WO2003010725A2

WO2003010725A2 - Totalizator-type gambling game method

Info

Publication number: WO2003010725A2
Application number: PCT/RU2001/000405
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dmitry Anatolievich Zascherinsky
Original assignee: Zascherinsky Dmitry Anatolievi
Priority date: 2001-07-25
Filing date: 2001-10-10
Publication date: 2003-02-06
Also published as: AU2001294451A1; WO2003010725A3; AU2001294451A8; RU2203716C2

Abstract

The invention relates to gambling games, viz., totalizator (mutual bet) games where players can stake on the outcome of a certain really occurring event. The method in question can be used with the aid of a central computer at the totalizator organizer's and peripherals connected to it at the game participants'. Portable computers, PC, mobile phones and any other possible communication facilities can be used as peripherals. The objective of the invention is to create a method of totalizator gambling, that would be highly entertaining for participants and highly profitable for the totalizator organizer due to the fact that players are able to observe the actual event and to stake on the outcome of such an event in real time. This objective is achieved by a totalizator gambling method under which the totalizator organizer having a central computer station connected with a network of peripheral devices belonging to the players announces the terms of the totalizator before the event, on the outcome of which the players will stake, whereupon the organizer invites the players to stake on the outcome of the announced event, the players stake according to the rules established by the totalizator organizer, the organizer registers and identifies the game players, keeps a record of players' stakes and a record of event outcome, defines the winning stakes and amount of gain per stake, informs the players on the totalizator result, and effects settlements with the winners, and the players can, while watching a real event, stake on the event outcome in the course of the event development, the totalizator organizer subdividing the real event time into access periods, during which the players may stake, assigning a special coefficient to each access period, which determines the gain amount for the players' stakes of the respective access period, and in each subsequent access period from the commencement of the event, the size of the special coefficient decreases, and prior to the event ending th totalizator organizer established a no-access period, when the players cannot stake, and at the end of each access period the totalizator organizer establishes an interval, during which stakes are accepted at the organizer's discretion or with a special coefficient of the access period during which the stake was made, or by the organizer's decision such a stake is postponed to the next access period with the corresponding special coefficient.

Description

TOTALIZATOR-TYPE GAMBLING GAME METHOD

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to gambling games, in particular, to the games of "totalizator" type ("mutual bet"), wherein players can stake on the result of any event actually taking place, for example, the result of sporting event - football, hockey, basketball match or horse race at hippodromes, which are live broadcast on TV, radio or via computer networks. The applied method can be performed using a central PC operated by the totalizator organizer, and various peripheral devices operated by the players and connected with the central PC. Portable computers, PC, mobile telephones, or any other possible means of communication can be used as peripheral devices. This method can also be used to perform any event actually taking place, which can be of interest for the players, and the result of which the player can stake on, for example on the results of Presidential election, etc. BACKGROUND ART

There is a method of gambling, e. g., making mutual bets at hippodromes ("Rules of Mutual Bets (Totalizator) at Hippodromes" Moscow, printing house "Stalinskiy Sokol", 1948, pp. 3-6), wherein the players make their bets with respect to the result of testing horses participating in a heat. The stakes are accepted in the totalizator cash desk 30 minutes prior to the heat, and they stop selling tickets simultaneously with the horse start in each heat by ring of the main referee. Various kinds of stakes exist: "single", "double", and "express" stakes. An the end of the heat, the main referee determines the result of the event, for which the stakes have been made, and makes settlements with the players depending on the stake type. Deductions in favour of the hippodrome in the amount of 25% of the total stake sum for each heat and for each type of totalizator are made, and the remaining sum is paid pursuant to the stakes won.

However, such type of totalizator does not provide a possibility of making stakes in the course of a sporting event depending on actual event development during a particular competition.

Methods of gambling are known, wherein global and local computer networks and up-to-date comrnunication means are used, e. g., mobile telephones, TV, modems ("Method and System of Automated Tournament Conduct", RU Patent No. 2137190, priority of January 27, 1995, G06F19/00: "Gaming Device System", RU patent application No. 97114747/09, priority of August 27, 1997, G06F19/00: "Method and System for Automated Tournaments", RU patent application No. 96117375/09, priority of August 27, 1996, G06F19/00).

These methods are intended to conduct virtual games with a large number of participants with different locations. Each of the players has his/her own gaming device (mobile telephone, peripheral computer, local network of peripheral computers, portable computer), which is connected with the administrator's (game organizer's) central computer. Before starting the tournament, the players are registered on the server of the administrator's central computer, wherein thereafter the players' teams are formed through random sampling. After that, the generated teams start virtual games in the computer networks with each other.

