Abstract: An electronic multiplayer tournament is provided in which participating players can win real-money prizes during tournament play, that is, prizes that can be redeemed for value outside of the context of the tournament prize, in addition to overall tournament prizes at the close of tournament play. The real-money prizes may include any one or more of a jackpot prize, a progressive jackpot prize or a wide-area progressive jackpot prize. A portion of a tournament entry fee can be utilized to fund the cost of the real-money prize, in direct proportion to the probability of the real-money prize being won by a participating player.

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 system provides for two blackjack hands, a first one for the player and a second one for a dealer. The system includes an accumulation facility which accumulates a fixed portion of the wager in a pooled jackpot. The side wager relates to an outcome of a first three cards dealt in the player's hand. In particular, the side wager is deemed to be successful if one or more of the first three cards dealt in the player's hand is of a predetermined rank, or is of a particular suite, or both. In order to increase the appeal of the gaming system, the predetermined rank is selected to be a seven, and the particular suite is selected to be diamonds.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for playing poker are provided. The method includes a step of placing an ante bet for each of one or more hands to be played. The player may optionally place a side bet for each of the one or more played hands. The side bet is that a set of cards (e.g., two) to be dealt to such hand will have a predetermined ranking. In any event, the set of cards are dealt to each played hand. For each of the played hands, the player takes one of the following actions: a fold action, a call action, or a raise action. Then, one or more community cards are dealt (alternatively, the cards are dealt into each hand directly). Then, a ranking is done each of the played hands, each played hand formed of the initial set of cards dealt plus the community card(s). A payout occurs for each of the played hands according to the wager, the ranking, the result of any side bets placed, and a predetermined paytable.

Abstract: A menu system includes a display means for displaying game data to a number of available casino games playable by a player at an online casino. The display means is switchable between an overview mode and a detailed mode. The game data relating to any game that is displayed in the detailed mode is a superset of corresponding game data displayed for the same game in the overview mode, and the available games for which game data is displayed in the overview mode being a subset of the available games for which game data is displayed in the detailed mode. The menu system includes a categorisation facility that is operable to categorise the number of available casino games playable by the player into a number of different game categories. The game data displayed by the display means is sorted by game category and the number of game categories in the detailed mode is greater than the number of game categories in the overview mode.

Abstract: A system and method for deal-making in a multiplayer game-of-chance tournament are described. The system and method are applicable to poker, blackjack, mah-jongg, video slots, and other betting games of chance at online and live casinos. The system includes a graphical interface which depicts the game-of-chance and a deal-making interface. The deal-making interface allows players to negotiate the distribution of a divisible prize (a prize pool split). The graphical interface may also include a chat window, displayed along with the deal-making interface, for allowing communication among players.

Abstract: A gaming system (1) comprises a primary wagering facility (6) which is usable by a player to place an initial wager on a turn of a game of blackjack, and a secondary wagering facility (7) which automatically places a side wager on the same turn of the game of blackjack. The system provides for two blackjack hands, a first one for the player and a second one for a dealer. The system includes an accumulation facility (10) which accumulates a fixed portion of the side wager in a pooled jackpot. The side wager relates to an outcome of a first three cards dealt in the player's hand. In particular, the side wager is deemed to be successful if one or more of the first three cards dealt in the player's hand is of a predetermined rank, or is of a particular suite, or both.

Abstract: A method and gaming station that provides a toolbar having short-cut tabs that responsively adapt to a wagering state in an electronic or online poker game is provided. The short-cut tabs allow a player to wager in terms of factors such as a pot-size or a minimum wager. The short-cut tabs, and the wagers displayed therein, adapt to a particular context of the game, allowing a player to wager more efficiently during the course of a poker game. In addition, the short-cut tabs may be user-configurable, giving a player desired tabs at specific points of time within a poker game.

Abstract: Online blackjack tournaments are described which provide a facility by which a player in the blackjack tournament may purchase a card counting report to assist in their play. The card counting report could be purchased with cash or cash equivalent, or with chips assigned to the player for play in the tournament. The player may select the format or content for the card counting report. The report could be purchased for the entire tournament, a round of the tournament, or for one or more hands. In one variation, the card counting report is generated by a central gaming server. In another variation, the card counting report is generated locally by a client process executing on a workstation used by a player to play in the tournament.

Abstract: Blackjack tournaments are described which provide for rules and practices that facilitate counting of cards by players, such as dealing from a single deck of 52 cards down to the last card in the deck. The proprietor of the tournament limits its exposure to losses by forming a pool of prize money from entrance fees paid by players, sponsorship fees, a limited contribution to the pool of prize money, or combinations thereof. Players play with chips provided by the proprietor of the tournament. The tournament may be captured with one or more video cameras and broadcast over an entertainment network. The broadcast may feature card counting reports, commentary by experts, and a display of the sequence of cards to be dealt to the players and the dealer.

