Gaming method and apparatus offering awards less than the wager amount

Abstract

A gaming machine and method in which awards less than the wager amount are made for some outcomes. In a video card game, hands that normally earn no award may achieve a return that is a fraction of the amount wagered, such as one fifth. In keno-type games, pay categories are added for outcomes that are ordinarily outright losses, such as awarding a selected fraction of the wager amount for hitting three out of ten spots. Alternatively, hitting one or more secondary active spots that are randomly chosen can result in an award that is a fractional multiple of the wager amount. In a spinning reel game, special symbols that may appear may be assigned a selected fractional value of the wager amount, alone or in combination with other special symbols.

1 . In a method of gaming wherein a player makes a wager of a selected amount and proceeds with a game in which a variety of events can occur, the improvement comprising the step of providing an award to the player dependent upon the occurrence of a prescribed event, wherein said award has a value that is a multiple of said selected amount and said multiple is less than one and greater than zero.  
   
   
       2 . The improvement of  claim 1 , including the step of providing a second award to the player dependent upon the occurrence of a second prescribed event, wherein said second award has a value that is a second multiple of said selected amount and said second multiple is less than one and greater than zero.  
   
   
       3 . The improvement of  claim 2 , wherein said second multiple is different from the first mentioned multiple.  
   
   
       4 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein said game is a card game.  
   
   
       5 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein said game is a card game selected from the group consisting of draw poker, stud poker and blackjack.  
   
   
       6 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein said game is a numbers game.  
   
   
       7 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein said game is a spinning reel game.  
   
   
       8 . The improvement of  claim 1 , wherein the selected amount of the wager has a minimum value and including the steps of: 
 delaying the provision of an award to the player when said value of the award is less than said minimum value.    
   
   
       9 . The improvement of  claim 8  including the steps of: 
 providing a pool in which all awards having a value less than said minimum value are accumulated; and    awarding said minimum value to the player from the accumulated amount in said pool when said accumulated amount is equal to at least said minimum value.    
   
   
       10 . In a method of gaming wherein a player makes a wager of a selected amount and proceeds with a game in which at least first and second winning outcomes are possible, the improvement comprising: 
 (a) providing an award to the player that is a first selected multiple of said selected amount when said first winning outcome occurs; and    (b) providing an award to the player that is a second selected multiple of said selected amount when said second winning outcome occurs, said second selected multiple being less than one and greater than zero.    
   
   
       11 . The improvement of  claim 10 , wherein said game is a card game.  
   
   
       12 . The improvement of  claim 10 , wherein said game is a card game selected from the group consisting of draw poker, stud poker and blackjack.  
   
   
       13 . The improvement of  claim 10 , wherein said game is a numbers game.  
   
   
       14 . The improvement of  claim 10 , wherein said game is a spinning reel game.  
   
   
       15 . The improvement of  claim 10 , wherein the selected amount of the wager has a minimum value and including the steps of: 
 delaying the provision of an award to the player when said value of the award is less than said minimum value.    
   
   
       16 . The improvement of  claim 15  including the steps of: 
 providing a pool in which all awards having a value less than said minimum value are accumulated; and    awarding said minimum value to the player from the accumulated amount in said pool when said accumulated amount is equal to at least said minimum value.    
   
   
       17 . In a method of gaming wherein a player can make at least first and second wagers of a selected amount and proceeds with first and second games substantially concurrently with each of said first and second games having an assigned pay schedule dependent upon the outcome of the game, the steps of 
 (a) providing an award to the player according to said pay schedule and said selected amount when a winning outcome occurs for said first game;    (b) providing an award to the player according to said pay schedule and said selected amount when a winning outcome occurs for said second game; and    (c) providing an award to the player that is a multiple of said selected amount when a prescribed event occurs in either or both of said first and second games, said multiple being less than one and greater than zero.    
   
   
       18 . Gaming apparatus comprising: 
 means for allowing a player to make a wager of a selected amount;    means for initiating a game in which a variety of events can occur with at least some of said events resulting in a payment to the player according to a pay schedule assigned to the game; and    means for making an award to the player upon the occurrence of a prescribed event included in said variety of events that can occur, said award having a value that is a multiple of said selected amount and said multiple being less than one and greater than zero.    
   
   
       19 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , including means for providing a second award to the player upon the occurrence of a second prescribed event included in said variety of events that can occur, said second award having a value that is a second multiple of said selected amount and said selected multiple being less than one and greater than zero.  
   
   
       20 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , including: 
 means for providing a minimum value for said selected amount;    means for delaying the making of said award to the player when said value of said award is less than said minimum value.    
   
   
       21 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , including: 
 means for accumulating in a pool all of said awards that have a value less than said minimum value; and    means for awarding to the player said minimum value from the accumulated amount in said pool when said accumulated amount is equal to at least said minimum value.    
   
   
       22 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said game is a card game.  
   
   
       23 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said game is a card game selected from the group consisting of draw poker, stud poker and blackjack.  
   
   
       24 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said game is a numbers game.  
   
   
       25 . Apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein said game is a spinning reel game.