Games of chance with game enhancement features

Abstract

A game of chance with a first and second gaming segment which provides additional winning opportunities, greater odds and enhanced playing experiences to players, while providing an opportunity to increase revenues to the sponsoring entity by offering a second gaming segment with increased odds by limiting the second gaming segment participants to winners of a first gaming segment throughout a defined period who initially paid a premium wager to participate in the first gaming segment. A plurality of games are also taught offering higher odds and enhanced winning opportunities to players by offering a surplus of pre-selected symbol choices over an amount drawn and post-game symbol modification features. A percentage of the gaming prize payouts is funded by a percentage of the revenues received from at least one player who paid a premium wager to participate the games of the present invention.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A method for hosting a game of chance, comprising the steps of:
 a. offering a first gaming segment with a first wager and a second wager;   b. generating a game piece for a player with a set of player indicia and an indication of the wager paid;   c. determining if the first gaming segment outcome qualifies the player to play a second gaming segment;   d. pooling data representing a plurality of players of the second gaming segment and selecting at least one winner;   e. determining the wager a second gaming segment winner paid to play the first gaming segment;   f. awarding a 1 st  prize to the second gaming segment winner if the winner paid the first wager to play the first gaming segment; and   g. awarding a 2 nd  prize to the second gaming segment winner if the winner paid the second wager to play the first gaming segment.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  where the first wager is less than the second wager. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  where the 1 st  prize is a selected one of nothing and an amount less than the 2 nd  prize. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  where a selected one of the first gaming segment and the second gaming segment is a selected one of a lotto, lottery, instant win scratch-off lottery ticket, bingo, keno, card game, dice game, roulette, slot machine game, spin wheel, game of skill, drawing, sweepstakes, contest, raffle, progressive game, casino game, and a venue with un unpredictable outcome. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  where the first gaming segment outcome that qualifies the player to play the second gaming segment is a selected one of the highest winning outcome possible, i.e. jackpot winners, and a winning outcome resulting in a first gaming segment prize payout. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21  where data representing a plurality of players of the second gaming segment are collectively pooled into a plurality of categories; the categories defined by the winning outcomes achieved in the first gaming segment, i.e. the number of matching numbers in the first gaming segment. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  where the amount of the second segment prize payout is modified based on the category the data representing the winning player is selected from. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21  where the amount of the second segment prize payout is modified based on the amount of the wager a player paid to participate in the first gaming segment. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21  where the second wager is equal to the first wager for marketing and promotional purposes. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising the steps of:
 a. offering a first gaming segment with a first wager and a second wager;   b. generating a game piece for a player with a set of player indicia and an indication of the wager paid;   c. determining if the first gaming segment outcome qualifies the player to play a second gaming segment;   d. determining if the wager the player paid to play the first gaming segment qualifies the player to play the second gaming segment where the first wager does not qualify them to play the second gaming segment and the second wager does qualify them to play the second gaming segment;   e. pooling data representing a plurality of players of the second gaming segment and selecting at least one winner; and   f. awarding a prize to a second gaming segment winner.   
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  where the first wager is less than the second wager. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30  where a selected one of the first gaming segment and the second gaming segment is a selected one of a lotto, lottery, instant win scratch-off lottery ticket, bingo, keno, card game, dice game, roulette, slot machine game, spin wheel, game of skill, drawing, sweepstakes, contest, raffle, progressive game, casino game, and a venue with un unpredictable outcome. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30  where the first gaming segment outcome that qualifies the player to play the second gaming segment is a selected one of the highest winning outcome possible, i.e. jackpot winners, and a winning outcome resulting in a first gaming segment prize payout. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 30  where data representing a plurality of players of the second gaming segment are collectively pooled into a plurality of categories; the categories defined by the winning outcomes achieved in the first gaming segment, i.e. the number of matching numbers in the first gaming segment. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  where the amount of the second segment prize payout is modified based on the category the data representing the winning player is selected from. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 30  where the amount of the second segment prize payout is modified based on the amount of the wager a player paid to participate in the first gaming segment. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 30  where the second wager is equal to the first wager for marketing and promotional purposes. 
   
   
       38 . A method for hosting a game of chance with post-game symbol modification features, comprising the steps of:
 a. offering a gaming segment with a first wager;   b. generating a game piece for a player with a set of player symbols;   c. selecting an amount of symbols based on random selection as the official winning symbols for the gaming segment;   d. determining if the first gaming segment outcome qualifies a player for a prize; where
 i. players who match the maximum amount of symbols on their game piece with the official winning symbols are awarded a top prize; and 
 ii. players who did not match the maximum amount of symbols on their game piece with the official winning symbols can receive credit upon redemption for replacing at least one symbol on their game piece, i.e. “7” with a symbol that is a selected one of a symbol greater than the replaced symbol by at least one integer, i.e. “8” and a symbol less than the replaced symbol by at least one integer, i.e., “6” for winning enhancement purposes. 
   
   
   
       39 . A method for hosting a game of chance with a pre-game enhanced odds feature, comprising the steps of:
 a. offering a gaming segment with a first wager;   b. generating a game piece for a player with a set of player symbols; where
 i. the amount of symbols a player selects for the gaming segment is more than the maximum amount drawn in the gaming segment as the official winning numbers; 
   c. selecting an amount of symbols based on random selection as the official winning symbols for the gaming segment;   d. determining if the first gaming segment outcome qualifies a player for a prize, the prize amount determined by the amount of matching symbols on the player's game piece with the official winning numbers.