Patent Publication Number: US-2018040204-A1

Title: 9-8 tie baccarat

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
     This Application Claims priority from Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/370,910, filed 4 Aug. 2016 and Titled 9-8 Tie Baccarat. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of gaming, particularly to the field of card games (both physical and electronic) and particularly to variations in the game of baccarat. 
     2. Background of the Art 
     Baccarat is one of the many live table games played in casinos or gaming establishments. Baccarat uses a standard deck of 52 playing cards and is usually dealt from a shoe having multiple decks that have been shuffled together prior to the beginning of play. 
     The object of the game of Baccarat is for the better to successfully wager on whether the Bank&#39;s hand or the Player&#39;s hand is going to win. The better receives even money for his wager if he selects the winning hand and loses his wager if he selects the losing hand. Because of the rules of play of Baccarat and more particularly the pre-established draw rules, the Bank&#39;s hand has a slightly higher chance of winning than does the Player&#39;s hand. The winning frequency for the Bank&#39;s hand has been determined to be 0.45859 (45.859%) whereas the winning frequency for the Player hand is 0.44624 (44.624%) with the remainder of the outcomes being ties. Therefore, if the better wagers on the Bank&#39;s hand and the Bank hand wins, the better must pay to the gaming establishment a commission (typically, 5%) of the amount the better wins. No commission is paid if the better successfully wagers on the Player&#39;s hand. 
     As used in this specification, the term “Conventional Manner of Play of Baccarat” is as follows: 
     A multiple number of decks of standard playing cards, 52 in number, are used; typically eight decks are shuffled together and placed in a shoe from which the cards are dealt during the play of the game. 
     Each better makes a wager on whether the Bank&#39;s hand or the Player&#39;s hand will win. After all wagers are made, two cards are dealt from the shoe to the Bank position and two cards are dealt from the shoe to the Player position on the table layout. The cards are turned face up and the value of the Bank hand the Player hand is determined, modulo ten. 
     Aces count one; Kings, Queens, Jacks and Tens count zero and the other cards count their respective face value. The suits (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs) have no meaning in Baccarat. 
     The highest hand value in Baccarat is nine. All hand values range from a low of zero to a high of nine. If when the cards are added together, the total of the hand exceeds nine, then the hand value is determined modulo ten. For example, a seven and an eight total fifteen, but the hand value is five. An Ace and a nine total ten, but the hand value is zero. 
     A two card total of eight or nine is called a “natural”; a two card total of zero is called a “baccarat.” As will be explained below, in certain situations in the play of the game, a third card will be dealt. The value of this third card is added to the total of the first two cards and a new hand value is established. Again, if the new hand total exceeds nine, the hand value is determined by subtracting ten from the total of the hand. 
     Prior to the deal, each better can make one of three wagers: 1) that the Bank hand will win; 2) that the Player hand will win; or 3) that the Bank hand and the Player hand will tie. Wagering locations are provided on the Baccarat table layout. Whichever of the Bank hand or the Player hand is closest to a total on nine is the winner. 
     All winning Bank hand wagers are paid off at odds of one-to-one and the house charges a five percent (5%) commission on the amount won by the better. For example, if a better wagers $100 on the Bank hand and the Bank hand wins, the better wins $100 and is charged a $5 commission on the amount that the better won. The better is not charged any commission on the amount of his wager. 
     All winning Player hand wagers are paid off at odds of one-to-one and the better is not charged any commission on the amount of his winnings or his wager because the house, by virtue of the third card draw rules, has a statistical advantage over the player of 45.859-44.624 or 1.235% which is the vigorish (“vig”) of the house on player wagers. Winning wagers on the Tie hand bet are paid off at odds of nine-to-one or eight-to-one (depending on the gaming establishment) and the better is not charged any commission on the amount of his winnings or his wager since there is already a statistical advantage in favor of the house on tie wagers. If a Tie hand occurs, all wagers on the Bank hand and all wagers on the Player hand are “pushes” and the amount wagered is returned to the better. 
     Depending on the point total of the Player&#39;s hand and the Banker&#39;s hand, one more card may be dealt to either the Player&#39;s hand, the Banker&#39;s hand or both. The rules for determining whether a third card is dealt are fixed rules, there is no discretion for either the Player&#39;s hand or the Banker&#39;s hand on whether a third card is dealt. 
     If either the Player hand or the Banker hand has a point total of eight or nine on the first two cards, no third card is dealt to either hand and the hand with the highest point total is the winner (or the hand is a Tie, as the case may be). If neither the Player hand nor the Banker hand has a point total of eight or nine, then there is a possibility of a third card draw. 
     The third card draw rules are as follows:
         Rule #1: If the initial two card Player hand has a point total of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, the Player hand draws a third card. If the initial two card Player hand has a point total of 6 or 7, the Player hand stands and does not receive a third card.   Rule 12: If the Player hand stands and does not draw a third card, then the Banker hand follows Rule #1. In other words, if the Player hand has a point total of 6 or 7, the Bank hand draws a third card on a point total of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and the Bank hand stands on a point total of 6 or 7.   Rule 13: If the Player hand draws a third card, the Bank hand must draw or stand as follows:       

     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 BACCARAT RULES 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 PLAYER 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 HAVING TWO CARD 
                   
               
               
                 TOTAL OF 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 1-2-3-4-5-10 
                 DRAWS A CARD 
               
               
                 6-7 
                 STANDS 
               
               
                 8-9 
                 TURNS CARDS OVER 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
            
               
                 BANKER 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 DRAWS WHEN 
                 DOES NOT DRAW 
               
               
                 HAVING 
                 GIVING OR  
                 WHEN GIVING OR  
               
               
                 TWO CARD 
                 PLAYER&#39;S THIRD  
                 PLAYER&#39;S THIRD  
               
               
                 TOTAL OF 
                 CARD DRAW IS AN 
                 CARD DRAW IS AN 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 0, 1, 2 
                 ALWAYS DRAWS 
                   
               
               
                 3 
                 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9-10 
                 8 
               
               
                 4 
                 2-3-4-5-6-7 
                 1-8-9-10 
               
               
                 5 
                 4-5-6-7 
                 1-2-3-8-9-10 
               
               
                 6 
                 6-7 
                 1-2-3-4-5-8-9-10 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 7 
                 STANDS 
               
