Method and apparatus for wagering on a random chance event

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention comprises a gaming environment that enables players to wager on the final disposition of a random chance event. For instance, the invention provides players with a way to wager on the outcome of a simulated coin flip, the roll of a dice, or any other random chance event. The player sets a wager, registers an anticipated prediction (e.g., heads or tails) of the coin, and then initiates the flipping of the coin via a gaming interface that is connected to a gaming engine. The player wins when the gaming engine determines the registered anticipated outcome is the same as the final disposition of the coin. When the player wins the player receives an increase in the player's account balance equal to a certain percentage (e.g. one hundred percent (100%)) of the wagered amount minus any game fee. The game fee is defined as any percentage subtracted from the players winnings. In the event that the registered prediction differs from the final disposition of the coin (e.g., the player predicted heads and the simulated coin landed on tails), the entire wagered amount is subtracted from the account balance. The random number generator provides players with odds akin to that of an actual coin flip. Thus, the odds of winning in accordance with one embodiment of the invention are mathematically fifty percent (50%) each time the user flips the simulated coin.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer usable medium having computer readable program code for enabling a player to wager on a random chance event embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to: 
 present a gaming interface to said player;  
 obtain a wager from said player via said gaming interface;  
 obtain a predicted outcome from said player via said gaming interface;  
 execute a random number generator configured to simulate a random chance event when said player has completed entering said wager and said predicted outcome;  
 obtain an actual outcome using output from said random number generator;  
 inform said player of a win if said predicted outcome matches said actual outcome derived by said execution of said random number generator.  
   
     
     
         2 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said random number generator executes on a gaming engine separable from said gaming interface.  
     
     
         3 . The computer program product of  claim 2  wherein said gaming interface is coupled to said gaming engine via an interconnection fabric.  
     
     
         4 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said wager comprises an item having monetary value.  
     
     
         5 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said wager comprises credits earned by said player for performing at least one certain action.  
     
     
         6 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said wager comprises fun money having no monetary value.  
     
     
         7 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said wager activates a play button in said gaming interface when said wager exceeds a minimum amount.  
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said play button in said gaming interface deactivates when said wager is above a certain threshold.  
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said predicted outcome comprises a guess of said actual outcome derived by said random number generator.  
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said gaming interface comprises an animation window for displaying a visual depiction of said random chance event simulated by said random number generator.  
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said random chance event comprises a binary event.  
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11  wherein said binary event comprises a simulated coin flip.  
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 1  further comprising computer readable program code configured to: 
 determine a win amount associated with said wager when said predicted outcome matches said actual outcome;  
 deduct a game fee from said win amount to derive a last win amount;  
 distribute said last win amount to an account associated with said player.  
 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein said game fee comprises a fixed amount.  
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 13  wherein said game fee comprises a variable amount.  
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15  where said variable amount depends upon said wager obtained from said player.  
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 1  wherein said actual outcome generated by said random number generator is a first choice fifty percent of the time said random number generator is executed.  
     
     
         18 . A method for enabling a player to wager on a random chance event comprising: 
 obtaining a wager from a player via a gaming interface;    obtaining a predicted outcome from said player via said gaming interface;    executing a random number generator configured to simulate a random chance event when said player has completed entering said wager and said predicted outcome;    obtaining an actual outcome using output generated by said random number generator;    informing said player of a win if said predicted outcome matches said actual outcome.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said random number generator executes on a gaming engine separable from said gaming interface.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said gaming interface is coupled to said gaming engine via an interconnection fabric.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said wager comprises an item having monetary value.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said wager comprises credits earned by said player for performing a certain action.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said wager comprises fun money having no monetary value.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said wager activates a play button in said gaming interface when said wager exceeds a minimum amount.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said play button in said gaming interface deactivates when said wager is above a certain threshold.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said predicted outcome comprises a guess of said actual outcome derived by said random number generator.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said gaming interface comprises an animation window for displaying a visual depiction of said random chance event simulated by said random number generator.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said random chance event comprises a binary event.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said binary event comprises a simulated coin flip.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 determining a win amount associated with said wager when said predicted outcome matches said actual outcome;  
 deducting a game fee from said win amount to derive a last win amount;  
 associating said last win amount with an account associated with said player.  
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said game fee comprises a fixed amount.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said game fee comprises a variable amount.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  where said variable amount depends upon said wager obtained from said player.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said actual outcome generated by said random number generator is a first choice fifty percent of the time said random number generator is executed.  
     
     
         35 . An apparatus for enabling a player to wager on at least one random chance event comprising: 
 a processor;    memory coupled to said processor;    a gaming engine configured to interface with a gaming interface via an interconnection fabric, said gaming engine configured to: 
 obtain a wager from a player;  
 obtain a predicted outcome from said player;  
 simulate a random chance event by executing a random number generator when said gaming engine has obtained said wager and said predicted outcome;  
 obtain an actual simulated outcome of said random chance event using output generated by said random number generator;  
 inform said player of a win if said predicted outcome matches said actual outcome.  
   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said wager comprises an item having monetary value.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said wager comprises credits earned by said player for performing at least one predetermined action.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said wager comprises fun money having no monetary value.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said wager activates a play button in said gaming interface when said wager exceeds a minimum amount.  
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said play button in said gaming interface deactivates when said wager is above a certain threshold.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said predicted outcome comprises a guess of said actual outcome derived by said random number generator.  
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said gaming interface comprises an animation window for displaying a visual depiction of said random chance event simulated by said random number generator.  
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said random chance event comprises a binary event.  
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43  wherein said binary event comprises a simulated coin flip.  
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said gaming engine is further configured to: 
 determine a win amount associated with said wager when said predicted outcome matches said actual outcome;  
 deduct a game fee from said win amount to derive a last win amount;  
 credit or debit said last win amount to an account associated with said player.  
 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45  wherein said game fee comprises a fixed amount.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 45  wherein said game fee comprises a variable amount.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47  where said variable amount depends upon said wager obtained from said player.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said actual outcome generated by said random number generator is a first choice fifty percent of the time said random number generator is executed.  
     
     
         50 . A method for enabling a player to wager on a random chance event comprising: 
 obtaining a wager from at least one player via a gaming interface;    obtaining a predicted outcome from said at least one player via said gaming interface;    executing a random number generator configured to simulate a random chance event when said at least one player has completed entering said wager and said predicted outcome; wherein said random chance event comprises multiple simulated coin tosses;    determining an actual outcome using output generated by said random number generator;    informing said at least one player of a win if said predicted outcome matches said actual outcome.    
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein a hosting entity deducts a fee from each of said at least one player's account after said random number generator executes.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  wherein said wager represents an item having monetary value.