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 successful outcome causing the player to win 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 player's prize corresponding to the favourable outcome is a jackpot prize, while that 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 method and system for indicating a jackpot payout expectancy for a game is provided for use with live or online gaming. The system includes a display of jackpot payout information for gaming participants that may allow participants to rapidly assess a status of various jackpot casino games to determine which game to play, based on a likelihood of an imminent jackpot payout. For instance, a payout statistic (i.e., a jackpot thermometer) is provided to players to indicate how far a jackpot cycle of a game has run since the jackpot was last paid out. The statistic can be displayed graphically as a slider bar or as a thermometer icon, for example.

Abstract: A method for implementing a Live Dealer game is disclosed. A live feed of game-play at a gaming table is sent to a remote player. During play, a server receives an indication of a rank and suit of a dealt card. If the card has not yet been revealed at the gaming table, the server will delay transmitting to the remote player data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card. Upon receipt of a status signal indicating that the card has been revealed at the gaming table, the server will transmit the data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the remote player, thereby substantially synchronizing transmitting the data indicating the rank and suit of the dealt card to the remote player with revealing the card at the gaming table.

Abstract: Domino wagering games are disclosed in which a player or players play the conventional game of blackjack with domino tiles instead of playing cards. The domino tiles can be dealt to the players by a dealer, or can be selected by the players themselves. Both land based and electronic formats of the domino blackjack games are provided.

Abstract: A decision support system comprises a decision repository with at least one stored game play decision for a particular hand held by a player and a corresponding first card held by a dealer, in a game of blackjack, and a programming facility operable, selectively, by the player to amend the at least one stored game play decision. The decision repository has a stored game play decision for every possible combination of a particular hand held by the player and corresponding first card held by the dealer.

Abstract: A bingo game apparatus (1) comprises a number of player stations (3), a random event generator capable of generating a number of random events upon which an outcome of the bingo game is based. Each player station (3) is operable by a player to place a wager on a turn of the game of bingo. The outcome of the turn of the game of bingo is either an unfavorable outcome in which the player forfeits the wager, and at least one favorable outcome in which the player wins a corresponding prize. The turn of the different entertainment game has an outcome that is an unfavourable outcome when the outcome of the turn of the game of bingo is an unfavourable outcome, and an outcome that causes the player to win the same corresponding prize as the game of bingo is an unfavorable outcome, and an outcome that causes the player to win the same corresponding prize as the game of bingo when the outcome of the turn of the game of bingo is a favorable outcome.

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: A gaming system includes a gaming server operate under program control to regulate the progress of a game of chance, a player station capable of displaying a simulation of the game of chance, a communication network that provides communication between the gaming server and the player station, and a means by which the player can place a wager on an outcome of a turn of the game of chance. The outcome of the game of chance is determined by the gaming server as a function of a sequence of randomly generated binary variables. The player station displays the simulation of the game of chance as an animation of a multistage decision tree in which the number of stages is equal to the number of binary variables in the sequence of randomly generated binary variables.

Abstract: a wager administration system comprises a primary wagering facility operable by a player to place an initial wager on a desired primary individual number in a turn of the game of roulette, and a secondary wagering facility instructable by the player to place an additional wager on an individual number adjacent the primary individual number on a layout of a roulette wheel. The secondary wagering facility is also instructable by the player to place additional wagers on each on of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 or 16 individual numbers, selectively, located closest to the primary individual number and circumferentially to one side of thereof on a layout of a roulette wheel.

Abstract: A gaming system (1) comprises one or more player stations, a primary random event generator (2g) communicable with each player station by means of a communication network, a secondary random event generator (3g) communicable with each player station by means of the same communication network and a controller.

Abstract: A promotion for inducing players to play wager games takes the form of bonus play. The bonus play, in one form, takes the form of “free” turns of play in which a player credit account is not debited by such turns of play. Winnings from bonus play can take the form of cashable credit, bonus credit, or additional bonus play, as dictated by the pay table of the wager game. In other embodiments, the operator exercises control over the utilization and features of the bonus play, such as by fixing the wagering for the bonus play in advance and limiting the availability of the bonus play to a particular time period. Bonus play is played in a bonus mode of operation and the player may switch between bonus mode and a regular mode. A pay table featuring bonus play as one of the awards for a winning result of a wager game is also described. A pay table featuring an award of bonus credit is also described. Bonus credit is credit which is not subject to immediate withdrawal by the player.