               
                 8-9 
                 TURNS CARDS OVER 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     At the end of each hand, winning wagers are paid and losing wagers are collected by the house. Any commission due to the house is marked in commission boxes in the center of the table. Gaming chips are used to represent the amount of money owed by each better to the house for the commissions. In order not to slow down the game, the commission is not actually collected from each better until the end of the round determined by all of the cards in the shoe being dealt down to the plastic cut card, usually approximately eighty hands. 
     The mathematical analysis of the game reveals that the 5% commission is what gives the house its advantage on wagers on the Banker hand and allows the gaming establishment to make a profit from providing the Baccarat game to the betters. Because the rules for standing and drawing third cards are automatic, the mathematical analysis shows that the Bank hand will win 45.859% of the hands, the Player hand will win 44.624% of the hands and the Tie hand will occur 9.517% of the hands. If the Tie hands are disregarded because they do not affect any Player or Bank wagers, it is then determined that the Bank hand will win 50.7% of the time and the Player hand will win 49.3% of the time. 
     Because the Bank hand wins more than 50% of the hands (disregarding the Tie hands that do not affect any Player or Bank wagers), if a better always bet on the Bank hand, the better would have an advantage over the gaming establishment. By charging a 5% commission on all Bank hand wins, the gaming establishment compensates for the percentage of winning Bank hands being slightly over 50%. 
     After figuring in the 5% commission that must be paid by betters on winning Bank hands, the gaming establishment has approximately a 1.23% advantage over the better when the better wagers on the Player hand and the gaming establishment has a 1.057% advantage over the better when the better wagers on the Bank hand. The Tie hand wager gives the gaming establishment a 4.88% advantage over the better when the payoff odds are nine-to-one and a 14.1% advantage over the better when the payoff odds are eight-to-one. 
     One of the detriments of the conventional manner of play of Baccarat is the necessity for calculating, recording and collecting this 5% commission on all winning Bank hand wagers. Many people are reluctant to sit down and participate because they do not understand why they should have to pay a 5% commission on winning Bank hand wagers. They may consider this unfair and something extra for the gaming establishment. 
     The gaming establishments also suffer disadvantages from the 5% commission. The determination of the 5% amount is done visually by a casino dealer and is subject to casino dealer error and disputes with the betters over the amount of the commission. The reconciliation and collection of the commission at the end of each shoe can result in delays of the beginning of the next round of play. If a better loses all of his money (“taps out”) during a round of the game, the gaming establishment may have difficulty collecting the unpaid commission that has accrued to that better during that round of the game. It has been estimated that as much as twenty percent of the accrued commission goes uncollected. Because the house margin on Baccarat is so small, uncollected commissions can seriously impact the profitability of a Baccarat table or the entire Baccarat pit, if more than one table is in play. In certain situations a better will negotiate with the casino for the casino to forgive or discount the owed commissions, the quid pro quo being that the player will likely return to the casino in the future 
     It has been desirable to eliminate commissions in baccarat, and this has been attempted in a number of different ways. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,979,896 and 5,362,064 (LoFink) disclose a modified method of playing either conventional Baccarat, or a modified Baccarat game with simplified draw rules is provided which can eliminate the commission charged to winning Bank hands by providing a partial payoff on one or more Bank winning outcomes. Further the method of the present invention can operate upon the Player hand as well to adjust the vigorish for the gaming event. The method can be used to provide a no-commission game where the vigorish for the Bank and Player hands are substantially the same. Further the vigorish can be adjusted to at least partially fund a jackpot outcome. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,585,586 and 6,582,302 (Romero) describes a method and gaming assembly to play a variation of the game baccarat, the gaming assembly including a computer processor assembly, a display assembly and at least one user actuatable selector assembly. The computer processor assembly is structured to generate a player&#39;s hand and a banker&#39;s hand in accordance with rules of baccarat, one of those hands being designated the user&#39;s hand. Further, the computer processor assembly is structured to determine a winning hand in accordance with the rules of baccarat, designating the user as a winner if the user&#39;s hand is also the wining hand. Additionally, the computer processor assembly is structured to monitor consecutive ones of the user&#39;s hands and to indicate a bonus payout to the user in the event that consecutive ones of the user&#39;s hands have a final number count equal to a natural nine. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A method and system of hosting a modified game of baccarat, the modified game of baccarat comprising a player position hand and a banker position hand that are not in competition with each other in the modified game, the player position and the banker position receiving exactly two playing cards from two separate original randomized decks of 52 playing cards. The method includes: 
     detecting placement of an initial wager from one or more participants, the initial wager relating to the appearance in either or both of the player position hand and/or the banker position hand at the conclusion of initial delivery of the exactly two cards to the player position hand and the banker position hand; and initially resolving the wager on the modified game of baccarat according to a paytable with multiples against the wager. Playing cards may be delivered in two distinct modes. Cards may immediately complete both initial hands (two playing cards to each hand) or one card may be dealt to each hand, and a player determines into which hand a revealed playing card is to be delivered. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  shows an electronic gaming table on which the gaming method may be executed. 
         FIG. 1A  shows a schematic for an electronic system for enabling play of the gaming method described herein. 
         FIG. 1B  shows another schematic for an electronic system for enabling play of the gaming method described herein. 
         FIG. 2A  shows a screen shot of the first two cards dealt to a top hand (9) and a bottom hand (5) and a third distributable third card (8). 
         FIG. 2B  shows a screen shot of the first two cards dealt to a top hand (9) and a bottom hand (5) and a third distributable third card (8) being moved by touch and drag to the bottom hand. 
         FIG. 2C  shows a screen shot of the top hand being completed with a fourth random playing card (9) to end the wagering event. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A method of hosting a modified game of baccarat, the modified game of baccarat includes a player position hand and a banker position hand that are not in competition with each other in the modified game. The player position and the banker position receive exactly two playing cards from two separate original randomized decks of 52 playing cards, or, alternately, every new card is dealt from a randomly shuffled deck of 52 playing cards, as virtual cards from individual virtual decks or as physical cards from individual physical decks. The method further includes:
         detecting placement of an initial wager from one or more participants, the initial wager relating to the appearance in either or both of the player position hand and/or the banker position hand at the conclusion of initial delivery of the exactly two cards to the player position hand and the banker position hand; and   initially resolving the wager on the modified game of baccarat according to a paytable with multiples against the wager in which:       

     One total of 8 only in either hand: pays 1:1 
     One total of 9 only in either hand: pays &gt;1:1 
     8 and 9 totals in both hands: pays &gt;3:1 
     8 and 8 totals in both hands: pays &gt;1:1; and 
     9 and 9 totals in both hands: pays &gt;2:1. 
     The method may be practiced in which on an occurrence of either 8 and 8 totals in both hands or 9 and 9 totals in both hands, a streak bet is activated at no risk to the initial resolution of the wager and at no additional wager being required, the streak bet paying against a paytable having at least two payout odds as follows against consecutive events in the modified game: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 8 and 8&#39;s 
                 9 and 9&#39;s 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 0 (zero) original  
                   &gt;1:1 
                 original 
                   &gt;2:1 
               
               
                 1 additional 
                   &gt;2:1 
                 1 additional 
                   &gt;4:1 
               
               
                 2 additional 
                   &gt;4:1 
                 2 additional  
                   &gt;8:1 
               
               
                 3 additional 
                   &gt;8:1 
                 3 additional  
                  &gt;16:1 
               
               
                 4 additional 
                  &gt;16:1 
                 4 additional  
                  &gt;32:1 
               
               
                 5 additional 
                  &gt;32:1 
                 5 additional  
                  &gt;64:1 
               
               
                 6 additional 
                  &gt;64:1 
                 6 additional  
                  &gt;128:1 
               
               
                 7 additional 
                  &gt;128:1 
                 7 additional  
                  &gt;256:1; and 
               
               
                 8 additional 
                  &gt;256:1 
                 8 additional  
                  &gt;512:1. 
               
               
                   
                   
                 9 additional 
                 &gt;1024:1 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The method may be practiced in which on an occurrence of either 8 and 8 totals in both hands or 9 and 9 totals in both hands, a streak bet is activated at no risk to the initial resolution of the wager and at no additional wager being required, the streak bet paying against a paytable having at least two payout odds as follows against consecutive events in the modified game: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 8 and 8&#39;s 
                 9 and 9&#39;s 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 0 (zero) original  
                  &gt;2:1 
                 original 
                  &gt;3:1 
               
               
                 1 additional 
                  &gt;4:1 
                 1 additional 
                  &gt;9:1 
               
               
                 2 additional 
                  &gt;8:1 
                 2 additional 
                 &gt;18:1 
               
               
                 3 additional 
                 &gt;16:1 
                 3 additional  
                 &gt;36:1. 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The method may be practiced wherein two separate physical decks of playing cards as the two separate original randomized decks of 52 playing cards, and the two separate physical decks of playing cards are held in separate dealer shoes or separate shufflers. 
     An additional format for the wagering event of the present technology can be distinguished from the generic concept as follows: 
     In the underlying game play, the player is automatically dealt two cards in the top (player hand) and two cards in the bottom (banker hand). The player wins if at least one of their hands is a natural 8 or 9. The player triggers a bonus if both the top and bottom hand is 8-8 or 9-9. 
     In the underlying bonus, the players execute normal baccarat events, such as picking banker or player position for a winning outcome in each hand. The player starts with a fixed amount of credits and doubles their credits each time they win until they either a) lose a hand or b) reach a maximum number of wins. When a player loses a hand in a bonus, they cash out with all of the credits they&#39;ve won up to that point. 
     Changes/Alternate version that can be used in the practice of this technology includes: 
     The top hand (player hand) and the bottom hand (banker hand) are dealt as exactly and only one card each. A third card is dealt in the middle space between the two hands. The player chooses whether the 3rd card should be placed in the top hand (player hand) or the bottom hand (banker hand). After the player has placed the third card into a specific hand, a fourth card is automatically dealt into the other hand. This rule change allows the player to exercise strategy to try to maximize the probability of making natural 8&#39;s and natural 9&#39;s. As another option in the execution of this event, in the bonus round, a 4-4 tie counts as a loss for both the player and banker side. 
     The method may be practiced wherein the two separate original randomized decks of 52 playing cards are two separate caches of memory within a processor and the two random sets of playing cards delivered to a virtual player hand a dealer hand on a video display are separately provided from the two separate caches of memory within the processor. Or, alternately, every time a new card is dealt it is drawn from a separate original randomized deck of 52 (physical or virtual) playing cards. 
     The method may be practiced wherein at a conclusion of a round of play of the modified game of baccarat, each separate cache of memory is virtually shuffled with all fifty-two cards therein to provide two separate and new virtual randomized sets of playing cards in the two separate caches of memory. 
     The method may be practiced wherein the modified game of baccarat is played at a same time as an underlying game of baccarat on which a separate baccarat wager is placed. Playing cards may be delivered in two distinct modes. Cards may immediately complete both initial hands (two playing cards to each hand) or one card may be dealt to each hand, and a player determines into which hand a revealed playing card is to be delivered. 
     The method may be practiced wherein the modified game of baccarat is played as a virtual baccarat game on a processor and video display at a same time as an underlying game of baccarat on which a separate baccarat wager is placed. 
     A system enables play of a modified baccarat game using: 
     a player position hand and a banker position hand that are not in competition with each other in the modified game, the player position and the banker position receiving exactly playing cards from two separate original randomized decks of 52 playing cards: 
     a detector identifying placement of an initial wager from one or more participants, the initial wager relating to the appearance in either or both of the player position hand and/or the banker position hand at the conclusion of initial delivery of the exactly two cards to the player position hand and the banker position hand; and 
     a paytable for resolving the identified initial wager on the modified game of baccarat according to a paytable with multiples against the wager in which: 
     One total of 8 only in either hand: pays 1:1 
     One total of 9 only in either hand: pays &gt;1:1 
     8 and 9 totals in both hands: pays &gt;3:1 
     8 and 8 totals in both hands: pays &gt;2:1; and 
     9 and 9 totals in both hands: pays &gt;3:1. 
     The system may use two separate original randomized decks of 52 playing cards comprise two separate sources of physical playing cards, each source comprising a standard 52-card playing card deck. The sources may be, by way of non-limiting examples, preshuffled compartments of cards, randomized sets of cards in a dealer shoe, and electromechanical randomizing sources of playing cards, 
     An alternative method can be described as a method of hosting a modified game of baccarat on an electronic gaming machine including a housing, player input control, video display, processor, memory, and a value-in-value-out credit creation component selected from the group consisting of a) a ticket-in-ticket-out system having a ticket-reading scanner and ticket printer, and b) a currency validation system having a motor drive to advance currency past a scanner. Additionally or alternatively, an eWallet configuration comprising a processor, memory, eWallet software or hardware, antenna (e.g., MC Card) that can communicate with an eWallet card, chip, or other signal emitter in near-field communicator. The modified game of baccarat enables on the electronic gaming machine a player position virtual hand and a banker position virtual hand that are not in competition with each other in the modified game, the player position virtual hand and the banker position virtual receiving exactly one random virtual playing card in each hand from two separate original randomized decks of 52 virtual playing cards, the method including: 
     detecting placement of an initial wager from credit stored in memory from the player position, the initial wager relating to the appearance in either or both of the player position virtual hand and/or the banker position virtual hand at the conclusion of initial delivery of exactly two cards to the player position virtual hand and the dealer position virtual hand, 
     wherein after the exactly one virtual playing card has been received by both the player position virtual hand and the dealer position virtual hand, a third random virtual playing card is revealed on the display screen, and the player, through the player input controls, assigns the third random virtual playing card to the player virtual playing card hand or the banker position virtual playing card hand, and then a fourth random virtual playing hand is assigned to a remaining virtual playing card hand having only one original virtual playing card; and initially resolving the wager from credit stored in memory on the modified game of baccarat according to a paytable with multiples against the wager in which: 
     One total of 8 only in either hand: pays 1:1 
     One total of 9 only in either hand: pays &gt;1:1 
     8 and 9 totals in both hands: pays &gt;3:1 
     8 and 8 totals in both hands: pays &gt;2:1; and 
     9 and 9 totals in both hands: pays &gt;3:1. 
     The method enables the video display comprises a touchscreen, and upon display of the third random virtual playing card, the third random virtual playing card is assigned to a specific virtual hand by contact with the touchscreen selected from the group consisting of touch-and-drag, touch-and-retouch, and touch-and-vector movement. 
     In the practice of the method, a player enters a command through the player input controls to print a ticket from the ticket-in-ticket-out system to collect credit value stored in the memory of the electronic gaming machine. 
     The system may include the two separate original randomized decks of 52 playing cards as two separate caches in memory of virtual playing cards, each cache comprising a randomized standard 52-card virtual playing card deck. 
     Computer-Based Implementations 
     Methods of the present invention may be implemented in computer hardware, software, or computer hardware and software. A most common form of computer implementation is a stand-alone, single player electronic gaming machine with electronic player controls and one or more video output screens. 
     In computer-based embodiments, the gaming device preferably includes at least one processor, such as a microprocessor, a microcontroller-based platform, a suitable integrated circuit or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC&#39;s) or Field Programmable Gated Arrays (FPGA&#39;s). The processor is in communication with or operable to access or to exchange signals with at least one data storage or memory device, and/or a player monitor or monitors. In one embodiment, the processor and the memory device reside within the cabinet of a gaming device. Multiple gaming devices are typically connected to a casino information network. 
