Methods of administering pai gow poker games with bonus side bets and related apparatuses and systems

Abstract

Methods of administering wagering games comprise accepting an ante wager from each player on a game of pai gow poker to be played against a dealer. Seven cards are dealt to each player and the dealer, with which each player and the dealer is permitted to form a two-card low hand and a five-card high hand. The ante wager, wherein resolving the ante wager comprises returning each ante wager to each player when the low hand held by the dealer is of a predetermined disqualifying rank.

1 . A method of administering a wagering game, comprising:
 accepting an ante wager from a player on a base game of pai gow poker to be played against a dealer by receiving a physical, monetarily valuable wagering element in a designated wagering area on a playing surface of a gaming table;   dealing seven cards from a set of randomized, physical cards comprising a deck of playing cards to the player at a player position at the gaming table and the dealer at a dealer position at the gaming table;   accepting an arrangement of the cards dealt to the player into a two-card player low hand and a five-card player high hand, the player low hand having a lower poker ranking that the player high hand;   arranging the cards dealt to the dealer into a two-card dealer low hand and a five-card dealer high hand, the dealer low hand having a lower poker ranking than the dealer high hand; and   returning the ante wager to the player when the dealer low hand has a predetermined disqualifying poker ranking by transferring each wagering element associated with the ante wager to the player.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein returning the ante wager when the dealer low hand has the predetermined disqualifying poker ranking returning the ante wager when the dealer low hand has a poker ranking of nine high. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising accepting a bonus side wager from the player by receiving another physical, monetarily valuable wagering element in another designated wagering area on the playing surface of the gaming table and paying a bonus payout on the bonus side wager to the player when the dealer low hand has the predetermined disqualifying poker ranking by transferring an additional physical, monetarily valuable wagering element to the player. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein paying the bonus payout comprises paying a fixed odds bonus payout of greater than 10:1. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein paying the bonus payout comprises paying a fixed odds bonus payout of greater than 30:1. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising accepting a fortune side wager from the player by receiving another physical, monetarily valuable wagering element in another designated wagering area on the playing surface of the gaming table and resolving the fortune side wager independently from resolution of the ante wager based upon a poker ranking of a fortune hand derived from the player's seven cards. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising maintaining the fortune side wager in play when the dealer low hand has the predetermined disqualifying poker ranking. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising paying an envy payout on the fortune side wager to the player when an accepted amount of the fortune side wager is greater than or equal to a threshold amount and when a high hand held by another player has a poker ranking of four-of-a-kind or higher. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising accepting a progressive side wager from the player by automatically detecting the presence of another physical, monetarily valuable wagering element in another designated wagering area on the playing surface of the gaming table, sending an electronic signal from a processor indicating that transfer of at least a portion of an amount of the progressive side wager to a pot is authorized, retaining the at least a portion of the amount of the progressive side wager in the pot when the player high hand is ranked below a predetermined progressive rank, and generating an electronic signal at the processor indicating that payment of a progressive payout from the pot to the player is authorized when the player hand is of the predetermined progressive rank or higher. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising generating the electronic signal at the processor indicating that payment of the progressive payout is authorized without regard to whether the low dealer low hand is only of the single, specific predetermined disqualifying rank. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein generating the electronic signal at the processor indicating that payment of the progressive payout is authorized comprises generating the electronic signal at the processor indicating that payment of a fixed percentage of the pot is authorized when a best five-card hand formable from the seven cards dealt to the player is a premium hand. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising refraining from collecting a commission on winning wagers. 
     
     
         13 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for administering a wagering game, comprising:
 a table comprising a table top;   means for receiving an ante wager from a player on a base game of pai gow poker to be played against a dealer on the table top;   means for receiving seven cards from a set of randomized, physical cards comprising a deck of playing cards for the player on the table top;   means for receiving seven cards from the set of randomized, physical cards for the dealer on the table top;   means for receiving an arrangement of the cards available to the player into a two-card player low hand and a five-card player high hand, the player low hand having a lower poker ranking than the player high hand;   means for receiving an arrangement of the cards available to the dealer into a two-card dealer low hand and a five-card high dealer hand, the dealer low hand having a lower poker ranking than the dealer high hand; and   means for receiving a return of the ante wager to the player when the dealer low hand has a predetermined disqualifying poker ranking.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising means for receiving a bonus side wager from the player winnable by the player when the dealer low hand fails to have the predetermined disqualifying poker ranking. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising means for displaying that the predetermined disqualifying poker ranking is nine high. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising means for automatically randomizing the set of physical cards supported by the table. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein means for automatically randomizing the set of physical cards comprises an automatic card-shuffling device. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising means for accepting a fortune side wager from the player based upon a poker ranking of a fortune hand derived from the player's seven cards. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the means for receiving the ante wager comprises a printed wagering area and wherein the table top comprises a felt surface. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the means for receiving the arrangement of the cards available to the player into the two-card player low hand and the five-card player high hand comprise printed areas on the table top and wherein the table top comprises a felt surface.