Financial market wagering

• US 8,473,393 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantor Index LLC
• Original Assignee: Cantor Index LLC
• Inventors: Davie, Christopher John, Riches, Guy Iain Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US12/947,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking

Abstract

A method for providing a wager in a financial market environment is provided that includes presenting an opportunity to make a wager that is based on a moving market line associated with a financial market. An end user is given an opportunity to bet on whether a financial market value will be above or below the moving market line at a designated time. The wager may be accepted from the end user. The wager may be monitored in order to determine whether the financial market value was above or below the moving market line at the designated time.

Claims

1. A method for wagering in a financial market environment, comprising:

presenting by at least one processor an opportunity to make a wager that is based on a static market line associated with a financial market, wherein an end user is given an opportunity to bet on whether a financial market value associated with the financial market at a designated time will be above or below a value of the static market line at a time of the bet, the financial market value comprising a value that changes from a time of the presenting to the designated time, the static market line comprising a numeric value that remains constant for at least a portion of the time during which the financial market value changes, in which the act of presenting comprises;

causing an interface screen to be displayed at a user computer in electronic communication with the at least one processor, the interface screen comprising an indicia indicating a current value of the financial market value, the static market line, and at least one element selectable for a user to make a wager that is based on the static market line;

accepting by the at least one processor a wager from the end user, the wager comprising a bet on whether the financial market value at the designated time will be above or below the static market line at a time of the wager; and

monitoring by the at least one processor the wager, in which the act of monitoring the wager comprises;

receiving the financial market value at a time that is after the time of the wager and before the designated time; and

causing the indicia on the interface screen to be updated to reflect an updated value of the financial market value at a time that is after the time of the wager and before the designated time;

determining by the at least one processor the financial market value at the designated time;

determining by the at least one processor whether the determined financial market value at the designated time was above or below the static market line at the time of the wager; and

transmitting by the at least one processor a signal representing an outcome of the wager to the user computer based at least in part on the act of determining whether the determined financial market value at the designated time was above or below the static market line at the time of the wager.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the interface screen displays odds associated with the opportunity to wager on the static market line, and in which the odds change dynamically based at least in part on changes in the financial market value over time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

offering by the at least one processor the wager in a financial instrument that includes one or more terms associated with the wager, wherein the terms include odds associated with the wager and an expiration of the wager.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing data associated with the wager to the end user, in which the data relates to historical information about the financial market value associated with the wager.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the static market line comprises a numeric value that remains constant from the time of presenting to the designated time, further comprising:

settling the wager after the designated time in order to resolve whether the end user is entitled to a credit or a debit.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the interface screen further comprises:

a high line having a value corresponding to an amount above the current value of the financial market value and

a low line having a value corresponding to an amount below the market value of the financial market value,

in which each of the low line, the indicia indicating the current value of the financial market value, and the high line are spatially arranged on the interface screen based at least on the values respectively associated with the low line, the indicia indicating the current value of the financial market value, and the high line.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a spread that corresponds to a deviation above and below the static market line, wherein the end user is given the opportunity to place a spread wager comprising a bet on whether the financial market value will reach below or above the spread during a specified time period.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing one or more end-user profiles for one or more end users participating in one or more wagers, wherein one or more of the end-user profiles include a selected one or more of an account number associated with one or more of the end users, identity information associated with one or more of the end users, and data associated with recent wagering activity for one or more of the end users.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

administering a gaming system that includes a platform for facilitating the wager associated with the financial market value, wherein the administering operation includes approving one or more wagers placed on margin by one or more end users.

