Side Bet Option for Texas Hold'Em Community Cards

Abstract

A variation of Texas Hold'em is disclosed, where the players are allowed to make a side bet before the game. If the five community cards dealt in the conventional Texas Hold'em game constitute a winning hand in the side bet game, the side bet players win an award generally proportional to the odds of obtaining that winning hand. Thus, even players that fold during the underlying game remain excited about winning in the side bet game. The side bet game does not affect the underlying, conventional game in any way. If the game ends before five community cards are dealt, the side bets carry over for the next game. The house profits from the side bets since the house keeps the side bets if the community cards do not form a winning hand. The game may be played in a casino or on-line. Non-players may also make the side bet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of playing a card game comprising:
 one or more players placing a side bet independent of playing an underlying poker game;   dealing one or more cards face down to players of the poker game as part of the underlying poker game;   dealing a plurality of community cards for use by all player as part of the underlying poker game; and   after the underlying poker game is over, and a sufficient number of community cards has been dealt, granting awards to the one or more players that have placed the side bet if the community cards by themselves form a winning hand, independent of the underlying poker game.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the underlying poker game is Texas Hold'em poker. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the underlying poker game is a variation of Texas Hold'em poker. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, if an insufficient number of community cards has been dealt when the game is over, the side bets are carried over for a subsequent game until a sufficient number of community cards has been dealt when the game is over. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, if an insufficient number of community cards has been dealt when the game is over, dealing one or more additional community cards to provide the sufficient number of community cards. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sufficient number of community cards is five. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sufficient number of community cards is fewer than five. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game is played with virtual playing cards. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game is played with physical playing cards. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game is played in a casino. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the game is played on-line. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising one or more non-players also placing the side bet independent of playing the underlying poker game, where the non-players are not dealt any cards for the underlying poker game. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the awards granted to the one or more players that have placed the side bet if the community cards by themselves form a winning hand are predetermined award amounts for each type of winning hand.