AU2010101542A4 - Systems and methods for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players - Google Patents

Abstract

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY FOR A PLURALITY OF Described herein are systems and methods for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players. In one embodiment, the method includes the initial step of receiving data indicative of gaming participation by the plurality of players. The gaming participation includes, for each player, one or more selections placed in respect of one or more predetermined events. Following the receipt of data the next step, for each player, is processing the data, thereby to determine a score indicative of that player's success in relation to the one or more selections. The players are then ranked based on their respective scores and, responsive to the ranking, one or more winning players are identified in respect of the competitive activity. (FIG. 1) Receiving data Processing Data Ranking Players Identifying Winners

Description

2010101542 18 Oct 2010 18-10-10; 11 : 1 3 # 5/ 33 2

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING A COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY FOR A PLURALITY OF PLAYERS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players.

[0002] Embodiments of the invention have primarily been developed for use with betting and in particular for betting on horse racing. While some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to that application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such a field of use, and is applicable in broader contexts.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

[0004] Betting on various sporting events is a well-known past time throughout the world and horse racing is among the most popular sports to bet on. The gambling industry for horse racing is a lucrative industry that relies on the great numbers of participants. At present there are a number of different ways of betting on horse racing. These include simple betting on single horses in single races and betting on the placing of a number of horses in the same race.

[0005] To maintain the horse racing industry as such a lucrative industry, there is a need to build on, or at least maintain, the number of participants that bet on horse racing. One of the ways to do this is to keep the participants enticed by having new ways to bet on races. It is also enticing for those who are not well informed about horse racing, to have a go at betting on races, especially when the betting allows for equal opportunity to more experienced and less experienced betters. Therefore, it is commercially favourable for the industry to entice greater participation. From the players’ perspective, there is an inherent desire for a more diverse range of gaming activities. COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 1s—10-10;11:13 # 6/ 33 3

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

[0007] According to a first embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players, the method including the steps of: (a) receiving data indicative of gaming participation by the plurality of players, wherein the gaming participation includes, for each player, one or more selections made in respect of one or more predetermined events; (b) for each player, processing the data, thereby to determine a score indicative of that player’s success in relation to the one or more selections; (c) ranking the players based on their respective scores; and (d) responsive to the ranking, identifying one or more winning players in respect of the competitive activity.

[0008] According to an embodiment, for each player, the one or more selections are placed in respect of a plurality of predetermined events.

[0009] According to an embodiment the data indicative of gaming participation includes a single stake placed in respect of the competitive activity.

[0010] According to an embodiment the one or more predetermined events include sporting events. According to a further embodiment the one or more predetermined events include races. According to a further embodiment the one or more predetermined events include horse races. According to a preferred embodiment the one or more predetermined events are horse races.

[0011] According to an embodiment step (b) includes awarding one or more points to each player having one or more successful selections. According to a further embodiment the one or more successful selections each includes choosing a winner of a single predetermined event. According to a yet further embodiment the one or more successful selections each includes choosing one of: a winner of a predetermined event; COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 4 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 a second place-getter of a predetermined event; or a third place-getter of a predetermined event.

[0012] According to an embodiment the awarding one or more points includes: awarding three points to each player for every winner chosen for each predetermined event; awarding two points to each player for every second place-getter chosen for each predetermined event; and awarding one point to each player for every third place-getter chosen for each predetermined event.

[0013] According to an embodiment zero points are awarded to each player for every other place-getter chosen for each predetermined event. According to a preferred embodiment step (b) further includes tallying the number of points awarded to each player to determine the score indicative of that player’s success.

[0014] According to an embodiment the one or more predetermined events occur over a predetermined time period. According to a further embodiment the predetermined time period is one day.

