High-Low Wagering Game

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a card and dice game allows a player to bet on the outcome of a comparison of a numerical value determined by a roll of dice and another numerical value determined by a card drawn from a deck. The player wagers that the card value either will be higher or lower than the dice value. An optional secondary or “bonus” wager can be made after the dice are rolled, but before the card is drawn. The payout on the bonus wager has the potential of being a high multiple of the bonus bet amount, depending upon the dice value and the resulting probability that the upcoming card value will be greater or lower than the dice value.

1 . An article of manufacture for use in playing a wagering game and for use by a device having a processing unit, said article of manufacture comprising at least one computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein for use by the device, the at least one computer program being adapted to cause the device to perform:
 establishing a first wager based upon a first prediction of one of a first game outcome and a second game outcome, wherein the first game outcome is a future card point value being less than a future die value, and wherein the second game outcome is the future card point value being greater than the future die value;   displaying at least one die showing a present die value;   displaying a card showing a present card point value;   paying the first wager if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome; and   paying the first wager if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome.   
     
     
         2 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein the at least one computer program is further adapted to cause the device to perform:
 providing an option to establish a second wager, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the at least one die and prior to the displaying of the card; 
 paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with a predetermined pay scale having a plurality of payout odds that vary as a function of the present die value; and 
 paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with the predetermined pay scale. 
 
     
     
         3 . An article of manufacture for use in playing a wagering game and for use by a device having a processing unit, said article of manufacture comprising at least one computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein for use by the device, the at least one computer program being adapted to cause the device to perform:
 establishing a first wager based upon a first prediction of one of a first game outcome and a second game outcome, wherein the first game outcome is a future card point value being less than a future die value, and wherein the second game outcome is the future card point value being greater than the future die value,   displaying a card showing a present card point value between 1 and 13, inclusive;   paying the first wager if the present card point value is equal to 1 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome;   paying first wager if the present card point value is equal to 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome;   taking the first wager if the present card point value is equal to one of 12 and 13 if the first prediction is the first game outcome;   taking the first wager if the present card point value is equal to one of 1 and 2 if the first prediction is the second game outcome;   providing an option to establish a second wager if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 12 and 13 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the card;   providing the option to establish the second wager if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 2 and 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the card;   displaying at least one die showing a present die value if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 12 and 13 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the present die value is between 2 and 12, inclusive;   displaying the at least one die showing the present die value if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 2 and 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the present die value is between 2 and 12, inclusive;   paying the first wager after the displaying of the at least one die if the present card point value is less than the present die value and is other than a value of 1 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome;   paying the first wager after the displaying of the at least one die if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and is other than a value of 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome;   paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with a predetermined pay scale having a plurality of payout odds that vary as a function of the present card point value; and   paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with the predetermined pay scale.   
     
     
         4 . An article of manufacture for use in playing a wagering game and for use by a device having a processing unit, said article of manufacture comprising at least one computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein for use by the device, the at least one computer program being adapted to cause the device to perform:
 establishing a first wager based upon a first prediction of one of a first game outcome and a second game outcome, wherein the first game outcome is a future card point value being less than a future die value, and wherein the second game outcome is the future card point value being greater than the future die value;   displaying at least one die showing a present die value between 2 and 12, inclusive;   providing an option to establish a second wager based upon the first prediction, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the at least one die;   displaying a card showing a present card point value between 1 and 13, inclusive, wherein the displaying of the card occurs after the providing of the option;   paying the first wager at a first-level odds if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome and if the present card point value is other than a value of 1;   paying the first wager at a second-level odds if the present card point value is equal to 1 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome;   paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with a predetermined pay scale having a plurality of payout odds that vary as a function of the present die value;   paying the first wager at the first-level odds if the present card point value is other than a value of 13 and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome;   paying first wager at the second-level odds if the present card point value is equal to 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome; and   paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with the predetermined pay scale,   wherein the second-level odds is greater than the first-level odds.   
     
     
         5 . A system for use in playing a wagering game, comprising:
 a device having a processing unit capable of executing at least one software routine; and   programming logic executed by the processing unit comprising:
 means for establishing a first wager based upon a first prediction of one of a first game outcome and a second game outcome, wherein the first game outcome is a future card point value being less than a future die value, and wherein the second game outcome is the future card point value being greater than the future die value; 
 means for displaying at least one die showing a present die value; 
 means for displaying a card showing a present card point value; 
 means for paying the first wager if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome; and 
 means for paying the first wager if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome. 
   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the programming logic further comprises:
 means for providing an option to establish a second wager, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the at least one die and prior to the displaying of the card; 
 means for paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with a predetermined pay scale having a plurality of payout odds that vary as a function of the present die value; and 
 means for paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with the predetermined pay scale. 
 
     
     
         7 . A system for use in playing a wagering game, comprising:
 a device having a processing unit capable of executing at least one software routine; and   programming logic executed by the processing unit comprising:
 means for establishing a first wager based upon a first prediction of one of a first game outcome and a second game outcome, wherein the first game outcome is a future card point value being less than a future die value, and wherein the second game outcome is the future card point value being greater than the future die value, 
 means for displaying a card showing a present card point value between 1 and 13, inclusive; 
 means for paying the first wager if the present card point value is equal to 1 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome; 
 means for paying the first wager if the present card point value is equal to 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome; 
 means for taking the first wager if the present card point value is equal to one of 12 and 13 if the first prediction is the first game outcome; 
 means for taking the first wager if the present card point value is equal to one of 1 and 2 if the first prediction is the second game outcome; 
 means for providing an option to establish a second wager if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 12 and 13, and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the card; 
 means for providing the option to establish the second wager if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 2 and 13, and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the card; 
 means for displaying at least one die showing a present die value if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 12 and 13, and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the present die value is between 2 and 12, inclusive; 
 means for displaying the at least one die showing the present die value if the present card point value is other than any one value of 1, 2 and 13, and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the present die value is between 2 and 12, inclusive; 
 means for paying the first wager after the displaying of the at least one die if the present card point value is less than the present die value and is other than a value of 1 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome; 
 means for paying the first wager after the displaying of the at least one die if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and is other than a value of 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome; 
 means for paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with a predetermined pay scale having a plurality of payout odds that vary as a function of the present card point value; and 
 means for paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with the predetermined pay scale. 
   
     
     
         8 . A system for use in playing a wagering game, comprising:
 a device having a processing unit capable of executing at least one software routine; and   programming logic executed by the processing unit comprising:
 means for establishing a first wager based upon a first prediction of one of a first game outcome and a second game outcome, wherein the first game outcome is a future card point value being less than a future die value, and wherein the second game outcome is the future card point value being greater than the future die value; 
 means for displaying at least one die showing a present die value between 2 and 12, inclusive; 
 means for providing an option to establish a second wager, wherein the providing of the option occurs after the displaying of the at least one die; 
 means for displaying a card showing a present card point value between 1 and 13, inclusive, wherein the displaying of the card occurs after the providing of the option; 
 means for paying the first wager at a first-level odds if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome and if the present card point value is other than a value of 1; 
 means for paying the first wager at a second-level odds if the present card point value is equal to 1 and if the first prediction is the first game outcome; 
 means for paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is less than the present die value and if the first prediction is the first game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with a predetermined pay scale having a plurality of payout odds that vary as a function of the present die value; 
 means for paying the first wager at the first-level odds if the present card point value is other than a value of 13 and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome; 
 means for paying first wager at the second-level odds if the present card point value is equal to 13 and if the first prediction is the second game outcome; and 
 means for paying the second wager if the option was exercised and if the present card point value is greater than the present die value and if the first prediction is the second game outcome, wherein the second wager is paid out in accordance with the predetermined pay scale, 
 wherein the second-level odds is greater than the first-level odds.