US6019374A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multi-tiered wagering method and game
Assignee: SHFL Enterteiment Inc
•
Filing: 1997-11-14
•
Granted: 2000-02-01
•
Expires: 2017-11-14
Abstract
Abstract A multi-tiered wagering game and method, including a playing card wagering game, involves placing a first game wager and an optional second wager and/or entry fee to participate in the multi-tiered game. Cards are dealt by the dealer, two face down to the dealer and three face down to each player. Players inspect or "sweat" their cards and the dealer gives each player the opportunity to withdraw one part of the bet. Each player decides and the dealer then turns over one of the cards and again gives each player the opportunity to withdraw a second part of the bet. The players decide, their cards are shown, and based on the shown cards the remaining game wagers are resolved. Also based on the shown cards, players that placed the optional second wager and/or entry fee become eligible for bonus payouts and/or to become eligible to participate in a second game to determine the winner of a super jackpot, respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 John G. Breeding
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 00:25
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32; G07F17/326; G07F17/3262; A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00157; A63F1/00; A63F2001/008; A63F2003/00167; A63F2003/0017
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for playing a wagering game involving a player, characterized by a basic game and a basic game payoff, an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and a jackpot payoff, comprising the steps of: placing a basic wager to become a participant in the basic game; playing the basic game; resolving the basic wager based on the outcome of the basic game, wherein if a player meets a range of game conditions, that player wins an amount; further wherein if a player meets a predetermined narrower subset of the range of game conditions, that player becomes eligible to win the jackpot; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot from an accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for playing a wagering game involving a player, characterized by a basic game and a basic game payoff, an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and a jackpot payoff, comprising the steps of: placing a basic wager to become a participant in the basic game; playing the basic game; resolving the basic wager based on the outcome of the basic game, wherein if a player meets a range of game conditions, that player wins an amount; further wherein if a player meets a predetermined narrower subset of the range of game conditions, that player becomes eligible to win the jackpot; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot from an accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the amount includes the basic game payoff.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the jackpot payoff is disproportionate to the basic game payoff.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the amount includes the basic game payoff and a bonus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said jackpot is a fixed amount.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said jackpot is formed by an accumulation of a portion of said entry fee.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 6, wherein said jackpot amount is fixed prior to the commencement of said second game.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said second game is a playoff or tournament.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the size of the first wager may be optionally and selectively varied by the player, and the preselected amount varies according to the size of the wager.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the wagering game is poker, wherein the predetermined arrangement of cards is a pair of tens or better, two pairs, three-of-a-kind, a straight, a flush, a full house, four-of-a-kind, a straight flush or a royal flush, wherein the subset of the predetermined arrangement is a straight, a flush, a full house, four-of-a-kind, a straight flush or a royal flush, and wherein the narrower subset is a designated number of the highest hands, including ties, selected from said subset.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the wagering game is poker, wherein the predetermined arrangement of cards is a pair of tens or better, two pairs, three-of-a-kind, a straight, a flush, a full house, four-of-a-kind, a straight flush or a royal flush, wherein the subset of the predetermined arrangement is a straight, a flush, full house, four-of-a-kind, a straight flush or a royal flush, and wherein the narrower subset is a royal flush.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for playing a series of games involving a plurality of players, characterized by a basic game, a basic game payoff, an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and a jackpot, comprising the steps of: placing a wager to become a participant in the basic game; playing the basic game; resolving the wager based on an outcome of the basic game, wherein if a player meets one of a range of identified games outcomes, that player wins an amount in addition to the basic game payoff, and if a player meets a predetermined narrower subset of the range of identified game outcomes, that player becomes eligible to win the jackpot; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot from the accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for playing a series of games involving a plurality of players, characterized by a basic game, a basic game payoff, an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and a jackpot, comprising the steps of: placing a wager to become a participant in the basic game; playing the basic game; resolving the wager based on an outcome of the basic game, wherein if a player meets one of a range of identified games outcomes, that player wins an amount in addition to the basic game payoff, and if a player meets a predetermined narrower subset of the range of identified game outcomes, that player becomes eligible to win the jackpot; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot from the accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein the amount in addition varies according to which one of the range of identified game outcomes a player meets.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for playing a wagering game involving a player, the game characterized by a basic game payoff, a jackpot payoff and an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and comprising the steps of: placing a wager to become a participant in the basic game; playing the basic game; resolving the wager based on an outcome of the basic game, and wherein depending on said outcome of the basic game, the participant wins an amount in addition to the basic game payoff and becomes eligible to win the jackpot payoff; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot payoff from the accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot payoff.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for playing a wagering game involving a player, the game characterized by a basic game payoff, a jackpot payoff and an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and comprising the steps of: placing a wager to become a participant in the basic game; playing the basic game; resolving the wager based on an outcome of the basic game, and wherein depending on said outcome of the basic game, the participant wins an amount in addition to the basic game payoff and becomes eligible to win the jackpot payoff; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot payoff from the accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot payoff.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 14, wherein the size of the wager may be optionally and selectively varied by the player, and the amount in addition varies according to the size of the wager.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount in addition also varies according to the outcome of the basic game.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method according to claim 14, wherein the basic game is a lottery game.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 17, wherein the size of the wager may be optionally and selectively varied by the player, and the amount in addition varies according to the size of the wager and to the outcome of the basic game.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 14, wherein the second game comprises a series of games.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for playing a series of games involving a plurality of players, characterized by a basic game payoff, an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and a jackpot, comprising the steps of: placing a wager to become a participant in the basic game; paying an entry fee to become a participant eligible to win the jackpot; playing the basic game; resolving the wager based on the outcome of the basic game, wherein if a player meets a range of identified game outcomes, that player wins the basic game payoff; resolving the entry fee, wherein if a player meets a predetermined narrower subset of the range of identified game outcomes, that player becomes eligible to win the jackpot; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot from an accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for playing a series of games involving a plurality of players, characterized by a basic game payoff, an accumulation of players eligible to win a jackpot and a jackpot, comprising the steps of: placing a wager to become a participant in the basic game; paying an entry fee to become a participant eligible to win the jackpot; playing the basic game; resolving the wager based on the outcome of the basic game, wherein if a player meets a range of identified game outcomes, that player wins the basic game payoff; resolving the entry fee, wherein if a player meets a predetermined narrower subset of the range of identified game outcomes, that player becomes eligible to win the jackpot; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot from an accumulation of players eligible to win the jackpot.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 20, wherein the second game comprises a series of games.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for playing a game including a basic game payoff, a bonus payoff and a tournament, comprising the steps of: placing a first wager to become a participant in the basic game; placing an optional second wager to become eligible for possible participation in the tournament; playing the game to an outcome; resolving the first wager and making the basic game payoff based on the outcome and the amount of the first wager, wherein if the outcome is an identified outcome, a player wins the bonus payoff which varies in size according to the outcome; resolving the optional entry fee, if paid, based on the outcome, wherein if the outcome is a selected outcome, a player becomes eligible to participate in the tournament; and playing the tournament to select a tournament winner.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for playing a game including a basic game payoff, a bonus payoff and a tournament, comprising the steps of: placing a first wager to become a participant in the basic game; placing an optional second wager to become eligible for possible participation in the tournament; playing the game to an outcome; resolving the first wager and making the basic game payoff based on the outcome and the amount of the first wager, wherein if the outcome is an identified outcome, a player wins the bonus payoff which varies in size according to the outcome; resolving the optional entry fee, if paid, based on the outcome, wherein if the outcome is a selected outcome, a player becomes eligible to participate in the tournament; and playing the tournament to select a tournament winner.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein the size of the first wager may be optionally and selectively varied by the player.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for playing a wagering game, characterized by a basic game, a basic game payoff and a jackpot payoff, comprising the steps of: placing a basic wager to become a participant in the basic game; paying an entry fee to become a participant eligible to win the jackpot payoff; playing the basic game; resolving the basic wager based on the outcome of the basic game, wherein if the participant meets a range of game conditions, the participant wins an amount in accordance with a payable in turn based on a proportionate payout; resolving the entry fee, wherein if the participant meets a predetermined narrower range of game conditions, the participant becomes eligible to win the jackpot payoff; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot payoff.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for playing a wagering game, characterized by a basic game, a basic game payoff and a jackpot payoff, comprising the steps of: placing a basic wager to become a participant in the basic game; paying an entry fee to become a participant eligible to win the jackpot payoff; playing the basic game; resolving the basic wager based on the outcome of the basic game, wherein if the participant meets a range of game conditions, the participant wins an amount in accordance with a payable in turn based on a proportionate payout; resolving the entry fee, wherein if the participant meets a predetermined narrower range of game conditions, the participant becomes eligible to win the jackpot payoff; and playing a second game to select a winner of the jackpot payoff.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3876208A
Cited
US4305586A
Cited
US4651997A
Cited
US4836546A
Cited
US4756531A
Cited
US4743022A
Cited
US5022653A
Cited
US4861041C1
Cited
US4948134A
Cited
US4836553A
Cited
US4861041A
Cited
US5288077C1
Cited
US5288077A
Cited
US5078405A
Cited
US5019973A
Cited
US5042818A
Cited
US5100137A
Cited
US5167413A
Cited
US5098107A
Cited
US5275400A
Cited
US5544892A
Cited
US5288081A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-31 | 2003-08-02 | 2004-02-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-31 | 2007-08-02 | 2008-02-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-31 | 2011-08-02 | 2012-02-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |