Side Wager Advantage Conveyance Method

Abstract

A general method to persuade more blackjack players to place side wagers is disclosed. This method can be applied to improve a variety of blackjack games and side wagers games. Placing a side wager of this method: (a) always activate one or more blackjack rule enhancements that increase the statistical rate of return on the player's blackjack wager, (b) never creates or activates any blackjack rule that could reduce the statistical rate of return on the player's blackjack wager, and (c) always activates a proposition game that is unrelated to any above rule enhancement. A novel benefit of this invention is the player's perception of a free blackjack rule enhancement upon placing a side wager. This perceived free rule enhancement will persuade more players to place side wagers, thus increasing player enjoyment and casino revenues. Relative to this invention, a side wager is defined as an optional wager placed by a player prior to beginning the blackjack game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of playing a blackjack game in conjunction with a side wager proposition game, both games being banked by the house and comprising, in combination, the steps of:
 a. said house displaying to a player a set of blackjack rules to play said blackjack game;   b. said house displaying to said player a modified set of blackjack rules to play said blackjack game,
 i. said modified set of blackjack rules being used only if said player places a side wager, 
 ii. said modified set of blackjack rules being formulated to yield a higher statistical rate of return on said player's blackjack wager than if said player had played said blackjack game according to said set of blackjack rules, 
 iii. said statistical higher rate of return to apply to at least one of said player's said blackjack wager and any additional blackjack wager placed by said player during said blackjack game, 
 iv. said higher statistical rate of return being achieved by means of at least one blackjack game rule enhancement, 
 v. said blackjack game rule enhancement being at least one of adding at least one rule to said set of blackjack rules, modifying at least one rule from said set of blackjack rules, and deleting at least one rule from said set of blackjack rules, 
 vi. said modified set of blackjack rules being restricted to not include any rule that could reduce said statistical rate of return on said player's said blackjack wager; 
   c. said house displaying to said player a set of side wager proposition game rules to play said side wager proposition game,
 i. said player having the option to place or to decline to place said side wager, 
 ii. if placing said side wager, said player being required to place said side wager in conjunction with said blackjack wager and to place said side wager prior to beginning said blackjack game, 
 iii. said set of side wager proposition game rules being restricted to not involve or use any said blackjack game rule enhancement, 
 iv. said set of side wager proposition game rules being restricted to one of paying an award to said player for winning said side wager proposition game and collecting said side wager from said player for losing said side wager proposition game, 
 v. said set of side wager proposition game rules allowing said player to play said side wager proposition game according to said set of side wager proposition game rules and to play said blackjack game according to said modified set of blackjack rules, thus nullifying said set of blackjack rules; 
   d. said house offering to receive from said player one of said blackjack wager only and both said blackjack wager and said side wager;   e. upon said player placing both said blackjack wager and said side wager,
 i. said house receiving said blackjack wager and said side wager, 
 ii. said player playing said blackjack game according to said modified set of blackjack game rules, 
 iii. said house using said modified set of blackjack rules to resolve said blackjack wager and said any additional blackjack wager placed by said player during said blackjack game, 
 iv. said house declaring an end to said blackjack game, 
 v. said player playing said side wager proposition game according to said set of side wager proposition game rules, 
 vi. said house using said side wager proposition game rules to resolve said side wager and any additional side wager placed by said player during said side wager proposition game, 
 vii. said house declaring an end to said side wager proposition game; 
   f. upon said player placing said blackjack wager only,
 i. said house receiving said blackjack wager, 
 ii. said player playing said blackjack game according to said set of blackjack rules, 
 iii. said house using said set of blackjack rules to resolve said blackjack wager and said any additional blackjack wager placed during said blackjack game, 
 iv. said house declaring an end to said blackjack game. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the payout award for said player's Blackjack (or natural 21) is 3-to-2 in said set of blackjack rules and 2-to-1 in said modified set of blackjack rules. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said side wager is at least equal to said blackjack wager. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the following statement is deleted: “said modified set of blackjack rules being restricted to not include any rule that could reduce said statistical rate of return on said player's said blackjack wager”. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the following statement is deleted: “said set of side wager proposition game rules being restricted to one of paying an award to said player for winning said side wager proposition game and collecting said side wager from said player for losing said side wager proposition game”. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said set of side wager proposition game rules are modified to reduce the statistical rate of return on said player's said side wager as a means of offsetting reduced said house revenue due to said at least one blackjack game rule enhancement. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terms “blackjack game”, “set of blackjack rules”, “modified set of blackjack rules”, “blackjack wager”, “additional blackjack wager” and “blackjack game rule enhancement” are replaced by the terms “poker-type game”, “set of poker-type game rules”, “modified set of poker-type game rules”, “poker-type wager”, “additional poker-type wager” and “poker-type game rule enhancement” respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terms “blackjack game”, “set of blackjack rules”, “modified set of blackjack rules”, “blackjack wager”, “additional blackjack wager” and “blackjack game rule enhancement” are replaced by the terms “craps game”, “set of craps game rules”, “modified set of craps game rules”, “craps wager”, “additional craps wager” and “craps game rule enhancement” respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terms “blackjack game”, “set of blackjack rules”, “modified set of blackjack rules”, “blackjack wager”, “additional blackjack wager” and “blackjack game rule enhancement” are replaced by the terms “baccarat game”, “set of baccarat game rules”, “modified set of baccarat game rules”, “baccarat wager”, “additional baccarat wager” and “baccarat game rule enhancement” respectively. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terms “blackjack game”, “set of blackjack rules”, “modified set of blackjack rules”, “blackjack wager”, “additional blackjack wager” and “blackjack game rule enhancement” are replaced by the terms “roulette game”, “set of roulette game rules”, “modified set of roulette game rules”, “roulette wager”, “additional roulette wager” and “roulette game rule enhancement” respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terms “blackjack game”, “set of blackjack rules”, “modified set of blackjack rules”, “blackjack wager”, “additional blackjack wager” and “blackjack game rule enhancement” are replaced by the terms “keno game”, “set of keno game rules”, “modified set of keno game rules”, “keno wager”, “additional keno wager” and “keno game rule enhancement” respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the terms “blackjack game”, “set of blackjack rules”, “modified set of blackjack rules”, “blackjack wager”, “additional blackjack wager” and “blackjack game rule enhancement” are replaced by the terms “bingo game”, “set of bingo game rules”, “modified set of bingo game rules”, “bingo wager”, “additional bingo wager” and “bingo game rule enhancement” respectively.