Five Card Omaha played againest the dealer

1 . A method of playing a game, between a dealer and at least one player, comprising:

dealing a plurality of at least three hole cards to each player, a number of hole cards exceeding the number of hole cards used to form part of the player hand;

incrementally revealing a plurality of community cards;

providing each player at least one opportunity to bet;

dealing a plurality of at least three hole cards for the dealer, a number of hole cards exceeding the number of hole cards used to form part of the dealer hand;

combining two dealer hole cards with at least some of the community cards to form a dealer hand;

identifying each player's best hand based on two player hole cards and all of the community cards;

comparing each player's hand with the dealer hand based on poker rankings; and

resolving all bets.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each player is required to place at least one of an ante and a blind bet before the hole cards are revealed,

wherein each player is allowed to place an optional side bet,

wherein each player is provided an opportunity to place a first play bet or check before any community cards are revealed, and

wherein each player is provided an opportunity to place at least one other play bet or check after each increment of revealing community cards.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein four hole cards are dealt to each player and to the house.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a total three community cards are revealed in two increments, two cards in a first increment and one card in second increment.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein all play bets must each be equal to the ante bet.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the ante, blind and play bets are resolved in favor of the player only if the player hand achieves a higher poker ranking than the house hand.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the ante bet pushes if the house hand does not qualify.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the house hand qualifies with a pair or better.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the blind bet is paid according to an odds paytable.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the bonus bet is paid according to a predetermined criteria.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined criteria is an odds paytable.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the house hand and each player hand consist of five cards.

13 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a player may check after the final community card is revealed only if that player has not checked during every opportunity to place play bets and a player may fold after the final community card is revealed only if no play bets were made.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein five card poker rankings are used to compare player and house hands.

15 . A method of administering a betting game between a dealer and at least one player, comprising:

requiring the at least one player to place an ante bet and a blind bet;

allowing the player to place an optional bonus bet;

dealing four hole cards to the player and four hole cards to the dealer;

dealing three community cards;

allowing the player to check or make a first play bet after viewing the player's hole cards; and

revealing each of the community cards in at least two increments and allowing the player to check or place a play bet after each said increment, wherein after all community cards have been revealed the player may not thereafter check unless the player has previously placed at least one play bet during the ongoing game and the player may not thereafter fold unless the player has checked on every allowed occasion during the ongoing game, and

wherein the player is paid on the ante, blind and play bets only when the player's hand consisting of two player hole cards and the three community cards outranks the dealer's hand, the blind bet being paid according to a blind paytable and the bonus bet being paid according to a bonus paytable.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein after all community cards have been revealed, the player optionally checks, folds or makes a final play bet before the player's hand is compared to the dealer's hand based on predetermined poker rankings.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the community cards are revealed in at least two increments.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein all of the player's play bets must be equal.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein all of the player's play bets must be equal to the player's ante bet.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the blind paytable is:

Hand

Odds

Royal Flush

500:1 

Straight Flush

200:1 

Four-of-a-kind

100:1 

Full House

4:1

Flush

3:1

Straight

2:1

Three of a kind

3:2

All other hands

Push

21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonus paytable is:

Royal Flush

100:1 

Straight Flush

50:1 

Four-of-a-kind

40:1 

Full house

10:1 

Flush

9:1

Straight

7:1

Three-of-a-kind

5:1

Two Pair

1:1

22 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonus paytable is:

Royal Flush

100:1 

Straight Flush

50:1 

Four-of-a-kind

40:1 

Full house

9:1

Flush

8:1

Straight

7:1

Three-of-a-kind

5:1

Two Pair

1:1

23 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the bonus paytable is:

Royal Flush

100:1 

Straight Flush

50:1 

Four-of-a-kind

40:1 

Full house

10:1 

Flush

8:1

Straight

6:1

Three-of-a-kind

5:1

Two Pair

1:1

24 . A game machine comprising:

a video screen;

a player input device;

a payment input device;

a payout device;

a processor configured to perform at least the following steps:

dealing at least three hole cards to the player;

incrementally revealing three community cards;

providing the player at least one opportunity to bet;

dealing at least three house hole cards for a house hand;

combining two house hole cards with the three community cards to form a five-card house hand;

identifying the player's best five-card hand based on two player hole cards and three of the community cards;

comparing the player's hand with the house hand based on poker rankings; and

resolving all bets.

25 . The game machine of claim 24 , wherein the steps are implemented as a multi-player video game.