     The memory device stores program code and instructions, executable by the processor, to control the gaming device. The memory device also stores other data such as image data, event data, player input data, random or pseudo-random number generators, pay-table data or information, House Ways distributions and applicable game rules that relate to the play of the gaming device. In one embodiment, the memory device includes random access memory (RAM): which can include non-volatile RAM (NVRAM): magnetic RAM (MRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), and other forms as commonly understood in the gaming industry. In one embodiment, the memory device includes read only memory (ROM). In one embodiment, the memory device includes flash memory and/or EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory). Any other suitable magnetic, optical, and/or semiconductor memory may operate in conjunction with the gaming device disclosed herein. 
     In one embodiment, part or all of the program code and/or operating data described above can be stored in a detachable or removable memory device, including, but not limited to, a suitable cartridge, disk, CD ROM, DVD, or USB memory device. 
     In other embodiments, part or all of the program code and/or operating data described above can be downloaded to the memory device through a suitable network. In one embodiment, an operator or a player can use such a removable memory device in a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable computing device, or another computerized platform to implement the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the gaming device or gaming machine disclosed herein is operable over a wireless network, for example part of a wireless gaming system. The gaming machine may be a hand-held device, a mobile device, or any other suitable wireless device that enables a player to play any suitable game at a variety of different locations. It should be appreciated that a gaming device or gaming machine as disclosed herein may be a device that has obtained approval from a regulatory gaming commission or a device that has not obtained approval from a regulatory gaming commission. It should be appreciated that the processor and memory device may be collectively referred to herein as a “processor” or “computer” or “controller” or “game controller.” 
     In one embodiment, as discussed in more detail below, the gaming device randomly generates awards and/or other game outcomes based on probability data. In one such embodiment, this random determination is provided through utilization of a random number generator (RNG), such as a true random number generator, a pseudo random number generator, or other suitable randomization process. In one embodiment, each award or other game outcome is associated with a probability and the gaming device generates the award or other game outcome to be provided to the player based on the associated probabilities. In this embodiment, since the gaming device generates outcomes randomly or based upon one or more probability calculations, there is no certainty that the gaming device will ever provide the player with any specific award or other game outcome. It is also possible for templates or weighted templates of sets of tiles or paylines as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,159,096 and 6,117,009 (Yoseloff, which are incorporated by reference in their entirety) which disclose a method of configuring a video output gaming device to randomly generate game outcomes. The method includes the steps of selecting a set of game symbols, assigning a probability of occurrence to each symbol, selecting a plurality of outcome templates, each template comprising X variables, selecting a probability of occurrence for each outcome template, assigning a subset of symbols from the set of game symbols to each template for filling the positions, defining payouts for selected outcomes, and configuring a video output gaming device, which randomly selects a template, randomly selects a symbol for each variable in the template from the subset of game symbols assigned to the selected template, randomly fills at least a portion of the positions in the template and displays the outcome on a video output display. A video output gaming device programmed to randomly select a template, randomly select symbols to define the variables and randomly display the selected symbols is also disclosed. 
     In one embodiment, described in more detail below as a “chipless gaming platform”, the gaming device includes one or more display devices that are mounted into a gaming table surface and are controlled by the processor in addition to or separately from the individual player monitors. The display devices are preferably connected to or mounted into the table structure. This may include a central display device which displays a primary game, dealer images, jackpot information, or information that is not specifically related to the game, such as sports information or winning events at other tables. This display device may also display any suitable secondary game associated with the primary game as well as information relating to the primary or secondary game (e.g., side bets, bonuses, jackpots and the like). 
     An alternative embodiment may include a central horizontal game display device and a vertically oriented virtual dealer display device as in Shuffle Master, Inc.&#39;s Table Master™ gaming system. The central display device may display the primary game, any suitable secondary game associated or not associated with the primary game and/or information relating to the primary or secondary game. These display devices may also serve as digital glass operable to advertise games or other aspects of the gaming establishment. The gaming device includes a credit display  20  which displays a player&#39;s current number of credits, cash, account balance, or the equivalent. In one embodiment, the gaming device includes a bet display displays a player&#39;s amount wagered. In one embodiment, as described in more detail below, the gaming device includes a player tracking display which displays information regarding a player&#39;s play tracking status. 
     In yet another embodiment, at least one display device may be a mobile display device, such as a PDA or tablet PC that enables play of at least a portion of the primary or secondary game at a location remote from the gaming device. The display devices may include, without limitation, a monitor, a television display, a plasma display, a liquid crystal display (LCD) a display based on light emitting diodes (LEDs), a display based on a plurality of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), a display based on polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs), a display based on a plurality of surface-conduction electron-emitters (SEDs), a display including a projected and/or reflected image, or any other suitable electronic device or display mechanism. 
     In one embodiment, as described in more detail below, the display device includes a touch-screen with an associated touch-screen controller. The display devices may be of any suitable size and configuration, such as a square, a rectangle or an elongated rectangle. The display devices of the gaming device are configured to display at least one and preferably a plurality of game or other suitable images, symbols and indicia such as any visual representation or exhibition of the movement of objects such as mechanical, virtual, or video reels and wheels, dynamic lighting, video images, images of people, characters, places, things, faces of cards, images of dealers and the like. 
     Other forms of the invention are in the form of game software that is implemented in a variety of formats, such as internet gaming, PC practice play, hand-held game devices, wireless gaming devices and the like. 
     Chipless Gaming Table Implementation 
     One enabling system useful in the practice of the present invention is the use of playing cards with Chinese domino symbols which can be distributed for use with a system marketed under the name i-TABLE™ by Shuffle Master, Inc. of Las Vegas, Nev. That system includes: a) a physical gaming table; b) player monitors at each player position; c) a playing card reading and delivery system (e.g., commercially available shufflers and playing card delivery shoes with reading capability as sold under the Trade names of One2Six™ shuffler, Ace™ shuffler, I-DEAL™ shuffler, I-SHOE™ delivery shoe, etc.); d) a processor receiving information (numbers of cards, rank of cards, suits of cards, etc.) from the card reading and delivery systems; e) communication connectivity (hardwired or wireless) between necessary combinations of the card reading/delivery systems and the processor, the processor and the individual player monitors, and/or the card reading/delivery systems and the video monitors; and f) software in the processor that defines predetermined advantage for distributions of playing cards into multiple hands, game rules, hand history, and the like. 
     With regard to software f), it is understood in the practice of the present technology that this is not complex software that reads individual player hand cards and determines advantageous card distributions for a first time by extensive calculations. Rather, the entire range of possibilities of hands (e.g., all possible five card sets dealt to players in poker-style games) is known in poker style games. 
