Methods and apparatus for providing free-play credits in a video poker game

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing free-play credits in a video poker game are disclosed. The methods and apparatus enable a video poker player to play a plurality of poker hands. The poker game awards free-play credits for lower ranking hands (e.g., below a threshold such as a straight) and monetary credits for higher ranking hands (e.g., at or above a threshold such as a straight). Free-play credits have a lower value than monetary credits. As a result of this lower value, awarding free-play credits instead of monetary credits creates a surplus of money that can be used to further reward the player without changing the overall payback percentage of the poker game. The surplus can be used to increase the payback of the higher ranking hands (e.g., increase the jackpot associated with a royal flush) and/or as a bonus award for frequent players (e.g., award one bonus free-play credit for every twentieth free-play credit earned).

1 . A method of operating a video poker game, the method comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of credit wagers at the video poker game;    generating a plurality of poker hands in response to receiving the plurality of credit wagers;    awarding at least one free-play credit if at least one of the plurality of poker hands is below a predetermined poker hand rank threshold, said free-play credits useable to play the video poker game but not redeemable for cash;    awarding at least one monetary credit if at least one of the plurality of poker hands is above the predetermined poker hand rank threshold, said monetary credits useable to play the video poker game and redeemable for cash; and    accepting at least one of the free-play credits as payment for at least one play of the video poker game.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of poker hands includes a single-play poker hand.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined poker hand rank threshold is selected from the groups consisting of: two pair, three of a kind, a straight, a flush, and a full house.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , including displaying a number of free-play credits that are attributable towards earning at least one extra free-play credit.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , including awarding the at least one extra free-play credit if the number of free-play credits that are attributable towards earning the at least one extra free-play credit exceeds a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the number of free-play credits that are attributable towards earning the at least one extra free-play credit includes used free-play credits.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the data network is the internet.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said monetary credits are redeemable for cash through a ticket system.  
   
   
       10 . A video poker gaming device operable under control of a processor, the video poker gaming device comprising: 
 a display device controlled by the processor; and    an input device operatively coupled to the processor, wherein the processor, the display device and the input device are configured to: 
 receive a plurality of credit wagers at the video poker game;  
 generate a plurality of poker hands in response to receiving the plurality of credit wagers;  
 award at least one free-play credit if at least one of the plurality of poker hands is below a predetermined poker hand rank threshold, said free-play credits usable to play the video poker game but not redeemable for cash;  
 award at least one monetary credit if at least one of the plurality of poker hands is above the predetermined poker hand threshold, said monetary credits useable to play the video poker game and redeemable for cash; and  
 accept at least one of the free-play credits as payment for at least one play of the video poker game.  
   
   
   
       11 . The video poker gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of poker hands includes a single-play poker hand.  
   
   
       12 . The video poker gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined poker hand rank threshold is selected from the groups consisting of: two pair, three of a kind, a straight, a flush, and a full house.  
   
   
       13 . The video poker gaming device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor and the display device are configured to display a number of free-play credits that are attributable towards earning at least one extra free-play credit.  
   
   
       14 . The video poker gaming device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor awards the at least one extra free-play credit if the number of free-play credits that are attributable towards earning the at least one extra free-play credit exceeds a predetermined threshold.  
   
   
       15 . The video poker gaming device of  claim 13 , wherein the number of free-play credits that are attributable towards earning the at least one extra free-play credit includes used free-play credits.  
   
   
       16 . The video poker gaming device poker game of  claim 10 , wherein said monetary credits are redeemable for cash through a ticket system.  
   
   
       17 . A method of operating a video poker game, the method comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of credit wagers at the video poker game;    generating a plurality of poker hands in response to receiving the plurality of credit wagers;    awarding at least a first free-play credit if at least one of the plurality of poker hands is associated with at least one free-play credit predetermined poker hand rank, said first free-play credits useable to play the video poker game but not redeemable for cash;    awarding at least a second free-play credit if a count of first free-play credits awarded exceeds a predetermined threshold, said second free-play credits useable to play the video poker game but not redeemable for cash;    awarding at least one monetary credit if at least one of the plurality of poker hands is associated with at least one monetary credit predetermined poker hand rank, said monetary credits useable to play the video poker game and redeemable for cash; and    accepting at least one of the free-play credits as payment for at least one play of the video poker game.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of poker hands includes a single-play poker hand.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the count of free-play credits includes used free-play credits.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the count of free-play credits excludes used free-play credits.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said monetary credits are redeemable for cash through a ticket system.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the data network is the internet.  
   
   
       24 . A method of operating a video poker game, the method comprising: 
 receiving a plurality of credit wagers at the video poker game;    generating a plurality of poker hands in response to receiving the plurality of credit wagers;    awarding at least one free-play credit if at least one of the plurality of poker hands is associated with at least one free-play predetermined poker hand rank, said free-play credits usable to play the video poker game but not redeemable for cash;    awarding at least one monetary credit if at least another one of the plurality of poker hands is associated with at least one monetary credit predetermined poker hand rank, said monetary credits usable to play the video poker game and redeemable for cash, wherein at least a portion of the at least one monetary credit is at least partially funded by the awarding of the at least one free-play credit; and    accepting at least one of the free-play credits as payment for at least one play of the video poker game.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of poker hands includes a single-play poker hand.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said monetary credits are redeemable for cash through a ticket system.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , which is provided through a data network.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the data network is the internet.