Three-card poker game with progressive side bet

Abstract

A method of playing a wagering game has a player betting a first single part wager to participate in a casino three-card poker-type game. A dealer deals a hand consisting of three cards to each of the dealer and to a player who placed a first wager. The dealer resolves each player's first single part wager against a paytable or against a dealer's hand according to a predetermined hierarchy of three card poker hands. Individual players place a side bet progressive wager that the individual player's three card hand are one of a defined set of a specific rank of hands. Individual players that have made the side bet progressive wager are paid an award out of a progressive jackpot according to the following criteria: a) a highest amount or a highest percentage of the progressive jackpot for receiving one or more of the four possible A-K-Q straight flushes; and b) a lesser amount less than the highest amount or an intermediate percentage less than the highest percentage of the progressive jackpot for receiving the one or more A-K-Q straight flush hands excluded from a).

1 . A method of playing a wagering game, comprising the steps of:
 a) receiving a first single part wager to participate in a casino three-card poker-type game;   b) providing participating players with an optional progressive wager, wherein players placing the progressive wager win at least one of a progressive amount and a percentage of a progressive amount depending on the player's three card hand ranking according to the following criteria:
 1) a highest amount or a highest percentage of the progressive jackpot for any player receiving one or more first preset card combinations of the possible card combinations that form the hand ranking of straight flush; or 
 2) a lesser amount less than the highest amount or an intermediate percentage less than the highest percentage of the progressive jackpot for any player receiving one or more second preset card combinations of the possible card combinations that form a straight flush, wherein the second preset card combinations differ from the first preset card combinations according to 1 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the straight flush of the first preset card combinations according to 1) consists of a Royal Flush of a specific predetermined suit. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the Royal Flush is selected from a single suit of Spades, Hearts, Clubs and Diamonds, leaving three suits of Royal Flushes as not being awarded the highest amount or percentage from the jackpot. 
   
   
       4 . A method of playing a wagering game, comprising: placing a first single part wager to participate in a casino three-card poker-type game; a dealer dealing a hand consisting of three cards to each player who placed a first wager; and resolving each player's first single part wager against a paytable for the player's three card hand according to a predetermined hierarchy of poker hands;
 individual players placing a side bet progressive wager that the individual player's three card hand composition is one of a defined set of a specific rank of hands;   individual players having made the side bet progressive wager being paid an award out of a progressive jackpot for:   a) a highest amount or percentage of the progressive jackpot for a specific combination of three cards of both suit and rank; and   b) lesser amount or percentage of the progressive jackpot for three-card combination of specific suit and rank, but different from the specific combination of a).   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the specific combination of a) consists of three specific rank cards of a single specific predetermined suit. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the specific combination of a) is selected from a single suit of Spades, Hearts, Clubs and Diamonds, leaving three suits of similarly ranked specific combinations of cards as not being awarded the highest amount or percentage from the jackpot. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  is not a Royal Flush, and Royal Flushes are then paid the intermediate amount of b). 
   
   
       8 . A method of playing a wagering game, comprising: placing a first single part wager to participate in a casino three-card poker-type game against at least a dealer hand, a three card poker hand against a pay table or both; a dealer dealing a hand consisting of three cards to each of the dealer and to a player who placed a first wager; and resolving each player's first single part wager against a dealer hand, a paytable, or both, according to a predetermined hierarchy of poker hands;
 individual players placing a side bet progressive wager that the individual player's three card hand composition is one of a defined set of a specific rank of hands;   individual players having made the side bet progressive wager being paid an award out of a progressive jackpot for:   a) a highest amount or percentage of the progressive jackpot for a specific at least 4-card combination of three cards from the player's hand making the side bet wager and at least one card from the dealer's hand; and   b) lesser amount or percentage of the progressive jackpot for either three-card combination of specific suit and rank in the player's hand only or specific at least four-card combinations formed from three player's cards and at least one dealer's card, but different from the specific four-card combination of a).   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the three cards of a) in the player's hand must be three specific ranked cards of like suit. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the three cards of a) in the player's hand must be three specific ranked cards of like suit and consecutive in rank. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the three cards of a) in the player's hand must be three specific ranked cards of like rank. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the three cards of b) in the player's hand must be three specific ranked cards of like rank. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the three cards of a) in the player's hand must be three specific ranked cards of like suit and the at least one card from the dealer's hand must complete a straight flush. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the three cards of a) in the player's hand must be three specific ranked cards of like suit and the at least one card from the dealer's hand comprises two cards that must complete a straight flush. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the straight flush must be a Royal Flush. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the Royal Flush must be of a specific predetermined suit to win the highest amount or percentage of a).