WO2012025906A2

WO2012025906A2 - Wagering games

Info

Publication number: WO2012025906A2
Application number: PCT/IB2011/053749
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leon Jurgens Smuts
Original assignee: Leon Jurgens Smuts
Priority date: 2010-08-27
Filing date: 2011-08-26
Publication date: 2012-03-01
Also published as: WO2012025906A3; GB201305540D0; GB2498131A

Abstract

A progressive scoring method, which includes allocating scores to outcomes of events in a series of events, permitting multiple participants to predict the outcomes of a number of the events in the series of events, accumulating a score for each of the multiple participants based on the outcomes of the events in the series of events by scoring each of the participants' predictions according to the allocated scores of the events and ranking the participants according to a progressive score in a number of the events.

Description

WAGERING GAMES

This invention relates to wagering games. In particular, the invention relates to a progressive scoring method, and to a method of distributing wagers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The inventor is aware of existing wagering games and existing wager distribution methods. However, in series' of events such as horse races, a punter is only rewarded on the outcome of a single event, or progresses on the outcome of a single event. These methods of distributing wagers lead to a loss of interest and or elimination from a series if a punter had an undesirable outcome in a particular event. The inventor has identified a method of rewarding punters by distributing wagers based on participation of punters in a series of events. It is an object of the present invention to ensure that participants are not eliminated from the game prematurely as is the case with known multi- leg wagers. No multi-leg pool wager has ever had the explicit intent to keep all participants alive in the game until the finish of the event. It is a further object of the invention that players are not required to beat the system but merely their fellow players in the pool game. This is a unique aspect in terms of determining winners in a racing multi-leg wagering game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a progressive scoring method, which includes

allocating scores to outcomes of events in a series of events;

permitting multiple participants to predict the outcomes of a number of the events in the series of events;

accumulating a score for each of the multiple participants based on the outcomes of the events in the series of events by scoring each of the participants' predictions according to the allocated scores of the events; and ranking the participants according to a progressive score in a number of the events.

The events may be any one of a game of chance, a sporting event, an animal race, and the like. The individual events may thus have intermediate outcomes in a game of chance, intermediate results in a sporting event, and intermediate races in a series of animal races, such as horse races or dog races.

The allocation of scores to outcomes of events may include allocating points to a particular predefined outcome, such as a position in an animal race.

Different scores may be applied to different events in the series of events. For example, in an animal race, the scores may differ from one race to another. The scores may be increased for positions in the races towards the end of the series of races. This may encourage participants to keep on participating in the wagering despite undesirable outcomes in initial events. Bonus points may be allocated to certain events in the series of events and reduced points may be allocated to certain events in the series of events. In particular, bonus points may be allocated by any one of adding bonus points to allocated points, and by multiplying allocated points with a bonus multiplication factor.

Permitting multiple participants to predict the outcomes of a number of the events in the series of events may include receiving wagers on the outcomes of the events. Ranking the participants according to a progressive score in a number of the events may include any one of publishing the ranking of the participants during the course of the series of events and publishing the ranking of the participants at the end of the series of events. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of distributing wagers, which includes

applying a progressive scoring method as described above; and distributing wagers according to a ranking of participants in the progressive scoring method.

The method of distributing wagers may include applying the method to an existing wagering game in addition to an existing wagering scheme. For example, the outcomes in intermediate events may be rewarded according to existing wagering rules, and the described method of distributing wagers may be applied in addition to another method of distributing wagers. The method of distributing wagers may include distributing wagers to the highest-ranking participant.

The method of distributing wagers may include distributing wagers to participants ranking below the highest-ranking participant.

The method of distributing wagers may include distributing wagers to participants between events in a series of events according to the participants' ranking.

