US20080303207A1

US20080303207A1 - Progressive event in casino game of war

Info

Publication number: US20080303207A1
Application number: US11/810,913
Authority: US
Inventors: Roger M. Snow
Original assignee: SHFL Enterteiment Inc
Current assignee: SG Gaming Inc
Priority date: 2007-06-06
Filing date: 2007-06-06
Publication date: 2008-12-11

Abstract

A casino wagering war game is played with a tie side bet that qualifies winning players to win a progressive jackpot and at least a second bonus amount. At least one player places a wager to play a casino wagering game of war. The at least one player places an optional second wager to enter both the war progressive jackpot event and an odds payout bonus event. Players placing the tie wager qualify for bonus payouts when the player and the dealer cards tie. Higher payouts are achieved when cards match in suit, or an additional tie occurs.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of casino table or casino electronic wagering games, and particularly to wagering games based on the traditional card game of War. The invention also relates to the enablement of a progressive jackpot in a variation of the casino wagering game of War.
2. Background of the Art
One significantly attractive feature in gaming is the desire to win a large amount of money or value without wagering a large amount in each play of a game. The development of the side bet to fund a progressive jackpot has become an important attraction in live gaming.
Caribbean Stud® poker invigorated specialty poker games by providing a fixed side bet wager on a progressive jackpot. A portion of the fixed side bet wager of $1.00 is put into a progressive jackpot and payments are made for particularly high ranking hands. All payments (fixed and progressive) on such hands are specifically withdrawn from the monitored jackpot fund, and all contribution to the jackpot is made from a portion of the side bet, after an initial staking of the jackpot with seed money. All other payments on bonus level hands come out of the underlying ante and play wagers, while retaining profits for the casino. The success of these games has stimulated attempts at developing other progressive and side bet wager methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,041 (Boylan et al.) describes a well known casino game that is a variant of the conventional parlor game called “War”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The Casino War® game as disclosed in Boylan et al. is described below. With reference to the drawing in which like numerals represent like elements, the wagering game of Casino War® may be played using a casino type table layout.
Referring to FIG. 1, the display or table top 10 includes, for each of a plurality of players (in this case 7), an area 12 for placing an ante bet and an area 14 for placing of a conventional tie bet wager. Ties pay an odds payout, typically 10:1. The dealer is located adjacent a house position or bank 16, with a shoe 18 containing a plurality of decks (such as six or eight) of regular playing cards (with or without jokers) located adjacent to the dealer position. To play a round of the wagering game, each player initially makes an ante bet by placing a suitable token (chip, money, etc.) or tokens on area 12. Obviously, each player participating must place some ante bet, with a minimum (and possible maximum) ante bet or set ante bet typically designated. At the same time, each player may also choose to place an optional tie bet on area 14, also as designated (as of some predetermined minimum value). House rules may permit the making of a tie wager instead of the Ante wager.
After all (mandatory) ante bets and (optional) tie bets are placed by the players, the dealer then deals one card, face up, to each of the players as well as a face up card to himself. Taking each player in turn, the dealer determines whether the numerical value (i.e., rank) of the card of the player is greater than, less than, or equal to that of the dealer's card. If the value of the card of the player is less than or equal to that of the dealer, the player loses the ante bet which is immediately collected from area 12 by the dealer. On the other hand, if the value of the card of the player is greater than that of the dealer, the player wins and the dealer immediately pays the player an amount which in this embodiment is equal to the ante bet of that player. Using eight decks in shoe 18, it will be appreciated that the dealer hold percentage on ante bets (the amount the dealer will be expected to win in view of the odds being in his favor, due to the dealer winning all ties) will be about 7.47%.
In addition, as the dealer determines whether the player wins or loses the ante bet, the dealer also determines if the player made a tie bet. If a tie bet was made and the value of the card of the player and dealer are equal (note that the player loses the ante bet as described above), the player wins the tie bet and the dealer immediately pays off the tie bet. The payoff of the tie bet is preferably set at a relatively high amount in view of the low odds of winning such a bet by the player, with a minimum of about 8:1 and preferably about 10:1 used in accordance with the present invention. With odds of 10:1, the dealer hold percentage on tie bets would be about 17.83%, as ties would only occur about 7.47% of the time.
When a tie does occur, and after all losing Ante bets are collected and all tie side bets are paid off, the dealer will then also offer the tying player(s) the option of “going to war,” by making a further bet in area 12 (now cleared). This offer of a further bet is made regardless of whether a tie bet was made by the tying player. The further bet is limited to an amount equal to or less than the ante bet. It will be appreciated that any payoff greater than 1:1 on the further bet will mean that the odds are in the favor of the player. Typically, the player places an additional wager equal to the Ante and the dealer puts up a matching amount if the player elects to go to war. If the player elects not to go to war, he forfeits half the Ante.
Once the player decides to go to war, the dealer deals an additional face up card to each player and to himself. As traditional with the “war” game, the face up card can be dealt after first “burning” or dealing three (or some other predetermined number) face down cards. If the value of the face up card of the player is less than that of the face up card of the dealer, the player loses all three wagers and the dealer collects the further bet from area 12. On the other hand, if the value of the face up card of the player is greater than that of the dealer, the player wins and the dealer immediately pays the player the three units.
It will be appreciated that it is also possible for the further face up cards of the player and the dealer to be tied. In such situations, three choices are possible and the one chosen will depend on how the dealer (or casino owner) wants to have the method of the game proceed. If it is desired to speed up play, the tie of the further face up cards can be designated as a win to the player (to increase the odds for the player winning a further bet), or to the dealer (to lower the odds for the player winning the further bet, but with the overall odds still much in the player's favor). As a third option, another round of further cards could be dealt along with a face up card for the player and dealer, and the winner determined by that round, or succeeding rounds (in case of further ties) until either the player or dealer is a winner.
Another progressive jackpot game, which also combines other side bet and bonus wagers along with the progressive jackpot is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/591,259, filed Oct. 31, 2006 (Snow et al.), attorney docket number PA1679.ap.US, the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method of playing an underlying wagering card game with an optional side bet is disclosed. The method comprises the step of at least one player placing a first Ante wager in an underlying card game having a predetermined set of rules, The method further comprises the step of placing a separate optional side wager determined at least by cards dealt in the underlying card game. Cards are then distributed. At least one card is dealt to the at least one player's hand, and at least one card is dealt to the dealer's hand. The player and dealer hands are resolved, according to the predetermined set of rules. Players are paid on the Ante wager when the player's hand is a winning hand according to the predetermined set of rules. The site bet wager is resolved according to a second set of rules, wherein the rules include consideration of tie events and the matching of suits when comparing the player and dealer hands.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a prior art table top display that can be used in the play of the casino table game of the present technology.

