Jackpot system for live card games based upon game play wagering and method therefore

A method of providing a progressive jackpot in a live card game played on a gaming table between a dealer and a player, said gaming table having a computer controlled system, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) the player placing an ante on the ante bet region of the gaming table to participate in both the live card game, and the progressive jackpot
• b) automatically sensing the value of the ante placed by the player in the ante bet region with the computer controlled system,
• c) dealing hands of cards to the dealer and to the player,
• d) automatically identifying each card in each of the hands during dealing with the computer controlled system,
• e) playing the hands of cards in the live card game,
• f) automatically adding a predetermined amount of the value of the ante to the progressive jackpot only when a predetermined game event occurs with the computer controlled system in response to the step of identification while preserving the value of the ante during the play of the live card game, and
• g) automatically awarding the progressive jackpot to the player when a winning sequence of cards occurs in the hand of the player with the computer controlled system in response to the step of identification.

A system of providing a progressive jackpot in a live card game played on a gaming table between a dealer and a player, said gaming table having an ante bet region, a dealer card region, and a player card region, said live card game having hands of cards, said system comprising the steps of:

• a) a sensor detecting the value of an ante placed in the ante bet region by the player,
• b) a reader identifying each card during dealing of the hands of the player and the dealer during the live card game,
• c) a computer having a memory, said memory having stored therein (a) a predetermined game event and (b) a winning sequence of cards,
• said computer connected to the sensor, to the reader, and to the progressive jackpot for adding a predetermined amount of the value of the ante to the progressive jackpot when the predetermined game event occurs while preserving the value of the ante during the play of the live card game,
• said computer awarding the progressive jackpot to the player when said computer detects the winning sequence of cards in the hand of the player.

A method of incorporating a progressive jackpot in a live card game with a dealer and a player comprising the steps of:

• a) the player placing an ante to participate in both the live card game and the progressive jackpot,
• b) determining the value of the ante,
• c) calculating a predetermined contribution of the ante,
• d) dealing a hand of cards to the dealer and to the player,
• e) determining whether a predetermined game event occurs during the play of the live card game,
• f) when a predetermined game event occurs, adding the progressive jackpot contribution to the progressive jackpot,
• g) maintaining the value of the ante without subtractive effect from the addition to the progressive jackpot,
• h) determining the sequence of cards in the hand of the player,
• i) if a winning sequence of cards occurs in the hand of the player, awarding the progressive jackpot to the player,
• j) paying the player an amount based upon the value of the ante when the player has a winning hand of cards in the live card game, and
• k) taking the ante when the player has a losing hand of cards in the live card game.

A method of playing live card games and providing a player with an opportunity to win a large jackpot in a computer controlled system when said player holds a hand of predetermined cards, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) playing a multiplicity of conventional live card games on a plurality of separate live card game tables,
• b) the player placing a wager on a bet region on the game table to participate in both the live card game and the progressive jackpot,
• c) at the bet regions on the top surfaces of the game tables, sensing the value of the ante wagers with the computer controlled system,
• d) accumulating money available for the large jackpot as a function of each ante wager placed on the tables with the computer controlled system,
• e) from the accumulated jackpot money determining the size of the jackpot with the computer controlled system,
• f) playing the card game on each table with a plurality of complete decks of cards,
• g) selecting said predetermined hand comprising a hand of cards,
• h) awarding the large jackpot to a player who holds said predetermined hand of cards.

A method of providing a jackpot award in a live card game played on a gaming table between a dealer and a player, side gaming table having a computer controlled system, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) the player placing an ante on the ante bet region of the gaming table to participate in both the live card game, and the progressive jackpot
• b) automatically sensing the value of the ante placed by the player in the ante bet region with the computer controlled system,
• c) dealing hands of cards to the dealer and to the player,
• d) automatically identifying each card in each of the hands during dealing with the computer controlled system,
• e) playing the hands of cards in the live card game,
• f) awarding the jackpot award to the player when a winning sequence of cards occurs in the hand of the player in response to the step of identification,
• g) paying the player an amount based upon the value of the ante when the player has a winning hand of cards in the live card game,
• h) taking the ante when the player has a losing hand of cards in the live card game.