However, such systems and methods do not cover virtual electronic games, are not related to actual sporting events, and are not designed to conduct gambling like "totalizator" in a computer network. There is a "Method for Games on Video Monitors" (RU patent No. 2088293, priority of August 9, 1994, A63F9/22), which allows to combine electronic game with TV broadcasting of actual sporting event, e. g., car race. However, this method does not provide a possibility to conduct gambling of "totalizator" type with respect to the result of the sporting event.

There is a method of virtual games of "casino" type in the global and local computer networks, wherein the game participants have the opportunity to make stakes or mutual bets with other participants with respect to the result of the virtual game (RU patent No. 2095112, priority of July 27, 1995, A63F9/22). This method has been chosen as a prototype.

The method chosen as a prototype is implemented using electronic gaming system described in RU patent No. 2102790 (priority of July 27, 1995, G06F19/00).

According to the prototype method, the game is held as follows. There is a central computer station belonging to an administrator (game organizer) and connected with peripheral devices network belonging to the players, which can be implemented in the form of personal computers or local computer networks, mobile telephones, or portable computer devices. This gaming method is designed for virtual computer games, e. g., "point", "preference", "roulette", "poker" "chess" (see fig. 9, RU patent No. 2102790).

Before starting the game, the players are registered using passwords or individual codes on the central administrator's computer. A player has the right to choose virtual game, wherein he/she would like to participate, or which he/she will watch in the interactive mode. A player can choose another player or a team of players as a partner using a computer network. In addition, a player can make stakes or mutual bet

(totalizator) with the other players, who have registered with the administrator, with respect to the result of the event in the virtual game. For this purpose, the player should place money on deposit to the administrator's game account. The administrator registers and identifies the players, accepts and records the players' stakes made prior to the virtual game, keeps a protocol of the events results for each virtual game, determines the stakes won and the prize amount per stake, and informs the players of the totalizator results. After that, the administrator makes settlement with the players who have won.

However, this method is not entertaining enough, since game events combinations are restricted by the set of virtual games available on the administrator's central computer server, and are not connected with actual events.

In addition, the results of the research show that participation or watching actual sporting events produce a higher positive psychological & emotional effect on a human related to the "presence effect" than watching virtual games. Moreover, the negative effect of virtual games on a human mind is generally known.

Therefore, virtual games are not entertaining and attractive for the players as compared to the games (events) actually taking place.

Thus, insufficient entertaining effect of the game described in the prototype is related to the fact that the totalizator players cannot observe a real event actually taking place, and make stakes in the course of the event depending on the development of the game situation in the real event.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to create a method of a gambling game of "totalizator" type, which is highly entertaining for the players and profitable for the totalizator organizer owing to the fact that the players can watch an event, which actually is taking place, make stakes with respect to the result thereof in the course of its development.

The above purpose is achieved by the proposed method of gambling game of "totalizator" type, where a totalizator organizer having a central computer station connected with the network of peripheral devices belonging to the players, declares the terms of the totalizator before an event for the result of which the players will make stakes, whereupon the organizer invites the players to make stakes with respect to the result of the event declared, the players make their stakes pursuant to the rules established by the totalizator organizer, the organizer registers and identifies the game players, keeps the protocol of stakes made by the players and protocol of event results, defines the winning stakes and amount of prize per stake, informs the players of the totalizator result, and makes settlements with the winners, and the players can, while watching a real event, make stakes with respect to the event result in the course of the event development, and the totalizator organizer subdivides the real event time into the access periods, during which the players can make stakes, assigns a special coefficient to each access period, which determines the prize amount for the stakes made by the players during the access period, and in each subsequent access period from the commencement of the event, the size of the special coefficient decreases, and prior to the event ending the totalizator organizer establishes non-access period, when the players cannot make their stakes, and at the end of each period the totalizator organizer establishes an interval, during which the stakes are accepted at the organizer's discretion or with a special coefficient of the access period, wherein the stake was made, or by the organizer's decision this stake is postponed to the next access period with a corresponding special coefficient.

The possibility for the players to make their stakes in the course of the development of the event, which actually is taking place, and which they can watch allows to make the totalizator considerably more entertaining.

