Methods of playing games of chance and gaming devices with temporally limited or sequentially limited chances for enhanced payouts activated by winning outcomes

Abstract

A video card game wherein if a player receives one of a preselected plurality of winning hands, a timer is activated which measures a predetermined time period. If the player attains a hand of equal value during the predetermined time period, then the player receives an enhanced payout.

1 . A method of conducting a video poker game comprising the steps of:
 providing a player with an opportunity to place a wager and play a hand of video poker on an electronic device comprising a display screen;   qualifying said player for an enhanced, time-dependent, payout only if said player obtains at least one preselected initiating winning hand, and starting a timer which runs for a predetermined time period; and   providing an enhanced, time-dependent, payout to said player only if a hand of equal value to said preselected initiating winning hand is obtained by said player during said predetermined time period.   
   
   
       2 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of providing discernible indications of said enhanced payout and said time during at least part of said predetermined time period. 
   
   
       3 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 1  wherein a discernible indicator indicates time remaining on said timer during the entire predetermined time period. 
   
   
       4 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 3  wherein said discernible indicator stops when a hand of equal value is obtained by said player. 
   
   
       5 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 4  wherein said discernible indicator comprises a visual indicator. 
   
   
       6 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 3  wherein said discernible indicator comprises a visual indicator. 
   
   
       7 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 2  wherein said discernible indications comprise visual indications. 
   
   
       8 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 1  wherein the timer is activated by only one preselected winning hand of the preselected plurality of winning hands. 
   
   
       9 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 1  wherein the timer is activated by more than one preselected winning hand of the preselected plurality of winning hands. 
   
   
       10 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 1  wherein a plurality of timers are activated by a preselected plurality of winning hands. 
   
   
       11 . A method of conducting a video poker game according to  claim 1  wherein the duration of said predetermined time period is different for at least two different winning hands of different values. 
   
   
       12 . A method of conducting a video blackjack game comprising the steps of:
 providing a player with an opportunity to place a wager and play a hand of video blackjack on an electronic device comprising a display screen;   qualifying said player for an enhanced, time-dependent, payout only if said player obtains at least one preselected initiating winning hand, and starting a timer which runs for a predetermined time period; and   providing an enhanced time-dependent, payout to said player only if a hand of equal value to said preselected initiating winning hand is obtained by said player during said predetermined time period.   
   
   
       13 . A method of conducting a video blackjack game according to  claim 12  further comprising the step of providing discernible indications of said enhanced payout and said timer during at least part of said predetermined time period. 
   
   
       14 . A method of conducting a video blackjack game according to  claim 13  wherein said discernible indications comprise visual indications. 
   
   
       15 . A method of conducting a video keno game comprising the steps of:
 providing a player with an opportunity to place a wager and play a game of video keno on an electronic device comprising a display screen;   qualifying said player for an enhanced, time-dependent, payout only if said player obtains an initial winning keno combination, and starting a timer which runs for a predetermined time period; and   providing an enhanced payout to said player if said player obtains a winning combination of equal value to said initial winning combination during said predetermined time period.   
   
   
       16 . A video poker game comprising:
 an electronic device comprising a display screen;   means for displaying indicia of cards for at least one poker hand on said display screen to a player;   a first payout display comprising a plurality of predetermined winning poker hands;   a second payout display comprising at least one enhanced payout which is payable to said player only when a predetermined second winning hand of equal value is obtained by said player within a predetermined time period of the display of a first winning hand to said player.   
   
   
       17 . A video poker game according to  claim 16  wherein said payout device provides payouts corresponding to said first payout table for one or more displayed winning hands. 
   
   
       18 . A video poker game according to  claim 16  wherein at least one enhanced payout is at least 25,000 times a player's wager on one hand. 
   
   
       19 . A video poker game according to  claim 16  wherein at least one enhanced payout is at least 100,000 times a player's wager on one hand. 
   
   
       20 . A video poker game according to  claim 16  wherein at least one enhanced payout is provided from a progressive jackpot. 
   
   
       21 . A video poker game according to  claim 16  wherein said second payout display also displays a time which counts down the time remaining in the predetermined time period. 
   
   
       22 . A video poker game according to  claim 16  wherein said second payout display comprises at least four enhanced payouts within a predetermined number of hands following the display of a first winning hand. 
   
   
       23 . A video poker game according to  claim 22  wherein said second payout display comprises at least one enhanced payout for identical hands. 
   
   
       24 . A video poker game according to  claim 22  wherein
 at least one enhanced payout is at least 25,000 times a player's wager on one hand.   
   
   
       25 . A video poker game according to  claim 19  wherein at least one enhanced payout is at least 250,000 times a player's wager on one hand. 
   
   
       26 . A video poker game according to  claim 20  wherein at least one enhanced payout is at least 1,000,000 times a player's wager on one hand.