The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only with reference to the following drawing(s):

DRAWING(S)

In the drawing(s):

Figures 1 and 2 show progressive scoring methods in accordance with one aspect of the invention;

Figure 3 shows outcomes of races and scores allocated to the outcomes; Figure 4 shows another progressive scoring method in accordance with one aspect of the invention;

Figure 5 shows outcomes of races and scores allocated to the outcomes; Figures 6 and 7 show progressive scoring methods in accordance with one aspect of the invention; and

Figure 8 shows outcomes of races and scores allocated to the outcomes.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows a progressive scoring method in accordance with one aspect of the invention. In Figure 3, a table is shown in which scores were allocated to a number of legs in a series of horse races. In the odd columns, the horse numbers are shown against the positions they achieved in the respective legs, as indicated in the rows, from 1^st to 4^th. In the even columns, the points awarded to each position is indicated, with the same points allocated in legs 1 to 4 and incremental points allocated in legs 5 to 7.

In a first column of Figure 1 , punter's names are shown with the outcomes of the racing legs and the scores allocated to each punter shown in the columns. The first rows next to the punter's names show the punter's selection of a horse number for a position in the leg and the second rows next to the punter's names show scores awarded in the individual legs for the position selection of the punter. In a final column a cumulative score is shown next to each punter's name.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 3, horse number 7 obtained a 1 ^st place, number 3 obtained a 2^nd place, number 5 a 3^rd place, and number 1 a 4^th place. Five points were awarded for a 1^st place, 3 points for a 2^nd place, 2 points for a 3^rd place, and 1 point for a 4^th place. The same points were awarded for legs 1 to 4. For leg 5, six points were awarded for a 1 ^st place, 4 points for a 2^nd place, 2 points for a 3^rd place, and 1 point for a 4^th place. For leg 6, seven points were awarded for a 1 ^st place, 4 points for a 2^nd place, 2 points for a 3^rd place, and 1 point for a 4^th place. For leg 7, eight points were awarded for a 1^st place, 5 points for a 2^nd place, 3 points for a 3^rd place, and 1 point for a 4^th place. As can be seen, the points increased incrementally from the fifth to the seventh legs. In Figure 1 , punter's A to C's points were accumulated. As can be seen punter A accumulated the most points and punter C accumulated the least number of points. Punter A thus won the most points although no points were obtained for leg 3. In Figure 2 permutation wagers are shown where a punter is permitted to select more horses for a position, as indicated in the first rows next to the punter's names. The same scoring is applied in Figure 2 as in Figure 3, except that leg 5 is not scored according to the leg 5 indicated in Figure 3, but according to the normal scoring in legs 1 to 4 in Figure 3. In event of both of the horse numbers obtaining a position in Figure 2, only the highest position is allocated (the winning horse's number printed in bold). Furthermore in event of a dead heat, all punters are allocated the points for the place. In the event of one punter having selected both of the dead heat horses in a single permutation only one set of points will be accumulated. As can be seen in Figure 2, punter C obtained the highest score and punter A obtained the lowest score, even though punter C did not obtain any points for leg 5.

In Figures 4 and 5 results of legs in horse racing events are shown, with leg 2 of the races being allocated a reduced number of points for the positions. In leg 2, two points were awarded for a 1 ^st place, 1 point for a 2^nd place, 1 point for a 3^rd place, and 1 point for a 4^th place. In the other legs five points were awarded for a 1 ^st place, 3 points for a 2^nd place, 2 points for a 3^rd place, and 1 point for a 4^th place. This type of reduced point system will be implemented for example when previously unraced horses are entered to allow punters to evaluate the horses without being penalised by the leg.

The cumulative points earned by punters A to C are calculated in Figure 4. As can be seen, punter A won the most cumulative points with punter C having the least number of points.

In Figures 6 and 7 results of legs in horse racing events are shown with reference to the places and points shown in Figure 8. In Figure 6, legs 3 and 6 in the racing events are identified as bonus legs and as can be seen, the points allocated for those legs were multiplied by two (leg 3) and received an additional two points (leg 6) respectively.

In Figure 7 a punter has an option before an event to select a certain leg as a bonus leg. As can be seen, for points earned in a pre-selected bonus leg, the points are multiplied by a factor three.

In Figure 8, a table is shown in which scores were allocated to a number of legs in a series of horse races. In the odd columns, the horse numbers are shown against the positions they achieved in the respective legs, as indicated in the rows, from 1^st to 4^th. In the even columns, the points awarded to each position are indicated.

The invention holds the advantages that that participants are not eliminated during the course of the series of events, they do not compete against a system, but against each other, there is always a winner in the wagering scheme. Furthermore, the method is very flexible to accommodate any type of sport game or league of sport games and rewards can be adapted to suit a wide variety of sport games.

The present invention is a unique design that guarantees that players will progress through the different stages of the game all the way to the final leg of the event. This is a unique way to address one of the most serious flaws of existing games, which is the loss of the fun and entertainment aspects of the game through early and frequent elimination.

The inventor believes that with the present invention, as described, players are not required to beat the system but merely their fellow players in the pool game. This is a unique aspect in terms of determining winners in a racing multi-leg wagering game. It is an advantage of the invention that payouts are not restricted or limited to a pre-described outcome but are determined by the most correct prediction in an event or series of events as opposed to existing games which are paid out only to correct betting lines, such as having all the winners or a placed runner in each leg. Known games make provision for consolation dividends. For example in a known seven leg event, players will only win having chosen the winners of all 7 legs and sometimes a consolation dividend will be paid for having 6 and in some instances 5 winners. With the present invention a player could win without having any winners or only having one or two winners. Payouts are thus not linked to a specific achievement or limited to a certain outcome but to the best cumulative results, no matter how poor they might be on the day, will qualify.

Using a point's matrix such as described herein has never been used before to determine payouts for a pool-betting wager. The matrix options described herein, such as the incremental increases and bonus options are unique and have not been used before.

The inventor believes that the invention describes a new progressive scoring method and a new method of distributing wagers. It is believed that this method will add interest to games of chance, and in particular, that it will retain the interest of players throughout a series of events.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A progressive scoring method, which includes

allocating scores to outcomes of events in a series of events;

2. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the allocation of scores to outcomes of events includes allocating points to a particular predefined outcome.

3. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 2 in which different scores are applied to different events in the series of events.

4. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the scores are increased for outcomes towards the end of the series of races.

5. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 3, in which bonus points are allocated to certain events in the series of events.

6. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the bonus points are allocated by any one of adding bonus points to allocated points, and by multiplying allocated points with a bonus multiplication factor.

7. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 3, in which reduced points are allocated to certain events in the series of events.

8. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 1 , in which permitting multiple participants to predict the outcomes of a number of the events in the series of events includes receiving wagers on the outcomes of the events.

9. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 1 , in which ranking the participants according to a progressive score in a number of the events includes any one of publishing the ranking of the participants during the course of the series of events and publishing the ranking of the participants at the end of the series of events.

10. A method of distributing wagers, which includes

applying a progressive scoring method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 to events on which wagers are placed; and

distributing wagers according to a ranking of participants in the progressive scoring method.

1 1 . A method of distributing wagers as claimed in claim 10, which includes applying the method to an existing wagering game in addition to an existing wagering scheme.

12. A method of distributing wagers as claimed in claim 10, which includes distributing wagers to the highest-ranking participant.

13. A method of distributing wagers as claimed in claim 12, which includes distributing wagers to participants ranking below the highest-ranking participant.

14. A method of distributing wagers as claimed in claim 10, which includes distributing intermediate wagers to participants between events in a series of events according to the participants' ranking.

15. A method of distributing wagers as claimed in claim 10, which includes distributing wagers on a progressive basis to leading participants at intermediate stages in the series of events.

16. A method of distributing wagers as claimed in claim 10, which includes distributing wagers to leading participants for any one of a segment of a series of events and a segment of a single game.

17. A progressive scoring method as claimed in claim 1 , substantially as herein described and illustrated.

18. A method of distributing wagers as claimed in claim 10, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

19. A new progressive scoring method and a new method of distributing wagers, substantially as herein described.