Claims
- 1. A method of playing a pooled-betting game between a plurality of players over a communication network, said pooled-betting game being based on an event, said method having the steps of:
associating each player with a point of access to said game; coupling said player to a pool engine for processing an entry request to said game, said entry request being associate with payment of an entry fee; transferring said entry fee from each of said players to a pool; said pool engine determining a winner of said game in accordance with an outcome of said game; and, awarding said pool to said winner.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein each player is assigned a unique security identifier upon the first visit to said game and after paying the entry fee.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said players gain direct access to said game, without payment of an entry fee, by entering said security identifier.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said points of access is a website associated with a benefactor, said benefactor hosting said game for a beneficiary.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said points of access is a website associated with a beneficiary for accepting a portion of said entry fee.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said player from a point of access associated with a beneficiary donates a percentage of said portion of entry fee to said beneficiary.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein said player from a point of access not associated with a beneficiary chooses a beneficiary to donate a percentage of said portion of entry fee.
- 8. The method of claim 5, wherein said beneficiary receives a portion of said entry fee based on the number of players having said beneficiary as a point of access.
- 9. A method of playing a head-to-head game based on an event, said game comprising the steps of:
(a) presenting at least one game associated with a pool to at least one player; (b) allowing said at least one player to make an entry associated with payment of an entry fee; (c) coupling said at least one player to a pool engine for processing said selection; (d) transferring said entry fee from said at least one player to said pool and updating said pool information, the pool being associated with a total amount of said entry fee; (e) said pool engine determining the number of selections in said pool and creating pairings of non-matching selections; (f) said pool engine determining a winner of said pairing based on said at least one player's outcome; (g) repeating steps (a) to (e) until there exists only one pairing; and (h) awarding said pool to the winner of the remaining pairing.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of creating pairings of non-matching selections includes a further step of communicating said pairings to said at least one player.
- 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of allowing said at least one player to make selections includes a further step of specifying a predetermined time period for which said player may make said selections.
- 12. The method of claim 9, wherein said pool engine creates subsequent pairings by pairing winners from previous pairings with one another.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein after the expiry of said predetermined time period, in the event no selection has been made, said pool engine generates a selection and submits said selection on behalf of said at least one player.
- 14. The method of claim 9, wherein said at least one player remaining after said awarding of said pool continues to play said game.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said remaining players are eligible for other prizes based on performance.
- 16. The method of claim 9 wherein each player is assigned a unique security identifier upon the first visit to said game and after paying the entry fee.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein said players gain direct access to said game, without payment of an entry fee, by entering said security identifier.
- 18. A method of playing a head-to-head game based on an event, said game comprising the steps of:
(a) presenting at least one game associated with a pool to at least one player; (b) allowing said at least one player to make an entry associated with payment of an entry fee; (c) coupling said at least one player to a pool engine for processing said selection; (d) transferring said entry fee from said at least one player to said pool and updating said pool information, the pool being associated with a total amount of said entry fee; (e) said pool engine determining the number of selections in said pool and creating pairings of non-matching selections; (f) said pool engine determining a winner of said pairing based on said at least one player's outcome; (g) repeating the steps of (a) to (e) until there exists only one pairing; and (h) awarding said pool to the winner of the remaining pairing.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of configuring said pool engine to accept selections from said at least one player further includes the steps of:
a system administrator making a selection for each of said categories; presenting said administrator's selections for viewing and examining by said players; said players choosing a category to compete in; determining whether said players selections outperform the administrator's selection; and, transferring a credit to each of said players for each category in which their selections outperform that of the administrator; and repeating the steps for each of said pool periods.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said presentation of said selection is done at the beginning of each selection period.
- 21. The method of claim 19, wherein said selection is a made in a predetermined time period before the start of said event.
- 22. The method of claim 18 wherein each player is assigned a unique security identifier upon the first visit to said game and after paying the entry fee.
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein said players gain direct access to said game, without payment of an entry fee, by entering said security identifier.
- 24. An on-line pooled betting system comprising:
a website site accessible to at least one player, said site having at least one game based on an event and said game including a pool associated therewith; a pool engine for processing a selection from said at least one player, said selection being associated with payment of an entry fee; said pool engine being configured to transfer said entry fee from said at least one player to said pool and to update information associated with said pool to said at least one player; and, a security services component for requesting a security identifier from said player to authenticate said selection.
- 25. The system of claim 24, wherein said pool is included on a site belonging to a partner affiliated with the system's provider, said partner's website being configured to promote said game.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a Continuation in Part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/373,736, filed Aug. 13, 1999, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09373736 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
09977963 |
Oct 2001 |
US |