Virtual world of sports competition events with integrated betting system

• US 20090149233A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virtual Media Group USA, LLC
• Original Assignee: i-RACE Ltd.
• Inventors: Corrle, Marcus, Strause, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3225 Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

The present invention provides a system that creates virtual events within a virtual world. A virtual event may be akin to a real event, but is completely computer generated within a computer-generated world and is based on statistical measures, either real world or created. Numerous characteristics about the competitors and the competition location parameters are available before a competition event. Based on the known parameters about the location of an event and the characteristics of the participants and their historical past performances in similar events enable bettors to make informed wagers on an event that greatly enhances the satisfaction and involvement in a competition event. As such, Histories of virtual events are maintained on actual virtual performance data of competitors in the virtual world. The histories can include all relevant virtual data about a competitor and the past events the competitor competed.

The virtual event may be created by an event engine, scheduled, and broadcast or simulcast in real-time through-out the real-world using existing and conventional video transport media, such as web, TV, satellite, telephone network, and cable. A video delivery system is used that will allow high quality high definition video to be broadcast worldwide with very low bandwidth requirements (<20 kb/s).

Individuals throughout the real-world may place wagers (e.g., bets) on the outcome of either a pari-mutuel event or a fixed odds event, utilizing either pari-mutuel, exchange wagering or fixed odds wagering systems. The virtual event may be any type of sport, or skill based game that is usually between competitors.

Claims

1. A computer program recorded on computer-readable medium to emulate a non-interactive sports competition virtual world for the purpose of running real-time virtual events to be distributed as content for pari-mutuel, exchange, and fixed-odds betting, the method comprising:

obtaining characteristics of participants and event factors from a gaming database that have been derived from various sub-systems that may include a breeding system, participant training algorithms, and other related sub-systems;

using computer simulation techniques to create a virtual sporting event wherein the competitors compete against one another to win the event by incorporating participants'"'"' characteristics and event factors that may have stochastic or probabilistically determined values associated with each factor, a complex event generation process that uses optimization algorithms, and decision making processes to simulate the actions of the competitors throughout the event; and

there is no interactive control of any competitor conditions or scenarios by any external players in any of the virtual world, or virtual events therein.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual event may be any type of sport or skill based game, including sporting events such as a horse race, an auto race, a stock car race, a Formula 1 race, a NASCAR race, a boxing match, a kick boxing match, an ultimate fight match, a wrestling match, a basketball game, a soccer game, a rugby game, a football game, a baseball game, a hockey game, a lacrosse match, a dog race, a greyhound race, a harness race, a steeplechase and other skill based games and wagering events.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the competitors in the events may be modeled in a pervasive virtual world whereby:

competitors can train for individual events and perform many of the typical functions of their real-world counterparts;

the existence of performance data of competitor'"'"'s activities in the virtual world may be known to bettors who can wager on the live virtual events;

here a database may store a plurality of the competitors and their attributes;

a series of mathematical algorithms is used to allow a plurality of competitors to evolve over time;

competitors are created automatically by a process from existing competitors within the database;

competitors engage in individual training regimens;

evolution of individual competitors over time may be affected by decisions made by other competitors within the virtual world;

evolution of individual competitors over time may be affected by stochastic events within the program;

competitors may retire from the system;

a database contains an existing plurality of venue location models where events may be created;

a program may utilize a plurality of criteria to select a plurality of competitors to participate in a virtual event;

a plurality of events may have a plurality of goals with which to allow the competitors to win and event;

individual events may have different goals and objectives for the competitors, and goals and objectives are particular to the kind of event that is created.

7. A method according to claim 1,

where the video rendering of the real-time virtual sporting event may be broadcast via a plurality distribution channels, in a plurality of formats, plurality of supporting content, and to a plurality of locations of distribution channels, including satellite, cable or other communication means;

a virtual rendering may be made broadcast in real time with live commentary available in multiple languages;

a program may break the virtual rendering into a plurality of individual small data packets;

small data packets may be transmitted to a plurality of remote sites;

a program at a remote site may receive the data and generate an exact replica of the broadcast in real-time;

a communication connection may be via Internet, mobile cell, or radio; and

events may be received with a simple 56 k dialup connection and viewed on television in full high definition resolution.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

an integrated betting system will allow individuals throughout the real world may place wagers on the outcome of the real-time virtual sporting events utilizing either a pari-mutuel/exchange betting or a fixed odds system where;

program may allow individuals to place a plurality of bets including fixed odds bets, pari-mutuel bets, exchange bets, exotic combination wagers on multiple events, and sweepstake wagers with large jackpots.

11. A method according to claim 1, where a separate program may run a plurality of simulations for a particular real-time virtual sporting event in order to generate a probability distribution for the outcome of an event, whereby:

a program may utilize a probability distribution calculation in order to generate a plurality of fixed odds for a particular event; and

a program may utilize the results of an event to calculate the payouts on a plurality of wagers.

2. A method and computer program used for creating a series of real-time, non-interactive virtual sporting events within a virtual world, where a virtual event may be akin to a real event but may be completely computer generated within a computer generated world.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the virtual event may be any type of sport or skill based game, including sporting events such as a horse race, an auto race, a stock car race, a Formula 1 race, a NASCAR race, a boxing match, a kick boxing match, an ultimate fight match, a wrestling match, a basketball game, a soccer game, a rugby game, a football game, a baseball game, a hockey game, a lacrosse match, a dog race, a greyhound race, a harness race, a steeplechase and other skill based games and wagering events.

8. A method according to claim 2,

where the video rendering of the real-time virtual sporting event may be broadcast via a plurality distribution channels, in a plurality of formats, plurality of supporting content, and to a plurality of locations of distribution channels, including satellite, cable or other communication means;

a virtual rendering may be made broadcast in real time with live commentary available in multiple languages;

a program may break the virtual rendering into a plurality of individual small data packets;

small data packets may be transmitted to a plurality of remote sites;

a program at a remote site may receive the data and generate an exact replica of the broadcast in real-time;

a communication connection may be via Internet, mobile cell, or radio; and

events may be received with a simple 56 k dialup connection and viewed on television in full high definition resolution.

10. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

an integrated betting system will allow individuals throughout the real world may place wagers on the outcome of the real-time virtual sporting events utilizing either a pari-mutuel/exchange betting or a fixed odds system where;

program may allow individuals to place a plurality of bets including fixed odds bets, pari-mutuel bets, exchange bets, exotic combination wagers on multiple events, and sweepstake wagers with large jackpots.

12. A method according to claim 2, where a separate program may run a plurality of simulations for a particular real-time virtual sporting event in order to generate a probability distribution for the outcome of an event, whereby:

a program may utilize a probability distribution calculation in order to generate a plurality of fixed odds for a particular event; and

a program may utilize the results of an event to calculate the payouts on a plurality of wagers.

6. A system method and computer program where a program may be utilized to distribute a plurality of data points through a variety of media channels including:

information on fixed odds;

information regarding the location and time of the event;

information regarding the condition of the venue of the event; and

information regarding the competitors, including attributes, and historical performance data as well as other relevant publishable data.