Poker with bonus round and related method

Abstract

A video poker machine includes a display screen and a processor. The processor deals a winning hand of cards, which the screen displays, and randomly selects a bonus prize if the winning hand is a bonus hand. Alternatively, the processor randomly selects a bonus prize regardless of whether the processor deals a winning hand or whether the winning hand is a bonus hand. Such a bonus round can increase the profitability of the poker machine. Specifically, the availability of a bonus increases the appeal, and thus the take of the machine. By selecting an appropriate bonus hand and appropriate odds of winning in the bonus round, this increase in take can increase the machine's profit as compared to the profit of a conventional machine having the same payout schedule but without a bonus round. Moreover, this increase in profit can typically be achieved without a player's knowledge and without violating any gaming laws.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A video poker machine, comprising: 
 a display screen; and    a processor coupled to the display and operable to, 
 deal a winning hand of cards,  
 cause the screen to display the dealing of the winning hand,  
 randomly select a bonus prize if the winning hand is a bonus hand,  
 cause the screen to display the random selection of the bonus prize, and  
 pay the bonus prize.  
   
     
     
         2 . The video poker machine of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an input device coupled to the processor; and    wherein the processor is operable to deal the winning hand by: 
 dealing a predetermined number of cards,  
 causing the screen to display the dealt cards,  
 allowing a player to discard at least one of the dealt cards and to draw at least one additional card to replace the at least one discarded card via the input device, and  
 causing the screen to display the drawn cards.  
   
     
     
         3 . The video poker machine of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an input device coupled to the processor; and    wherein the processor is operable to deal the winning hand by, 
 dealing five cards,  
 causing the screen to display the dealt cards,  
 allowing a player to discard at least one of the dealt cards and to draw at least one additional card to replace the discarded cards via the selection device, and  
 causing the screen to display the drawn cards.  
   
     
     
         4 . The video poker machine of  claim 1  wherein the processor is operable to randomly select the bonus prize by: 
 generating a random number; and  
 selecting the bonus prize from a plurality of predetermined bonus prizes based on the random number.  
 
     
     
         5 . The video poker machine of  claim 1  wherein the processor is operable to randomly select the bonus prize if the winning hand is four of a kind.  
     
     
         6 . The video poker machine of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an input device coupled to the processor; and    wherein the processor is operable to randomly select the bonus prize only if a player indicates a maximum allowed wager via the input device before the processor deals the winning hand.    
     
     
         7 . The video poker machine of  claim 1  wherein the processor is operable to: 
 randomly select the bonus by, 
 spinning a bonus wheel marked with a plurality of bonus prizes, and  
 selecting the bonus prize based on the orientation of the bonus wheel when it stops spinning, and  
 causing the screen to display the random selection of the bonus prize by causing the screen to display the spinning and stopping of the bonus wheel.  
 
 
     
     
         8 . The video poker machine of  claim 1  wherein the processor is further operable to: 
 randomly select a number of cards from a single deck of cards; and  
 deal the winning hand from the randomly selected cards.  
 
     
     
         9 . The video poker machine of  claim 1  wherein the winning hand of cards comprises one of the following hands: 
 a pair of jacks or better;  
 two pair;  
 three of a kind;  
 a straight;  
 a flush;  
 a full house;  
 four of a kind;  
 a straight flush; and  
 a royal flush.  
 
     
     
         10 . A video poker machine, comprising: 
 an input device;    a display screen; and    a processor coupled to the input device and to the display screen and operable to, 
 receive a wager via the input device,  
 generate a random number in response to receiving the wager,  
 randomly select a number of cards from a single deck of cards,  
 deal a hand of cards from the randomly selected cards,  
 cause the screen to display the dealt hand,  
 allow a player to alter the dealt hand by using the input device to discard at least one of the dealt cards and to draw at least one additional card to replace the at least one discarded card;  
 cause the screen to display the altering of the dealt hand,  
 cause the screen to display a spinning bonus wheel if the altered hand is a bonus hand and if the processor received a maximum wager,  
 stop the bonus wheel to indicate a bonus prize based on the random number,  
 cause the screen to display the stopped bonus wheel and the selected bonus prize, and  
 pay the bonus prize.  
   
     
     
         11 . The video poker machine of  claim 10  wherein the bonus hand comprises a predetermined winning poker hand.  
     
     
         12 . The video poker machine of  claim 10  wherein the bonus hand comprises a four-of a-kind poker hand.  
     
     
         13 . The video poker machine of  claim 10  wherein the processor is operable to pay the bonus prize by crediting the bonus prize to an amount available for a subsequent wager.  
     
     
         14 . A video poker machine, comprising: 
 a payout schedule for all possible winning hands of a poker game, the payout schedule yielding a potential hold percentage and a potential profit; and    a bonus feature that, in combination with the payout schedule, yields an actual hold percentage that is less than the potential hold percentage and an actual profit that is greater than the potential profit.    
     
     
         15 . The video poker machine of  claim 14  wherein the poker game comprises a five-card-draw poker game.  
     
     
         16 . The video poker game of  claim 14  wherein the payout schedule comprises multiple payouts for each winning hand based on an amount wagered.  
     
     
         17 . A video poker machine, comprising: 
 a display screen; and    a processor coupled to the display and operable to, 
 randomly enter a bonus round and select a bonus prize,  
 cause the screen to display the random selection of the bonus prize, and pay the bonus prize.  
   
     
     
         18 . The video poker machine of  claim 17  wherein the processor is further operable to: 
 deal a winning hand of cards; and  
 randomly enter the bonus round and select a bonus prize regardless of whether the winning hand is a bonus hand.  
 
     
     
         19 . The video poker machine of  claim 17  wherein the processor is further operable to: 
 deal a winning hand of cards; and  
 enter the bonus round and select a bonus prize if the winning hand is a bonus hand.  
 
     
     
         20 . The video poker machine of  claim 17  wherein the processor is operable to randomly enter the bonus round and select the bonus prize by: 
 generating first and second random numbers;  
 entering the bonus round based on the first random number; and  
 selecting the bonus prize from a plurality of predetermined bonus prizes based on the second random number.  
 
     
     
         21 . The video poker machine of  claim 17  wherein the processor is operable to randomly enter the bonus round and select a bonus prize only if a player wagers a maximum number of credits.  
     
     
         22 . A method for playing a card game, the method comprising: 
 dealing a winning hand of cards; and    paying a randomly selected bonus if the winning hand is also a bonus hand.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein dealing a winning hand comprises: 
 dealing a predetermined number of cards; and  
 allowing a player to discard at least one of the dealt cards and to draw at least one additional card to replace the at least one discarded card.  
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein dealing a winning hand comprises: 
 dealing five cards; and  
 allowing a player to discard at least one of the dealt cards and to draw at least one additional card to replace the at least one discarded card.  
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein paying a randomly selected bonus prizes comprises: 
 generating a random number; and  
 paying one of a plurality of predetermined bonus prizes based on the random number.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  wherein paying a bonus prize comprises paying a bonus prize if the winning hand is four of a kind.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein paying a bonus prize comprises paying a bonus prize only if a player wagered a maximum allowable amount before the dealing of the winning hand.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22  wherein paying a randomly selected bonus prize comprises: 
 spinning a wheel marked with different bonus prize; and  
 paying the bonus prize based on the position in which the wheel stops.  
 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the bonus prize comprises money.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the bonus prize comprises a non-monetary award.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 randomly selecting cards from a single deck of cards; and    wherein dealing the winning hand comprises dealing the winning hand from the randomly selected cards.    
     
     
         32 . A method, comprising: 
 receiving a number of wager credits;    generating a random number in response to receiving the wager credits;    randomly selecting cards from a single deck of cards;    dealing a hand of cards from the randomly selected cards;    allowing a player to discard at least one of the dealt cards and to draw at least one additional card to replace the at least one discarded card;    spinning a bonus wheel if the resulting hand is a bonus hand and the maximum number of wager credits was received;    stopping the bonus wheel to indicate a bonus prize based on the second random number; and    paying the indicated bonus prize.    
     
     
         33 . A method, comprising: 
 setting a payout schedule for all possible winning hands of a card game, the payout schedule resulting in a hold percentage and a-profit; and    reducing the hold percentage and increasing the profit without altering the payout schedule.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein setting a payout schedule comprises setting the payout schedule for all possible winning hands of a five-card-draw poker game.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein setting a payout schedule comprises setting multiple payouts for each winning hand based on the amount wagered.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein reducing the hold percentage comprises setting a schedule of bonus prizes for one of the possible winning hands.  
     
     
         37 . A method for playing a card game, the method comprising: 
 randomly entering a bonus round and selecting a bonus prize; and    paying the randomly selected bonus prize.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 dealing a winning hand of cards; and    wherein randomly entering the bonus round comprises randomly entering the bonus round and selecting a bonus prize regardless of whether the winning hand is a bonus hand.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 dealing a winning hand of cards; and    entering the bonus round and selecting a bonus prize if the winning hand is a bonus hand.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 generating first and second random numbers;    entering the bonus round based on the first random number; and    selecting the bonus prize from a plurality of predetermined bonus prizes based on the second random number.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37  wherein randomly entering the bonus round comprises randomly entering the bonus round and selecting the bonus prize only if a player wagers a maximum number of credits.