[0015] According to an alternate embodiment of the invention there is provided a computer system including a processor configured to perform a method according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

[0016] According to an alternate embodiment of the invention there is provided a computer program product configured to perform a method according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

[0017] According to an alternate embodiment of the invention there is provided a non-transitory computer readable medium carrying a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

[0018] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 18-10-10:11 :13 # 3/ 33 5 embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[0019] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

[0020] In the claims below and the description herein, any one of the terms comprising, comprised of or which comprises is an open term that means including at least the elements/features that follow, but not excluding others. Thus, the term comprising, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression a device comprising A and B should not be limited to devices consisting only of elements A and B. Any one of the terms including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a method according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a front view of a selection form according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a flowchart representing the points allocation according to the method of FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a system for facilitating the method of FIG. 1. COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 18-10-10; 1 1 : 13 # 9/ 33 6 [0026] FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of a system of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Described herein are systems and methods for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players. In one embodiment, the method includes the initial step of receiving data indicative of gaming participation by the plurality of players. The gaming participation includes, for each player, one or more selections placed in respect of one or more predetermined events. Following the receipt of data the next step, for each player, is processing the data, thereby to determine a score indicative of that player’s success in relation to the one or more selections. The players are then ranked based on their respective scores and, responsive to the ranking, one or more winning players are identified in respect of the competitive activity.

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates a method 100 according to one embodiment of the invention. Step 101 includes receiving data indicative of gaming participation by the plurality of players. This data includes a single stake placed in the form of a predetermined participation fee that enables a player to participate in the competitive activity. These participation fees, collected by a wagering operator such as a bookmaker, go into a pool of funds called “the Jackpot”. The Jackpot is calculated from the following equation:

Jackpot = Total entry fees provided by each player — (profit + tax) [0029] The profit is a percentage of the total entry fees that is taken by the wagering operator minus tax. The tax is a percentage of the gross earnings that is taken, where gross earnings is the sum of profit and tax. It is noted that the percentages of profit and tax will vary in different embodiments. These percentages will also depend on percentages set forth by the relevant governing bodies. For example, the Australian Taxation Office presently sets a percentage of 9.09% tax on gross earnings from gambling.

[0030] In one embodiment, the participation fee is paid in cash to the wagering operator. In other embodiments, the fee is paid by credit/debit/EFTPOS cards.

[0031] When the participation fee has been paid by each of the players, each player will place one or more selections in respect of one or more predetermined competitive COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 18-10-10;11:13 # 1 O/ 33 7 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 events in the form of horse races. The participation fee in this embodiment is paid at the same time as the selections are submitted to the wagering operator. In other embodiments, the fee is paid before the selections are submitted, and in yet other embodiments, the fee is paid after the selections are submitted within a predetermined time-frame.

[0032] Each player selects one horse from each of a predetermined number of horse races that occur over a predetermined time period. In the preferred embodiment, the horse races from which players may select a horse all occur during the course of a single race day at a single meeting. In other embodiments, the horse races are scheduled to occur across a number of different race meetings, all occurring on a single race day. In yet other embodiments, the horse races are scheduled to occur over a time period of more than one race day and across more than one race meeting. In other embodiments the time period is other than one day. For example in one embodiment, the time period is one week. In another embodiment, the time period is two days. In another embodiment, the time period is two weekend days. In another embodiment, the time period is two consecutive weekend days. It is noted that the wagering operator will nominate each race from which the players will be choosing the horses. Prior to commencement of betting, wagering operators will prepare a list of horses and races that will be included in the nominated races on a particular day. This usually includes all races and all horses in a given race day at a given meeting but is not limited to this.

[0033] In this embodiment, players are only allowed to choose a single horse per race. In other embodiments, more than one horse may be chosen per race. For example in one embodiment, players can select two horses in the final race. In another embodiment, players can select two horses in all races.

[0034] In one embodiment, the wagering operator allows the players to select a horse from each of the races that are scheduled to be run in a single race day. In other embodiments the wagering operator nominates the races from which a respective horse can be selected. The maximum races for a day will depend on the scheduling for that particular race day. COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 8 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 10035] At a race day, selections by each player must be completed and participation fees must be paid by the start of the second race. In other embodiments, selections by each player must be completed and participation fees must be paid by the start of the first race.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment the selections are made on a selection form, an example of which is denoted by reference numeral 201. The player completes the relevant fields, including their name 202, the date 203 and the location of the race meeting 204 (although the date and location can be pre-printed on the form), as well as their selections 205 for each race of the day. After the player completes the form, the wagering operator will check the form, receive the participation fee from that player and “sign off’ on the form in field 206. The “signing off’ of form 201 indicates that that player has provided all data indicative of gaming participation.

[0037] In one embodiment selection form 201 is a printed paper document that is made available to the players. In other embodiments form 201 is representative of data available online through a computer, smart phone or other network capable device. In these latter embodiments, players fill in form 201 electronically and submit the completed form as data to a database, which is accessed by the wagering operator to process the player data. An example of an electronic data management system according to the invention is discussed in detail below with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

[0038] Following the receipt of data the next step denoted by numeral 102 of FIG. 1 is processing the data which generally involves awarding points to players depending on their selected horses, and tallying those points.

[0039] Once a race is completed, the race results will be ascertained. That is, a winner, second place-getter and third place-getter are determined from the finishing order of the horses in a respective race. Points are awarded to each player having one or more successful selections. In this embodiment, a successful selection for a single race includes selecting a horse that comes first, second or third and hence awards points to the player who picks such a horse. As illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 3, any player that selects a horse that wins their respective race will be awarded three points. Any COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 9 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 player that selects a horse that places second in their respective race will be awarded two points. Any player that selects a horse that places third in their respective race will be awarded one point. In this embodiment, players that select a horse that does not win or place second or third will not be awarded any points for that race. In some embodiments, points are only awarded to players who have selected a horse that comes first. In other embodiments, points are awarded to players who have selected other ranked horses, such as a horse that has placed last.

[0040] In one embodiment, in the occurrence of dead heats the following points are allocated:

Placing Dead Heat Dead Heat Dead Heat For Dead Heat For A Win For A Win For Second Third & Dead Heat For Third First 2,5 for each 3 3 2.5 for each Second N/A 1.5 for each 2 N/A Third 1 N/A 0.5 for each 0.5 for each [0041] In one embodiment, in the occurrence of triple dead heats the following points are allocated:

Placing Triple Dead Heat For A Win Triple Dead Heat For Second Triple Dead Heat For Third Dead Heat For A Win & Triple Dead Heat For Third First 2 for each 3 3 2.5 for each Second N/A 1 for each 2 N/A Third N/A N/A 0.3 for each 0.3 for each [0042] The points awarded to each player across all nominated races are compiled and tallied up thereby to determine, for each player, the score indicative of that player’s success. This occurs after the winner and second and third place-getters of the last nominated race have been categorically determined. The players score is determined by the total summation of the points compiled over the course of the race day for the nominated races.

[0043] Step 103 of FIG. 1 includes ranking the players in numerical order based on the number of points accumulated over the course of the race day or collective days for the COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 10 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 nominated races. That is, the player that has accumulated the most points is the first ranked player; the player that has accumulated the second most points is the second ranked player; and so on.

[0044] Step 104 includes identifying the winners in response to the ranking from step 103. In one embodiment the entire Jackpot is allocated to the first ranked player. In other embodiments, the Jackpot is split and allocated between the top two or three competitors. In other embodiments, the Jackpot will be split and allocated in other fashions. This allocation of the Jackpot is defined from the outset to the players prior to the entry fee being paid.

[0045] In some embodiments, bonus points are awarded to players in certain circumstances. These circumstances include but are not limited to awarding: • 1 bonus point for selecting a horse that wins a race, where its odds of winning were over 20 to 1; • 1 bonus point for selecting two consecutive race winners; • 1 bonus point for selecting three consecutive race winners; • 1 bonus point for selecting four consecutive race winners; • 1 bonus point for selecting five consecutive race winners; • 1 bonus point for selecting six consecutive race winners; • 1 bonus point for selecting seven consecutive race winners; • 1 bonus point for selecting eight consecutive race winners; and/or • 1 bonus point for selecting nine consecutive race winners.

[0046] These bonus points are simply added to the relevant player’s total points. In other embodiments, bonuses such as “double points”, “triple points” or the like are awarded to players who satisfy predetermined criteria. In some embodiments, bonus points are awarded to players who pick winning horses in a predefined consecutive number of races. COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 π 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 [0047] In other embodiments, a particular race or races are weighted. For example, in one embodiment, the final race of the day is worth double points. That is, six points are awarded to players that choose the winner, four points to players that choose the second place getter, and two points to players that choose the third place getter.

[0048] In another preferred embodiment, the pool of funds is split into a “Jackpot” and a “Major Jackpot”. The Major Jackpot is an additional prize awarded to a competitor that selects the winner from every race that is nominated by the wagering operator. The Jackpot and a Major Jackpot are split evenly from the total entry fees provided by each player (less the profit and tax). In other embodiments the Jackpot and a Major Jackpot are split unevenly. For example in one embodiment, the Major Jackpot is twice the Jackpot. In another embodiment, the Jackpot is twice the Major Jackpot. If a player has not completed their selections and paid their participation fee by the start of the first race, that player or players cannot win the Major Jackpot.

[0049] If the Major Jackpot is not won by any player, the wager operator will keep the Major Jackpot as additional profit (and will be taxed appropriately). In other embodiments, the Major Jackpot will be added to the Jackpot if no player wins the Major Jackpot. In yet other embodiments, if the Major Jackpot is not won by any player it will go into the Major Jackpot for the next race day.

[0050] It is appreciated that some circumstances will arise that are out of the control of the players and wagering operators. In the preferred embodiment, to cater for some of these circumstances and the associated effect they have on the awarding of points for each race, the following rules are in place and will be available to the players prior to the participation fee being paid: • In the event of the race meeting being abandoned or postponed, participation fees are refunded. • In the event of the race being called a non-race by stewards at a race meeting, no points will be awarded for that race. A non-race simply refers to a race that has been run but, upon review, is not deemed to count due to a technical problem. Such technical problems include a starting gate opening early, or a racer behaving dangerously toward COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 12 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 another racer. This race is then not counted towards the Major Jackpot. In other embodiments, the Major Jackpot cannot then be won. • In the event of the race meeting not being completed as originally programmed, participation fees are refunded, except when it is determined by the racing organization that the meeting still stands. This would be stipulated by a minimum number of races being run, or some other minimum requirement that will be stipulated by the racing organization. If the meeting still stands, the Jackpot and Major Jackpot will be awarded based on the races that have been run. In other embodiments, the Major Jackpot is not counted if all races have not been run. • No points shall be allocated in relation to a race scheduled to be conducted at a race meeting if that race is postponed to a later race meeting or abandoned by the stewards on the day of the race meeting. As with the event of a non-race, the postponed or abandoned race is then not counted towards the Major Jackpot. In other embodiments, the Major Jackpot cannot then be won. • There shall be no refund of participation fee or re-selection if a horse is scratched just prior to the race start. However, if the scratching of a selected horse occurs at some time prior to five minutes before the start of the race, the player who has selected this horse has until five minutes before the start of the race to re-select their horse for that race only. In other embodiments, the re-selection must be completed ten minutes before the start of the race. The onus is on the player to find out if a selected horse has been scratched. If no re-selection is made within the allocated time-frame prior to the start of the relevant race, no points will be awarded for a scratched horse.

[0051] In other embodiments, different criteria are stipulated to the players to address the above and other criteria.

[0052] In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the data indicative of gaming participation includes each player selecting as many horses as they wish, and the COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 18-10-10; 1 1 : 13 #= 16/ 33 13 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 participation fee being contingent on the number of horses selected. That is, the more horses a player selects, the greater the participation fee will be for that player. In this embodiment, the minimum participation fee would allow a player to select one horse from each race, and the participation fee would increase by a predetermined increment as each additional horse is selected. In other embodiments, a player has the option of selecting as little or as many horses as they wish. In this embodiment the predetermined increment is an equal amount for each additional horse selected. In other embodiments, the predetermined increment increases as more horses are selected.

[0053] The score indicative of that player’s success will include the number of winning horses chosen, along with the number of second place getters and third place getters. For example, one player may end up with a score of five winners, two second place getters, and one third place getter. Based on this score, the ranking of the players includes putting each player into one of a plurality of predefined divisions or prize pools each having a predefined division criterion or predefined division criteria. An example of such division criteria is set out in the table below:

Division Predefined Division Criteria Major Jackpot Division 9 Winners Selected Division 1 7 Winners selected plus 2 additional place selections Division 2 6 Winners selected plus 2 additional place selections Division 3 5 Winners selected plus 1 additional place selections Division 4 4 Winners selected plus 2 additional place selections Division 5 3 Winners selected plus 3 additional place selections Division 6 2 Winners selected plus 4 additional place selections Division 7 6 place selections [0054] A place selection refers to either a second or third place getter, or to a winner that has not already been counted. For example, if a player selects 8 winners and one third place getter, that player would be included in Division 1 as one of the winners would qualify as a place selection. Another example would be a player selecting 6 winners and no second or third place getters, and being included in Division 3 as the sixth winner would qualify as a place selection. It is noted that there are many other COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 18-1 o—1 o; 1 1 :13 # 17/ 33 14 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 embodiments that include different predefined division criteria to the example given above. In this embodiment a player can only be put in one division, that being the highest division of which that player meets the criteria.

[0055] The Jackpot will be split in a predetermined fashion between each of the divisions with the Major Jackpot division being allocated the greatest share of the Jackpot and the other divisions being allocated a lesser share than the division above it. That is, Division 1 has a smaller share of the Jackpot than Major Jackpot Division, Division 2 has a smaller share of the Jackpot than Division 1, and so on, with Division 7 allocated the lowest share. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the Jackpot will be split and allocated in other ways. If more than one player is in each group, the allocated share of the Jackpot will be further split and allocated between the players in that division. In other embodiments the Jackpot will be split and allocated in other ways where there are multiple players in a single division. If there axe no players in a division the wager operator will keep the share of the Jackpot allocated to that division (and will be taxed appropriately). In other embodiments, the allocated share of the division having no players will be split and allocated between the other divisions containing players. In yet other embodiments, if there are no players in a division the share of the Jackpot will go into the Jackpot for the next race day. In other embodiments, the allocated share of the division having no players will be allocated in other ways.

[0056] It is mentioned that in this alternate embodiment, the Major Jackpot Division is part of the Jackpot. It is also mentioned that steps of the method not described in the alternate embodiment mirror the steps described for other embodiments.

[0057] FIG. 4 illustrates a system 400 for facilitating the above described methods. System 400 includes a remote terminal 401 that allows a wagering operator to provide data for each player, including personal profile details and their respective selections (the data denoted by reference numeral 402). This data is then kept in a database 403. Race result data 404 is also entered into database 403. Database 403 is in communication with a processor 405 that processes data in the database thereby to allocate points to each player based on the methods described above. Processor 405 then ranks the players based on the points awarded to produce a ranking of players 406 that is also stored in database 403. The ranking is displayed on a graphic interface, COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 15 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 such as a large monitor 407 so that players can view their rankings. In this embodiment, ranking 406 is constantly updated as each race result is inputted into database 403, and the running rankings are publically displayed on monitor 407. In other embodiments, the rankings are only displayed after the completion of all nominated races.

[0058] In other embodiments, there exists a plurality of similar remote terminals 401 from which various wagering operators can enter data 402.

[0059] Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, where like features are denoted by like reference numerals, there is shown another embodiment of a system 500 for facilitating the above described methods. In this embodiment, the players place selections and pay participation fees via a website 501 through a number of remote client terminals 502. These include personal computers, laptop computers, PDA’s, mobile telephones, and any other device that can access the internet. In this embodiment, the form 201 is completed online and an online checker determines if the fields are correctly entered. In other embodiments, the player details are entered in a separate form to the selections and entered prior to the selections so that an online profile is established. System 500 then works similarly to system 400 with the rankings being shown on website 501.

[0060] In this embodiment the participation fee will be paid by credit/debit/EFPOS cards, cash transfer, BPay or other remote payment methods.

[0061] In other embodiments the invention is applied to events other than horse races. For example, the preferred embodiment described above can directly be applied to greyhound races or trotters, which generally operate in similarly to horse racing in terms of format and having particular race days and race meetings. In yet other embodiments, the invention is applied to other sports. In yet other embodiments, the invention is used for multiple events across a number of sports.

[0062] In accordance with the relevant governing bodies, appropriate signage must be displayed by wagering operators.

[0063] It will be appreciated that the disclosure above provides various significant systems and methods for conducting competitive activities relating to betting on horse COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 16 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 racing, these generally providing useful alternatives or improvements in relation to known competitive activities relating to betting on horse racing.

[0064] Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specification discussions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," “determining”, analyzing” or the like, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform data represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities into other data similarly represented as physical quantities.

[0065] In a similar manner, the term "processor" may refer to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data, e.g., from registers and/or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that, e.g., may be stored in registers and/or memory. A “computer” or a “computing machine” or a "computing platform" may include one or more processors.

[0066] The methodologies described herein are, in one embodiment, performable by one or more processors that accept computer-readable (also called machine-readable) code containing a set of instructions that when executed by one or more of the processors carry out at least one of the methods described herein. Any processor capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken are included. Thus, one example is a typical processing system that includes one or more processors. Each processor may include one or more of a CPU, a graphics processing unit, and a programmable DSP unit. The processing system further may include a memory subsystem including main RAM and/or a static RAM, and/or ROM. A bus subsystem may be included for communicating between the components. The processing system further may be a distributed processing system with processors coupled by a network. If the processing system requires a display, such a display may be included, e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT) display. If manual data entry is required, the processing system also includes an input device such as one or more of an alphanumeric input unit such as a keyboard, a pointing control device such as a mouse, and so forth. The term memory unit as used herein, if clear from the context and unless explicitly stated otherwise, also encompasses a storage system such as a disk drive unit. The processing system in COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 17 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 some configurations may include a sound output device, and a network interface device. The memory subsystem thus includes a computer-readable carrier medium that carries computer-readable code (e.g., software) including a set of instructions to cause performing, when executed by one or more processors, one of more of the methods described herein. Note that when the method includes several elements, e.g., several steps, no ordering of such elements is implied, unless specifically stated. The software may reside in the hard disk, or may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the RAM and/or within the processor during execution thereof by the computer system. Thus, the memory and the processor also constitute computer-readable carrier medium carrying computer-readable code.

[0067] Furthermore, a computer-readable carrier medium may form, or be included in a computer program product.

[0068] In alternative embodiments, the one or more processors operate as a standalone device or may be connected, e.g., networked to other processor(s), in a networked deployment, the one or more processors may operate in the capacity of a server or a user machine in server-user network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer or distributed network environment. The one or more processors may form a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine.

[0069] Note that while some diagrams only show a single processor and a single memory that carries the computer-readable code, those in the art will understand that many of the components described above are included, but not explicitly shown or described in order not to obscure the inventive aspect. For example, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

[0070] Thus, one embodiment of each of the methods described herein is in the form of a computer-readable carrier medium carrying a set of instructions, e.g., a computer program that is for execution on one or more processors, e.g., one or more processors COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 18-1 0-1 o; 1 1 : 1 3 # 21/ 33 18 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 that are part of web server arrangement. Thus, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, embodiments of the present invention may be embodied as a method, an apparatus such as a special purpose apparatus, an apparatus such as a data processing system, or a computer-readable carrier medium, e.g., a computer program product. The computer-readable carrier medium carries computer readable code including a set of instructions that when executed on one or more processors cause the processor or processors to implement a method. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a method, an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of carrier medium (e.g., a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium) carrying computer-readable program code embodied in the medium.

[0071] The software may further be transmitted or received over a network via a network interface device. While the carrier medium is shown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term "carrier medium" should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term "carrier medium" shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by one or more of the processors and that cause the one or more processors to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present invention. A carrier medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical, magnetic disks, and magneto-optical disks. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory. Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a bus subsystem. Transmission media also may also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications. For example, the term "carrier medium" shall accordingly be taken to included, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, a computer product embodied in optical and magnetic media; a medium bearing a propagated signal detectable by at least one processor of one or more processors and representing a set of instructions that, when executed, implement a method; a carrier wave bearing a propagated signal detectable by at least one processor of the one or COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 18-10-10; 1 1 : 13 # 22/ 33 19 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 more processors and representing the set of instructions a propagated signal and representing the set of instructions; and a transmission medium in a network bearing a propagated signal detectable by at least one processor of the one or more processors and representing the set of instructions.

[0072] It will be understood that the steps of methods discussed are performed in one embodiment by an appropriate processor (or processors) of a processing (i.e., computer) system executing instructions (computer-readable code) stored in storage. It will also be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular implementation or programming technique and that the invention may be implemented using any appropriate techniques for implementing the functionality described herein. The invention is not limited to any particular programming language or operating system.

[0073] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[0074] Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, FIG., or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention. COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-IVI-d) 2010-10-18 18-10-10:11 :13 # 23/ 33 20 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 [0075] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0076] Furthermore, some of the embodiments are described herein as a method or combination of elements of a method that can be implemented by a processor of a computer system or by other means of carrying out the function. Thus, a processor with the necessary instructions for carrying out such a method or element of a method forms a means for carrying out the method or element of a method. Furthermore, an element described herein of an apparatus embodiment is an example of a means for carrying out the function performed by the element for the purpose of carrying out the invention.

[0077] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[0078] Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term coupled, when used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limited to direct connections only. The terms "coupled" and "connected," along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Thus, the scope of the expression a device A coupled to a device B should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means. "Coupled" may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.

[0079] Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and COMS ID No: ARCS-296029 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18 21 2010101542 18 Oct 2010 further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention. COMS ID No: ARCS-296029

Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 11:32 Date (Y-M-d) 2010-10-18

Claims (20)

1. THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

   1. A method for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players, the method including the steps of: (a) receiving data indicative of gaming participation by the plurality of players, wherein the gaming participation includes, for each player, one or more selections made in respect of one or more predetermined events; (b) for each player, processing the data, thereby to determine a score indicative of that player’s success in relation to the one or more selections; (c) ranking the players based on their respective scores; and (d) responsive to the ranking, identifying one or more winning players in respect of the competitive activity.
2. 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein, for each player, the one or more selections are placed in respect of a plurality of predetermined events.
3. 3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the data indicative of gaming participation includes a single stake placed in respect of the competitive activity.
4. 4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the one or more predetermined events include sporting events.
5. 5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the one or more predetermined events include races.
6. 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the one or more predetermined events include horse races.
7. 7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the one or more predetermined events are horse races.
8. 8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein step 1(b) includes awarding one or more points to each player having one or more successful selections.
9. 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the one or more successful selections each includes choosing a winner of a single predetermined event.
10. 10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the one or more successful selections each includes choosing one of: a winner of a predetermined event; a second place-getter of a predetermined event; or a third place-getter of a predetermined event.
11. 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the awarding one or more points includes: awarding three points to each player for every winner chosen for each predetermined event; awarding two points to each player for every second place-getter chosen for each predetermined event; and awarding one point to each player for every third place-getter chosen for each predetermined event.
12. 12. A method according to claim 11 wherein zero points are awarded to each player for every other place-getter chosen for each predetermined event.
13. 13. A method according to claim 12 wherein step 1(b) further includes tallying the number of points awarded to each player to determine the score indicative of that player’s success.
14. 14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the one or more predetermined events occur over a predetermined time period.
15. 15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the predetermined time period is one day.
16. 16. A computer system including a processor configured to perform a method according to any one of the preceding claims.
17. 17. A computer program product configured to perform a method according to any one of the preceding method claims.
18. 18. A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying a set of instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method according to any one of the preceding method claims.
19. 19. A method for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.
20. 20. A computer system or computer program product configured to implement a method for providing a competitive activity for a plurality of players substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples.