Game with user selectable payout schedules

Abstract

A method and apparatus for playing a game including steps of: providing a plurality of payout schedules; allowing the player to select two or more of the payout schedules irrespective of an amount of any bet he places; allowing the player to place two or more bets, each said bet being associated with a respective one of the selected schedules, the bets being based on an outcome of a selection of a combination of symbols; selecting a combination of symbols in an at least apparently random manner; determining whether the combination of symbols is a winning combination, and awarding the player for a winning combination for each said bet in accordance with its respective selected payout schedule.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of playing a game including steps of: 
 providing a plurality of payout schedules;    allowing the player to select two or more of the payout schedules irrespective of an amount of any bet he places;    allowing the player to place two or more bets, each said bet being associated with a respective one of the selected schedules, the bets being based on an outcome of a selection of a combination of symbols;    selecting a combination of symbols in an at least apparently random manner;    determining whether the combination of symbols is a winning combination, and    awarding the player for a winning combination for each said bet in accordance with its respective selected payout schedule.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more payout schedules are selected by the player before the symbols are selected or before the selected symbols are displayed to the player.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein all or some of the plurality of payout schedules are displayed to the player when he is selecting the payout schedule(s).  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including a step of allowing the player to repeat the amount he bet on all or some of the selected schedules for a subsequent selection of combination of symbols.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein each said payout schedule specifies one or more award amounts for winning combinations of symbols.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the payout schedules specify greater awards for winning combinations of symbols that are at least perceived to be less likely to be selected.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the payout schedules specify that no award is to be paid out for winning combinations of symbols that are at least perceived to be more likely to be selected.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including a step of allowing the player to play a sub-game if he selects one or more specific schedules.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including a step of allowing the player to play a sub-game if he selects one or more specific schedules, the sub-game including steps of: 
 displaying a sequence for a period of time;    arresting the sequence,    wherein the player wins the sub-game if the sequence is arrested at a specified point or within a target range.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including a step of allowing the player to play a sub-game if he selects one or more specific schedules, wherein a difficulty of the sub-game varies in accordance with the potential value of the payout schedules selected.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including a step of allowing the player to play a sub-game if he selects one or more specific schedules, wherein if the player loses the sub-game then he forfeits credits he intended to bet on all or some of the selected schedules.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the symbols are representations of playing cards and the determination of whether the combination of symbols is a winning combination is made in accordance with rules of a substantially conventional card game such as Poker.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the symbols are substantially conventional fruit/slot machine symbols.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the payout schedules includes displaying an initial representation of a said schedule and then displaying a fuller representation of the schedule before it is selected to allow the player to view the schedule in more detail before confirming its selection.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 1 ,wherein the steps of selecting the payout schedules and the amount to be bet on at least some of the selected schedules are implemented by the player pressing one or more special buttons.  
     
     
         16 . Gaming apparatus including: 
 a display including a plurality of payout schedules;    an input device for allowing the player to select two or more of the payout schedules irrespective of an amount of any bet he places;    an input device for allowing the player to place two or more bets, each said bet being associated with a respective one of the selected schedules, the bets being based on an outcome of a selection of a combination of symbols;    a device for selecting a combination of symbols in an at least apparently random manner, and    a device for determining whether the combination of symbols is a winning combination and awarding the player for a winning combination for each said bet in accordance with its respective selected payout schedule.