Abstract: Methods, machines, and systems for additional movement of one or more symbols of a reel-type game after the reels are spun for a turn of the reel-type game, but before a next turn of the game, are described. The symbol(s) moved after the reels are spun may comprise a scatter symbol or a symbol other than a scatter symbol. A tip of an off-reel-display symbol positioned outside of a reel-display area may be visible within the reel-display area to notify a player of the reel-type game that additional movement of the off-reel-display symbol is imminent. The off-reel-display symbol may be moved, onto a symbol that is being displayed within the reel-display area, after payment of any award(s) earned for certain combinations of symbols occurring on paylines with the reel-display area and/or after payment of any awards earned for a prescribed number of scatter symbols being displayed within the reel-display area.

Abstract: Machines, servers and reel-type games are disclosed which provide a player with a visible indication of progress being made towards award of a stacked or expanding symbol on a reel, thereby heightening anticipation and increasing excitement of the game. A trigger condition for appearance of the stacked or expanding symbol can be achieved (i.e. accumulated or collected) over multiple turns or spins of the game. Progress towards meeting the trigger condition is displayed to the player directly on the display of the game.

Abstract: A computer system for playing multiplayer games comprises a first gaming server which runs multiple instances of a first game and to which is connected a first plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the first game; and a second gaming server which runs multiple instances of a second game and to which is connected a second plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the second game. The first gaming server is in communication with the second gaming server and through the second gaming server makes available instances of the first game for players from said second plurality of players to join. Thus, separate gaming servers can pool instances of games and players.

Abstract: A gaming apparatus includes a player terminal operable by a player to simulate a slots game, and a random event generator for generating a random event upon which an outcome of the slots game is based. The slots game has a plurality of successful outcomes, each associated with a corresponding prize. A wagering facility enables the player to place a wager on the occurrence of any specific successful outcome of the slots game, or to make a plurality of different wagers, each corresponding to a different specific one of the successful outcomes of the slots game. The different specific successful outcomes include a favourable outcome and a number of intermediate outcomes. The prize corresponding to the favourable outcome is a jackpot prize. The prize corresponding to an intermediate outcome is repayment of the player's wager at fixed odds inversely proportional to the probability of that intermediate outcome occurring.

Abstract: Wagering systems with a payout percentage that exceeds 100% of wagers are presented. The payouts of these wagering systems may include unrestricted credits and/or restricted credits. Players may cash out unrestricted credits at virtually any point, but may be limited in when and/or how they can cash out or play restricted credits. By providing payouts in the form of unrestricted credits and/or restricted credits, players may find their experience with the wagering systems to be more engaging, enjoyable, and longer-lasting. Moreover, the limitations on the use of restricted credits may allow the casino operator to maintain a reasonable profit margin despite the increased duration of play.

Abstract: Wagering methods, devices, and systems that allow individual participants in a game of poker to opt-in or opt-out of a bad beat feature are presented. For each hand played at a given table, a participant may activate the bad beat feature. Once the feature is activated, the participant is eligible for winning at least part of a bad beat progressive jackpot. This jackpot may be funded by tokens purchased by the participant, a rake taken from the hand's wagers, or by some other means. Apportionment of the bad beat progressive jackpot may be triggered by the participant losing the hand despite having cards that provide the participant with a significant likelihood of winning the hand.

Abstract: A gaming apparatus includes a player terminal operable by a player to simulate a slots game, and a random event generator for generating a random event upon which an outcome of the slots game is based. The slots game has a plurality of successful outcomes, each associated with a corresponding prize. A wagering facility enables the player to place a wager on the occurrence of any specific successful outcome of the slots game, or to make a plurality of different wagers, each corresponding to a different specific one of the successful outcomes of the slots game. The different specific successful outcomes include a favorable outcome and a number of intermediate outcomes. The prize corresponding to the favorable outcome is a jackpot prize. The prize corresponding to an intermediate outcome is repayment of the player's wager at fixed odds inversely proportional to the probability of that intermediate outcome occurring.

Abstract: A gaming system comprises a primary wagering facility which is usable by a player to place an initial wager on a turn of a game of blackjack, and a secondary wagering facility which automatically places a side wager on the same turn of the game of blackjack. The side wager relates to an outcome which is a function of a number of different playing cards contained in the blackjack hand dealt to the player in turn of the game of blackjack. The side wager is paid at odds of at least 2 to 1 if the first dealt card in the player's hand is of a predetermined rank.

Abstract: A system for playing a multiplayer zero-sum game includes a gaming server operable under program control to regulate the progress of at least one instance of the multiplayer zero-sum game by a predetermined plurality of players, a user access facility corresponding to each player, a plurality of portals associated with a plurality of competing game provider entities, and a clearing account facility having a separate clearing account for each game provider entity. Each user access facility is operable by a player to access the gaming server for participation in the at least one instance of the multiplayer zero-sum game through a selectable one of the plurality of portals, wherein each portal can be logically connected to a plurality of user access facilities simultaneously.