It is well known that in conventional totalizators such negative thing as bookmaking, which is prohibited by the game rules, is very common. After the commencement of the event, with respect to the result of which the stakes have been made, and closing of the cash desk, which accepts stakes, the players cannot make stakes pursuant to the rules of the conventional totalizator. However, contrary to the rules, being under a strong impression from a real event, the players start making bets with each other, omitting the totalizator organizer (unauthorized bookmaking), which causes sufficient material damage to the game organizers. Therefore, the proposed method takes into account a strong psychological & emotional effect of a real event caused to the players, in particular, where the stake was incorrect, and the player has an opportunity to adjust his/her position without violating the rules by making a new stake depending on the actually developing event.

Due to the fact that the players are provided with an opportunity to make their stakes after the commencement of the event, the proposed method allows in practice to exclude unauthorized bookmaking, to increase profits for the totalizator organizers, to attract a larger number of players and to considerably improve its entertaining effect.

Since the probability of the event result increases as the event develops, as well as the number of players who can correctly guess the result of the event, the organizer subdivides the time of the real event into access periods, during which the players can make their stakes. A special coefficient is assigned to each access period, which determines the prize amount for the stakes made by the players during such a period. The size of the special coefficient decreases from the commencement to the end of the event, and therefore, the prize amount per stake decreases, since as the event draws to its close, the probability of guessing the correct result (the event outcome) by the players increases. Thus, the establishment of the special coefficients and values thereof allows taking into account the interests of the totalizator organizer and players.

In order to make the game more entertaining and observe the balance of interests of the players and totalizator organizer, the latter, before the expiration of the event, enters non-access period, during which the players cannot make their stakes. If the players could make their stakes directiy before the event ending, it would result in the absolute loss of the totalizator's entertaining effect, since there would be no losers.

The insertion of the intervals at the end of each access period, during which the totalizator organizer accepts stakes at his/her discretion (with a special coefficient of current access period, or the stake is postponed to the next access period with a correspondingly lower special coefficient) is connected with the limitation of technical capabilities (processing speed) of the central computer station of the organizer related to processing (acceptance, registering and identification) of the stakes made by the players at the end of current access period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The essence of the invention is defined using drawings. Fig. 1 shows the layout of the totalizator-type gambling game based on the proposed invention.

Totalizator organizer 1 having the central computer station connected with players' peripheral devices 4 (number of players from 1 to N) declares through the mass media (television, radio, press) or on its computer server the totalizator rules (box 2) and invites the players to make their stakes (box 3). Players 4, who expressed their intention to participate in the totalizator, make their stakes within the access periods (box 6) selected by them, using their peripheral devices. A respective special coefficient (k₂ - kj is assigned to each access period APj - AP_n, which determines the prize size for each stake wit-hin the given access period. Mobile telephones, personal computers, portable personal computers, computer networks, or other hardware providing operational communication with the totalizator organizer's central computer 1 can be used by players 4 as communication peripherals. Totalizator organizer 1 accepts the players' stakes (box 5), registers and identifies these stakes (box 7) using the central computer station. Fig. 2 represents the system for the acceptance of the players' stakes pursuant to the proposed method using a football match as an example. The time of the event (football match) commencement and end is indicated on time axis t. The football match consists of the first and the second halves. The totalizator organizer subdivides the time of the first half into three access periods AP_t, AP₂, and AP₃, during which the players have the right to make their stakes. The second half is subdivided by the totalizator organizer into three access periods AP₄, AP₅, and AP₆, during which the players can make their stakes, and a non-access period NAP, during which players' stakes are not accepted (the size of the special coefficient ko for this period is equal to zero). An appropriate coefficient

is assigned to each access period, which determines the size of the prize for the stakes made within the corresponding access period. By this k^ < k₅ < k₄ < k₃ < k₂ < k^ At the end of each access period interval I is introduced, during which stakes are accepted at the organizer's discretion, i. e., the stake will be accepted by the organizer's decision with a special coefficient of current period k_^ or postponed to the next period with a special coefficient k^. For example, a player has made a stake within the interval I in the fourth access period AP₄ with the respective special coefficient k₄. The totalizator organizer can accept this stake with a coefficient k₄ (if he processed this stake before the expiration of the access period AP₄) or postpone this stake to the next access period AP₅ with a special coefficient k₅. Within the interval of the last access period adjacent to the non- access period NAP, the totalizator organizer will either take a decision to accept the stake with a special coefficient for the last access period (in this example AP₆ with a special coefficient k6), or assign a special coefficient ko = 0 to the stake, which will correspond to the refusal to accept the stake.

