Gaming system and method providing a multi-player game having an auction for determining player actions in the game

Abstract

In one embodiment, the gaming system is configured to provide a Bacarrat game including an auction in which players on each of a plurality of gaming devices can wager on a banker hand and a player hand, which is configured such that (a) the gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices placing the largest banker bet thereafter displays a generation of the banker hand of the bacarrat game, and (b) the gaming device of the plurality of gaming devices placing the largest player bet thereafter displays a generation of the player hand of the bacarrat game.

1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a game;   a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device configured to enable a player to play the game; and   at least one processor operable with the plurality of gaming devices, said processor programmed to:
 (a) control a wager sequence in which each gaming device enables the player of said gaming device to wager at least one of a plurality of different wager amounts on a play of the game, and 
 (b) based at least in part on the wager amounts made by the players of said gaming devices on said play of the game:
 (i) determine which player of said play of the game won the wager sequence, and 
 (ii) cause the gaming device of said winning player to enable the player to make at least one input in said play of the game which cannot be made by other players of said play of the game. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one input does not influence an outcome of said play of the game. 
   
   
       3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one input influences an outcome of said play of the game. 
   
   
       4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of which player of said play of the game won the wager sequence is based at least in part on which player made a highest wager. 
   
   
       5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the player the determination of which player of said play of the game won the wager sequence is based at least in part on which player made a highest wager on a designated type of bet for said play of the game. 
   
   
       6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed to automatically enable the players of said gaming devices to wager on said play of the game immediately after a previous play of the game. 
   
   
       7 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the game is a baccarat game. 
   
   
       8 . The gaming system of  claim 7 , wherein processor is programmed to control the wager sequence by enabling the player of said gaming device to wager at least one of: a banker bet, a player bet and a tie bet on a play of the baccarat game. 
   
   
       9 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein for said play of the baccarat game, the processor is programmed to cause a first one of the gaming devices with the largest banker bet in the wager sequence to first display at least an initial portion of a generation of the banker hand of said play of the bacarrat game before the other gaming devices. 
   
   
       10 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein for said play of the baccarat game, the processor is programmed to cause a second one of the gaming devices with the largest player bet to first display at least an initial portion of a generation of the player hand of said play of the bacarrat game before the other gaming devices. 
   
   
       11 . The gaming system of  claim 9 , wherein for said play of the baccarat game, the processor is programmed to cause a second one of the gaming devices with the largest player bet to first display at least an initial portion of a generation of the player hand of said play of the bacarrat game before the other gaming devices. 
   
   
       12 . The gaming system of  claim 11 , which includes a shared video screen configured to show at least one of:
 (i) which gaming device is the first gaming device;   (ii) the bet placed by the first gaming device;   (iii) which gaming device is the second gaming device;   (iv) the bet placed by the second gaming device;   (v) results of the banker and player hand generations;   (vi) whether either of the banker or player hands is dealt a third card; and   (vii) each bet placed by each gaming device.   
   
   
       13 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the gaming devices includes a video screen configured to perform at least one of:
 (i) input one or more of a player, banker and the bet;   (ii) display an amount of credits remaining;   (iii) display a total bet wagered;   (iv) display a time remaining for the wager sequence; and   (v) enable at least one bet to be cleared.   
   
   
       14 . The gaming system of  claim 11 , wherein each gaming device includes a video screen, and wherein the initial portion of the banker hand and player hand includes a set of playing cards is displayed face-down on the video screens of the first and second gaming devices, the playing cards individually selectable to form the banker and player hands. 
   
   
       15 . The gaming system of  claim 14 , which is configured to run a sequence in which at least one of the following occurs:
 (i) playing cards selected to form the banker hand are revealed on the video screen of the first gaming device displaying before being revealed on the video screen of any other gaming device; and   (ii) playing cards selected to form the player hand are revealed on the video screen of the second gaming device before being revealed on the video screen of any other gaming device.   
   
