US 5,401,023 A · Variable awards wagering system

Abstract

A modified video poker game where the game initially assigns five cards to the player and the player can then select one of thirty two possible discard strategies to replace any number of the five cards. The video poker game computes the expected value of each discard strategy and then determines which discard strategy is the optimum strategy. If the player selects a discard strategy other than the optimum discard strategy, the award values for winning combinations of cards are adjusted from their default values so that when the expected value of the selected discard strategy is calculated using the adjusted awards, it is substantially equal to the expected value of the optimum strategy calculated using the default awards. The adjusted award values are then displayed on the video screen permitting the player to evaluate the potential awards corresponding to this discard strategy prior to requesting the video poker game to deal the corresponding replacement cards thereby allowing the player to evaluate and select between different, non-optimum, discard strategies.

Claims40

Dependent claims

A player interactive gaming system comprising:

a selected number of game elements having identifying characteristics, wherein certain combinations of said game elements are defined to be winning combinations;
a player input system generating player input signals in response to a player selecting one of a plurality of game strategies;
an element assigning system, having access to said game elements and receiving said player input signals, which assigns to said player one or more of said game elements;
an award system responsive to said identifying characteristics of said game elements which assigns an award from a first set of awards to said player when said player receives a winning combination of game elements using a first game strategy;
and
an award adjustment system, responsive to said identifying characteristics of said game elements and to said game strategy selected by said player, which adjusts at least one of said first set of awards to define a second set of awards when said player selects a game strategy other than said first game strategy, wherein said award system assigns an award from said second set of awards when said player receives a winning combination of game elements using said game strategy other than said first game strategy.

3 more elements

A player interactive video draw poker game

a video screen;
a plurality of individual card signals representative of playing cards, wherein certain combinations of said card signals are defined to be winning combinations;
a player input unit providing a plurality of player input signals, including a strategy input signal indicative of player selection of a game strategy, in response to player manipulation of said input unit;
a central processing unit, responsive to said plurality of card signals and said player input signals and sending signals to said video screen, which assigns a first number of said individual card signals in response to a first player input signal, and which replaces any number of said first number of said card signals in response to receiving said strategy input signal and a deal signal, and which determines whether said player has been assigned one of said winning combinations;
an awards system responsive to signals from said central processing unit which assigns one of a first number awards to said player when said player has been assigned one of said winning combinations after selecting an optimum game strategy;
and
an awards adjustment system responsive to signals from said central processing unit which adjusts one or more of said first number of awards to define a second number of awards when said player has selected a non-optimum game strategy other than said optimum game strategy, wherein said award system assigns an award from said second number of awards when said player receives a winning combination of card signals using said selected non-optimum game strategy.

4 more elements

A method of playing an interactive gaming system comprising the steps of:

assigning a first number of game elements having identifying characteristics to a player, wherein certain combinations of said game elements are designated winning combinations;
replacing any number of said first number of said game elements according to a game strategy selected by said player;
assigning said player an award from a first plurality of awards when said player has selected an optimum game strategy and has then been assigned a final combination of said game elements which include one of said winning combinations;
adjusting one or more of said first plurality of awards to define a second plurality of awards when said player has selected a non-optimum game strategy;
and
assigning an award from said second set of awards when said player has been assigned a final combination of game elements which include one of said winning combinations using said non-optimum game strategy.

3 more elements

The method according to 36, wherein said step of adjusting said first plurality of awards further comprises the steps of:

(1) computing an optimum coin pool CP.sub.opt according to the following formula:
##EQU19## where N:
the total number of said winning combinations;
P.sub.n :
the probability of attaining the nth winning combination using said optimum game strategy;
DC.sub.opt :
the total number of draw combinations of said card signals using said optimum game strategy;
A.sub.n :
said first award for said nth winning combination;
(2) determining a coin pool CP.sub.sel according to the following formula:
##EQU20## where N:
the total number of said winning combinations;
P.sub.n,sel :
the probability of attaining the nth winning combination using said non-optimum selected game strategy;
DC.sub.sel :
the total number of draw combinations of said card signals using said non-optimum selected game strategy;
A.sub.approx,n :
is said first approximation of said second plurality of adjusted award corresponding to said nth winning combination;
(3) computing a remaining coin pool RCP by subtracting said selected coin pool CP.sub.sel from said optimum coin pool CP.sub.opt ;
(4) sequentially incrementing each said first approximation of said second plurality of adjusted awards A.sub.approx,n by one coin;
and
(5) decreasing said remaining coin pool RCP until said remaining coin pool RCP contains insufficient coins to further increment any of said first approximations of said second plurality of awards A.sub.approx,n.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Variable awards wagering system

Life of this patent

Variable awards wagering system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims40