Gaming device having a predetermined result poker game

Abstract

An interactive poker game which provides a predetermined outcome to a player. The gaming device determines, based on an obtained predetermined game outcome, one or more playing cards to display for one or more individual hands of playing cards. The gaming device then enables the player to select one of the individual poker hands to actively play. The gaming device determines which playing cards must be provided to the actively played poker hand to provide the player the predetermined game outcome. The active poker hand is provided any determined cards which when combined with any previously revealed playing cards results in a poker hand with an associated payout equal to the payout associated with the predetermined game outcome. The gaming device determines and displays one or more playing cards for each of the non-selected hands of playing cards and provides the predetermined game outcome to the player.

1 . A gaming system comprising:
 at least one display device;   at least one input device;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least one display device and the at least one input device to:
 (a) simultaneously display a plurality of plays of a poker game, each of the plays of the poker game having a plurality of playing cards and the plurality of plays of the poker game being associated with a predetermined game outcome, said predetermined game outcome being one of:
 (i) a losing game outcome having a value of zero, or 
 (ii) one of a plurality of different winning game outcomes, each having a value greater than zero, and 
 
 (b) for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 (i) display a plurality of separate hands of playing cards, each of said hands of playing cards including a plurality of said playing cards, wherein at least one of said playing cards of at least one of said hands of playing cards is determined and displayed based at least in part on said predetermined game outcome and at least one of said playing cards of at least one of said hands of playing cards is masked; 
 (ii) after displaying the plurality of hands of playing cards, enable a player to select less than all of said plurality of hands of playing cards, wherein the selection of less than all of said plurality of hands of playing cards occurs distinct from any placement of any wager; 
 (iii) determine, based at least in part on said predetermined game outcome, which of the playing cards to reveal for any masked playing cards in said selected hand of playing cards; 
 (iv) reveal said playing cards determined to be revealed in said selected hand of playing cards; 
 (v) after the selection of less than all of said plurality of hands of playing cards, randomly determine, regardless of the predetermined game outcome, which of the playing cards to reveal for at least one masked playing card in at least one non-player selected hand of playing cards; and 
 (vi) display said at least one playing card determined to be revealed in said non-player selected hand of playing cards; and 
 
 (c) after the playing cards of the selected hands of playing cards are revealed for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game, provide the player an award having a value equal to the value of said predetermined game outcome, wherein said value of said predetermined game outcome is provided to the player regardless of which hand of playing cards is selected for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game and the value of the provided award is equal to a sum of a plurality of award values associated with the selected hands of playing cards of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 determine which of the playing cards to reveal for any remaining masked playing cards for at least one non-player selected hand of playing cards, and   reveal said playing cards determined to be revealed in said non-player selected hand of playing cards.   
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 determine at least one of said playing cards for a plurality of said hands of playing cards, wherein said determined playing cards are based, at least in part, on said predetermined game outcome, and   display said determined playing cards.   
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 determine at least one of said playing cards for each of said hands of playing cards, wherein said determined playing cards are based, at least in part, on said predetermined game outcome, and   display said determined playing cards.   
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 determine a plurality of said playing cards for at least one of said hands of playing cards, wherein said determined playing cards are based, at least in part, on said predetermined game outcome, and   display said determined playing cards.   
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome from a plurality of predetermined game outcomes. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to select said predetermined game outcome from a memory device. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to receive said predetermined game outcome from a central controller. 
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:
 (a) causing at least one display device to simultaneously display a plurality of plays of a poker game, each of the plays of the poker game having a plurality of playing cards and the plurality of plays of the poker game being associated with a predetermined game outcome, said predetermined game outcome being one of:
 (i) a losing game outcome having a value of zero, or 
 (ii) one of a plurality of different winning game outcomes, each having a value greater than zero, and 
   (b) for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 (i) causing the at least one display device to display a plurality of separate hands of playing cards, each of said hands of playing cards including a plurality of said playing cards, wherein at least one of said playing cards of at least one of said hands of playing cards is determined and displayed based at least in part on said predetermined game outcome and at least one of said playing cards of at least one of said hands of playing cards is masked; 
 (ii) after displaying the plurality of hands of playing cards, enabling a player to select less than all of said plurality of hands of playing cards, wherein the selection of less than all of said plurality of hands of playing cards occurs distinct from any placement of any wager; 
 (iii) causing at least one processor to execute a plurality of instructions to determine, based at least in part on said predetermined game outcome, which of the playing cards to reveal for any masked playing cards in said selected hand of playing cards; 
 (iv) causing the at least one display device to reveal said playing cards determined to be revealed in said selected hand of playing cards; 
 (v) after the selection of less than all of said plurality of hands of playing cards, causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to randomly determine, regardless of the predetermined game outcome, which of the playing cards to reveal for at least one masked playing card in at least one non-player selected hand of playing cards; and 
 (vi) causing the at least one display device to display said at least one playing card determined to be revealed in said non-player selected hand of playing cards; and 
   (c) after the playing cards of the selected hands of playing cards are revealed for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game, providing the player an award having a value equal to the value of said predetermined game outcome, wherein said value of said predetermined game outcome is provided to the player regardless of which hand of playing cards is selected for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game and the value of the provided award is equal to a sum of a plurality of award values associated with the selected hands of playing cards of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine which of the playing cards to reveal for any remaining masked playing cards for at least one non-player selected hand of playing cards, and   causing the at least one display device to reveal said playing cards determined to be revealed in said non-player selected hand of playing cards.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine at least one of said playing cards for a plurality of said hands of playing cards, wherein said determined playing cards are based, at least in part, on said predetermined game outcome, and   causing the at least one display device to display said determined playing cards.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine at least one of said playing cards for each of said hands of playing cards, wherein said determined playing cards are based, at least in part, on said predetermined game outcome, and   causing the at least one display device to display said determined playing cards.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes, for each of the plurality of simultaneously displayed plays of the poker game:
 causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to determine a plurality of said playing cards for at least one of said hands of playing cards, wherein said determined playing cards are based, at least in part, on said predetermined game outcome, and   causing the at least one display device to display said determined playing cards.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select said predetermined game outcome from a plurality of predetermined game outcomes. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes causing the at least one processor to execute the plurality of instructions to select said predetermined game outcome from a memory device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , which includes receiving said predetermined game outcome from a central controller. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , which is provided through a data network. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data network is an internet.