Instantaneous interactive network based gaming and betting management system

Abstract

An instantaneous gaming and betting management system is designed to offer users the ability to select blocks from a gaming matrix using wired and or wireless devices over a network based system. The games can be sporting events, community events. Algorithms can be deployed to help equalized the probabilities of score outcomes or to yield various pay-outs based on the outcome. Payouts can be monetary, points, prizes, non-monetary rewards or compliments. The user interface can be optionally altered to give feedback to the user based on the status of the game.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for management of gaming and betting outcomes of sporting and community events using internet type communication system for real-time two-way and multiple information transfer.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Placing bets on the outcome of games or sporting events such as American football, international soccer, tennis, hockey, horse racing, NASCAR auto racing, greyhound dogs, baseball, volleyball, and golf etc. are typically performed by a person placing his bet with a person who collects and tabulates the odds for the expected outcome of the game based on one or more variables. These variables are dictated by the style of game and the number depending on level of complexity the game designer desires to achieve for his odds. A simple and prevalent game strategy for American football named block betting consist of a 10.times.10 matrix or grid where one horizontal axis corresponds to one football team and the vertical axis corresponds to the opposing team. Typically, a person places a bet by placing his name in a blank square or block on the grid. Once the grid is completed with names assigned to each of the 100 blocks, the axis are then labeled by numbers 0, 1, 2, . . . , 9, which correspond to the last digit of the final score of the football match. The number assignment is typically performed in a random fashion so as to help assure fairness to all users since for example in American football, scores ending in 0 and 4 occur more often than scores which end in 2 or 8. The person whose name appears in the block which corresponds to the last digits of final score of the teams wins the game. Variations to this game may include a winner whose assigned block matches the score at half-time. The 10.times.10 matrix is easily adapted to games which the final outcome have scores ranging zero through nine. For game matches such as hockey however, final scores rarely reach above 6 thus being a disadvantage to persons who are assigned blocks with numbers greater than 6. Another disadvantage of the matrix is that only one matrix usually printed on a piece of paper exists. Each user must physically come into contact with the block matrix to assign his or her name to a block, thus making it difficult for persons to play the game who are not in relatively close vicinity of the game or have access to the game. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,239 to Johnston describes a method of playing a lottery game which winning numbers are selected by the outcome of one or more sporting events. A lottery ticket may be printed for example which has three rows and three columns of randomly generated numbers. The winning numbers are determined by the sporting event and are also placed on the three by three matrix or grid. The user compares his three by three matrix or grid of random numbers to the outcome of the sporting event and wins if his grid matches the grid with the sporting event's outcome. A disadvantage of this gaming method is that more than one person may have an identical randomly chosen number set, thus a pay-out would be diluted over more than one winner or otherwise the "bank" would lose money. Johnston only provides that the user does not receive identical rows or identical columns per each matrix. For institutions such as churches, firehouses, and schools which provide game strategies similar to a block type matrix, the concept of losing money resulting from a multiple pay-out due to more than one person possessing a winning ticket is counter to the purpose of the web host or administrator of the game. Additionally, the expected pay-out for the game is typically decided prior to the user placing his or her bet and not based on the number of winning tickets sold.

[0005] Therefore, there exists a need for a game strategy where the winning user receives the expected winning sum without the need to divide the winning sum among other winners. Additional US Patents included as references for gaming are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,947,039, 6,634,943 B1, 6,321,334 B1, 6,193,605 B1, and 6,409,593 B1.

[0006] Accordingly, it is a primary purpose of the present invention to provide a real time system which will manage a gaming betting matrix such as a block type matrix where the user is able to connect to a virtual site to select available blocks for a particular game using the internet, IPOD, telephone with graphic display, lap top and notebook computers, mobile devices, personal hand held devices (PDA) such as PALM PILOTS and SIDEKICKS, BLACKBERRIES, analog or digital transmission wired or wireless devices which all game users are able to access virtually instantaneously and place bets, submit monies or non-monetary points and fees, receive monies or points or rewards from winnings or playing, and be kept aware of the current status (in real-time) of the betting status leading up to the start of the gaming or sporting event. I

[0007] Additionally, a purpose of the present invention is to assign potential scores or combination of scores for sporting events which do not have scores ranging from 0 to 9 such that a fair weighted outcome to all users is possible over the matrix of blocks the users are able to select.

[0008] It is further a purpose of the present invention to provide a game/betting strategy in real-time via the internet or other network such that additional block matrixes can be generated at the completion of a previous block matrix prior to the start of the particular sporting event the user is betting on.