     A preferable card handling device for administering a video reel-type-style game is a hand-forming shuffler with integrated card recognition technology, from which playing cards are supplied, with a least a rank/count (and preferable also suit) of individual packs of cards are known before the cards are removed and delivered to player positions and/or the banker position. The card delivery system  102  is in communication with the controller  128  by wired or wireless communication methods. Communication between the various system components not limited to electronic or electrical signals, but may include optical signals, audio signals, magnetic transmission or the like. 
     The individual player position processors (not shown) are preferable graphics processors and not full content CPUs as a cost saving, space saving, and efficiency benefit. With the reduced capacity in the processor as compared to a CPU, there is actually reduced likelihood of tampering and fraudulent input. 
     Turning next to  FIG. 1 , a video gaming machine  2  of the present invention is shown. Machine  2  includes a main cabinet  4 , which generally surrounds the machine interior (not shown) and is viewable by users. The main cabinet includes a main door  8  on the front of the machine, which opens to provide access to the interior of the machine. Attached to the main door are player-input switches or buttons  32 , a coin acceptor  28 , and a bill validator  30 , a coin tray  38 , and a display area including a mechanical gaming system (or less preferably a separate electronic game)  40 . There may be an overlay of touchscreen functionality on the separate electronic game  40  or some of the buttons  32  may be functional on the separate mechanical gaming system  40 . That separate mechanical gaming system may be in a relatively vertical viewing position as shown, or in a more horizontal (table like) display unit. Viewable through the main door is a video display monitor  34  and an information panel  36 . The display monitor  34  will typically be a cathode ray tube, high resolution flat-panel LCD, LED, plasma screen or other conventional electronically controlled video monitor. The information panel  36  may be a back-lit, silk screened glass panel with lettering to indicate general game information including, for example, a game denomination (e.g. $0.25 or $1). The bill validator  30 , player-input switches  32 , video display monitor  34 , and information panel are devices used to play a game on the game machine  2 . The devices are controlled by circuitry (e.g. the master gaming controller) housed inside the main cabinet  4  of the machine  2 . 
     Many different types of games, including mechanical slot games, video slot games, video poker, video black jack, video pachinko and lottery, may be provided with gaming machines of this invention. In particular, the gaming machine  2  may be operable to provide a play of many different instances of games of chance. The instances may be differentiated according to themes, sounds, graphics, type of game (e.g., slot game vs. card game), denomination, number of paylines, maximum jackpot, progressive or non-progressive, bonus games, etc. The gaming machine  2  may be operable to allow a player to select a game of chance to play from a plurality of instances available on the gaming machine. For example, the gaming machine may provide a menu with a list of the instances of games that are available for play on the gaming machine and a player may be able to select from the list a first instance of a game of chance that they wish to play. 
     The various instances of games available for play on the gaming machine  2  may be stored as game software on a mass storage device in the gaming machine or may be generated on a remote gaming device but then displayed on the gaining machine. The gaming machine  2  may executed game software, such as but not limited to video streaming software that allows the game to be displayed on the gaming machine. When an instance is stored on the gaming machine  2 , it may be loaded from the mass storage device into a RAM for execution. In some cases, after a selection of an instance, the game software that allows the selected instance to be generated may be downloaded from a remote gaming device, such as another gaming machine. 
     The gaming machine  2  includes a top box  6 , which sits on top of the main cabinet  4 . The top box  6  houses a number of devices, which may be used to add features to a game being played on the gaming machine  2 , including speakers  10 ,  12 ,  14 , a ticket printer  18  which prints bar-coded tickets  20 , a key pad  22  for entering player tracking information, a florescent display  16  for displaying player tracking information, a card reader  24  for entering a magnetic striped card containing player tracking information, and a video display screen  42 . The ticket printer  18  may be used to print tickets for a cashless ticketing system. Further, the top box  6  may house different or additional devices than shown in the  FIG. 1 . For example, the top box may contain a bonus wheel or a back-lit silk screened panel which may be used to add bonus features to the game being played on the gaming machine. As another example, the top box may contain a display for a progressive jackpot offered on the gaming machine. During a game, these devices are controlled and powered, in part, by circuitry (e.g. a master gaming controller) housed within the main cabinet  4  of the machine  2 . 
     Understand that gaming machine  2  is but one example from a wide range of gaming machine designs on which the present invention may be implemented. For example, not all suitable gaming machines have top boxes or player tracking features. Further, some gaming machines have only a single game display mechanical or video, while others are designed for bar tables and have displays that face upwards. As another example, a game may be generated in on a host computer and may be displayed on a remote terminal or a remote gaming device. The remote gaming device may be connected to the host computer via a network of some type such as a local area network, a wide area network, an intranet or the Internet. The remote gaming device may be a portable gaming device such as but not limited to a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and a wireless game player. Images rendered from 3-D gaming environments may be displayed on portable gaming devices that are used to play a game of chance. Further a gaming machine or server may include gaming logic for commanding a remote gaming device to render an image from a virtual camera in a 3-D gaming environments stored on the remote gaming device and to display the rendered image on a display located on the remote gaming device. Thus, those of skill in the art will understand that the present invention, as described below, can be deployed on most any gaming machine now available or hereafter developed. 
     Some preferred gaming machines are implemented with special features and/or additional circuitry that differentiates them from general-purpose computers (e.g., desktop PC&#39;s and laptops). Gaming machines are highly regulated to ensure fairness and, in many cases, gaming machines are operable to dispense monetary awards of multiple millions of dollars. Therefore, to satisfy security and regulatory requirements in a gaming environment, hardware and software architectures may be implemented in gaming machines that differ significantly from those of general-purpose computers. A description of gaming machines relative to general-purpose computing machines and some examples of the additional (or different) components and features found in gaming machines are described below. 
     At first glance, one might think that adapting PC technologies to the gaming industry would be a simple proposition because both PCs and gaming machines employ microprocessors that control a variety of devices. However, because of such reasons as 1) the regulatory requirements that are placed upon gaming machines, 2) the harsh environment in which gaming machines operate, 3) security requirements and 4) fault tolerance requirements, adapting PC technologies to a gaming machine can be quite difficult. Further, techniques and methods for solving a problem in the PC industry, such as device compatibility and connectivity issues, might not be adequate in the gaming environment. For instance, a fault or a weakness tolerated in a PC, such as security holes in software or frequent crashes, may not be tolerated in a gaming machine because in a gaming machine these faults can lead to a direct loss of funds from the gaming machine, such as stolen cash or loss of revenue when the gaming machine is not operating properly. 
     For the purposes of illustration, a few differences between PC systems and gaming systems will be described. A first difference between gaming machines and common PC based computers systems is that gaming machines are designed to be state-based systems. In a state-based system, the system stores and maintains its current state in a non-volatile memory, such that, in the event of a power failure or other malfunction the gaming machine will return to its current state when the power is restored. For instance, if a player was shown an award for a game of chance and, before the award could be provided to the player the power failed, the gaming machine, upon the restoration of power, would return to the state where the award is indicated. As anyone who has used a PC, knows, PCs are not state machines and a majority of data is usually lost when a malfunction occurs. This requirement affects the software and hardware design on a gaming machine. 
