BETTING SYSTEM
This invention relates to a betting system, operable for placing of bets by multiple players, comprising one or more credit-operated playeroperable terminals connected to a central control system.
Such betting systems are well known and provide entertainment particularly as a consequence of competitive interaction between players.
Known systems may involve betting on the outcome of a random or
unpredictable event.
An object of the present invention is to provide a betting system which involves a different kind of competitive betting opportunity and thereby affords alternative entertainment possibilities.
According to the invention there is provided a betting system, operable for placing of bets by multiple players, comprising: one or more terminals operable by said players, 1 5 a central control system connected to the (or each) terminal, the (or each) terminal having a player-operable credit and identification means for actuation of the terminal by input of predetermined credit and identification data for a respective said player, and player-operable betting means for placing a bet in the form of a bid of player-selected value after said actuation of the terminal, the control system being operable to store said bid values in relation to said identification data for the respective players, and to compare all bid values for all players over a predetermined period whereby an award is made available to the (or each) player having bet a lowest bid.
With this arrangement multiple players can place bets in relation to a "reverse auction" which provides a competitive betting opportunity which differs from known betting systems and thereby provides alternative entertainment possibilities.
With regard to the comparison of bid values to determine a lowest bid, this may be of any suitable nature. Most preferably the award is made available to the lowest unique bid rather than sharing the award between equal lowest bids. However, if desired other arrangements may also be used alternatively or additionally whereby for example the award, or a secondary award may be shared.
On placing of a bet the player may be given an indication of the current status of the player's bid in relation to existing bids i.e. as to 1 5 whether the player's bid is currently the lowest and/or is unique.
Accordingly the betting system may incorporate means for providing such an indication at the respective terminal and/or elsewhere.
Alternatively however the current status of the player's bid may be concealed from the player.
On placing the bet the player may be provided with a record of the bid which may be of a transient nature e.g. on a screen and/or of a permanent nature particularly as a printed ticket. Thus the (or each) terminal may include a ticket printing apparatus.
With regard to the said predetermined period this may start on any suitable basis e.g. immediately after termination of a previous period, or at a predetermined time in the day or otherwise. Termination of the period may also be effected on any suitable basis e.g. after a predetermined period of time, say one hour or 24 hours or any other time period, or after a random period of time and/or after a predetermined number or value of bets or otherwise.
Availability of the award may be indicated in relation to the identity of the player and this may be signalled automatically when known e.g. on a screen at or local to the (or each) terminal, and/or it may be signalled in response to player query whereby it is indicated e.g. on a screen at or local to the (or each) terminal when the player operates a control to request the information and/or it may be directed remotely to the player e.g. by e-mail or SMS text message or the like and/or it may be provided 1 5 on a separate alerting system e.g. on an Internet web page or the like.
When available the award may be accessible at the (or each) terminal e.g. by dispense of credit or a token or the like at the terminal preferably in response to demand by the winning player e.g. by entering identification data or the like. Alternatively or additionally the award may be accessible elsewhere e.g. at a separate award dispensing terminal or a cashiers office or the like preferably on presentation of player identification or by automatic processing e.g. of the aforesaid printed ticket e.g. by reading a printed barcode or the like.
The (or each) terminal may be connected to the central control system in any suitable manner using a real time and/or periodic communication link which may comprise a cable or wireless link or other link.
The (or each) terminal may be located at a site remote from the central control system. There may be multiple terminals and these may be located at a common site or at different sites remote from each other.
The control system need not be located remotely from the (or each) terminal, It is possible also to incorporate the control system in the (or one) terminal.
With regard to the (or each) terminal, this preferably comprises a floor standing or table top or wall mounted housing containing the said playeroperable credit and identification and betting means.
The credit and identification means may comprise a credit input device such as a coin mechanism, a note reader, a card reader or the like, in conjunction with a data entry device which may comprise an automatic data entry device such as a card or ticket reader and/or a player controlled device such as a keyboard, a touch sensitive screen or the like.
The betting means may comprise player operable controls such as press buttons, a keyboard, a touch sensitive screen or the like.
Preferably the terminal also comprises a visual display unit to provide a display of information for the player and/or to facilitate or take part in data entry e.g. as in the case of a touch screen.
Preferably also the terminal comprises ticket printing apparatus as mentioned above and, as appropriate, also award dispensing apparatus.
Such award dispensing apparatus may comprise coin or token or voucher dispensing apparatus or the like. Thus, the award may be a cash prize or a voucher for a valuable item or service such as a motor car or holiday or the like.
Alternatively or additionally to the use of a housed terminal, as described above, the (or each) terminal may be of the nature of a computer or network terminal, such as a home PC, connected to the 1 0 central control system via the Internet.
Other arrangements are also possible, alternatively or additionally.
For example, the (or each) terminal may comprise a mobile phone or other mobile or portable communications device whereby a player can participate via phone communication, text messaging, e-mail or the like.
1 5 Where the terminal is a PC or mobile phone or otherwise not of the aforesaid housed terminal kind, credit may be established e.g. by input of credit card or account details, or otherwise as appropriate, thereby to permit use of the terminal to make the bid.
The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of a betting terminal of a betting system in accordance with one aspect of the invention; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the betting system.
The betting system comprises multiple terminals 1 connected by communication links 2 to a central control system 3. The terminals 1 may be at a common site or at one or more different sites remote from each other.
The central control system 3 may be at the same site as one or more of the terminals 1 or may be at a different site remote from all of the terminals 1. In the case where the control system 3 is local to one or more terminals 1 it may be separate from all such terminals or integrated with oneterminal 1.
The communication links 2 may be cable links or wireless links and may be such as to provide direct real time connection and/or may provide occasional connection e.g. establishing connection at predetermined intervals.
1 5 As shown in Figure 1, each terminal has a box-shaped floor standing housing 4 with upper, middle and lower front panels 5-7.
The upper panel 5 has a central transparent area 8 and a top credit slot 9 to receive a coin, note or card.
The middle panel 6 has a ticket outlet slot 10.
The lower panel 7 has an award outlet slot 11.
Within the terminal housing 4 there is a vdu 12, such as an LCD screen mounted behind the transparent area 8 of the upper panel 5, a credit device 13 such as a coin mechanism or note or card reader in communication with the credit slot 9, a ticket printer 1 3a in communication with the ticket outlet slot 10, player operable controls 14 which may be touch screen controls associated with the vdu 1 2 and/or externally accessible press buttons or keys, an award dispensing mechanism 1 5 in communication with the award outlet slot 11, a communication interface 16 for the communication link 2 which may comprise transmitting/receiving apparatus in the case of a wireless link, and a central processing unit 1 7 to which all of the aforesaid are connected.
The central control system 3 comprises a central processing unit 1 8 connected to a database store 1 9 and communication interface devices 20 for the communication links 2. An operator access device 21 comprising e.g. a keyboard and screen is also connected to the central processing unit.
1 5 Further the central processing unit 1 8 may be connected to a data output device 22 for local and/or remote data output as discussed hereinafter.
The terminals 1 are normally actuated under control of the central control system 3 to provide displayed information on the vdu screens 1 2 which is explanatory of for example the manner of player operation of the terminal 1 and the nature of awards attainable therewith.
Also an indication is given as to the availability of the terminal 1 for use by players to place bets.
When so available, a player can place a bet after first registering with the terminal 1.
To effect registration the player has to introduce a predetermined credit value, by inserting coins, notes or a card into the credit slot 9, say to the value of 5.
As part of this registration process the player is required to enter identification information such as his name and/or a password or the like using the controls 14 with reference to the display on the screen 12.
Also, the player may be required to give access identification information such as a telephone number, a postal address, an e-mail address or the like.
The player is then able to make a bid in a reverse auction. That is, the player enters a bid value which may be in relation to a selected award. Thus, there may be an award of an item such as a motor car or a holiday, or the award may be a sum of money. There may be a single award against which the bid can be made which award may be selected by the betting system and presented to the player. Alternatively there may be multiple possible awards and the player may have the option of selecting an award for which a bid is to be made. It is also possible for the arrangement to be such that the award is not made known to the player in advance but is subsequently selected by the betting system on a mystery basis or in dependence on the bets placed.
After making the bid the ticket printer 1 3a is actuated and a ticket is printed and dispensed to the player through the outlet 1 0.
The printed ticket will provide the player with a unique record of the player's bidding activity i.e. including the player's identification details, the value of the bid, and further identification information which may include the time of the bid, the identification of the terminal, a unique system-generated code, etc. All of the foregoing i.e. provision of credit, player entry of identification information, making of a bid and printing of the ticket, are implemented under the control of the internal processing unit 1 7 of the terminal 1 and the processing unit 18 of the central control system running appropriate software, which guides use by the player of the player controls 14 in accordance with appropriate displays on the terminal vdu screen 1 2.
The bid made by the player is stored, in relation to that player's 1 5 identification, in the database store 1 9 of the central control system 3 alongside all other player bids during the current period of play availability of the terminals 1.
The control system 3 monitors the relative values of the bids with the aim that, at the end of a period of play availability of the terminals, the lowest unique bid will be the winning bid. Thus, for example, if the three lowest bids are 1, 1, and 1.01, the winning bid will be 1.01 because that is the lowest unique bid.
On making a bid, the player may be informed at the terminal 1 whether or not the bid is currently the lowest unique bid. This may be indicated on the screen 12.
This information may be of a simple yes/no nature i.e. it is, or it is not the lowest unique bid. However, other information may also be given i. e. to enable the player to distinguish whether the bid is the lowest but not unique, or unique but not the lowest, or neither unique nor the lowest. This can help the player to decide whether or not to make a further bid.
However, it is also possible not to provide the player with any information as to current bid status.
After a predetermined playing period no further bids are accepted, the control system 3 determines the winning bid, the appropriate award is made available to the player and the betting system is re-set to start a new period of play.
The predetermined period may be determined in any suitable manner based on a number of bids and/or a time period. Thus, for example, the period may terminate every hour, or every 24 hour period, subject to sufficient bids having been made i.e. a predetermined amount of credit having been taken.
The winning bid may be indicated on the screen 1 2 whereby the person having made the winning bid has to claim the award at the terminal 1 where the bid was made, or at any of the terminals 1, or at a different location e.g. at a special award terminal (not shown) linked to the central control system 3 or at a cashier's office having access to the central control system 3. To obtain the award the player may have to present the winning ticket to a cashier, or may have to enter a code printed on the ticket into the terminal 1 using the controls 14, or otherwise.
Where the award is claimed at the terminal 1 the award may be dispensed to the player through the award slot 11 in the form of a cash prize e.g. as dispensed coins, or a prize voucher or the like.
If the winning player does not promptly collect the award provision may be made for contacting the player.
In any case, alternatively or additionally to providing winning information on the terminal 1 or terminals 1, winning information may be distributed generally, or specifically to the winning player and this may be done by automatic operation of the betting system. Thus for example, an SMS text message may be sent to the winning player's mobile phone, information may be e-mailed to the player, data may be put on an open or password protected web site or on a wall screen at the site occupied by the terminals or otherwise.
With the system described above player's can derive much entertainment from the reverse auction betting opportunity.
It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the above embodiment which is described by way of
example only. - 12-