   
       16 . The gaming system of  claim 8 , which is configured to automatically generate the banker hand or the player hand if no banker bet or player bet is wagered, respectively. 
   
   
       17 . A gaming system comprising:
 a game including a plurality of symbols;   a plurality of gaming devices, each gaming device configured to enable a player to play the game; and   at least one processor operable with the plurality of gaming devices, said processor programmed to:
 (a) control an wager sequence in which each gaming device enables the player of said gaming device to wager at least one of a plurality of different wager amounts on a play of the game, and 
 (b) based at least in part on the wager amounts made by the players of said gaming devices on said play of the game:
 (i) determine which player of said play of the game won the wager sequence, and 
 (ii) cause the gaming device of said winning player to display at least one output of said play of the game to said winning player before the other gaming devices display said at least one output to the other players of said play of the game. 
 
   
   
   
       18 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the output is at least one symbol. 
   
   
       19 . The gaming system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one symbol is on a playing card. 
   
   
       20 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the determination of which player of said play of the game won the wager sequence is based at least in part on which player made a highest wager. 
   
   
       21 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the player the determination of which player of said play of the game won the wager sequence is based at least in part on which player made a highest wager on a designated type of bet for said play of the game. 
   
   
       22 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed to automatically enable the players of said gaming devices to wager on said play of the game immediately after a previous play of the game. 
   
   
       23 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the game is a baccarat game. 
   
   
       24 . The gaming system of  claim 23 , wherein processor is programmed to control the wager sequence by enabling the player of said gaming device to wager at least one of: a banker bet, a player bet and a tie bet on a play of the baccarat game. 
   
   
       25 . The gaming system of  claim 24 , wherein for said play of the baccarat game, the processor is programmed to cause a first one of the gaming devices with the largest banker bet in the wager sequence to first display at least an initial portion of a generation of the banker hand of said play of the bacarrat game before the other gaming devices. 
   
   
       26 . The gaming system of  claim 24 , wherein for said play of the baccarat game, the processor is programmed to cause a second one of the gaming devices with the largest player bet to first display at least an initial portion of a generation of the player hand of said play of the bacarrat game before the other gaming devices. 
   
   
       27 . The gaming system of  claim 25 , wherein for said play of the baccarat game, the processor is programmed to cause a second one of the gaming devices with the largest player bet to first display at least an initial portion of a generation of the player hand of said play of the bacarrat game before the other gaming devices. 
   
   
       28 . The gaming system of  claim 27 , which includes a shared video screen configured to show at least one of:
 (i) which gaming device is the first gaming device;   (ii) the bet placed by the first gaming device;   (iii) which gaming device is the second gaming device;   (iv) the bet placed by the second gaming device;   (v) results of the banker and player hand generations;   (vi) whether either of the banker or player hands is dealt a third card; and   (vii) each bet placed by each gaming device.   
   
   
       29 . The gaming system of  claim 23 , wherein each of the gaming devices includes a video screen configured to perform at least one of:
 (i) input one or more of a player, banker and the bet;   (ii) display an amount of credits remaining;   (iii) display a total bet wagered;   (iv) display a time remaining for the wager sequence; and   (v) enable at least one bet to be cleared.   
   
   
       30 . The gaming system of  claim 25 , wherein each gaming device includes a video screen, and wherein the initial portion of the banker hand and player hand includes a set of playing cards is displayed face-down on the video screens of the first and second gaming devices, the playing cards individually selectable to form the banker and player hands. 
   
   
       31 . The gaming system of  claim 30 , which is configured to run a sequence in which at least one of the following occurs:
 (i) playing cards selected to form the banker hand are revealed on the video screen of the first gaming device displaying before being revealed on the video screen of any other gaming device; and   (ii) playing cards selected to form the player hand are revealed on the video screen of the second gaming device before being revealed on the video screen of any other gaming device.   
   
   
       32 . The gaming system of  claim 23 , which is configured to automatically generate the banker hand or the player hand if no banker bet or player bet is wagered, respectively.