VIDEO POKER GAMING DEVICE AND METHOD

1 . A gaming apparatus comprising:

(A) a display device configured to communicate game information to a player;

(B) a controller in communication with the display device, the controller being configured to:

(a) allow a player to place a first wager;

(b) display at least a portion of a first card hand to the player;

(c) allow the player to choose to play the first card hand or to place a second wager to play an additional second card hand, the second card hand being dealt identical to the first card hand;

(d) if the player chooses to place a second wager and play the additional second card hand, displaying all of the first card hand and all of the second card hand to the player;

(e) allow the player to select at least one card to keep or discard from each of the first and second card hands;

(f) deal replacement cards for each of the cards that were discarded;

(g) compare the card hands to a pay table and determine a game outcome; and

(h) award a prize to the player if at least one of the card hands comprises a winning combination.

2 . The gaming apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising allowing the player to place a plurality of wagers to play a plurality of additional card hands, the plurality of additional card hands being dealt identical to the first card hand.

3 . The gaming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first card hand is dealt replacement cards from a first virtual card deck and the second card hand is dealt replacement cards from a second virtual card deck.

4 . The gaming apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first and second card decks are in the same card order.

5 . The gaming apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first and second virtual card decks are in a different card order.

6 . The gaming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second card hands are dealt replacement cards from a common virtual card deck.

7 . A gaming method comprising, not all of the steps necessarily in the order shown:

(A) allowing a player to place a first wager;

(B) displaying at least a portion of a first card hand to the player;

(C) allowing the player to choose to play the first card hand or to place a second wager to play an additional second card hand, the second card hand being dealt identical to the first card hand;

(D) if the player chooses to place a second wager and play the additional second card hand, displaying all of the first card hand and all of the second card hand to the player;

(E) allowing the player to select at least one card to keep or discard from each of the first and second card hands;

(F) dealing replacement cards for each of the cards that were discarded;

(G) comparing the card hands to a pay table and determining a game outcome; and

(H) awarding a prize to the player, if at least one of the card hands comprises a winning combination.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising allowing the player to place a plurality of wagers to play a plurality of additional card hands, the plurality of additional card hands being dealt identical to the first card hand.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each card hand is assigned to a separate virtual card deck.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each card hand is assigned to a separate virtual card deck and each of the virtual card decks are in the same card order.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each card hand is assigned to a separate virtual card deck and each of the card decks are in a different card order.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein each card hand is dealt replacement cards from a common virtual card deck.

13 . A method comprising, not all necessarily in the order shown:

(a) step for displaying at least a portion of a first card hand to the player;

(b) step for allowing the player to choose to play the first card hand or to place an additional second wager to play a second card hand;

(c) if the player chooses to place the additional second wager, dealing the second card hand, the second card hand being identical to the first card hand;

(d) step for displaying all of the first card hand and all of the second card hand to the player;

(e) step for allowing the player to select at least one card to keep or discard from each of the first and second card hands;

(f) step for dealing replacement cards for each of the cards that were discarded;

(g) step for comparing the card hands to a pay table and determining a game outcome; and

(h) step for awarding a prize to the player, if at least one of the card hands comprises a winning combination.

14 . The gaming apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising allowing the player to place a plurality of additional wagers to play a plurality of additional card hands.

15 . The gaming apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of the card hands are dealt replacement cards from a different virtual card deck.

16 . A gaming method comprising:

(A) allowing a player to place a first wager;

(B) displaying at least a portion of a first card hand to the player;

(C) allowing the player to play the first card hand or to place a plurality of additional wagers to play a plurality of additional card hands, each of the additional card hands requiring an additional wager to be placed, the additional card hands being dealt different than the first card hand;

(D) if the player chooses to place the additional wager and play the additional second card hand, displaying all of the first card hand and all of the additional card hands to the player;

(E) allowing the player to select at least one card to keep or discard from each of the first and the additional card hands;

(F) dealing replacement cards for each of the cards that were discarded;

(G) comparing the card hands to a pay table and determining a game outcome; and

(H) awarding a prize to the player, if at least one of the card hands comprises a winning combination.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein one card in each card hand is initially hidden.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein two cards in each card hand are initially hidden.