FIG. 2 is a layout of a gaming table used to practice an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A method of playing an underlying wagering card game is performed with an optional side bet. To play the game, at least one player places a first Ante wager in an underlying card game having a predetermined set of rules. Preferably, the rules include the dealing of one card each to each player and the dealer, and resolving each hand based on rank. The at least one player places a separate optional side wager on a bonus event determined at least in part by events in the underlying card game. At least one card is distributed to the at least one player's hand and at least one card to the dealer's hand. The at least one player's hand is completed and the dealer's hand is completed according to the predetermined set of rules. After completing the at least one player's hand and the dealer's hand according to the predetermined set of rules, the first wager and the separate side wager are resolved. The side wager is based upon determining that at least a minimum number of tie events occur in the underlying game. The resolution of the side bet also considers additional relationships of suits between cards in the completed at least one player's hand and the completed dealer's hand. The resolution of the side wager may be determined on bases comprising at least one of a) at least one tie occurring, b) at least one tie occurring with cards of a same suit, c) at least two consecutive ties occurring, d) at least two consecutive ties occurring with card values in both consecutive ties being of a same rank, and e) at least two consecutive ties occurring with card values in both consecutive ties being of a same rank and same suit. A method is preferred wherein a portion of the side bet wager is used to fund a progressive jackpot. A portion of the side bet wager may be used to increment a progressive jackpot and at least portions of the progressive jackpot can be won with two consecutive tie events.
Incrementing of the progressive jackpot from the side wager is preferably done with a fixed sum certain contribution amount. In one form of the invention, each player has a player selectable range of amounts that can be placed on the side wager. In a second form of the invention, the amount of the side bet wager is fixed. In yet other embodiments, the contribution amounts are variable as described in my co-pending Application Ser. No. ______, filed May 15, 2007, and assigned attorney docket number PA1882.ap.US. The content of this disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. Suitable jackpot gaming methods and equipment are disclosed in Jones, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,861,041 and 5,078,405, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the display or table top includes, for each of a plurality of players (in this case 7), an area 20 for placing an ante bet and an area 22 for placing of a tie bet or for the side wager. In the bonus event of the present invention, ties can be evaluated in different ways with different elements or attributes compared, and that comparison can be a determinant in the bonus events. Preferred bonus payouts are selected from the group consisting of fixed payouts, odds payouts, progressive payouts and envy payouts. One method of play includes a player placing an Ante bet wager, preferably a mandatory bet wager on the underlying war poker game in wager area 20. The player may place an optional or mandatory side bet on the progressive jackpot in area 22 of each player position 24 a-g. The side bet may be fixed price or variable. In one example, a fixed side bet of $1.00 is made. The player and the dealer (house or banker) then receive at least one card each in accordance with the play of the war poker game to form respective hands. In a preferred format, the player and the dealer receive just one card. With respect to the bonus events, ties are particularly considered, a tie being where last cards (and usually the only cards of the player and the dealer) are of the same rank, i.e. numerical value, with 2-10 value cards having a value of 2-10, face cards being ranked according to traditional poker rules (that is, the King is of the highest ranking, Queen is the second highest and Jack is the least highest) and Aces having the highest ranking. Bonuses, including the progressive jackpot bonus are paid on the basis of ties (rank), ties with matching suits in the tying cards, double ties of matching rank and double ties of matching rank and suit. The following pay table will exemplify one embodiment for payments in the bonus and progressive jackpot events of the present invention.
In the following table, a Single Tie means a single tying event between the player's card and the dealer's card. Double Tie means that after a first tie event, one additional card is dealt to each of the dealer and player to break the tie (after first burning the predetermined amount of cards for the dealer and player according to the game rules), but results in a second tie between the player and the dealer. In a Double Tie event, there are four cards to be considered, two player cards and two dealer cards.
A range of side bet event resolutions may include, by way of a non-limiting example of:


			PROGRES-
OUTCOME	PAYOUT	ENVY	SIVE

Double Tie - All	300 to 1-1200 to 1	$300-$1000	100%
four cards are the
same rank and suit
Double Tie - All	150 to 1-250 to 1	$80-$200	8%-15%
four cards are the
same rank
Double Tie - Same	60 to 1-130 to 1	$25-$100	2%-8%
rank and suit in each
distinct Tie
Double Tie - Same	20 to 1-30 to 1
Rank
Single Tie Event -	7 to 1-12 to 1
Same Suit and rank
Single Tie Event	3 to 1-8 to 1

A preferred table can be exemplified as:


OUTCOME	PAYOUT	ENVY	PROGRESSIVE

Double Tie - All	500 to 1	$500	100%
four cards are the
same rank and suit
Double Tie - All	200 to 1	$100	10%
four cards are the
same rank
Double Tie - Same	100 to 1	$50	5%
rank and suit in each
distinct Tie
Double Tie - Same	25 to 1
Rank
Single Tie Event -	10 to 1
Same Suit and rank
Single Tie Event	5 to 1

A portion of the side bet wager may be dedicated to the progressive jackpot. Other parts of the wager may be retained by the house to pay envy events and bonus events. In one preferred form of the invention, only seed money and money dedicated to the progressive prizes adds to the meter.
A percentage of the contribution to the Jackpot bonus event from each event wager is under the control of the casino and/or the administrator. The range of contribution may be small to large, and may vary over the life of the jackpot event. For example, a general contribution range might be, at any time during the play of the jackpot event, from 1-99% of the event wager. It is more likely that the contribution to the jackpot event would lie within the ranges of 5-95%, 10-80%, 10-70%, 10-60%, 10-50%, 20-80%, 15-75%, 15-60%, 15-50%, 15-40%, 20-40% and the like. The contributions may be higher at the opening of the jackpot event (e.g., 50%) to more rapidly increase the initial size of the jackpot (which may be seeded by the casino or administrator with an amount such as $1,000, $5,000, $10,000, $20,000 or more), and then as the jackpot reaches a higher level, the amount of contribution may be increased or decreased to either attract more interest or increase the house retention on the wager (e.g., by changing the 50% contribution to 20% or 65%).
In a preferred embodiment, as the player increases or lowers the amount of the side bet wager within accepted house limits (say for example from $1.00 minimum to $500 maximum), the contribution to the progressive jackpot is an absolute fixed amount, such as $0.05 or $0.10.
By contributing a smaller amount towards the progressive jackpot, larger amounts may be set aside by the house to fund multiple payments for lower probability winning outcome. This is exemplified in the table where high factor multiplier payouts are available, high absolute amounts against a pay table and a progressive jackpot percentage payout are available based upon a single game event from a single player, and an envy payout is also potentially available.
In a second preferred form of the invention, the bonus side bet amount is fixed. An example of a suitable fixed side bet is $1.00 or $5.00. In another embodiment, a range of side bet amounts are permitted.
In ordinary progressive jackpot side bet events, there is no incentive for making a higher side bet specific to the progressive jackpot. A $1.00 side bet on the standard progressive jackpot event can win no greater percentage than a $100 side bet in the standard progressive jackpot, 100% of the jackpot. The larger side bet amount provides no additional cards and does not improve the odds of the player winning the progressive jackpot as the player is still receiving the same number of cards or symbols and nothing has been done to alter probabilities.
The provision of at least the odds bonus payout (in column 2 of the table labeled “PAYOUT”) offers a significant incentive to increasing the amount of the side bet. In this case, for example, if the progressive jackpot is at a 100% total of $25,000, a $100 side bet can produce a $50,000 payout for the Double Tie with same ranks and same suits. In some pay tables, this highest payout event can be structured at 1000 to 1 for example, with the house still retaining a significant return from the game. What is especially attractive is the high return (high multiples) on the more frequent events, such as the other Double Tie events. Looking at the Double Tie, where each tie is with cards of the same rank and suit (but both ties are not with the same rank), the Progressive Jackpot payment (again with a $25,000 maximum) would be $1,250, but the Bonus payout would be $100 on a $1 side bet wager and $10,000 on a $100 side bet wager. Even with the Double Tie event where both Ties are of the same rank, with the exemplified jackpot size, this higher probability event would still pay $25 to $2,500 on the $1 to $100 side bet wager range, which is higher payment at the $100 side bet level than is paid for the lower probability event that gives the 5% payment from the progressive jackpot. The incentive for higher side bet amounts can be clearly seen. At the same time, players are also potentially paid in an absolute amount on the envy bet portion of the side bet wager. In other embodiments, fixed amount payouts are offered rather than odds payouts on some winning bonus hands.
It should be further noted with respect to the Bonus events in column 2 of the Table above, that the player can be offered (but is not required to be offered) multiple payments within the bonus event in the play of the hand. This is a less preferred method of play. According to this method, the player may be paid for the Single Tie events during play of the game and then continue play with increased interest that a Double Tie event with significantly greater payout might then occur. A more well accepted method of play would only pay the player the top prize, as is customary with most known table games.