[0009] It is yet further a purpose of the present invention to provide a game betting strategy in real-time via the internet or other network which contains multiple axis such as a game for betting on the date of a child is expected, its sex, its weight, is length, hence in this example, the matrix is four dimensional.

[0010] It is still a further purpose of the present invention to provide for a management system over the internet or other network which controls the access to the games and to optionally receive money from the users of the games and to pay the winning money to the winners.

[0011] It is still yet a purpose of the present invention to provide for a management system over the internet which controls the access to games which apply to non sports events such as the Stock Market and Pork Futures etc.

[0012] The use of the following terms are interchangeable namely, a player is a user. Moreover, a grid is defined as a matrix where the grid or matrix is composed of more than one square or more than one block. The web host is defined also as the game designer or the site host manger or the site game host or "bank". The sponsor is defined as well as the owner of the game such as a charity or individual organization.

[0013] These and other purposes of the present invention will become evident from review of the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention relates to a method for management of gaming and betting outcomes of sporting and community events using internet type communication system for real-time two-way and multiple information transfer. A user registers with the gamer via the internet. The user then selects from the games that are available such as a football 10.times.10 matrix. The user is able to see real-time which of the blocks have already been selected by other clients. The user is able to select one or more of the squares which remain available. The user could optionally wait for another block matrix to be started at the discretion of the web host if the user prefers a certain block formation or sequence. The management system optionally can collect monies from the users and can thus pay the winners upon final score of the sporting or events.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The operation of the present invention should become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic of the betting -gaming system using the internet.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a two-dimensional BLOCK game.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a three-dimensional BLOCK game.

[0019] FIG. 4 is diagram of an 5.times.5 BLOCK matrix game where the columns and rows contained coupled scores chosen from score groups either (0-4) or (5-9).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Block Betting games are commonly used during the American football and basketball seasons for people placing bets on the outcome of the games. One object of the present invention provides a significant improvement to this process by providing virtually instant access via the internet for users to place bets on the sporting events before the event occurs. The method of placing a bet is described as follows: Each user logs onto the game strategy secured web site using the internet. If the user meets certain criteria as decided by the host web game owner, a list of available games are then provided for selection by the user. Otherwise, the user is denied access to place bets on any gaming strategies.

[0021] For users that have access, upon selection of a game available in real-time, each user thus has access to the selected block matrix hence, each user has access to know in real-time which of the blocks in the matrix are available for assigning user ownership and which blocks are already assigned. A 2-dimensional block matrix is shown in FIG. 2. Team 1-23 and Team 2-25 label the two axis of the matrix. The score or results are listed as shown by items 27 and 29 in FIG. 2. Furthermore, each user of the block matrix has the ability to see the person's name, handle or symbol, 21, which identifies the person or group of persons to which the block or blocks are assigned provided this functionality is enabled by the gamer owner or host. If more than one person selects a block or blocks for his or her name to be assigned to, then the management system assigns the block or blocks to the user who's bet was first received by the management system and then immediately sends a message to the one or more users who tried concurrently to select the same block or blocks, informing them that the block was already taken or been selected by a previous user. As a user selects ownership for each particular block in the matrix, all other persons who are logged on the game management web site and who have access to the game block can virtually and immediately see the current state of block ownership assignment within the matrix. This is a significant improvement over the tradition Block Betting gaming strategy. The user has the ability to view concurrent matrixes for games on the same web base interface. This provides the user the opportunity to make the decision whether he would like to play the game.

[0022] The web host or manager can optionally receive the bet monies from users using various forms of money transferal systems such as credit card, Pay-Pal, account number etc. The web host or game manager can transfer to the winners their winning monies. In this case, the web-host acts as a bank where it can optionally receive fees for providing the game web-host site and money allocation services.

[0023] Another object of the present invention is that it provides an optional customization of the appearance and functionality for certain groups for example, if the non-for-profit Elk's-Lodge desires to earn money for a charity, a game skin or template can be designed where the computer interface's background may be the logo of the Elk's Lodge or a picture of the person in the charity. A customization can further be made to the game's appearance not only for the interest of the matrix's sponsor but can be that of the user assigning his or her ownership of the block or blocks. In other words, rather than the user assigning his or her name or handle to the block he or she could rather chose a symbol, animated character, clip art, digital photograph etc. for placement within the matrix for all users to see. This personalization of the game could be for the sponsor or sponsors of the matrix as well as the user.

[0024] As an extension of the matrix interface, the logo behind the matrix can automatically be transformed into different colors or backgrounds as the number of squares are assigned. Different colors or backgrounds or other alterations would equate to the rate to which squares are being assigned. For example, if the background is light blue, this color would correspond to a slow rate of users assigning bets to the blocks or a small number of users logged onto the game waiting to place bets. The background would change to the color of red if the rate of block assignment is fast or that the number of users logged on to the game is high. This functionality offers the user as feedback to when and how quickly they should place their bets before the game is filled. In addition, the background or components or images within the background can be optionally changed to indicate the number of blocks being selected for example by the following criteria: number of blocks per user, number of blocks per unit time, number of blocks changed etc. It is possible that a user may opt to withdraw his selection prior to a predetermined -time before the betting event takes place thus making the block available for another user. The background of the block may be changed to indicate that the block had been previously selected but is currently available to be reselected.

[0025] In the event a game is filled, in other words, all blocks have been assigned; the game manager can decide to offer an additional game or games based on a number of variables such as the rate or time period in which the previously completed block matrix had been completed, the time period before the betting event will commence, etc. Additional games are at the discretion of the game manager and host of the website manager. An algorithm could be employed to make this decision automatically.

[0026] Another object of the present invention is the automatic increasing or decreasing of the cost required for the user to place bets on future matrixes based on the frequency or number of persons waiting to assign ownership of blocks. The automatic cost for block assignment is performed by the game manager or he could optionally employ the use of an algorithm to make the decision for increasing or decreasing the costs of bets on additional matrixes.

[0027] The algorithm can optionally base this decision on the two team's performance history in real-time or anther example, the performance of the players on each team who will be competing, the games location, the weather etc. The algorithm is dynamic in that the data these decisions are based on can be continuously updated by the game manager or site web-host. The present invention provides for a multiple dimension matrix. This means that for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the axis can be labeled as TEAM 1-33 and TEAM 2-31 having level labeled as Final SCORE-35 and NUMBER OF TURNOVERS-37 where the matrices are populated by the user's block selections items 32 and 39. Items 34 and 36 are the numbers representing the results which are labeled prior to the start of the game. Different levels can be employed as well, each level is similar but the levels composing the axis at 1/4 time, 1/2 time, 3/4 time, and final results, differentiate the levels. The user can select ownership to any of the blocks, in this example the number of available blocks at the start of the game are described in TABLE 1:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 AXIS Possible Score Number of BLOCKs TEAM 1 Score 0 9 10 TEAM 2 Score 0 9 10 NUMBER of TURNOVERS 0 9 10 Sub-total 10 .times. 10 .times. 10 = 1000

[0028] Number of levels=4 (i.e., 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 Time and Final) Hence the total blocks initially available are 4.times.1000=4000 blocks. A matrix of greater dimension, 4.times.4 or n.times.n is possible where n is a whole number. A single game may have multiple winners since a winner may be chosen at level corresponding to the score at 1/4 Time, and a winner at the 1/2 Time and so forth. Hence, in the previous example with four levels, four winners may be chosen from each of the four levels.

[0029] The present invention also optionally provides block assignment strategies for the user. For example, if the user desires to capture certain blocks such as a particular sequence, for example in a 2-axis block 10.times.10, the block location as defined by (x,y) where x=row number and y=column number, the sequence, (1,1), (2,2), (3,3), (4,4), (5,5), (6,6), (7,7), (8,8), (9,9), (10,10), the game manager or the host site manager could provide users profiles such that these sequences can easily be requested by the user for a particular game. If any game is presently accepting block assignment and the user's sequence is not available, the host manager can retain the user's request for a particular sequence and in the event an additional block betting matrix is created, the host site manager will automatically notify the user of the availability of the user's sequence and confirm whether the user desires to assign ownership of the sequence of blocks originally requested.

[0030] In the event the betting event has started and not all the blocks have been assigned, the site host manager can immediately notify the users that the matrix is not filled and which all users can immediately confirm this statement since they have access to the matrix and the names or handles of each block assignment, and all monies can be returned to the users by the game manager. Optionally, the site manager has the option to purchase the remaining blocks and assign ownership to "the Bank".

[0031] If more than one game is opened for a particular betting event, the site manager may optionally employ an algorithm using artificial intelligence (Al) which would attempt to combine all games matching filled blocks with unfilled blocks. Those blocks which have concurrent assignment between opened game matrixes, optionally the block assignment which was created first will have priority over the other later block assignments. This effort could be done to increase the filling of game matrices. All assignments of blocks which are not part of a completed grid, the users can have their monies returned or as described above, the "bank" may optionally choose to purchase the remaining blocks and thus proceed with the matrix during the betting event.

[0032] The present invention provides for the use of a block betting matrix game strategy for use in games or betting events where average outcomes may not have equal weight scores ending in 0, through 9. The present invention may employ an algorithm to help minimize the disadvantage to block owners whose block's locations are described by rows and columns which when are randomly assigned scores, the less probable scores are coupled with scores that are more likely. For example, in some cases certain numbers would be given a higher pay-off value based on their low probability of occurrence. So in the sporting event of American Football for example, the columns and rows for the numbers 2 and 8 which statistically seldom occur could be assigned having a higher pay-off.

[0033] Another example of a sporting event having typically low scores is Soccer. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 4, the matrix could consist of a 5.times.5 grid, where each column41 and each row42 would represent two different score numbers, one for 0-4, and the other from 5-9.

[0034] Another example for a sporting event which helps to equalize the probability of the event outcome through the coupling of scores is tennis.

[0035] As with the primary objective of the present invention, all legitimate users or players for each available game will have virtually instant access via the internet or phone system or close circuit networks, or intra-networks to the current (in real-time) status of the games. The response of the site host may optionally delay the status report to the users based on a defined time delay for security purposes, however, the time delay period would be deployed for all users for fairness.

[0036] Without intending to limit the scope of the present invention, the following examples illustrate how the present invention may be designed and used:

EXAMPLE 1, American Football

[0037] Teams: Eagles and Cowboys

[0038] Scores: 0-9, If scores are greater than 9, then take the right most digit of the score, for example, a score of 14 and 11, the score of 14=4 and the score of 11=1.

[0039] The user logs onto the game site via the internet. The user identifies which games he desires to play from a list shown from the game host. In this example, there is a scheduled game between the Eagles and the Cowboys. To participate in the game, each block or square costs $5.00 and the proceeds go to a local charity. In this example, there exist 100 squares or blocks to initially choose from, hence a total of $500.00 for all the blocks. The game host will give $95.00 to the local charity, keep $5.00 for the use and maintenance of the web site and offer $400 in cash rewards. In this example, the rewards are $100 for the user having the score at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 times and the final score. Thus, this is a multiple winner game.

[0040] Users select blocks from the following grid marked in the gray area:

TABLE-US-00002 ##STR00001##

[0041] After the all the blocks are selected by users and before the gaming event occurs, the game host then randomly assigns the rows and columns numbers which will correspond to the last digit of the sporting events score as shown below.

TABLE-US-00003 ##STR00002##

[0042] Team 1 is assigned to the team Eagles and team 2 is assigned to the team Cowboys.

[0043] As the users selected their particular squares or blocks, each user connected to the game via a network like the internet was able to see the current status to the game. As the user selected the blocks, the game host optionally prompted the user the fee the user required to pay the host for such games that are fee based games. Once the game host received the preliminary acknowledgment of the fee transfer, the user's selected block or blocks appear on the grid where all users can see.

[0044] The sporting event occurs, the game results and winners follow:

TABLE-US-00004 Eagles Cowboys Winner 1/4 score 0 7 DM 1/2 score 7 7 RE 3/4 score 13 20 ST Final 26 20 RH

[0045] The winning fees are then transferred as organized by the game host to the four winners and to the local charity that sponsored the game.

[0046] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, the present invention should not be limited to such illustrations and descriptions. It should be apparent that changes and modifications may be incorporated and embodied as part of the present invention within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A real time web or network based system in which at least more than one user can access a game concurrently where all users have knowledge of the game's status.

2. A system of claim 1 where the game is a 2-dimensional block betting matrix.

3. A system of claim 1 where the web base system accessed via the internet, or network, telephone with graphic display, laptop or notebook computers, mobile devices, personal hand held devices (PDA) such as PALM PILOTS and SIDEKICKS, BLACKBERRIES, analog and or digital transmission wired devices

4. A system of claim 1 where the web base system manages users' bets, monies, or fees or points or non-monetary rewards.

5. A system of claim 1 where the web base system manages the transferal of monies to game winners.

6. A system of claim 1 where the game is at least an n-dimensional block betting matrix where n>3 and is a whole number.

7. A real time web or network based system in which at least more than one user can play a game concurrently via selecting blocks from a game grid.

8. A real time web or network based gaming system in which the appearance or functionality of the user interface may change as prescribed by the gaming host to give feedback to the user.

9. The games of claim 1 are sporting events, or community events such as a baby's height, weight and sex.