     A second important difference between gaming machines and common PC based computer systems is that for regulation purposes, the software on the gaming machine used to generate the game of chance and operate the gaming machine has been designed to be static and monolithic to prevent cheating by the operator of gaming machine. For instance, one solution that has been employed in the gaming industry to prevent cheating and satisfy regulatory requirements has been to manufacture a gaming machine that can use a proprietary processor running instructions to generate the game of chance from an EPROM or other form of non-volatile memory. The coding instructions on the EPROM are static (non-changeable) and must be approved by a gaming regulators in a particular jurisdiction and installed in the presence of a person representing the gaming jurisdiction. Any changes to any part of the software required to generate the game of chance, such as adding a new device driver used by the master gaming controller to operate a device during generation of the game of chance can require a new EPROM to be burnt, approved by the gaming jurisdiction and reinstalled on the gaining machine in the presence of a gaming regulator. Regardless of whether the EPROM solution is used, to gain approval in most gaming jurisdictions, a gaming machine must demonstrate sufficient safeguards that prevent an operator or player of a gaming machine from manipulating hardware and software in a manner that gives them an unfair and some cases an illegal advantage. The gaming machine should have a means to determine if the code it will execute is valid. If the code is not valid, the gaining machine must have a means to prevent the code from being executed. The code validation requirements in the gaming industry affect both hardware and software designs on gaming machines. 
     A third important difference between gaining machines and common PC based computer systems is the number and kinds of peripheral devices used on a gaming machine are not as great as on PC based computer systems. Traditionally, in the gaming industry, gaming machines have been relatively simple in the sense that the number of peripheral devices and the number of functions the gaming machine has been limited. Further, in operation, the functionality of gaming machines were relatively constant once the gaming machine was deployed, i.e., new peripherals devices and new gaming software were infrequently added to the gaming machine. This differs from a PC where users will go out and buy different combinations of devices and software from different manufacturers and connect them to a PC to suit their needs depending on a desired application. Therefore, the types of devices connected to a PC may vary greatly from user to user depending in their individual requirements and may vary significantly over time. 
     Although the variety of devices available for a PC may be greater than on a gaming machine, gaming machines still have unique device requirements that differ from a PC, such as device security requirements not usually addressed by PCs. For instance, monetary devices, such as coin dispensers, bill validators and ticket printers and computing devices that are used to govern the input and output of cash to a gaming machine have security requirements that are not typically addressed in PCs. Therefore, many PC techniques and methods developed to facilitate device connectivity and device compatibility do not address the emphasis placed on security in the gaming industry. 
     To address some of the issues described above, a number of hardware/software components and architectures are utilized in gaming machines that are not typically found in general purpose computing devices, such as PCs. These hardware/software components and architectures, as described below in more detail, include but are not limited to watchdog timers, voltage monitoring systems, state-based software architecture and supporting hardware, specialized communication interfaces, security monitoring and trusted memory. 
     A watchdog timer is normally used in gaming machines to provide a software failure detection mechanism. Iii a normally operating system, the operating software periodically accesses control registers in the watchdog timer subsystem to “re-trigger” the watchdog. Should the operating software fail to access the control registers within a preset timeframe, the watchdog timer will timeout and generate a system reset. Typical watchdog timer circuits contain a loadable timeout counter register to allow the operating software to set the timeout interval within a certain range of time. A differentiating feature of the some preferred circuits is that the operating software cannot completely disable the function of the watchdog timer. In other words, the watchdog timer always functions from the time power is applied to the board. 
     Gaming computer platforms preferably use several power supply voltages to operate portions of the computer circuitry. These can be generated in a central power supply or locally on the computer board. If any of these voltages falls out of the tolerance limits of the circuitry they power, unpredictable operation of the computer may result. Though most modem general-purpose computers include voltage monitoring circuitry, these types of circuits only report voltage status to the operating software. Out of tolerance voltages can cause software malfunction, creating a potential uncontrolled condition in the gaming computer. Gaming machines typically have power supplies with tighter voltage margins than that required by the operating circuitry. In addition, the voltage monitoring circuitry implemented in gaming computers typically has two thresholds of control. The first threshold generates a software event that can be detected by the operating software and an error condition generated. This threshold is triggered when a power supply voltage falls out of the tolerance range of the power supply, but is still within the operating range of the circuitry. The second threshold is set when a power supply voltage falls out of the operating tolerance of the circuitry. In this case, the circuitry generates a reset, halting operation of the computer. 
     The standard method of operation for slot machine game software is to use a state machine. Different functions of the game (bet, play, result, points in the graphical presentation, etc.) may be defined as a state. When a game moves from one state to another, critical data regarding the game software is stored in a custom non-volatile memory subsystem. This is critical to ensure the player&#39;s wager and credits are preserved and to minimize potential disputes in the event of a malfunction on the gaming machine. 
     In general, the gaming machine does not advance from a first state to a second state until critical information that allows the first state to be reconstructed is stored. This feature allows the game to recover operation to the current state of play in the event of a malfunction, loss of power, etc. that occurred just prior to the malfunction. After the state of the gaming machine is restored during the play of a game of chance, game play may resume and the game may be completed in a manner that is no different than if the malfunction had not occurred. Typically, battery backed RAM devices are used to preserve this critical data although other types of non-volatile memory devices may be employed. These memory devices are not used in typical general-purpose computers. 
     As described in the preceding paragraph, when a malfunction occurs during a game of chance, the gaming machine may be restored to a state in the game of chance just prior to when the malfunction occurred. The restored state may include metering information and graphical information that was displayed on the gaming machine in the state prior to the malfunction. For example, when the malfunction occurs during the play of a card game after the cards have been dealt, the gaming machine may be restored with the cards that were previously displayed as part of the card game. As another example, a bonus game may be triggered during the play of a game of chance where a player is required to make a number of selections on a video display screen. When a malfunction has occurred after the player has made one or more selections, the gaming machine may be restored to a state that shows the graphical presentation at the just prior to the malfunction including an indication of selections that have already been made by the player. In general, the gaming machine may be restored to any state in a plurality of states that occur in the game of chance that occurs while the game of chance is played or to states that occur between the play of a game of chance. 
     Game history information regarding previous games played such as an amount wagered, the outcome of the game and so forth may also be stored in a non-volatile memory device. The information stored in the non-volatile memory may be detailed enough to reconstruct a portion of the graphical presentation that was previously presented on the gaming machine and the state of the gaming machine (e.g., credits) at the time the game of chance was played. The game history information may be utilized in the event of a dispute. For example, a player may decide that in a previous game of chance that they did not receive credit for an award that they believed they won. The game history information may be used to reconstruct the state of the gaming machine prior, during and/or after the disputed game to demonstrate whether the player was correct or not in their assertion. 
     Another feature of gaming machines, such as gaming computers, is that they often contain unique interfaces, including serial interfaces, to connect to specific subsystems internal and external to the slot machine. The serial devices may have electrical interface requirements that differ from the “standard” EIA 232 serial interfaces provided by general-purpose computers. These interfaces may include EIA 485, EIA 422, Fiber Optic Serial, optically coupled serial interfaces, current loop style serial interfaces, etc. In addition, to conserve serial interfaces internally in the slot machine, serial devices may be connected in a shared, daisy-chain fashion where multiple peripheral devices are connected to a single serial channel. 