A fixed contribution amount from any size of side bet wager (such as $1.00 progressive jackpot contribution, for a $5.00 minimum wager, $10 wager, or $500 maximum wager for example) of the allowable side bet added to the underlying Casino War® game bet is an alternative and preferred contribution scheme for funding a jackpot. The term “fixed contribution amount” from the side bet wager means that without respect to the actual amount placed at risk in the side bet wager within the accepted minimum to maximum (or at least minimum range), a fixed amount (sum certain) will be withdrawn from the side bet wager and placed into the progressive jackpot. By way of example, whether the side bet is $1, $2, $5, $7.5, or $500, a sum certain amount (such as the $0.05 or $0.10 contribution) will be taken out of the side bet wager, and the remainder will be retained by the house. Additionally, it is not necessary to take the Bonus payments or the Envy bet payments out of the progressive jackpot total, thus reducing the growth and total of the progressive jackpot payout. In other embodiments, all bonus payouts are taken from the jackpot pool.
One form of the invention allows the player to place a side bet between a minimum amount and a maximum amount. The fixed contribution amount guarantees that the progressive jackpot is funded, and the house maintains an edge on the bet. A first part of the side bet is allocated to the progressive jackpot bonus game, and the rest of the wager funds the odds payouts and fixed payouts. In other embodiments, the player places a separate wager on bonus hands that pay odds, envy bonus hands and hands that pay a progressive payout.
Among some of the features that can contribute to the unique play of preferred bonus games of the present technology include one or more of at least the following basic game play elements:
In a preferred form of the invention, the underlying game of Casino War® does not change. The player makes an Ante wager to participate in a game against a dealer. When the player hand outranks the dealer hand, the Ante is paid at a rate of 1:1. When the dealer hand outranks the player hand or ties the player hand, the player loses the Ante.
As long as the player has made an Ante wager, when the player and dealer tie, the player has the option to go to war against the dealer. If the player elects not to go to war, half the Ante wager is surrendered. If the player elects to go to war, the player must match his original Ante wager, and the dealer also puts up an equal amount to the original Ante wager. Three equal wagering units remain at risk in the war game. Another card is then dealt to both the dealer and the player, each of which may be dealt after first burning three or another predetermined amount of cards, respectively, depending on the game rules. If the rank of the player card exceeds the rank of the dealer card, the player wins all three wagers (the Ante and the player and dealer matching wagers). In other words, the player wins 1:2 on the Ante wager. If the dealer card outranks the player card, the player loses the Ante and two additional wagers. If the player goes to war and ties the dealer, he wins the three units at risk plus one additional unit, or 1:1 on the Ante and additional wager.
Players may elect to go to war regardless of whether or not the player has made the optional tie wager of the present invention. In other forms of the invention, the tie wager is mandatory. It is preferable to allow players to go to war, regardless of whether or not they have made the side bet wager. In other forms of the invention, players that tie are required to go to war. In yet other forms of the invention, no war election option is provided.
In one example of the invention, when the optional tie wager is made, the player may still elect to go to war or not go to war in the event of a tie. If the player elects not to go to war, and has placed the side bet, the dealer must still deal an extra card to the player and to the dealer to resolve the tie side bet. The side bet cannot finally be resolved until extra cards are dealt. The extra player and dealer cards establish the bonus ranking. At this point, the dealer can determine the player's side bet payout. For example, a player makes an initial Ante wager and an initial Tie bonus wager. An initial player and dealer card is a 3 of clubs and a 3 of hearts. Since the initial hand is a tie, the player has the option to go to war or surrender half of the Ante wager. At this point, the player has also established a win on the side bet, but the amount of the win and the type of win has not been established. All the player knows at this point is that he will earn a minimum of 5:1 on the side bet for achieving at least a single tie event.
If the player decides to go to war, he will make an additional wager equal to the Ante and the dealer will put up the same amount. Two additional cards are dealt, one to the player and one to the dealer, after burning the requisite amount of cards, if required by the game rules. This time, the player receives a three of clubs and the dealer receives a three of diamonds. Now the player knows the side bet will pay at least 200:1 for obtaining a double tie with all four cards of the same rank. At this point in the game the side bet payout can be determined, because no additional cards are dealt. In other forms of the invention, if the second set of cards results in a tie, another set of cards, one to each of the dealer and player is dealt to determine who wins the hand. The dispensing of a third set of cards is a preferable method for determining a winner of a wide area progressive, for example.
In order to more fully understand the play of the game, the following examples are provided.
All examples will use the payout table shown above, although variations in that table may be used in commercial embodiments, increasing or decreasing amounts paid out (except for increasing the 100% payout).
In the following examples, the pay table above is used to resolve the hands.

