US20120115554A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20120115554A1
Application number: US13/289,596
Authority: US
Inventors: Christopher Scott Cairns; Sean Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-04
Filing date: 2011-11-04
Publication date: 2012-05-10

Abstract

A fantasy sports betting system and method allowing Users to compete in various games incorporating real sporting events data and traditional games of chance.

Description

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/456,239 filed Nov. 4, 2010, which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to fantasy sports games; specifically, fantasy sports betting/wagering games.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fantasy sports games and sports betting are two well known and widely enjoyed past times in America and around the world.

Sports betting has the disadvantage of requiring those who participate to wager money in such a way that if the bet is lost so is the money used to make the bet. Sports betting also has the disadvantage of being illegal in many jurisdictions. It is therefore desirable to have a legal sports betting game where money is not lost when a bet is lost. Yet another disadvantage of sports betting is that it is relatively a-social in that winning and losing is determined on a bet-by-bet basis and personal success or failure is based only on one's personal performance. It is therefore desirable to create a system where sports betting can be integrated into social games and competitions.

There is a world-wide marketplace for a system for organizing and distributing Virtual Goods and currency based on the outcomes of wagers/bets that Users of the system make on various events (for example, sporting events). The present invention provides a system for accomplishing such a goal as well as providing a centralized place with for people to share social information relating to themselves and to the events upon which they make their wagers/bets.

Users of the system use the system to compete with themselves and/or other Users to win/earn virtual/Real Goods, and virtual/Real Currency. The system also provides Users with various ways to communicate with other Users—for example a Chalkboard where Users can leave messages and a User Profile where Users can display information about themselves. In the preferred embodiment, this is personal information such as the User's name, age, location, hobbies, favorite sports memories, and sports philosophies.

The system provides Users with ways of competing with other Users—for example, in Bet Bowls, Head-to-Head Leagues, Bet Duels, and various types leaderboard competitions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTerminology and Function

The System: A system for enabling fantasy sports betting that has
- A) A server device for transmitting odds displays and result data,
- B) A memory device that receives and stores User input and sporting event outcome data in a non-transitory computer readable medium,
- C) A processor that processes User input and sporting event outcome data according to at least one game of the system.
User: Any entity participating in the system, including humans or betting algorithms (Bet Bots).
Host Terminal: A generic term for devices of the system, for example, the server, memory, and processor. A host may perform actions through the host terminal that affect the Users. For example, the host/host terminal may transmit invitations to join a game of the system such as a tournament to select Users.

User terminals communicate with the host terminal that processes, for example, predicted outcomes of sporting events, a wager/bet associated with that prediction, and the game of the system to which the wager/bet is to be applied to; said host terminal communicates to said User terminals the odds associated with each wager/bet, result of sporting events, the Users objective and relative results, and the objective and relative results of the other Users of the system with regard to the games in which both Users are participating.

Virtual Goods: Virtual Goods are non-physical objects that exist on the internet or on a computing device. In various embodiments of the invention, Virtual Goods can be earned or purchased using virtual currency units. In other embodiments, Virtual Goods can be purchased with Real Currency. In various embodiments of the invention, Users acquire Virtual Goods for the purposes of gifting digital goods to other Users (e.g., a virtual beer); expressing themselves in a unique way (virtual baseball hat for avatar); and gaining functional advantage (e.g., X % boost to payouts) when competing against other Users. Virtual Goods can be optionally associated with Real Goods, for example, in the form of a coupon redeemable for a real good or a discount on said real good. Virtual Goods can optionally be used to represent real-world products or businesses for example in the form of an icon such as a football or ice-cream cone or for company logos such as the NBA or WAL-MART. Virtual Goods can also optionally be in audio and/or video format.
Real Goods: Goods which are tangible in the form of products (e.g., baseball bat) or intangible in the form of services (e.g., oil change).
Virtual Currency Units (VCU): Points, chips, or other unit or numeric indicator that can optionally be associated with Real Currency, wagered in contests, or exchanged for other types of VCU or Virtual Goods. In the various embodiments of the invention, there are different types of VCU units for example personal effort (Points), purchasable (Credits), wagerable (Points, Chips), and bankable (Chips).
Personal Effort Virtual Currency Units: (Points) accrued through active participation in the system for example by achieving 1^stplace in a contest, writing a comment, placing a bet, referring a friend, etc.
Purchasable Virtual Currency Units: (Credits) that are accrued through a cash or credit transaction.
Wagerable Virtual Currency Units: (Chips, Points) that can be used to execute wagers on the site in competition against one or more Users.
Bankable Virtual Currency: (Chips) that can optionally be redeemed by Users for Real Currency, Virtual Goods, Real Goods, or Credits. Some embodiments limit what virtual currency may be redeemed for to one or only several of those listed above.
Real Currency: Money which can optionally be US dollars or some other currency recognized by any country in the world.
User Input: Collective term referring to any User generated information.
User Account Information: Information regarding any and all virtual and/or real currencies, Virtual Goods, and/or information regarding past expenditures of real and/or virtual currencies and the purchase of Virtual Goods.
User Wager/Bet: Data regarding the Users predicted outcome of an event along with the amount of virtual currency the User has wagered/bet that the outcome will occur. In the preferred embodiment, a User Wager/Bet may be modified or canceled at any time before the beginning of the event on which the User wager/bet is based.
User Game Selection: The game of the system to which the User has applied any particular bet. In the preferred embodiment game selection can be continuously modified until the beginning of the event on which the User wager is based.
Bet type: Further defines the predicted outcome of a User bet. Bet types may be for example, Spread, Moneyline, Over/Under, Parlay, Futures, Teaser, Proposition. These are well known terms of the art and have their traditional meanings.
Bet Duel: A zero sum game using the system described in this application wherein a User could compete against another User for virtual currency or Virtual Goods that are currently owned by said Users. For example, User A issues a Challenge/Proposal to User B via some form of communication understandable by the system (for example, an email connected to the system, performing a particular action on a website connected to the system). The Challenge/Proposal optionally contains the terms of the game. User B issues a response to said Challenge/Proposal via some from of communication understandable by the system indicating acceptance or rejection of any or all of the terms of the game and optionally proposing any alternative or additional terms to the game. If User B proposed any alternative or additional terms to the game, User A will issue a response indicating acceptance or rejection of any or all of the terms of the game and optionally proposing any alternative or additional terms to the game. This will continue until one of the Users either accepts or rejects the terms of the other User without proposing any alternative or additional terms to the game. In another embodiment of the invention, User B must either accept or reject the terms and may not propose any alternative terms.

Games may optionally include more than two (2) Users. In one embodiment, all Users must agree upon the terms of the game. In other embodiments, a majority or a plurality of Users must agree upon the terms.

After the terms of the game have been agreed upon, the Users in the game may optionally modify them upon further agreement, or the terms may optionally lock upon formation of the original agreement and be un-modifiable.

Once the events related to the terms of the game have concluded, the Virtual Goods and/or virtual currency are distributed to Users in the game according to the terms of the game.

Games of the System: The universe of fantasy sports betting games which allow Users to compete against other Users, using sports betting as the metric for measuring success within the games. These games optionally include the Time-Bound Leaderboards (e.g., Weekly Leaderboard), Bet Bowls, Head-to-Head Leagues, and Bet Duels.
Terms of the Game: Information regarding the wager(s)/bet(s) of each User, what event(s) the wager(s)/bet(s) depend(s) upon and what Virtual Goods and/or virtual currency will be won or lost by each User upon the outcome of said event(s). Optionally included are any terms agreed upon by all Users of the game.
Bet Bowl: A term describing a tournament style competition between Users who have entered said tournament. In some tournaments, Users enter by submitting a set amount of Virtual Goods and/or virtual currency. In other tournaments, Users enter by indicating their desire to by taking a prescribed action understandable to the system, for example, clicking a particular link on a particular website or sending an email to a particular address. Tournaments may be optionally limited or unlimited. The tournament begins once a present time or condition is reached such as Mar. 1, 2015 or 1,000 Users have joined the tournament. A Tournament may optionally be created by Users or by the host terminal. Tournaments may optionally be locked (made so no Users may enter or leave the tournament or simply forbid Users from entering the tournament) by a User with the authority to do so or upon meeting a present condition for example the Tournament beginning or a threshold number of Users joining the tournament.

Once the tournament begins, Users optionally compete Head-to-Head or in groups, in round robin, and/or elimination-style matches. Winners and losers of each Head-to-Head match up are determined by the terms of the game. The tournament concludes upon selection of a winner. A winner is selected by the terms of the tournament.

Terms of the Tournament: Information regarding the terms of the games in the tournament and the conditions for elimination from the tournament and/or winning the tournament. The terms of the games of the tournament can optionally be universal to all games played in the tournament and/or to particular rounds of games played in the tournament. The creator of the tournament optionally selects the terms of the tournament. However, choosing a Bet Duel style tournament would allow the Users competing Head-to-Head to select the terms of the game. The tournament may optionally use Virtual Goods and/or virtual currency that are or are not transferable to and/or from the system and/or other games of the system. The tournament may alternatively use Virtual Goods and/or virtual currency that is representative of some different amount of Virtual Goods and/or virtual currency used by the system and/or games of the system such as 10 points may represent 1 point of the system and/or games of the system. Points may be optionally transferred to and/or from the tournament and the system and/or games of the system. This ability to transfer Points may be optionally disabled or locked at any predetermined point by the creator of the tournament including randomly.

Head-to-Head Leagues: A game within the system wherein Users can limit the number of other Users they compete against and customize the terms under which they compete with each other. Head-to-Head Leagues can be created by any User and can be Public or Private. Public Head-to-Head Leagues are open to all Users to join and Private Leagues can only be joined by Users that are invited. Invitations are sent by the creator of the Head-to-Head League and/or a User that has already joined the particular league. They are sent in some form of communication understandable to the system and acceptance by the User is sent by some form of communication understandable to the system. This process is like that used to accept Bet Duels and can optionally include negotiations regarding the terms of the league.

The Head-to-Head League begins when the league locks (no more Users are allowed to join). When the league locks can be determined by the creator, a preset time expiring, or a predetermined event transpiring (for example, 20 Users join the Head-to-Head League). Head-to-Head League lasts for predetermined finite amount of time according to the terms of the league. Upon completion a winner is determined according to the terms of the league.

The creator of a Head-to-Head League can optionally limit the events that are eligible for wagering/betting—for example, only baseball, only football and basketball, only parlay wagers/bets, only spread and moneyline wagers/bets, only moneyline hockey bets, or wild bets which do not limit which events are available for betting.

In the preferred embodiment, Users are divided into groups of two (2) of each competition period wherein the groups are rotated every competition period to ensure the maximum variety of different competitors for each User. During the competition period, Users compete in five (5) categories: moneyline, overunder, spread, parlay, or wild. At the end of the completion period, Users are assigned a win or a loss of each category. A win if they have more virtual currency units that their opponent and a loss if they have fewer virtual currency units than their opponent. At the conclusion of the league, all Users total their wins and losses and the User with the most wins is declared the winner and receives Virtual Goods according to the terms/stakes of the league.

Terms of the League: Information regarding the terms of the games in the league and the conditions for winning the league. Leagues are divided into predetermined segments of time for example a day, a week, two weeks, a month, two months, a year, ect. In the preferred embodiment, these segments are called rounds or weeks. The league consists of a predetermined amount of these segments for example 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75, or 100. In leagues using a playoff system, the league is separated into two parts. In the preferred embodiment, these parts are called the season and the playoffs. The number of segments in each part can optionally be determined independently. Leagues can be Head-to-Head and/or total points and can optionally include playoffs.

In Head-to-Head Leagues, Users pair up each segment and compete using whatever terms of the game have been decided. In the preferred embodiment, a given User competes Head-to-Head against a different User during each segment and repeat Head-to-Head match-ups are repeated as rarely as possible. The creator may optionally organize the league into smaller divisions and those in the division my optionally be matched-up against other Users in their division more commonly that with members of other divisions. Divisions may be subdivided as many times as desired by the creator and Users in those subdivisions may optionally be matched-up more or less frequently with other Users in their subdivision. The relative frequency of User-to-User match-ups may be optionally preset by the creator or determined randomly. For example, Users in the same particular division or subdivision could be matched-up twice as often as Users in a different division or subdivision.

By competing in this way, Users create a win/lose/tie record that can be compared against other Users in the league. When the predetermined amount of segments for the league or part of the league has concluded the Users can be ranked by record and the winner or playoff participants chosen. Win/lose/tie will be assigned points for comparison. In the preferred embodiment, a win is worth1 point a tie is worth 0 points and a loss is worth −1 point. In another embodiment, a win is worth 3 points a tie 1 point and a loss −1. In another embodiment, win/lose/tie are not assignment points and the Users are ranked by the number of wins they amass.

In total points leagues, the total points amassed from all the segments are totaled at the end of each part to determine the Users selected for the playoffs and/or the winner. Points are determined by the rules of the game.

The league may also be partitioned by event and/or type of bet with a predetermined amount of points give to the winner of each event and/or type of bet. Points earned from win/loss/tie in each event and/or type of bet category would be compared to determine winner of a Head-to-Head match-up and rank Users at the end of a season of playoffs.

A predetermined amount of Users will be selected for the playoffs based on their points/record at the conclusion of the season. The playoffs are like a Bet Bowl wherein entrance to the Bet Bowl occurs automatically by fulfilling the conditions in the terms of the league, for example, being ranked in the top eight (8) at the end of the season.

Odds Displays: Any given wager/bet in the system is associated with the odds that the wager will occur. These odds can be transmitted to, and then displayed by a User in different formats—for example, numeric sportsbook odds format and/or humanized format.
Numeric Sportsbook Odds Format: Displays the specific mathematical odds associated with any wager/bet, for example 3:1 or >300 where for every unit wagered/bet on the event occurring yields 3 units if the event does in fact occur. This format shows exactly what will be gained by a correct wager/bet given any amount of said wager/bet.
Humanized Odds Format: Displays the odds for any wager/bet in a more generalized word format for example Huge Payout, Large Payout, Average Payout, Small Payout, or Tiny Payout. The words relate to specific threshold numeric odds determined by the system. These thresholds can be the same or different across bet types, for example, Spread, Moneyline, Over/Under, Parlay, Futures, Teaser, or Proposition.

In the preferred embodiment, when referring to Moneyline odds, an event with odds of >249 or greater is displayed as a Huge Payout, from >149 to >248 is displayed as a Large Payout, from >−150 to >148 is displayed as a Average Payout, from >−250 to >−149 is displayed as a Small Payout, and anything >−251 or less is displayed as a Tiny Payout. Therefore, in the preferred embodiment for Moneyline odds the threshold amounts are: >249 or greater for Huge Payouts, >149 for Large Payouts, >−150 for Average Payouts, >−250 for Small Payouts, and >−251 or less for Tiny Payouts.

In the preferred embodiment, when referring to Spread odds >175 or greater for Huge Payouts, >125 for Large Payouts, >−126 for Average Payouts, >−176 for Small Payouts, and >−177 or less for Tiny Payouts.

In the preferred embodiment, when referring to Over/Under odds >130 or greater for Huge Payouts, >110 for Large Payouts, >111 for Average Payouts, >−131 for Small Payouts, and >−132 or less for Tiny Payouts.

Mode of Lines and Sanity Check: The odds for any given sports event can be produced by the system, obtained from a third party or multiple third parties and any combination of the three. In the preferred embodiment, the odds for any given event are obtained from multiple third parties and compared by the system to determine the mode. The mode of these third parties is used by the system and can be displayed in numeric sportsbook odds format and/or humanized format. In other embodiments, the median or mean of the third parties' odds are used by the system. The system also has a Sanity Check that ensures that the odds used by the system are not irregular. In the preferred embodiment the sanity check functions to ensure the mode selected is not more than a predetermined numerical distance from the mean.
Parlay: To combine wagers/bets to increase the payout if all said wagers/bets are correct. In the preferred embodiment, a minimum of 3 wagers/bets must be combined to receive an increase payout benefit. In the preferred embodiment, combining 3 wagers/bets multiplies the payout by 6 times if all three bets are correct, combining 4 wagers/bets multiplies the payout by 10, 5 wagers/bets. In any parlay, if all wagers/bets are not won then no payout is made.
Juice: A type of virtual good that can be won or purchased by Users from the host computer of server. Juice can be positive or negative. Positive Juice increases the payout of the wagers/bets it is applied to. Negative Juice decreases the payout of the wagers/bets it is applied to. Juice may optionally be specific, in that it only applies to a certain type of event or particular wagers/bets type, for example, only football games or only moneyline wagers/bets. The Juice may optionally be general, in that it applies to any bets specified or any bets made in a particular time frame. Juice may optionally be infinite in that it applies to all bets either for a limited amount of time or forever. Juice can optionally be used to produce bankable virtual currency.
Weekly Leaderboard: A game within the system wherein all Users of the system compete to win the most virtual currency over a predetermined time period. The time period of the competition can be for example, hours, days, weeks, months, years. In the preferred embodiment, the time period is one week.

Leaderboard may optionally be scoped by geography, demographics, betting performance, bet type category, sport, site participation, or any combination thereof. In the preferred embodiment the leaderboard is not scoped (contains all Users).

Trophies: Trophies are a form of virtual good that can be won by Users for meeting predetermined conditions, completing certain tasks, reaching specific milestones, and/or accomplishing certain goals. In some embodiments, trophies can be purchased. In some embodiments, only some trophies can be purchased. In the preferred embodiment, no trophies can be purchased. Trophies can optionally be categorized as different types based on for example the conditions required to obtain them, for example, milestone trophies, Weekly Leaderboard trophies, and/or wager/bet trophies. Trophies can optionally have Virtual Goods or virtual currency associated with them. In the preferred embodiment, trophies come with points associated with them that are a specific type of virtual currency that can be used to by certain Virtual Goods, for example, Juice.
Trophy Case: A location where Trophies can optionally be stored and/or displayed.
Credits: Are a particular kind of virtual currency. In the preferred embodiment, Credits can be purchased only with real money or can be earned by completing specific tasks defined by third parties. In the preferred embodiment, certain Virtual Goods can only be purchased with Credits.
My Bets: Collectively describes the location or locations in the system where Users can access information about specific wagers/bets including for example, the odds associated with the event, the type of event, the teams/players participating in the event, news regarding the event, the time the event will occur, and statistics regarding other User's wagers/bets on the event. This is also a place were Users can record information regarding their wagers/bets for the system to process. My Bets is optionally divided into categories for example type of event such as sports or football so that a User may quickly and easily find the event they are looking for.
My Profile: Collectively describes the location or locations in the system where Users can access information about themselves and their historical and current interactions with the system and other Users of the system. Information regarding statistics of the Users wagering/betting history and/or current bets can be displayed in various ways including graphs, charts, tables, and lists. Also rankings and other performance related statistical information regarding the User associated with the particular profile when compared to the other Users in the system and/or in a particular Head-to-Head League, Bet Bowl, or Bet Duel. The Chalkboard and trophy case can optionally be in My Profile. My Profile may also optionally provide a place to display personal information about the User associated with that profile and that is only editable by that specific User.
Chalkboard: Is a message board where the User and other Users of the system can leave social information, for example, messages, pictures, or videos and communicate in real time with each other.
My Bets: Collectively describes the location or locations in the system where Users can access information about wagers/bets they made in a given time period. In the preferred embodiment the time period is the any given 7-day period. The information contained within relates to what wagers/bets the User made, what the results of the wager was, and what and how much Virtual Goods and virtual currency were won or lost as a result of the wager.
Trophy Leader Board: Collectively describes the location or locations in the system where Users can access ranking information regarding which Users have accumulated the most high-valued trophies in various categories recorded by the system.
The Store: Collectively describes the location or locations in the system where Users can purchase various different types of real or Virtual Goods using real or various types of virtual currency. In the preferred embodiment, some Virtual Goods and Real Goods will only be able to be purchased with specific kinds of virtual currency or optionally only Real Currency.
Results Data: Results data is a generic term for any or all outcomes types—for example, objective results, relative results, and sporting event outcomes.
Objective Results: Objective results are the results of any and all User wagers on events. Objective results can optionally refer to the result of an individual User wager, the results of any collection of User wagers, or the results from all User wagers of a particular event.
Relative Results: A comparison of a User's objective results to the objective results of the other Users participating in a game of the system. Users are ranked according to their objective results and ranking is referred to as the Users relative results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The system for enabling fantasy sports betting has

A server device for transmitting odds displays and result data,

A memory device that receives and stores User input and sporting event outcome data in a non-transitory computer readable medium, and

A processor that processes User input and sporting event outcome data according to at least one game of the system.

In another embodiment of the system, the games of the system are the Weekly Leaderboard, Bet Bowls, Head-to-Head leagues, and Bet Duels.

In another embodiment of the system, the types of User input are User account information data, User wager/bet data, User game selection, parlay data, and Juice data.

In another embodiment of the system, the odds displays are in humanized odds format.

In another embodiment of the system, the sporting events are included in the system are professional, college, and amateur: Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Olympic Events, Boxing, Bowling, Darts, Rugby, Cricket, and Mixed Martial Arts.

In another embodiment of the system, the odds displays generated by receiving sporting event odds data from at least two third parties and processing the sporting event odds data to form a consensus.

The method for enabling fantasy sports betting uses the following steps,

- Sending/providing odds display data to a User,
- Receiving User input and sporting event outcome data,
- Processing said User input and said sporting event outcome data according to at least one game of the system, and
- Sending/providing result data to Users according to the at least one game of the system.

In another embodiment of the method, the games of the system are the Weekly Leaderboard, Bet Bowls, Head-to-Head leagues, and Bet Duels.

In another embodiment of the method, the types of User input are User account information data, User wager/bet data, User game selection, parlay data, and Juice data.

In another embodiment of the method, the odds displays are in humanized odds format.

In another embodiment of the method, the sporting events are professional, college, and amateur: Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Olympic Events, Boxing, Bowling, Darts, Rugby, Cricket, and Mixed Martial Arts.

In another embodiment of the method, the odds displays are generated by receiving sporting event odds data from at least two third parties and processing the sporting event odds data to form a consensus.

In another embodiment of the method, at least one of Virtual Goods or virtual currency are provided to Users according to the at least one game of the system.

In another embodiment of the method, historical performance data are sent to Users.

In another embodiment of the method, historical performance data consists of My Bets, My Profile, Trophy Leaderboard, the Store, or Trophy Case.

In another embodiment of the system, results data consists of objective results, relative results and sporting event outcomes.

In another embodiment of the method, results data consists of objective results, relative results and sporting event outcomes.

In another embodiment of the method, social information received by Users is sent/provided to other Users of the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 describes an overview of the entire system.

FIG. 2 describes how a person becomes a User of the system.

FIG. 3 describes how the Weekly Leaderboard game is played.

FIG. 4 describes how Head-to-Head leagues are played.

FIG. 5 describes how Bet Duels are played.

FIG. 6 describes how Bet Bowls are played

FIG. 7 describes how Virtual Goods are purchased.

FIG. 8 describes how Juice functions.

FIG. 9 describes how event comments are made.

FIG. 10 describes how Chalkboard comments are made.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 describes an overview of the system. A person registers with the system (1) and becomes a User. The User then has the option to view any bet/wager statistical information relating to any User (3), socially interact with other Users (5), view the odds in various formats of upcoming sporting events (7), make predictions (wagers/bets) on upcoming sporting events, (8) shop at the Virtual Goods store (9), or compete in the various games of the system (11). The User competes in these games (11) by placing bet/wagers on various sporting events (8) and applying said bet/wagers to the particular game(s) (11) they wish. Once the outcome of the sporting events has been determined, virtual currency and/or Virtual Goods are exchanged between the Users and the system or the Users and other Users (13) according to the rules of the particular game of the system to which the bet(s)/wager(s) have been applied.

FIG. 2 describes how a person becomes a User of the system. There are two paths by which a person can become a User of the system. First, the person may visit the website winthetrophy.com (15) and access the sign up feature of the website (17). The person is prompted by the system to enter identifying information into the system (19), for example, a User name and password to use to access the site and optionally an email address to be associated with the User. This information is stored on the data storage media of the system (21) and the person is recognized by the system as a User (23). The other way a person can become a User of the system is by receiving an invitation to join the system (25), for example by email, and accepting the invitation to join the system (27). Accepting the invitation opens the systems registering process where the person is prompted by the system to enter identifying information into the system (19), for example, a User name and password to use to access the site and optionally an email address to be associated with the User. This information is stored on the system (21) and the person is recognized by the system as a User (23).

FIG. 3 describes how the Weekly Leaderboard game is played. Every User receives 1,000 virtual currency units (VCU) at the beginning of the week (29). In the preferred embodiment the beginning of the week is Monday. The Users place bets/wagers only on sporting events that occur during that week (31). At the conclusion of each sporting event, the bets associated with that event are resolved (33). Virtual currency is added or removed from each User according to the outcome of each bet/wager (35). Upon the conclusion of the last sporting event of the week, the User with the most virtual currency is declared the winner (37). In the preferred embodiment, Sunday is the last day of the week. The winning User receives a virtual good (39). In the preferred embodiment, the virtual good is a trophy. Other trophies are also optionally rewarded for other accomplishments, for example, having the most VCU for a given category, for example moneyline bets/wagers on the NFC Eastern Division. At the conclusion of the week all Users VCU are reset to 1,000 (41).

FIG. 4 describes how Head-to-Head (HH) leagues are played. A User may create either a public or private HH league (43). A User may optionally create and participate in multiple HH leagues. In public HH leagues (45) any Users may join the league. In private HH leagues (47) Users may only join the league by accepting an invitation to join the HH league from the Users who created the league. The HH league begins when the league is full or at a predetermined time which is set by the User who created the league (49). How many Users may join the league before it is filled is also determined by the User who created the league.

Users are divided into groups of two for each competition period (51). In the preferred embodiment, Users are shuffled into different groups every competition period so that each User maximizes the variety of others Users they compete against. In the preferred embodiment each competition period is one week. In the preferred embodiment, the total number of competition periods in the HH league is determined upon creation of the league.

Each User in the HH league places bets in the following 5 categories in each betting competition period: Moneyline, Spread, Over/Under, Parlay, and Wild (53). The outcomes of each bet/wager are determined according to the outcome of the sporting event on which they were placed (55) and Juice is applied to the outcomes where appropriate (57). The adjusted outcomes are then applied to the appropriate category (59). At the end of the competition period each User's totals for each category are compared (61) and each User receives a win for each category where their VCU total is higher than User they are competing against and a loss for each category where their VCU total is lower than User they are competing against (63). The system ranks Users according to their win/loss record (65) and the User with the best win/loss record at the conclusion of the HH league is declared the winner (67) and optionally awarded VCU or Virtual Goods. In the preferred embodiment the system will award the winner of the HH league with a trophy.

FIG. 5 describes how Bet Duels are played. To create a Bet Duel, one User sends a challenge (69) to one or more Users containing stakes (71) of the Bet Duel. The challenge is received by the User being challenged as optionally pop-up message when the User signs in to the system informing the User that a challenge has been made. The message may also optionally appear in the User profile portion of the system. The message may also be sent to the email address registered with the system. The User may optionally accept, reject, or modify the terms (73). A rejection does not result in a Bet Duel beginning. Modification of the terms may optionally be done through a counter offer, or a rejection and new offer (75). Once the stakes are accepted, the User who made the acceptance sets the terms of the duel (77). Once the terms have been made the Bet Duel begins (79). The Bet Duel occurs over a finite period of time determined by the terms of the Bet Duel referred to as the Bet Duel period. The Bet Duel period could optionally be a predetermined amount of days, number of bets, or number of points won. Each User then makes bets/wagers (81) that are resolved at the conclusion of the sporting events on which the bets/wagers were placed (83). At the conclusion of the Bet Duel period the User who has earned the most virtual currency is declared the winner and Virtual Goods and/or virtual currency is distributed according to the stakes of the duel (85) and the Bet Duel is concluded.

FIG. 6 describes how Bet Bowls are played. Users join a Bet Bowl either by joining (87) or by accomplishing some task that earns admittance into the Bet Bowl (89), for example finishing in the top 40% of a bet league. Users in a Bet Bowl are arranged into groups of 4 for each completion period wherein the Users compete in the following 5 categories in each betting competition period: Moneyline, Spread, Over/Under, Parlay, and Wild (91). The outcomes of each bet/wager are determined according to the outcome of the sporting event on which they were placed (93) and Juice is applied to the outcomes where appropriate (95). The adjusted outcomes are then applied to the appropriate category (97). At the end of the competition period each User's totals for each category are compared (99) and each User receives a win for each category where their VCU total is higher than User they are competing against and a loss for each category where their VCU total is lower than User they are competing against (101). The system ranks Users according to their win/loss record (103) and the User with the best win/loss record at the conclusion of the round moves on to the next round while the other Users in the group are eliminated (105). Steps (91) though (105) are repeated until only one User remains (107). That User is declared the winner and is awarded Virtual Goods (109).

FIG. 7 describes how Virtual Goods are purchased. A User visits the virtual good store (111) where the User can view all the available Virtual Goods including both Juice available for purchase and Juice that is locked until the Users accomplishes various tasks, for example, inviting 5 other people to join the system and having those people become Users. The User then selects the virtual good they want to purchase (113). The system determines if the User meets the requirements for the purchase (115), for example having enough VCU to purchase the virtual good. If the User does not meet all the requirements for purchase, the system declines the transaction and returns the User to the store (117). If the User does meet all the requirements for purchase the appropriate amount of virtual currency is deducted from the User (119) and the virtual good is sent to a file on the User's terminal or is stored on the system in a file associated with the User (121).

FIG. 8 describes how Juice functions. Juice can be purchased at the virtual good store or optionally won in the games of the system. When the User places a bet (123) the system provides the User with an option to apply Juice (125), if the User has Juice available. If the User selects to apply Juice the User must also specify which specific Juice is to be applied to the bet (127). If the User selects not to use the Juice then the Juice is not applied to the wager/bet (129). The outcomes of the wagers/bets are determined (131) and the system applies the Juices effect to the outcome of the wagers/bets (133).

The User may also select a wager/bet that has been made but where the sporting event on which it depends has not begun (123) and apply Juice to that wager/bet (125 and127). The outcomes of the wagers/bets are determined (131) and the system applies the Juices effect to the outcome of the wagers/bets (133).

FIG. 9 describes how event comments are made. A User makes a wager/bet (135). The system provides the User with a text box where the User can write a comment associated with the wager/bet (137). The system posts the comment on the event message board where it can be viewed by other Users (139). Users select comments on the event message board by clicking on them (141). After selecting a comment the User may post a response to the comment which can be viewed by any User who selects the original comment on the event message board (143).

FIG. 10 describes how Chalkboard comments are made. A User selects a User's profile (145). In the preferred embodiment the profile can belong to any User including the User selecting it. The User selects the Chalkboard on the User's profile page (147) and post a comment (149). The comment is displayed on that User's Chalkboard (151). The User who the Chalkboard is associated with receives an email notification that a comment has been made on the Users Chalkboard (153).