Gaming method and a gaming system

1. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

a first display device;

a second display device;

a first player input interface;

a second player input interface;

a first credit input mechanism including at least one of a card reader, a ticket reader, a bill validator, or a coin input mechanism;

a second credit input mechanism including at least one of a card reader, a ticket reader, a bill validator, or a coin input mechanism; and

a game controller configured to execute instructions stored in a memory, which, when executed by the game controller, cause the game controller to at least:

select a first plurality of card symbols to form a first player hand for a first player, the first plurality of card symbols including a plurality of hole cards dealt only to the first player and at least one community card from a set of cards:

select a second plurality of card symbols to form a first jackpot hand;

determine that at least one card symbol of the first plurality of card symbols forming the first player hand matches at least one card symbol of the second plurality of card symbols forming the first jackpot hand;

adjust, based on the determining, a credit balance of the first player by a value associated with a first jackpot award based upon a number of hole cards in the first player hand that match card symbols in the first jackpot hand;

select a third plurality of card symbols to form a second player hand for a second player, the third plurality of card symbols including a plurality of hole cards dealt only to the second player and at least one community card from the set of cards;

select a fourth plurality of card symbols to form a second jackpot hand;

determine that at least one card symbol of the third plurality of card symbols forming the second player hand matches at least one card symbol of the fourth plurality of card symbols forming the second jackpot hand; and

adjust, based on the determining, a credit balance of the second player by a value associated with a second jackpot award based upon a number of hole cards in the second player hand that match card symbols in the second jackpot hand.

2. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the first jackpot award is associated with a first value when the number of hole cards in the first player hand matches a first number of card symbols in the first jackpot hand, and wherein the first jackpot award is associated with a second value when the number of hole cards in the first player hand matches a second number of card symbols in the first jackpot hand.

3. The electronic gaming machine of claim 2 , wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with the first value when each hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when each community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand, and wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with the second value when at least one, but less than each, hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when each community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand.

4. The electronic gaming machine of claim 3 , wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with a third value when each hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when at least one, but less than each, community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand.

5. The electronic gaming machine of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the game controller to select the first plurality of card symbols to form the first player hand in response to placement, by a player, of a first wager.

6. The electronic gaming machine of claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the game controller to select the second plurality of card symbols to form the first jackpot hand in response to placement, by a player, of a second wager.

7. The electronic gaming machine of claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the game controller to:

divide the first wager into a first portion and a second portion;

select, after dividing the first wager, the second plurality of card symbols to form the first jackpot hand; and

fund, after dividing the first wager, a progressive jackpot for use in generating the first jackpot award by the amount of the second portion of the first wager.

8. A method for playing a wagering game on an electronic gaming machine, the electronic gaming machine comprising a first display device and a second display device each configured to present the wagering game, a first player input interface, a second player input interface, a game controller, and a first credit input mechanism and a second credit input mechanism each including at least one of a card reader, a ticket reader, a bill validator, or a coin input mechanism, the method comprising:

selecting, by the game controller, a first plurality of card symbols to form a first player hand for a first player, the first plurality of card symbols including a plurality of hole cards dealt only to the player and at least one community card from a set of cards;

selecting, by the game controller, a second plurality of card symbols to form a first jackpot hand;

determining, by the game controller, that at least one card symbol of the first plurality of card symbols forming the first player hand matches at least one card symbol of the second plurality of card symbols forming the first jackpot hand;

adjusting, by the game controller and based on the determining, a credit balance of the first player by a value associated with a first jackpot award based upon a number of hole cards in the first player hand that match card symbols in the first jackpot hand;

selecting, by the game controller, a third plurality of card symbols to form a second player hand for a second player, the third plurality of card symbols including a plurality of hole cards dealt only to the second player and at least one community card from the set of cards;

selecting, by the game controller, a fourth plurality of card symbols to form a second jackpot hand;

determining, by the game controller, that at least one card symbol of the third plurality of card symbols forming the second player hand matches at least one card symbol of the fourth plurality of card symbols forming the second jackpot hand; and

adjusting, by the game controller, based on the determining, a credit balance of the second player by a value associated with a second jackpot award based upon a number of hole cards in the second player hand that match card symbols in the second jackpot hand.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first jackpot award is associated with a first value when the number of hole cards in the first player hand matches a first number of card symbols in the first jackpot hand, and wherein the first jackpot award is associated with a second value when the number of hole cards in the first player hand matches a second number of card symbols in the first jackpot hand.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with the first value when each hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when each community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand, and wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with the second value when at least one, but less than each, hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when each community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with a third value when each hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when at least one, but less than each, community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising selecting, by the game controller, the first plurality of card symbols to form the first player hand in response to placement, by a player, of a first wager.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising selecting, by the game controller, the second plurality of card symbols to form the first jackpot hand in response to placement, by a player, of a second wager.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

dividing, by the game controller, the first wager into a first portion and a second portion;

selecting, by the game controller and after dividing the first wager, the second plurality of card symbols to form the first jackpot hand; and

funding, by the game controller and after dividing the first wager, a progressive jackpot for use in generating the first jackpot award by the amount of the second portion of the first wager.

15. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible, computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a game controller, the game controller being in communication with a first display device, a second display device, a first player input interface, a second player input interface, a first credit input mechanism, and a second credit input mechanism, cause the game controller to at least:

select a first plurality of card symbols to form a first player hand for a first player, the first plurality of card symbols including a plurality of hole cards dealt only to the first player and at least one community card from a set of cards;

select a second plurality of card symbols to form a first jackpot hand;

determine that at least one card symbol of the first plurality of card symbols forming the first player hand matches at least one card symbol of the second plurality of card symbols forming the first jackpot hand;

adjust, based on the determining, a credit balance of the first player by a value associated with a first jackpot award based upon a number of hole cards in the first player hand that match card symbols in the first jackpot hand;

select a third plurality of card symbols to form a second player hand for a second player, the third plurality of card symbols including a plurality of hole cards dealt only to the second player and at least one community card from the set of cards;

select a fourth plurality of card symbols to form a second jackpot hand;

determine that at least one card symbol of the third plurality of card symbols forming the second player hand matches at least one card symbol of the fourth plurality of card symbols forming the second jackpot hand; and

adjust, based on the determining, a credit balance of the second player by a value associated with a second jackpot award based upon a number of hole cards in the second player hand that match card symbols in the second jackpot hand.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the first jackpot award is associated with a first value when the number of hole cards in the first player hand matches a first number of card symbols in the first jackpot hand, and wherein the first jackpot award is associated with a second value when the number of hole cards in the first player hand matches a second number of card symbols in the first jackpot hand.

17. The article of claim 16 , wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with the first value when each hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when each community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand, and wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with the second value when at least one, but less than each, hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when each community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand.

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the first jackpot award is further associated with a third value when each hole card in the first player hand matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand and when at least one, but less than each, community card in the first player hand also matches a card symbol of the first jackpot hand.

19. The article of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the game controller to select the first plurality of card symbols to form the first player hand in response to placement, by a player, of a first wager.

20. The article of claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the game controller to:

divide the first wager into a first portion and a second portion;

select, after dividing the first wager, the second plurality of card symbols to form the first jackpot hand; and

fund, after dividing the first wager, a progressive jackpot for use in generating the first jackpot award by the amount of the second portion of the first wager.