Abstract: Methods and devices are presented for facilitating anonymous gameplay in multi-state, multiplayer games, such as poker. A gaming server may allow players to anonymously join instances of a game. The gaming server may represent an anonymous player to himself or herself using a non-anonymous alias, while the gaming server may represent the anonymous player to the other players or entities using an anonymous alias. Additionally, the gaming server may record events occurring in the game, and provide similarly anonymized versions of these events to other players and entities.

Abstract: A jackpot wagering system includes a number of player terminals, a random event generator and an accumulation facility. Each player terminal is operable by a respective player to place a corresponding wager on one or more different turns of a game of chance, while the accumulation facility is responsive to placement of each wager to accumulate a portion thereof in an accumulation account; The random event generator is activatable by placement of each wager to generate a random event upon which an outcome of a turn of the game of chance is based, the outcome being one of a number of possible outcomes that includes a favorable outcome causing the player who placed that wager to win the contents of the accumulation account.

Abstract: Domino wagering games are disclosed in which a player or players place a wager on which domino will be selected, the domino being selected with a domino roulette style wheel or by being revealed after selection from a boneyard. The wagers are based on a bet type as provided in a bet table that comprises a matrix of dominos arranged in columns and rows with paylines corresponding to particular bet types. The paylines are based on the odds that a first domino will be in a particular group as shown on the bet table.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems provide means for carrying out video events on which wagers are placed. The wagers may be won, lost, or returned. Multiple prizes, including a main prize and a bonus prize, are awarded for each winning wager. Execution of the video events causes multiple event symbols to be displayed on a display. The event symbols may represent symbols on multiple reels that are spun during each video event, or playing cards that are dealt from a simulated deck of playing cards during each video event. For each video event, a prize symbol may be randomly assigned to each of the two or more displayed event symbols. An event symbol displayed for a winning wager may be selected via a symbol selector. The selected event symbol may be replaced with a prize symbol to reveal the bonus prize for the winning wager.

Abstract: A player of a card game, such as poker, is presented with opportunities to replace one or more of the cards in his or her hand. The first such replacement may be free, but the player may incur a cost for each subsequent replacement. This cost may be based on how much the player is expected to benefit from the replacement. Facilitating these subsequent replacements may allow the player to improve a poor hand, thus enhancing the player's excitement of playing the card game.

Abstract: Players in a multi-state card game, such as blackjack or baccarat, are presented with opportunities to exchange their cards for new cards when the card game is in one or more particular states. These opportunities may include offers to redeal the player's hand of cards or redeal the player's opponent's hand of cards. Additionally, when the player is dealt a new card to be added to the player's hand, the player may be offered options to discard the new card, replace the new card with another new card, or to redeal the player's hand and/or the opponent's hand. In this way, the player may be able to improve his or her position in the card game. At the same time, the game provider may charge the player for acceptance of these offers, thus improving the profit margin of the game provider.

Abstract: A player of a card game, such as poker, may be presented with opportunities to replace one or more of the cards in his or her hand. For example, the player may be dealt a first set of cards, and then offered a first opportunity to replace one or more cards in the first set. The player may also be dealt a second set of cards, and then offered a second opportunity to replace one or more cards in the second set. Preferably, the first set and the second set of cards, when combined, form the player's hand of cards. The player may accept at least one of these two offers and, in doing so, may incur a cost for accepting one or more of the offers. This cost may be based on the difference between a first return associated with hand of cards played without replacement, and an expected second return associated with the offer(s) the player accepted.

Abstract: A system for administering promotions in which a player is awarded promotion credit to be consumed in wagering activities includes a credit administration facility that maintains a player credit account, and a display means capable of displaying a composition of the player credit account on a display means. The promotion credit is either one or both of a priori and a posteriori promotion credit. The credit administration facility automatically determines the composition of the player credit account as a function of any credit purchases made by the player, wagers made by the player and their corresponding payouts, and any promotion credit awarded to the player.

Abstract: A system for detecting and controlling collusion in a game with a plurality of participating players includes a gaming server and a number of portals in the form of websites on the World Wide Web in the Internet. Each of the portal websites is an online casino website hosted on a corresponding casino web server (not shown). Each of the casino websites is accessible by one or more would-be poker players. Each player accesses the website using a computer with a display and an associated pointing device. The system further includes an administration facility, which communicates with the gaming server along a communication channel, and a collusion detection server in communication with the gaming server via the communication channel.

Abstract: One or more client machines may engage in the play of reel-type games with a gaming server, where each gaming session may include one or more spins of a reel in the reel-type game. Certain outcomes of these spins may include a bonus token, or some other type of indication that bonus credits have been awarded. Once a given client machine has accumulated a sufficient number of bonus tokens, the client machine may have the option to engage in a bonus game.

Abstract: A system for administering promotions in which a player is awarded promotion credit to be consumed in wagering activities includes a credit administration facility that maintains a player credit account, and a display means capable of displaying a composition of the player credit account on a display means. The promotion credit is either one or both of a priori and a posteriori promotion credit. The credit administration facility automatically determines the composition of the player credit account as a function of any credit purchases made by the player, wagers made by the player and their corresponding payouts, and any promotion credit awarded to the player.