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.

Abstract: A central gaming server communicates with a gaming workstation over a network, such as a local area network or wide area computer network. The gaming server makes an initial determination of payout percentage for an instance of a game engaged in by the workstation, and generates results of turns of the game in accordance with the initial payout percentage. In one embodiment, the payout percentage is dynamically changed by the gaming server, and it generates additional results of turns of the game using the new payout percentage. Triggers for determining a new payout percentage could be that a predetermined number of turns of play at the initial payout percentage have occurred, the elapsing of a certain amount of time, or the player logging off the game and then logging back on.

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.