System and Method for Fantasy Sports Gambling

• US 20120115585A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paddy Power PLC
• Original Assignee: Paddy Power PLC
• Inventors: deLevie, Alan David, Goldman, Justin Edward, Shedd, Robert Daniel, Beatty, Jonathan, Keating, Simon, Manning, Daire, O'Mahony, Catherine
• Granted Patent: US 8,651,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3274 wherein the players cooperate, e.g. team-play
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A method and system for providing an interactive gaming system is disclosed. At least one interactive social gaming community allows a plurality of users to engage in a wagering contest against a single entity. An initial amount of gaming units associated with an initial user investment is allocated to each user. A payout table is dynamically generated and includes at least one threshold amount of gaming units associated with rewards available to the user. A bet request signal received from a user is automatically reconciled with an outcome of at least one type of contest occurring during an active gaming period. A user account is updated by modifying an amount of gaming units in a user account based on a result of the at least one type of contest and determines if user has earned the reward associated with the at least one threshold.

Claims

1. A method of providing an interactive gaming system for a plurality of users connected via a communication network includes the activities of:

creating at least one interactive social gaming community allowing a plurality of users to engage in a wagering contest against a single entity;

allocating an initial amount of gaming units to each user, the initial amount of gaming units associated with an initial investment amount selected by the user;

dynamically generating data representing a payout table including at least one threshold including an amount of gaming units associated with at least one type of reward available to the user;

automatically reconciling a bet request signal received from a user with an outcome of at least one type of contest occurring during an active gaming period, the bet request signal including data representing an amount of gaming units to be associated with at least one type of wager on the at least one type of contest;

updating a user account by modifying an amount of gaming units in a user account based on a result of the at least one type of wager; and

comparing data representing a current amount of gaming units in the user account with the at least one threshold to determine if user has earned the at least one type of reward associated with the at least one threshold.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the activity of dynamically generating further includes:

generating a payout table including a plurality of thresholds, each threshold representing an associated type of reward available to the user.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the activity of:

receiving data representing a risk level associated with a type of game from a user and automatically generating a payout table associated with the risk level of the type of game.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

the risk level determines at least one of (a) a number of threshold levels to be included in the payout table;

(b) an amount of gaming units separating respective threshold levels;

(c) a maximum reward available to the user upon reaching a threshold having the greatest number of gaming units associated therewith; and

(d) rewards associated with respective ones of the thresholds in the payout table.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein

the risk levels include at least one of (a) a conservative risk level having a first maximum reward level and a first number of threshold levels;

(b) a medium risk level having a second maximum reward level greater than the first maximum reward level and a second number of threshold levels less than the first number of threshold levels; and

(c) a high risk level having a third maximum reward level greater than the second maximum reward level and a third number of threshold levels less than the second number of threshold levels.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein upon determining that the user has reached the at least one threshold level, further comprising the activity of:

providing the user with the reward associated with the at least one threshold level.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the activity of:

initiating a second game period at the conclusion of the active gaming period enabling the user to earn a bonus associated with the reward level by wagering additional gaming units in an amount greater than the at least one threshold to reach at least one bonus threshold and earning a bonus reward in addition the provided reward.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the activity of:

automatically generating a second payout table including at least one further threshold level associated with at least one further reward, the at least one further reward being a bonus reward available in addition to the provided reward; and

displaying the second payout table on a user'"'"'s display device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the activity of

receiving data representing a challenge from a first user to a wager placed by a second different user, the challenge data including an amount of challenge gaming units to be wagered and information identifying the second user and a respective wager placed by the second user;

reconciling a challenge outcome by determining if the wager placed by the second user was successful; and

if the second user'"'"'s wager was successful, subtracting an amount of gaming units equal to the amount of challenge game units from the first user'"'"'s account, or

if the second user'"'"'s wager was unsuccessful, adding an amount of gaming units equal to the amount of challenge game units to the first user'"'"'s account.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the activity of

providing a challenge option to a user on each day during the active gaming period in which the user logs into the game.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the activity of providing a challenge includes:

identifying a first amount of challenge game units available to a user on a given day during the active gaming period;

automatically increasing an amount of challenge game units available to a user upon the user logging into the game on successive days; and