EXAMPLES

In Example 1, a first and second player each place a $10 ante wager on the underlying Casino War® game and a $1 fixed side bet to participate in the bonus event. In this example, the side bet is fixed at $1.00 and pays a progressive payout, odds payouts and envy payouts on certain events. The dealer is dealt a Jack (suit of no concern in this example), the first player receives a 7 and the second player receives a King. Both players lose their side bets, as there are no player-dealer ties. The first player loses the $10 ante bet and the second player wins the ante $10 bet. The contribution rate is set at 50% of the fixed $1.00 side bet. The progressive jackpot is incremented by 50% of each side bet, so that the play of the hand increments the progressive jackpot by $1.
In Example 2, there are three players and the side bet provides a progressive jackpot payout, an odds payout and an envy payout. The side bet is variable and ranges between $1.00 and the table limit of $100.00. Player 1 makes a $10 ante wager and a $2 side bet. Player 2 makes a $5 ante wager and a $1 side bet. Player 3 makes only a $15 ante wager. The dealer is dealt a six of hearts. Player 1 is dealt a six of clubs. Player 2 is dealt a 3 of diamonds. Player 3 is dealt a King of spades. On this first event, the payouts and resolutions would be that Player 1 becomes eligible for a bonus payment (of at least $10.00) for the tie (5×$2 side bet) and is also eligible to go to war. Player 1 must choose between surrendering half of the Ante or going to war. Player 2 has lost his ante wager, and the tie wager. Player 3 is paid $15 (1:1 odds) for the win in the underlying ante wager. The cards from the Player 3 position may be removed from the table. Player 1 elects to go to war. Player 2, having participated in the bonus event, may be eligible for an envy bonus. Player 1 must make an additional wager equal to the first underlying Ante wager ($10.00), and the house must also put an additional $10.00 wager into a pot for the competition. The player is then dealt another six of hearts (after burning two cards) and the dealer is dealt another six of hearts (after burning two cards). The Player 1 hand and the dealer hand have therefore created a Double Tie (all 4 cards are the same rank) event.
The wagers are resolved as follows. The tie event was previously declared a win, but the additional dealt cards establish that the pay rate is 200:1 or $2,000.00. Player 1 also wins 10% of the progressive jackpot. For purposes of this example, the jackpot is at $100,000, so the player wins an additional $10,000. Since Player 2 had a side bet on the table when Player 1 hit the winning hand, Player 2 receives an envy bonus of $100.00.
The “war” wagers (Ante and extra 2 equal bet units) are resolved according to the rules of the Casino War® game. Since Player 1 ties the dealer, he wins the 3 units at risk ($30.00), plus an additional unit ($10.00).
Although the present invention has been described with respect to exemplary and preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as identified herein and defined by the appended claims. For example, it should be readily understood that a game in accordance with the present invention may be played as a live table game with physical gaming paraphernalia, a virtual system (video, multiplayer platform, internet, wireless hand-held system, etc.) or a mixture of physical elements and virtual elements. Some examples of suitable gaming platforms for playing an electronic form of a game in accordance with the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,464,586; 6,607,443; 7,128,651; and Publication No. 2005-0164759 A1. The contents of these documents are further incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A method of playing an underlying wagering card game with an optional side bet comprising:

at least one player placing a first Ante wager in an underlying card game having a predetermined set of rules;

placing a separate optional side wager on a bonus event determined at least by cards dealt in the underlying card game;

distributing at least one card to the at least one player's hand and at least one card to the dealer's hand;

resolving the at least one player's hand and the dealer's hand according to the predetermined set of rules; and

paying a player on the Ante wager when the player's hand is a winning hand according to the predetermined set of ruling;

resolving the separate side wager, according to a second set of rules, wherein winning hands are determined on the basis of a number of tie events and a number of matching of suits between the, at least, one player's hand and the dealer's hand.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein resolution of the side wager is determined on bases comprising at least two of a) at least one tie occurring, b) at least one tie occurring with cards of a same suit, c) at least two consecutive ties occurring, d) at least two consecutive ties occurring with card values in both consecutive ties being of a same rank, and e) at least two consecutive ties occurring with card values in both consecutive ties being of a same rank and same suit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the side bet wager is used to increment a progressive jackpot.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a portion of the side bet wager is used to increment a progressive jackpot and at least portions of the progressive jackpot can be won with two consecutive tie events.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein a portion of the side wager is used to increment a progressive jackpot and at least portions of the progressive jackpot can be won with two consecutive tie events.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of rules comprises dealing one card to the dealer and one card to each player, and resolving each player's hand on the basis of rank.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined set of rules comprises dealing an additional card to the player and the dealer, when the first dealt player and dealer cards are of equal rank.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the side bet wager enables play in at least a one of progressive jackpot, envy bet and a bonus event in a card game of war.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein a pay table is used with the side bet wager within ranges shown as:

OUTCOME PAYOUT ENVY PROGRESSIVE Double Tie - All 300 to 1-1200 to 1 $300-$1000 100% four cards are the same rank and suit Double Tie - All 150 to 1-250 to 1 $80-$200 8%-15% four cards are the same rank Double Tie - 60 to 1-130 to 1 $25-$100 2%-8% Same rank and suit in each distinct Tie Double Tie - 20 to 1-30 to 1 Same Rank Single Tie Event - 7 to 1-12 to 1 Same Suit and rank Single Tie Event 3 to 1-8 to 1

10. The method of claim 7 wherein a pay table is used with the side bet wager within ranges shown as:

11. The method of claim 7 wherein a pay table is used with the side bet wager within ranges shown as:

OUTCOME PAYOUT ENVY PROGRESSIVE Double Tie - All 500 to 1 $500 100% four cards are the same rank and suit Double Tie - All 200 to 1 $100 10% four cards are the same rank Double Tie - Same 100 to 1 $50 5% rank and suit in each distinct Tie Double Tie - Same 25 to 1 Rank Single Tie Event - 10 to 1 Same Suit and rank Single Tie Event 5 to 1

12. A method of playing a casino wagering war game with a war progressive jackpot and a second bonus event comprising:

at least one player placing a wager to play a casino wagering game of war;

the at least one player placing a second wager to enter both the war progressive jackpot event and an odds payout bonus event;

the casino retaining a portion of the second wager to become part of the progressive war jackpot, while the second wager also enters the at least one player in the odds payout bonus event.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein resolution of the side wager is determined on bases comprising at least one of a) at least one tie occurring, b) at least one tie occurring with cards of a same suit, c) at least two consecutive ties occurring, d) at least two consecutive ties occurring with card values in both consecutive ties being of a same rank, and e) at least two consecutive ties occurring with card values in both consecutive ties being of a same rank and same suit.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein incrementing of the progressive jackpot from the side wager is a fixed sum certain amount and the at least one player has a player selectable range of amounts that can be placed on the side wager.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein a pay table is used with the side bet wager within ranges shown as:

16. The method of claim 12 wherein a pay table is used with the side bet wager within ranges shown as: