Wagering method including a push bet

Abstract

A method of wagering in the games of Pai Gow and Pai Gow Poker, comprising a wager, called a push bet, that a particular player hand will push with the Dealer hand. This wager can be settled with the same pool of money that is used for bets that a player hand will win, or there can be a separate pool of money for this wager. The Push Bet may be available at any time or it may only be available if the same player makes another wager. In one embodiment the Push Bet pays a multiple of the wager. In another embodiment, the wager pays even money, but also qualifies the player to win a bonus. The present invention also includes a method of having a pool of money for settling push bets or tie bets that is different from the pool used to settle other bets.

1 . A method of wagering in a Pai Gow Poker game between a designated Dealer and a player comprising: 
 designating one party as the Dealer, wherein all other players are playing against said Dealer;    accepting a Push Bet wager from a player;    dealing a hand of cards to said Dealer;    dealing a hand of cards to said player;    dividing said Dealer's hand into two sub-hands;    dividing said player's hand into two sub-hands;    comparing one of said player's sub-hands to a corresponding one of said Dealer's sub-hands and said player's other sub-hand to said Dealer's other corresponding sub-hand according to a predetermined evaluation method; and    settling said Push Bet wager,    wherein said player wins said Push Bet wager if one of said player's sub-hands is valued higher than said Dealer's corresponding sub-hand and said player's other sub-hand is valued lower than or equal to said Dealer's other corresponding sub-hand, and    wherein said player loses said Push Bet wager if both of said player's sub-hands are valued lower than or equal to the corresponding Dealer sub-hands, or if both of said player's sub-hands are valued higher than the corresponding Dealer sub-hands.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein any player who makes said Push 
 Bet wager is eligible to win an additional payment when other pre-specified conditions apply.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein wagers that the player hand beats the Dealer hand are funded from one pool of money and said Push Bet wagers are funded from a different pool of money.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein both pools are funded by players.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein one pool is funded by players and the other pool is funded by the casino.  
   
   
       6 . A method of wagering in a Pai Gow Tiles game between a designated Dealer and a player comprising: 
 designating one party as the Dealer, wherein all other players are playing against said Dealer;    accepting a Push Bet wager from a player;    dealing a hand of tiles to said Dealer;    dealing a hand of tiles to said player;    dividing said Dealer's hand into two sub-hands;    dividing said player's hand into two sub-hands;    comparing one of said player's sub-hands to a corresponding one of said Dealer's sub-hands and said player's other sub-hand to said Dealer's other corresponding sub-hand according to a predetermined evaluation method; and    settling said Push Bet wager,    wherein said player wins said Push Bet wager if one of said player's sub-hands is valued higher than said Dealer's corresponding sub-hand and said player's other sub-hand is valued lower than or equal to said Dealer's other corresponding sub-hand, and    wherein said player loses said Push Bet wager if both of said player's sub-hands are valued lower than or equal to the corresponding Dealer sub-hands, or if both of said player's sub-hands are valued higher than the corresponding Dealer sub-hands.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein any player who makes said Push Bet wager is eligible to win an additional payment when other pre-specified conditions apply.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein wagers that the player hand beats the Dealer hand are funded from one pool of money and said Push Bet wagers are funded from a different pool of money.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein both pools are funded by players.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein one pool is funded by players and the other pool is funded by the casino.  
   
   
       11 . A method of wagering in a game between a designated Dealer and a player comprising: 
 designating one party as the Dealer, wherein all other players are playing against said Dealer;    accepting a Push Bet wager from a player;    dealing a hand of gaming pieces to said Dealer;    dealing a hand of gaming pieces to said player;    dividing said Dealer's hand into two sub-hands;    dividing said player's hand into two sub-hands;    comparing one of said player's sub-hands to a corresponding one of said Dealer's sub-hands and said player's other sub-hand to said Dealer's other corresponding sub-hand according to a predetermined evaluation method; and    settling said Push Bet wager,    wherein said player wins said Push Bet wager if one of said player's sub-hands is valued higher than said Dealer's corresponding sub-hand and said player's other sub-hand is valued lower than or equal to said Dealer's other corresponding sub-hand, and    wherein said player loses said Push Bet wager if both of said player's sub-hands are valued lower than or equal to the corresponding Dealer sub-hands, or if both of said player's sub-hands are valued higher than the corresponding Dealer sub-hands.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein any player who makes said wager is eligible to win an additional payment when other pre-specified conditions apply.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein wagers that the player beats the Dealer are funded from one pool of money and said Push Bet wagers are funded from a different pool of money.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein both pools are funded by players.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein one pool is funded by players and the other pool is funded by the casino.  
   
   
       16 . A method of playing a wagering game between a designated Dealer and at least one player comprising: 
 designating one party as the Dealer, wherein all other players are playing against said Dealer;    accepting wagers from said at least one player, wherein said wagers may include a normal win wager that said at least one player's hand will beat said Dealer's hand and a push wager that said at least one player's hand and said Dealer's hand will push;    dealing a hand of gaming pieces to said Dealer;    dealing a hand of gaming pieces to said at least one player;    determining the outcome of said game according to a predetermined evaluation method, wherein said at least one player hand may beat said Dealer hand, said Dealer hand may beat said at least one player hand, and said at least one player hand and said Dealer hand may push, said push resulting in no party winning the wager for a wager that said at least one player hand would beat said Dealer hand;    settling said wagers, wherein said at least one player wins said normal win wager when said at least one player hand beats said Dealer hand, said at least one player wins said push wager when said at least one player hand and said Dealer hand result in a push, and said normal win wagers and said push wagers are settled from two different pools of funds.