upon detecting that a user has failed to log into the game on successive days during the active gaming period, automatically reducing the amount of challenge game units to the first amount.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said activity of creating comprises

setting rules identifying at least one type of contest able to be wagered on by the plurality of players;

and

at least one type of wager to be associated with the selected contest.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

said at least one type of contest includes at least one of a sporting event and non-sporting event including competition between competitors performing at least one task and having a definitive outcome.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one type of wager includes

selecting at least one of an outcome of the contest and an outcome of an event within the contest.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the rules include an allotment of allowable wager types including at least one of

a max bet representing a maximum amount of gaming units able to be wagered on particular contest;

a min bet representing a minimum amount of gaming units able to be wagered on the particular contest; and

a lock bet enabling a player to multiply an amount able to be won on a particular wager without risking an additional amount of the bankroll.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity of creating includes

defining the active gaming period during wherein a wager may be placed on any contest occurring during the active gaming period.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising

displaying an amount of time remaining in the active gaming period to the user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity of reconciling includes

automatically updating a user account by (a) adding gaming units won to the user account in response to winning wagers;

(b) subtracting gaming units lost from the user account in response to losing wagers; and

(c) making no modification to the user account if the user neither won nor lost the wager.

21. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein

said processor receives data representing a risk level associated with a type of game from a user and automatically generates a payout table associated with the risk level of the type of game.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein:

the risk level determines at least one of (a) a number of threshold levels to be included in the payout table;

(b) an amount of gaming units separating respective threshold levels;

(c) a maximum reward available to the user upon reaching a threshold having the greatest number of gaming units associated therewith; and

(d) rewards associated with respective ones of the thresholds in the payout table.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein

the risk levels include at least one of (a) a conservative risk level having a first maximum reward level and a first number of threshold levels;

(b) a medium risk level having a second maximum reward level greater than the first maximum reward level and a second number of threshold levels less than the first number of threshold levels; and

(c) a high risk level having a third maximum reward level greater than the second maximum reward level and a third number of threshold levels less than the second number of threshold levels.

19. A interactive gaming system comprising:

a processor that

creates at least one interactive social gaming community allowing a plurality of users to engage in a wagering contest against a single entity;

allocates an initial amount of gaming units to each user, the initial amount of gaming units associated with an initial investment amount selected by the user;

dynamically generates data representing a payout table including at least one threshold including an amount of gaming units associated with at least one type of reward available to the user;

automatically reconciles a bet request signal received from a user with an outcome of at least one type of contest, the bet request signal including data representing an amount of gaming units to be associated with at least one type of wager on the at least one type of contest;

updates a user account by modifying an amount of gaming units in a user account based on a success of the at least one type of wager; and

compares data representing a current amount of gaming units in the user account with the at least one threshold to determine if the user has earned the at least one type of reward associated with the at least one threshold;

an image generator connected to said processor that generates display images in response to a control signal from said processor and enables the plurality of users to access said system; and

an interface that connects said processor to the plurality of users through a communication network and provides said display images from said image generator to said plurality of users.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein

the at least one type of contest includes at least one of a sporting event and non-sporting event that includes competition between competitors performing at least one task and having a definitive outcome, and the at least one type of wager includes an outcome of the contest and an outcome of an event within the contest.

24. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein upon determining that the user has reached the at least one threshold level, the processor provides the user with the reward associated with the at least one threshold level.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein said processor initiates a second game period enabling the user to earn a bonus associated with the reward level by wagering additional gaming units in an amount greater than the at least one threshold to reach at least one bonus threshold and earning a bonus reward in addition to the provided reward.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor

receives data representing a challenge from a first user to a wager placed by a second different user, the challenge data including an amount of challenge gaming units to be wagered and information identifying the second user and a respective wager placed by the second user;

reconciles a challenge outcome by determining if the wager placed by the second user was successful; and

if the second user'"'"'s wager was successful, subtracting an amount of gaming units equal to the amount of challenge game units from the first user'"'"'s account, or

if the second user'"'"'s wager was unsuccessful, adding an amount of gaming units equal to the amount of challenge game units to the first user'"'"'s account.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein

said processor defines an active gaming period wherein a wager may be placed on any contest occurring during the active gaming period and said image generator displays an amount of time remaining in the active gaming period to the user.