The totalizator organizer 1 (see Fig. 1) keeps a record of the stakes and a record of the event outcome (box 8). After the event is over, the organizer determines the winning stakes and the size of the gain for each stake (box 9), after which he/she reports the results of the totalizator (box 10) to the players and effects settlement with the players (box 11).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Here is an example of a game according to the declared method, where the gain size is deterrnined by the stakes.

Three players staking on the outcome of a football match take part in the game. The totalizator organizer announces the game terms as shown in Fig. 2. The football match is broken by the organizer into 6 access periods (AP_X - AP₆), with respective special coefficients assigned to each access period: k^l, k₂=0,7, k₃=0,5, 1^=0,3, k₅=0,l, l^ =0,05, and with a no-access period NAP in the second half, when the players cannot stake.

The totalizator organizer accepts stakes by two types of betting, that differ by the types of stakes allowed to the players and by the methods of calculating the gain.

With the first type of totalizator, the stake size was fixed and, in this example, was equal to 10 roubles. The number of stakes allowed to each player in each access period is not limited.

The gain size of each player in this type of totalizator is fixed and it was calculated by the organizer as follows:

*^■ gain \f fixed stake foed stake ^ ^1 ^ ^B1 fixed stake "fixed stake x k^ x C^ + . . . + (P_fc_{ed st}o_ke + P_fi_{xed stake} X ) x C_∞, where P_g^ - is the size of the gain of each player, P_f e st _ke - *^{s me} size of the fixed stake (10 roubles in this example),

^...n - is the size of the special coefficient in the respective access period, ι_...Bn " is ^e number of winning stakes in the respective access period. Let us consider the option of calculating the gain with the first type of totalizator, when the stake size is fixed.

As can be seen from Table 1, player 1 has staked once in the access period APj. Player 2 has staked five times in the access period AP₄, however, one of the stakes took place in the I interval, and the totalizator organizer has not managed to process it, due to which one of the five stakes has been postponed by the organizer's decision to the next access period AP₅, with the respective coefficient k₅=0,l. Player 3 has staked once in each access period. Thus, there have been 12 stakes all in all during the game.

After the football match was over, the organizer determined the winning stakes according to the outcome of the match.

Two stakes out of 12 have won, viz.: the stake of player 1 of AP_t (k_t=l) and the stake of player 3 of AP₆ (1^=0,05).

Thus, the size of the gain of player 1 in the first type of totalizator is:

= (Pfixed stake + Pfixed stake X )

(10+10xl)xl= 20 roubles.

Player 2 has no winning stakes.

The size of the gain of player 3 in the first type of totalizator is:

giun3 ^— ( "fixed stake ~^l~ "fixed stake ^X ^1 ^X ^B1 ^"*^" V. "fixed stake ^"*^" "fixed stake

X K2) X _B2 + (1 feed stake ^""^" ^ fixed stake ^X ^3) X _B3 + (1 _{6χcd stafce} + 1 _{ed stake}

X K₄) X C_B4 + (1 feed _stake + 1 fe_ed stake ^X ^5 ^X ^B5 ~*~ ( "fixed stake ^""^" *^■ fixed stake x k,) x C_B6 = (10 + 10 x 1) x 0 + (10 + 10 x 0,7) x 0 + (10 + 10 x 0,5) x 0 + (10 + 10 x 0,3) x 0 + (10 + 10 x 0,1) x 0 + (10 + 10 x 0,05) x 1 = 10 roubles 50 kopecks.

The income of the totalizator organizer has amounted to:

120 roubles - (20 roubles + 10 roubles 50 kopecks) = 89 roubles 50 kopecks.

The record of the results by the first type of totalizator is given in Table 2.

In the second type of totalizator the stakes were arbitrary, i.e. the players could stake with any amounts in any access period, the income of the totalizator organizer being fixed and making in this example 25% of the total amount collected in the cash of the totalizator.

The gain size of each player in the second type of totalizator is determined as follows: Firsdy, the size of the prize money is determined:

Ppώe = OGcash - Δfix, where

P_pi_ze - i^s the ^si^2e °f the prize money,

OG_cash - is the total amount of returns in the totalizator organizer's cash, equal to the sum total of all accepted stakes, and Λ_fi_x - is the fixed income of the totalizator organizer (25% in the example).

Then the size of the conventional unit stake is determined: _c = Pprize / (ki x C.1 + ^k2 x C_B2 + • • • + K x C_Bn), where y_c - is the size of the conventional unit stake;

P_pri_ze - is the size of the prize money, kj _n - is the size of the special coefficient in the respective access period, ι..._Bn - i the number of the winning stakes in the respective access period.

The player's gain size is determined as follows:

P_ga^ V_c X k,_... ^, where ki_.._{. n} ⁸^¹ " is the size of the special coefficient of the respective access period of the winning stake.

As can be seen from Table 3, in the second type of totalizator player 1 staked 300 roubles in the access period AP₅. Player 2 staked 100 roubles in the access period AP_t and 300 roubles in the access period AP₂. Player 3 staked 100 roubles in the access period APj and 300 roubles in the access period AP₆. At the same time, player 2 staked 300 roubles in the I interval in the access period AP₂. The organizer has managed to process this stake of the player, and therefore, upon decision of the organizer, it was accepted as the stake of access period AP₂ with the respective special coefficient k₂= 0,7.

After the football match was over, the totalizator organizer determined the winning stakes. Two stakes have won, viz., the stake of player 1 in the access period AP₅ and the stake of player 3 in the access period AP₆.

The gain size was determined as follows: sum total in the totalizator cash 06_cash = 1100 roubles; 25% deductions from that amount to the totalizator organizer's income A_&x — 275 roubles;

P_pri_ze = 06_cash - A_fi_x = 1100 roubles - 275 roubles = 825 roubles;

V_c = P_pri2e / (k₅ x C_B5 + k, x C_B6) = 825 roubles / (0,1 x 1 + 0,05 x 1) = 5500 roubles; the gain size of player 1 P^ = Y_c x k₅= 5500 x 0,1 = 550 roubles; the gain size of player 3 P_g^ = Y_c x k₆= 5500 x 0,05 = 275 roubles. The record of results by the second type of totalizator is shown in Table 4.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Thus, the proposed method of totalizator gambling is highly entertaining for participants and highly profitable for the totalizator organizer due to the fact that players are able to Observe the actual event and to stake on the outcome of the event in real time; it makes it possible to preclude unauthorized bookmaker activities and to attract many players.

Table 1

Record of Totalizator Stakes with Fixed Size

Table 2

Record of Totalizator Results with Fixed Size Stakes

Table 3

Record of Totalizator Stakes with Arbitrary Size

Table 4

Record of Totalizator Results with Arbitrary Size Stakes

Claims

A totalizator gambling method under which the totalizator organizer having a central computer station connected with a network of peripheral devices belonging to the players announces the terms of the totalizator before the event, on the outcome of which the players will stake, whereupon the organizer invites the players to stake on the outcome of the announced event, the players stake according to the rules established by the totalizator organizer, the organizer registers and identifies the game players, keeps a record of players' stakes and a record of event outcome, defines the winning stakes and amount of gain per stake, informs the players on the totalizator result, and effects settlements with the winners, DISTINGUISHED by the fact that the players can, while watching a real event, stake on the event outcome in the course of the event development, the totalizator organizer subdividing the real event time into access periods, during which the players may stake, assigning a special coefficient to each access period, which determines the gain amount for the players' stakes of the respective access period, and in each subsequent access period from the commencement of the event, the size of the special coefficient decreases, and prior to the event ending the totalizator organizer establishes a no-access period, when the players cannot stake, and at the end of each access period the totalizator organizer establishes an interval, during which stakes are accepted at the organizer's discretion or with a special coefficient of the access period during which the stake was made, or by the organizer's decision such a stake is postponed to the next access period with the corresponding special coefficient.

25

the organizer invites the players to stake on the outcome of the announced event, the players stake according to the rules established by the totalizator organizer, the organizer registers and identifies the game players, keeps a record of players' stakes and a record of event outcome, defines the winning stakes and amount of gain per stake, informs the players on the totalizator result, and effects settlements with the winners, and the players can, while watching a real event, stake on the event outcome in the course of the event development, the totalizator organizer subdividing the real event time into access periods, during which the players may stake, assigning a special coefficient to each access period, which determines the gain amount for the players' stakes of the respective access period, and in each subsequent access period from the commencement of the event, the size of the special coefficient decreases, and prior to the event ending the totalizator organizer establishes a no-access period, when the players cannot stake, and at the end of each access period the totalizator organizer establishes an interval, during which stakes are accepted at the organizer's discretion or with a special coefficient of the access period during which the stake was made, or by the organizer's decision such a stake is postponed to the next access period with the corresponding special coefficient.