     The serial interfaces may be used to transmit information using communication protocols that are unique to the gaming industry. For example, the Netplex™ system of IGT is a proprietary communication protocol used for serial communication between gaming devices. As another example, SAS is a communication protocol used to transmit information, such as metering information, from a gaming machine to a remote device. Often SAS is used in conjunction with a player tracking system. 
     Gaming machines may alternatively be treated as peripheral devices to a casino communication controller and connected in a shared daisy chain fashion to a single serial interface. In both cases, the peripheral devices are preferably assigned device addresses. If so, the serial controller circuitry must implement a method to generate or detect unique device addresses. General-purpose computer serial ports are not able to do this. 
     Security monitoring circuits detect intrusion into a gaming machine by monitoring security switches attached to access doors in the slot machine cabinet. Preferably, access violations result in suspension of game play and can trigger additional security operations to preserve the current state of game play. These circuits also function when power is off by use of a battery backup. In power-off operation, these circuits continue to monitor the access doors of the slot machine. When power is restored, the gaming machine can determine whether any security violations occurred while power was off, e.g., via software for reading status registers. This can trigger event log entries and further data authentication operations by the slot machine software. 
     Trusted memory devices are preferably included in a gaming machine computer to ensure the authenticity of the software that may be stored on less secure memory subsystems, such as mass storage devices. Trusted memory devices and controlling circuitry are typically designed to not allow modification of the code and data stored in the memory device while the memory device is installed in the slot machine. The code and data stored in these devices may include authentication algorithms, random number generators, authentication keys, operating system kernels, etc. The purpose of these trusted memory devices is to provide gaming regulatory authorities a root trusted authority within the computing environment of the slot machine that can be tracked and verified as original. This may be accomplished via removal of the trusted memory device from the slot machine computer and verification of the secure memory device contents is a separate third party verification device. Once the trusted memory device is verified as authentic, and based on the approval of the verification algorithms contained in the trusted device, the gaming machine is allowed to verify the authenticity of additional code and data that may be located in the gaming computer assembly, such as code and data stored on hard disk drives. A few details related to trusted memory devices that may be used in the present invention are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,567 titled “Process Verification,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety and for purposes. 
     Mass storage devices used in a general purpose computer typically allow code and data to be read from and written to the mass storage device. In a gaming machine environment, modification of the gaming code stored on a mass storage device is strictly controlled and would only be allowed under specific maintenance type events with electronic and physical enablers required. Though this level of security could be provided by software, gaming computers that include mass storage devices preferably include hardware level mass storage data protection circuitry that operates at the circuit level to monitor attempts to modify data on the mass storage device and will generate both software and hardware error triggers should a data modification be attempted without the proper electronic and physical enablers being present. 
     Returning to the example of  FIG. 1 , when a user wishes to play the gaming machine  2 , he or she inserts cash through the coin acceptor  28  or bill validator  30 . Additionally, the bill validator may accept a printed ticket voucher which may be accepted by the bill validator  30  as an indicia of credit when a cashless ticketing system is used. At the start of the game, the player may enter playing tracking information using the card reader  24 , the keypad  22 , and the florescent display  16 . Further, other game preferences of the player playing the game may be read from a card inserted into the card reader. During the game, the player views game information using the video display  34 . Other game and prize information may also be displayed in the video display screen  42  located in the top box. 
     During the course of a game, a player may be required to make a number of decisions, which affect the outcome of the game. For example, a player may vary his or her wager on a particular game, select a prize for a particular game selected from a prize server, or make game decisions which affect the outcome of a particular game. The player may make these choices using the player-input switches  32 , the video display screen  34  or using some other device which enables a player to input information into the gaming machine. In some embodiments, the player may be able to access various game services such as concierge services and entertainment content services using the video display screen  34  and one more input devices. 
     During certain game events, the gaming machine  2  may display visual and auditory effects that can be perceived by the player. These effects add to the excitement of a game, which makes a player more likely to continue playing. Auditory effects include various sounds that are projected by the speakers  10 ,  12 ,  14 . Visual effects include flashing lights, strobing lights or other patterns displayed from lights on the gaming machine  2  or from lights within the separate mechanical (or electronic) separately, individually wagerable gaming system  40 . After the player has completed a game, the player may receive game tokens from the coin tray  38  or the ticket  20  from the printer  18 , which may be used for further games or to redeem a prize. Further, the player may receive a ticket  20  for food, merchandise, or games from the printer  18 . 
     Another gaming network that may be used to implement some aspects of the invention is depicted in  FIG. 1A . Gaming establishment  1001  could be any sort of gaming establishment, such as a casino, a card room, an airport, a store, etc. In this example, gaming network  1077  includes more than one gaming establishment, all of which are networked to game server  1022 . 
     Here, gaming machine  1002 , and the other gaming machines  1030 ,  1032 ,  1034 , and  1036 , include a main cabinet  1006  and a top box  1004 . The main cabinet  1006  houses the main gaming elements and can also house peripheral systems, such as those that utilize dedicated gaming networks. The top box  1004  may also be used to house these peripheral systems. 
     The master gaming controller  1008  controls the game play on the gaming machine  1002  according to instructions and/or game data from game server  1022  or stored within gaming machine  1002  and receives or sends data to various input/output devices  1011  on the gaming machine  1002 . In one embodiment, master gaming controller  1008  includes processor(s) and other apparatus of the gaming machines described above. The master gaming controller  1008  may also communicate with a display  1010 . 
     A particular gaming entity may desire to provide network gaming services that provide some operational advantage. Thus, dedicated networks may connect gaming machines to host servers that track the performance of gaming machines under the control of the entity, such as for accounting management, electronic fund transfers (EFTs), cashless ticketing, such as EZPay™, marketing management, and data tracking, such as player tracking. Therefore, master gaming controller  1008  may also communicate with EFT system  1012 , EZPay™ system, and player tracking system  1020 . The systems of the gaming machine  1002  communicate the data onto the network  1022  via a communication board  1018 . 
     It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that embodiments of the present invention could be implemented on a network with more or fewer elements than are depicted in  FIG. 1A . For example, player tracking system  1020  is not a necessary feature of some implementations of the present invention. However, player tracking programs may help to sustain a game player&#39;s interest in additional game play during a visit to a gaming establishment and may entice a player to visit a gaming establishment to partake in various gaming activities. Player tracking programs provide rewards to players that typically correspond to the player&#39;s level of patronage (e.g., to the player&#39;s playing frequency and/or total amount of game plays at a given casino). Player tracking rewards may be free meals, free lodging and/or free entertainment. Player tracking information may be combined with other information that is now readily obtainable by an SBG system. 
     Moreover, DCU  1024  and translator  1025  are not required for all gaming establishments  1001 . However, due to the sensitive nature of much of the information on a gaming network (e.g., electronic fund transfers and player tracking data) the manufacturer of a host system usually employs a particular networking language having proprietary protocols. For instance, 10-20 different companies produce player tracking host systems where each host system may use different protocols. These proprietary protocols are usually considered highly confidential and not released publicly. 
     Further, gaming machines are made by many different manufacturers. The communication protocols on the gaming machine are typically hard-wired into the gaming machine and each gaming machine manufacturer may utilize a different proprietary communication protocol. A gaming machine manufacturer may also produce host systems, in which case their gaming machines are compatible with their own host systems. However, in a heterogeneous gaming environment, gaming machines from different manufacturers, each with its own communication protocol, may be connected to host systems from other manufacturers, each with another communication protocol. Therefore, communication compatibility issues regarding the protocols used by the gaming machines in the system and protocols used by the host systems must be considered. 
     A network device that links a gaming establishment with another gaming establishment and/or a central system will sometimes be referred to herein as a “site controller.” Here, site controller  1042  provides this function for gaming establishment  1001 . Site controller  1042  is connected to a central system and/or other gaming establishments via one or more networks, which may be public or private networks. Among other things, site controller  1042  communicates with game server  1022  to obtain game data, such as ball drop data, bingo card data, etc. 
     In the present illustration, gaming machines  1002 ,  1030 ,  1032 ,  1034  and  1036  are connected to a dedicated gaming network  1022 . In general, the DCU  1024  functions as an intermediary between the different gaming machines on the network  1022  and the site controller  1042 . In general, the DCU  1024  receives data transmitted from the gaming machines and sends the data to the site controller  1042  over a transmission path  1026 . In some instances, when the hardware interface used by the gaming machine is not compatible with site controller  1042 , a translator  1025  may be used to convert serial data from the DCU  1024  to a format accepted by site controller  1042 . The translator may provide this conversion service to a plurality of DCUs. 
     Further, in some dedicated gaming networks, the DCU  1024  can receive data transmitted from site controller  1042  for communication to the gaming machines on the gaming network. The received data may be, for example, communicated synchronously to the gaming machines on the gaming network. 
     Here, CVT  1052  provides cashless and cashout gaming services to the gaming machines in gaming establishment  1001 . Broadly speaking, CVT  1052  authorizes and validates cashless gaming machine instruments (also referred to herein as “tickets” or “vouchers”), including but not limited to tickets for causing a gaming machine to display a game result and cash-out tickets. Moreover, CVT  1052  authorizes the exchange of a cashout ticket for cash. These processes will be described in detail below. In one example, when a player attempts to redeem a cash-out ticket for cash at cashout kiosk  1044 , cash out kiosk  1044  reads validation data from the cashout ticket and transmits the validation data to CVT  1052  for validation. The tickets may be printed by gaming machines, by cashout kiosk  1044 , by a stand-alone printer, by CVT  1052 , etc. Some gaming establishments will not have a cashout kiosk  1044 . Instead, a cashout ticket could be redeemed for cash by a cashier (e.g. of a convenience store), by a gaming machine or by a specially configured CVT. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates an example of a network device that may be configured for implementing some methods of the present invention. Network device  1160  includes a master central processing unit (CPU)  1162 , interfaces  1168 , and a bus  1167  (e.g., a PCI bus). Generally, interfaces  1168  include ports  1169  appropriate for communication with the appropriate media. In some embodiments, one or more of interfaces  1168  includes at least one independent processor and, in some instances, volatile RAM. The independent processors may be, for example, ASICs or any other appropriate processors. According to some such embodiments, these independent processors perform at least some of the functions of the logic described herein. In some embodiments, one or more of interfaces  1168  control such communications-intensive tasks as encryption, decryption, compression, decompression, packetization, media control and management. By providing separate processors for the communications-intensive tasks, interfaces  1168  allow the master microprocessor  1162  efficiently to perform other functions such as routing computations, network diagnostics, security functions, etc. 
     The interfaces  1168  are typically provided as interface cards (sometimes referred to as “linecards”). Generally, interfaces  1168  control the sending and receiving of data packets over the network and sometimes support other peripherals used with the network device  1160 . Among the interfaces that may be provided are FC interfaces, Ethernet interfaces, frame relay interfaces, cable interfaces, DSL interfaces, token ring interfaces, and the like. In addition, various very high-speed interfaces may be provided, such as fast Ethernet interfaces, Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, ATM interfaces, HSSI interfaces, POS interfaces, FDDI interfaces, ASI interfaces, DHEI interfaces and the like. 
     When acting under the control of appropriate software or firmware, in some implementations of the invention CPU  1162  may be responsible for implementing specific functions associated with the functions of a desired network device. According to some embodiments, CPU  1162  accomplishes all these functions under the control of software including an operating system and any appropriate applications software. 
     CPU  1162  may include one or more processors  1163  such as a processor from the Motorola family of microprocessors or the MIPS family of microprocessors. In an alternative embodiment, processor  1163  is specially designed hardware for controlling the operations of network device  1160 . In a specific embodiment, a memory  1161  (such as non-volatile RAM and/or ROM) also forms part of CPU  1162 . However, there are many different ways in which memory could be coupled to the system. Memory block  1161  may be used for a variety of purposes such as, for example, caching and/or storing data, programming instructions, etc. 
     Regardless of network device&#39;s configuration, it may employ one or more memories or memory modules (such as, for example, memory block  1165 ) configured to store data, program instructions for the general-purpose network operations and/or other information relating to the functionality of the techniques described herein. The program instructions may control the operation of an operating system and/or one or more applications, for example. 
     Because such information and program instructions may be employed to implement the systems/methods described herein, the present invention also relates to machine-readable media that include program instructions, state information, etc. for performing various operations described herein. Examples of machine-readable media include, but are not limited to, magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROM disks; magneto-optical media; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory devices (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). The invention may also be embodied in a carrier wave traveling over an appropriate medium such as airwaves, optical lines, electric lines, etc. Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher-level code that may be executed by the computer using an interpreter. 
     Although the system shown in  FIG. 1B  illustrates one specific network device of the present invention, it is by no means the only network device architecture on which the present invention can be implemented. For example, an architecture having a single processor that handles communications as well as routing computations, etc. is often used. Further, other types of interfaces and media could also be used with the network device. The communication path between interfaces may be bus based (as shown in  FIG. 1B ) or switch fabric based (such as a cross-bar). 
     While this invention is described in terms of preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents that fall within the scope of the invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the present invention. It is therefore intended that the invention not be limited to the preferred embodiments described herein, but instead that the invention should be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2A  shows a screen shot of the first two cards dealt to a top hand (9) and a bottom hand (5) and a third distributable third card (8). The strategy is to form a maximum number of 9-count two-card hands and 8-count two card hands. With these specific hands, the highest probability is for the 8 to be moved to the 5, even though this prevents the bottom hand from any contributory winning outcome. It leaves the top hand with a thirty-eight percent (30.8%) chance of a final nine-count (30.8% chance of getting a zero count card), and a 7.7% chance of an eight-count (getting a nine). 
       FIG. 2B  shows a screen shot of the first two cards dealt to a top hand (9) and a bottom hand (5) and a third distributable third card (8) being moved by touch and drag to the bottom hand. 
       FIG. 2C  shows a screen shot of the top hand being completed with a fourth random playing card (9) to end the wagering event. The top hand has a final eight-count and is paid, while the bottom hand does not contribute to the final outcome. 
     The video display preferably includes a touchscreen, and upon display of the third random virtual playing card, the third random virtual playing card is assigned to a specific virtual hand by contact with the touchscreen selected from the group consisting of touch-and-drag, touch-and-retouch, and touch-and-vector movement. The player enters a command through the player input controls to print a ticket from the ticket-in-ticket-out system to collect credit value stored in the memory of the electronic gaming machine. 
     These and other variations may be provided in the practice of the present invention.