10. A system for wagering in a financial market environment, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory that stores instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to;

present an opportunity to make a wager that is based on a static market line associated with a financial market, wherein an end user is given an opportunity to bet on whether a financial market value associated with the financial market at a designated time will be above or below a value of the static market line at a time of the bet, the financial market value comprising a value that changes from a time of the presenting to the designated time, the static market line comprising a numeric value that remains constant for at least a portion of the time during which the financial market value changes, in which the act of presenting comprises;

causing an interface screen to be displayed at a user computer in electronic communication with the at least one processor, the interface screen comprising an indicia indicating a current value of the financial market value, the static market line, and at least one element selectable for a user to make a wager that is based on the static market line;

accept a wager from the end user, the wager comprising a bet on whether the financial market value at the designated time will be above or below the static market line at a time of the wager; and

monitor the wager, in which the act of monitoring the wager comprises;

receiving the financial market value at a time that is after the time of the wager and before the designated time; and

causing the indicia on the interface screen to be updated to reflect an updated value of the financial market value at a time that is after the time of the wager and before the designated time;

determine the financial market value at the designated time;

determine whether the determined financial market value at the designated time was above or below the static market line at the time of the wager; and

transmit a signal representing an outcome of the wager to the user computer based at least in part on the act of determining whether the determined financial market value at the designated time was above or below the static market line at the time of the wager.

11. The system of claim 10, in which the interface screen displays odds associated with the opportunity to wager on the static market line, and in which the odds change dynamically over time.

12. The system of claim 10, in which the interface screen displays odds associated with the opportunity to wager on the static market line, and in which the odds change dynamically based at least in part on changes in the financial market value over time.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:

offer by the at least one processor the wager in a financial instrument that includes one or more terms associated with the wager, wherein the terms include odds associated with the wager and an expiration of the wager.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:

provide data associated with the wager to the end user, in which the data relates to historical information about the financial market value associated with the wager.

15. The system of claim 10, in which the static market line comprises a numeric value that remains constant from the time of presenting to the designated time, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:

settle the wager after the designated time in order to resolve whether the end user is entitled to a credit or a debit.

16. The system of claim 10, in which the interface screen further comprises:

a high line having a value corresponding to an amount above the current value of the financial market value and

a low line having a value corresponding to an amount below the market value of the financial market value,

in which each of the low line, the indicia indicating the current value of the financial market value, and the high line are spatially arranged on the interface screen based at least on the values respectively associated with the low line, the indicia indicating the current value of the financial market value, and the high line.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:

establish a spread that corresponds to a deviation above and below the static market line, wherein the end user is given the opportunity to place a spread wager comprising a bet on whether the financial market value will reach below or above the spread during a specified time period.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:

provide one or more end-user profiles for one or more end users participating in one or more wagers, wherein one or more of the end-user profiles include a selected one or more of an account number associated with one or more of the end users, identity information associated with one or more of the end users, and data associated with recent wagering activity for one or more of the end users.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further direct the at least one processor to:

administer a gaming system that includes a platform for facilitating the wager associated with the financial market value, wherein the administering operation includes approving one or more wagers placed on margin by one or more end users.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by at least one processor, direct the at least one processor to:

present an opportunity to make a wager that is based on a static market line associated with a financial market, wherein an end user is given an opportunity to bet on whether a financial market value associated with the financial market at a designated time will be above or below a value of the static market line at a time of the bet, the financial market value comprising a value that changes from a time of the presenting to the designated time, the static market line comprising a numeric value that remains constant for at least a portion of the time during which the financial market value changes, in which the act of presenting comprises;

causing an interface screen to be displayed at a user computer in electronic communication with the at least one processor, the interface screen comprising an indicia indicating a current value of the financial market value, the static market line, and at least one element selectable for a user to make a wager that is based on the static market line;

accept a wager from the end user, the wager comprising a bet on whether the financial market value at the designated time will be above or below the static market line at a time of the wager; and

monitor the wager, in which the act of monitoring the wager comprises;

receiving the financial market value at a time that is after the time of the wager and before the designated time; and

causing the indicia on the interface screen to be updated to reflect an updated value of the financial market value at a time that is after the time of the wager and before the designated time;

determine the financial market value at the designated time;

determine whether the determined financial market value at the designated time was above or below the static market line at the time of the wager; and

transmit a signal representing an outcome of the wager to the user computer based at least in part on the act of determining whether the determined financial market value at the designated time was above or below the static market line at the time of the wager.