input unevenly allocating the wager amount between the first subset of card representations and the second subset of card representations;
(e) displaying a second set of card representations at the player station display device, the second set comprising a preset number of community card representations; and
(f) based on either a bingo game outcome or a predetermined outcome record, awarding a first prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the first subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the first subset of card representations, and awarding a second prize value based on an optimum poker hand of card representations identified from a combination of the second set of card representations and the second subset of card representations at the portion of the wager amount allocated for the second subset of card representations.
22. The method of claim 21 further including:
(a) identifying one or more results for a player, based on either a bingo game outcome or a predetermined outcome record, prior to displaying the second set of card representations, the one of more results being associated with a result payout value; and
(b) selecting the card representations for the second set of card representations so that the result payout value is equal to the total of the first prize value and the second prize value.
23. The method of claim 21 further including:
(a) identifying a first result and a second result for the player prior to displaying the second set of card representations, the first result being associated with a first result payout value and the second result being associated with a second result payout value; and
(b) selecting the card representations for the second set of card representations so that the first result payout value is equal to one of the first prize value or the second prize value, and so that the second result payout value is equal to the other one of the first prize value or the second prize value.