Side bets in casino wagering "war" game

Abstract

A casino game is played with playing cards in a live or electronic virtual format. A player places at least an ante wager. The ante wager for each player is resolved on the basis of the relative rank of a first playing card dealt to the player and a first playing card dealt to the dealer. The player wins on the ante wager if the player's first card relative rank is higher than the dealer's first card rank, the player loses the ante wager if the player's first card relative rank is lower than the dealer's first card rank, and the player enters a tie hand competition event if the player's first card rank and the dealer's first card rank are the same. The player has the ability to place at least one side bet wager before seeing both the dealer's first card and the player's first card on an event in which: a) the total point count for the player's first card and the dealer's first card are within a player selected range of at least three total point count ranges from which the player may select; and b) that the point spread between the dealer's first card and the player's first card will exceed a minimum difference.

1 . A method of playing a casino game with playing cards comprising: 
 a player placing at least an ante wager;    the ante wager for each player being resolved on the basis of the relative rank of a first playing card dealt to the player and a first playing card dealt to the dealer;    the player winning on the ante wager if the player's first card rank is higher than the dealer's first card rank, the player losing the ante wager if the player's first card relative rank is lower than the dealer's first card rank, and entering a tie hand competition event if the player's first card rank and the dealer's first card rank are the same;    wherein the player has the ability to place at least one side bet wager before seeing both the dealer's first card and the player's first card on an event selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) the total combined point count for the player's first card and the dealer's first card is within a player selected range of at least two total point count ranges from which the player may select; and  
 b) that the spread in point count between the dealer's first card and the player's first card will exceed a minimum difference.  
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the player places a side bet that the total point count for the player's first card and the dealer's first card are within a player selected range of at least three total point count ranges from which the player may select.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the player places a side bet that the spread in point count between the dealer's first card and the player's first card will exceed a minimum difference.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein multiple decks of playing cards are used to provide the player's cards and the dealer's cards and a side bet is available that includes a winning outcome if the player's card and the dealer's card have the same rank and suit.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein in the tie event the player places an additional wager at risk in the game and a second card is provided to the player and a second card is provided to the dealer and the player winning on the additional wager and the ante wager if the player's second card relative rank is higher than the dealer's second card rank, the player losing the additional wager and the ante wager if the player's second card relative rank is lower than the dealer's second card rank, and entering a tie hand competition event if the player's second card rank and the dealer's second card rank are the same.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein a tie event on the player's second card is resolved by allowing the player to surrender at most 50% of total player wagers.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the tie event on the second player's card is resolved by declaring a push on all wagers.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the tie event on the second player's card is resolved by allowing the player to surrender less than 50% of total player wagers.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a player has another side bet available in which a wager may be made that the player's card and the dealer's card will be the same rank, and the wager offering odds on the wager of at least 6:1.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the another side bet available includes an award when the player's first card and the dealer's first card are the same rank and suit.  
   
   
       11 . A method of playing a wagering game between a player or a group of respective players and a dealer whose outcome is determined by randomly generated playing cards having various values comprising the steps of: 
 arranging only one single stack of playing cards;    wagering an ante bet by the or each player;    dealing of only one card successively from the single stack of playing cards only to the or each player and to the dealer by the dealer;    determining whether the card of the dealer has a greater value, a lesser value or an equal value to that of the or each player;    paying off of the ante bet to (a) the or each player if the value of the card of the or each player is greater than the value of the card of the dealer, or (b) the dealer if the value of the card of the dealer is greater than or equal to the value of the card of the or each player; and    if the value of the card of the dealer equals that of any player,    wagering of a further bet by the or each tied player,    dealing successively from the stack at least one further card only to the or each tied player and to the dealer, and    determining whether the further card of the dealer has a greater value, a lesser value or an equal value to the further card of the or each tied player, and    paying off of the further bet to (a) the or each tied player if the value of the further card of the or each tied player is greater than the value of the card of the dealer, or (b) the dealer if the value of the card of the dealer is greater than the value of the card of the or each tied player;    wherein the player has the ability to place at least one side bet wager before seeing both the dealer's first card and the player's first card on an event selected from the group consisting of:    a) the total point count for the player's first card and the dealer's first card are within a player selected range of at least two total point count ranges from which the player may select; and    b) that the spread in point count between the dealer's first card and the player's first card will exceed a minimum difference.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the player places a side bet that the total point count for the player's first card and the dealer's first card are within a player selected range of at least three total point count ranges from which the player may select.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the player places a side bet that the margin of difference in point count between the dealer's first card and the player's first card will exceed a minimum difference.  
   
   
       14 . The method of claim  111  wherein multiple decks of playing cards are used to provide the player's cards and the dealer's cards and a side bet is available that includes a winning outcome if the player's card and the dealer's card have the same rank and suit.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein in the tie event the player places an additional wager at risk in the game and a second card is provided to the player and a second card is provided to the dealer and the player winning on the additional wager and the ante wager if the player's second card rank is higher than the dealer's second card rank, the player losing the additional wager and the ante wager if the player's second card rank is lower than the dealer's second card rank, and entering a tie hand competition event if the player's second card rank and the dealer's second card rank are the same.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein available playing cards include at least one joker and the presence of a joker as the player's first card or the dealer's first card can cause a game ending result.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein available playing cards include at least one joker and the presence of a joker as the player's first card or the dealer's first card can cause a game ending result.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1  played on an electronic system using a processor to determine cards dealt and winning outcomes.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  played on a casino table with physical cards and a live dealer.  
   
   
       20 . A gaming apparatus comprising a processor, video monitor and player input controls wherein the processor enables play of a method comprising 
 a player placing at least an ante wager;    the ante wager for each player being resolved on the basis of the relative rank of a first playing card dealt to the player and a first playing card dealt to a dealer hand;    the player winning on the ante wager if the player's first card relative rank is higher than the dealer's hand first card rank, the player losing the ante wager if the player's first card relative rank is lower than the dealer's hand first card rank, and entering a tie hand competition event if the player's first card rank and the dealer's hand first card rank are the same;    wherein the player has the ability to input at least one side bet wager through the player input controls before seeing both the dealer's first card and the player's first card on the monitor in an event selected from the group consisting of:    a) the total point count for the player's first card and the dealer's first card are within a player selected range of at least two total point count ranges from which the player may select; and    b) that spread in point count between the dealer's first card and the player's first card will exceed a minimum difference.    
   
   
       21 . A multi-player platform that provides multiple player positions for live players to engage in an interactive casino table card game with a virtual dealer and virtual cards comprising at least two player positions that enable live players to place wagers on an underlying card game, a display system for showing a virtual dealer, a display system for showing at least the virtual cards used in play of the underlying card game, and a processor that contains the rules of the underlying card game, the processor enabling play for each player on the underlying card game according to the method of play of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       22 . A multi-player platform that provides multiple player positions for live players to engage in a casino table card game with a virtual dealer and virtual cards comprising at least two player positions that enable live players to place wagers on an underlying card game, a display system for showing a virtual dealer, a display system for showing at least the virtual cards used in play of the underlying poker-type game, and a processor that contains the rules of the underlying card game, the processor enabling play for each player on the underlying card game according to the following rules with a virtual single, typical fifty-two card poker deck, the cards having standard rank and value, said game played according to the method of  claim 1.