Gaming system and method for providing a poker game

Abstract

The elegance and simplicity of the present invention is its taking pure electronic video poker in a new direction. This invention, with a portal, takes video poker from a static, single screen playing field with known values to a video poker format with a portal into another playing screen whenever any four of a kind, with maximum coins bet, is made by the player. This invention has a primary playing screen, a portal into an informative secondary screen which moves into a bonus screen. The player becomes interactive with the game on the bonus screen and choices he makes on the touch screen determine the amount of winnings the player will receive. When play has finished on the bonus screen, the primary screen returns and regular play video poker resumes. This innovative invention with a portal into other screens allows the player to be interactive in this game in determining their own winnings.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A gaming device comprising:
 a display device;   an input device;   a processor; and   a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to:
 (a) display a play of a primary poker game, wherein the primary poker game includes a plurality of playing cards, wherein different pluralities of said playing cards form a plurality of different poker hands, each poker hand is associated with a payout amount, and a designated one of said payout amounts has a first probability of being provided in said primary poker game; and 
 (b) display a play of a bonus game upon an occurrence of one of a plurality of triggering events, said bonus game including a plurality of payout amounts, wherein the designated payout amount has a second probability of being provided in said bonus game, wherein said second probability is greater than said first probability and wherein for each play of the bonus game: (i) a plurality of symbols of the bonus game are each determined regardless of each of the playing cards of the poker game, (ii) a number of said symbols of the bonus game is determined regardless of a total number of the playing cards displayed for the formed poker hand, (iii) said bonus game is separate from the primary poker game, and (iv) the bonus game is a different game than said primary poker game. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , wherein for each play of the bonus game, the plurality of symbols are each associated with a payout amount and at least one of the symbols is associated with the designated payout amount. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming device of  claim 2 , wherein when executed by the processor upon the occurrence of one of said triggering events, said plurality of instructions cause the processor to control the play of the bonus game by:
 (i) determining a quantity of picks of said symbols, wherein the quantity of picks is based on the occurred triggering event;   (ii) receiving a selection of one of the symbols for each determined quantity of picks; and   (iii) providing any payout amounts associated with any picked symbols.   
     
     
         4 . The gaming device of  claim 1 , which includes a housing, and a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including an acceptor, and a cashout device, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to operate with the plurality of input devices to: if a physical item is received via the acceptor: (i) identify the received physical item, and (ii) establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. 
     
     
         5 . A gaming device comprising:
 a display device;   an input device;   a processor; and   a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device and the input device to:
 (a) display a play of a primary game, wherein the primary game includes a plurality of primary game symbols, wherein different pluralities of said primary game symbols form a plurality of different winning primary game symbol combinations, each winning primary game symbol combination is associated with a payout amount, and a designated one of said payout amounts has a first probability of being provided in said primary game; and 
 (b) display a play of a bonus game upon an occurrence of one of a plurality of triggering events, said bonus game including a plurality of payout amounts, wherein the designated payout amount has a second probability of being provided in said bonus game, wherein said second probability is greater than said first probability and wherein for each play of the bonus game:
 (i) a plurality of bonus game symbols of the bonus game are each determined regardless of each of the primary game symbols of the primary game, 
 (ii) a number of said bonus game symbols of the bonus game is determined regardless of a total number of the primary game symbols displayed for the formed primary game symbol combination, 
 (iii) said bonus game is separate from the primary game, and 
 (iv) the bonus game is a different game than said primary game. 
 
   
     
     
         6 . The gaming device of  claim 5 , wherein for each play of the bonus game, the plurality of bonus game symbols are each associated with a payout amount and at least one of the bonus game symbols is associated with the designated payout amount. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming device of  claim 6 , wherein when executed by the processor upon the occurrence of one of said triggering events, said plurality of instructions cause the processor to control the play of the bonus game by:
 (i) determining a quantity of picks of said bonus game symbols, wherein the quantity of picks is based on the occurred triggering event;   (ii) receiving a selection of one of the bonus game symbols for each determined quantity of picks; and   (iii) providing any payout amounts associated with any picked bonus game Symbols.   
     
     
         8 . The gaming device of  claim 5 , which includes a housing, and a plurality of input devices supported by the housing, said plurality of input devices including an acceptor, and a cashout device, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to operate with the plurality of input devices to: if a physical item is received via the acceptor: (i) identify the received physical item, and (ii) establish a credit balance based, at least in part, on a monetary value associated with the received physical item, and if a cashout input is received via the cashout device, cause an initiation of any payout associated with the credit balance. 
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
 (a) causing a display device to display a primary poker game, wherein the primary poker game includes a plurality of playing cards which form a plurality of different poker hands, wherein each poker hand is associated with a payout amount, and a designated one of said payout amounts has a first probability of being provided in said primary poker game; and   (b) upon an occurrence of one of a plurality of triggering events, causing the display device to display a play of a bonus game, wherein for each play of the bonus game: (i) a plurality of symbols of the bonus game are each determined regardless of each of the playing cards of the poker game, (ii) a number of said symbols of the bonus game is determined regardless of a total number of the playing cards displayed for the formed poker hand, (iii) the bonus game is separate from the primary poker game, and (iv) the bonus game is a different game than said primary poker game, wherein said bonus game includes a plurality of payout amounts, wherein the designated payout amount has a second probability of being provided in said bonus game, and said second probability is greater than said first probability.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein for each play of the bonus game, the plurality of symbols are each associated with a payout amount and at least one of the symbols is associated with the designated payout amount. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , which includes:
 (i) determining a quantity of picks of said symbols in the bonus game, wherein the quantity of picks is based on the occurred triggering event;   (ii) receiving a selection of one of the symbols for each determined quantity of picks; and   (iii) providing any payout amounts associated with any picked symbols.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein any of said payout amounts provided causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via: (i) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a gaming device, said method comprising:
 (a) causing a display device to display a primary game upon a placement of a wager amount, wherein:
 (i) the primary game includes a plurality of primary game symbols which form a plurality of different winning primary game symbol combinations, 
 (ii) each winning primary game symbol combination is associated with a payout amount, and 
 (iii) a designated one of said payout amounts has a first probability of being provided in said primary game; and 
   (b) upon an occurrence of one of a plurality of triggering events, causing the display device to display a play of a bonus game, wherein for each play of the bonus game:
 (i) a plurality of bonus game symbols of the bonus game are each determined regardless of each of the primary game symbols of the primary game, 
 (ii) a number of said bonus game symbols of the bonus game is determined regardless of a total number of the primary game symbols displayed for the formed primary game symbol combination, 
 (iii) the bonus game is separate from the primary game, and 
 (iv) the bonus game is a different game than said primary game, wherein said bonus game includes a plurality of payout amounts, wherein the designated payout amount has a second probability of being provided in said bonus game, and said second probability is greater than said first probability. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein for each play of the bonus game, the plurality of bonus game symbols are each associated with a payout amount and at least one of the bonus game symbols is associated with the designated payout amount. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , which includes:
 (i) determining a quantity of picks of said bonus game symbols in the bonus game, wherein the quantity of picks is based on the occurred triggering event;   (ii) receiving a selection of one of the bonus game symbols for each determined quantity of picks; and   (iii) providing any payout amounts associated with any picked bonus game symbols.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein any of said payout amounts provided causes an increase of a credit balance which is increasable via: (i) an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and decreasable via a cashout device.