Pari-mutuel sports wagering system

• US 7,094,151 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David W. Downes
• Original Assignee: David W. Downes
• Inventors: Downes, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RADA, ALEX P
• Application Number:
  US11/097,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 463 25- 26, 463 28- 29, 463 40- 42, 700 91- 92
• US Class Current: 463/28
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

This invention relates to sports and event wagering, particularly to a new sport and event wagering game and system. This game and supporting system allows pari-mutuel wagering with respect to new areas other than horse or dog racing, which will expand the sports wagering industry to encompass new areas of interest and enjoyment to bettors. Specifically, pari-mutuel wagering is enabled with respect to the performance statistics of individual sport or event participants, combinations of sport participants, combinations of event participants, and sport teams. This wagering game is supported by an electronic system, which allows interaction with the game via various communications methods, remotely or in-person, which can allow or restrict wagering activity based upon bettor location.

Claims

1. A pari-mutuel wagering method comprising:

offering a plurality of wagering options including wagers relating to participants involved in a non-athletic human contest, wherein the participants are ranked according to performance statistics;

taking wagers from the bettors to create a pool of wagers on the human contest;

allocating a portion of the pool of wagers as commission to an operator;

allocating the remainder of the pool of wagers as a common pari-mutuel fund for paying winning wagers;

determining whether each wager is a winning wager; and

determining a payout for each winning wager according to a pari-mutuel strategy by use of a host computer system.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

providing payouts to bettors from the common pari-mutuel fund for each winning wager.

3. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 1 wherein the human contest is a political election.

4. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 1 wherein the human contest is a beauty pageant.

5. A pari-mutuel wagering method comprising the steps of:

offering a plurality of wagering options including wagers related to players in a fantasy sports game, wherein players are ranked against other players based on their performance statistics;

receiving wagers from a plurality of bettors;

creating multiple pools of wagers based on the rankings of players in the fantasy sports game;

allocating a portion of each pool of wagers as commission to an operator;

allocating the remainder of each pool of wagers as a common pari-mutuel fund for paying winning wagers;

determining whether each wager is a winning wager by use of a host computer system; and

determining a payout for each winning wager according to a pari-mutuel strategy by use of a host computer system.

6. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing payouts to bettors from the common pari-mutuel fund for each winning wager.

7. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 5, wherein the fantasy sports game is a fantasy football game, fantasy baseball game, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey game, fantasy golf game, fantasy cricket game, fantasy soccer game, or fantasy auto racing game.

8. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 5, wherein the fantasy sports game is football and wherein the players include quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, or kickers.

9. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 5, wherein the step of taking wagers from the bettors is performed over the internet.

10. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 5, wherein the step of taking wagers from the bettors is performed over the telephone.

11. The pari-mutuel wagering method of claim 5, wherein the operator is a casino sportsbook.

12. A system for pari-mutuel sports wagering comprising:

a host computer system configured to offer a plurality of wagering options including wagers related to players in a fantasy sports game, wherein players are ranked against other players based on their performance statistics, wherein the host computer system receives wagers from bettors and creates multiple pools of wagers based on the rankings of players in the fantasy sports game, and wherein the host computer system further allocates a portion of each pool of wagers as commission to an operator, calculates odds relating to the wagers based on a pari-mutuel wagering strategy, determines whether the received wagers are winning wagers, and determines a payout amount for the winning wagers based on the pari-mutuel wagering strategy; and

an interface which allows users to communicate with the host computer system to input wagers and receive payout information.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

one or more input devices which are communicatively coupled to the host computer system and which allow bettors to communicate with the host computer system to input wagers remotely.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the input devices include wireless phones, pagers, computers, voice-over-IP phones, or landline phones.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the fantasy sports game is a fantasy football game, fantasy baseball game, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey game, fantasy golf game, fantasy cricket game, fantasy soccer game, or fantasy auto racing game.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the fantasy sports game is football and wherein the players include quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, or kickers.