Gaming machine accepting side bet and playing method thereof

1. A gaming machine comprising:

an input device allowing input of a command relative to a normal game and a side game played at a gaming terminal;

a display capable of displaying a game piece at the gaming terminal;

a memory storing:

a game program, which controls progress of the normal and side games played at the gaming terminal;

a normal credit amount; and

a side credit amount; and

a controller programmed to:

(A) accept an input from the input device for placing a normal bet on a result of the normal game played at the gaming terminal;

(B) accept an input from the input device for placing a side bet on a result of the side game played at the gaming terminal;

(C) initiate the normal and side games based on the game program stored in the memory;

(D) when the side bet has been placed in the processing (B), advance the side game at the gaming terminal based on the game program stored in the memory and determine the result of the side game;

(E) offer a first payout based on the result of the side game determined in the processing (D) by increasing the side credit amount, and,

(F) when the normal bet has been placed in the processing (A), advance the normal game at the gaming terminal based on the game program stored in the memory, determine a result of the normal game, and offer a second payout based on the result of the normal game by not increasing the side credit amount, wherein

the side credit amount is decreased by a first value for placing the side bet when the side credit amount is greater than a predetermined value, and wherein,

the normal credit amount is decreased by a second value for placing the side bet when the side credit amount is less than or equal to the predetermined value, and wherein,

the second value is greater than the first value.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 comprising a plurality of gaming terminals each including an input device and a display, wherein each of the input devices allows each gaming terminal to input a command relative to the normal game and side game.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2 , wherein:

the game piece comprises a playing card;

the normal game is a card game played at the plurality of gaming terminals;

each of the displays is capable of displaying a plurality of playing cards at each of the gaming terminals; and

the memory stores a card game program for controlling progress of the card game played with the plurality of playing cards at the plurality of gaming terminals.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3 , wherein the controller:

accepts an input from each of the input devices for placing a normal bet on a result of the card game;

accepts an input from each of the input devices for placing the side bet on the side game, the side bet based on a result of an initial card displayed in the card game, the side bet being different from the normal bet,

displays the initial card on the display of each gaming terminal;

determines a result of the side game based on the initial card displayed on the display of each gaming terminal, before a result of the card game is determined, when the side bet has been placed;

accepts from the input devices, after the initial card has been displayed, one of a card addition command to display an additional card different from the initial card, or a card determination command so as to not display the additional card;

display the additional card on the display when the card addition command has been input;

determine a result of the card game based on the initial card and the player additional card displayed, when the card determination command has been input; and

offer the second payout based on the result of the card game determined and the first payout based on the result of the side game.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4 wherein the controller:

cumulatively stores a predetermined percentage of side bet game media from each gaming terminal when the side bet has been placed; and,

offers the first payout based on the result of the side game and the stored game media.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4 wherein:

the cards displayed at the plurality of gaming terminals are each allocated with a number and a suit; and

the controller determines whether a combination of number and suit of the initial card displayed on the display of each gaming terminal is a predetermined combination to determine the result of the side game before the result of the card game is determined, when the side bet has been placed.

7. A gaming machine comprising:

an input device allowing input of a command relative to a normal game and a side game played at a gaming terminal;

a display capable of displaying a game piece at the gaming terminal;

a memory storing:

game program information, which controls progress of the normal and side games played at the gaming terminal;

a normal credit amount; and

a side credit amount; and

a controller programmed to:

(A) accept an input from the input device for placing a normal bet on a result of the normal game played at the gaming terminal from the input device;

(B) accept an input from the input device for placing a side bet on a result of the side game played at the gaming terminal;

(C) initiate the normal and side games based on the game program information stored in the memory;

(D) when the side bet has been placed in the processing (B), advance the side game at the gaming terminal based on the game program stored in the memory and determine the result of the side game;

(E) offer a first payout based on the result of the side game determined in the processing (D) by increasing the side credit amount, and,

(F) when the normal bet has been placed in the processing (A), advance the normal game at the gaming terminal based on the normal game program stored in the memory, determine a result of the normal game, and offer a second payout based on the result of the normal game by not increasing the side credit amount, wherein

if the side credit amount is greater than a predetermined value, offering an additional game play option during play of the normal game, which additional game play option is not available if the side credit amount is less than or equal to the predetermined number.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7 comprising a plurality of gaming terminals each including an input device and a display, wherein each of the input devices allows each gaming terminal to input a command relative to the normal game and side game.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8 , wherein:

the game piece comprises a playing card;

the normal game is a card game played at the plurality of gaming terminals;

each of the displays is capable of displaying a plurality of playing cards at each of the gaming terminals; and

the memory stores a card game program for controlling progress of the card game played with the plurality of playing cards at the plurality of gaming terminals.

10. The gaming machine of claim 9 , wherein the controller:

accepts an input from each of the input devices for placing a normal bet on a result of the card game;

accepts an input from each of the input devices for placing the side bet on the side game, the side bet based on a result of an initial card displayed in the card game, the side bet being different from the normal bet,

displays the initial card on the display of each gaming terminal;

determines a result of the side game based on the initial card displayed on the display of each gaming terminal, before a result of the card game is determined, when the side bet has been placed;

accepts from the input devices, after the initial card has been displayed, one of a card addition command to display an additional card different from the initial card, or a card determination command so as to not display the additional card;

display the additional card on the display when the card addition command has been input;

determine a result of the card game based on the initial card and the player additional card displayed, when the card determination command has been input; and

offer the second payout based on the result of the card game and the first payout based on the result of the side game.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10 wherein the controller:

cumulatively stores a predetermined percentage of side bet game media from each gaming terminal placing the side bet; and,

offers the first payout based on the result of the side game and the stored side bet game media.

12. The gaming machine of claim 10 wherein:

the cards displayed at the plurality of gaming terminals are each allocated with a number and a suit; and

the controller determines whether a combination of the number and the suit of the initial card displayed on the display of each gaming terminal is a predetermined combination to determine the result of the side game before the result of the card game is determined, when the side bet has been placed.

13. A playing method of a game on a gaming machine including:

a plurality of gaming terminals,

a controller, and

a memory storing:

a game program, which controls progress of a normal game and a side game played at the gaming terminals;

a normal credit amount; and

a side credit amount; wherein

the method comprises the steps of:

with the controller:

(A) accepting an input from an input device for placing a normal bet on a result of the normal game played at each of the gaming terminals;

(B) accepting an input from the input device for placing a side bet on a result of a side game played at one of the gaming terminals;

(C) initiating the normal and side games based on the game program stored in the memory;

(D) when the side bet has been placed in the processing (B), advancing the side game at the gaming terminal that placed the side bet based on the game program stored in the memory, and determining a result of the side game;

(E) offering a first payout based on the result of the side game determined in the processing (D) by increasing the side credit amount, and,

(F) when the normal bet has been placed in the processing (A), advancing the normal game at the gaming terminal based on the game program stored in the memory, determining a result of the normal game, and offering a second payout based on the result of the normal game by not increasing the side credit amount, wherein

the side credit amount is decreased by a first value for placing the side bet when the side credit amount is greater than a predetermined value, and wherein,

the normal credit amount is decreased by a second value for placing the side bet when the side credit amount is less than or equal to the predetermined value, and wherein,

the second value is greater than the first value.

14. A playing method of a game on a gaming machine including:

a plurality of gaming terminals,

a controller, and

a memory storing:

a game program, which controls progress of a normal game and a side game played at the gaming terminals;

a normal credit amount; and

a side credit amount; wherein

the method comprises the steps of:

with the controller:

(A) accepting an input from an input device for placing a normal bet on a result of the normal game played at each of the gaming terminals;

(B) accepting an input from the input device for placing a side bet on a result of a side game played at one of the gaming terminals;

(C) initiating the normal and side games based on the game program stored in the memory;

(D) when the side bet has been placed in the processing (B), advancing the side game at the gaming terminal that placed the side bet based on the game program stored in the memory, and determining a result of the side game;

(E) offering a first payout based on the result of the side game determined in the processing (D) by increasing the side credit amount, and,

(F) when the normal bet has been placed in the processing (A), advancing the normal game at the gaming terminal based on the game program stored in the memory, determining a result of the normal game, and offering a second payout based on the result of the normal game by not increasing the side credit amount, wherein

if the side credit amount is greater than a predetermined value, offering an additional game play option during play of the normal game, which additional game play option is not available if the side credit amount is less than or equal to the predetermined number.