Method and system for online prediction-based entertainment

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for online entertainment comprises the initial steps of providing a user identification system that enables a user to have access to an online community of contestants, and of offering an interactive selection of actual entertainment events to the user. Such a selection of actual entertainment events may be a string of occurrences, for instance, a football season with a certain number of games, or one or more occurrences within a string of occurrences, for instance, a group of games within the football season, or an isolated occurrence, for instance, a football game. The string of occurrences, such as the above mentioned football season or games, may have not yet begun or be already in progress. In other embodiments of the invention, a system and a computer program product are provided that provide online entertainment according to the above described method.

1 . A method for online prediction-based entertainment comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a user identification system that enables access to an online community of contestants;   (b) offering an interactive selection of actual entertainment events to a user, the actual entertainment events being scheduled to be performed,
 wherein the selection of actual entertainment events is a string of occurrences, one or more occurrences within a string of occurrences, or an isolated occurrence, and 
 wherein the string of occurrences has yet to begin or is in progress; 
   (c) requiring the user to select one or more of the actual entertainment events;   (d) enabling the user to make predictions on one or more features of the one or more of the actual entertainment events selected by the user, thereby testing the user's predictive capabilities; and   (e) recognizing the user with the best predictive capabilities for the one or more of the actual entertainment events.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user identification system is structured to provide the user with the option of adopting a user name different from his legal name. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the actual entertainment events are sport events, wherein the string of occurrences is a sport tournament, and wherein the occurrence is a sport match or a portion of a sport match. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predictive capabilities of the user are exposed to the entire online community or only to a portion of the online community. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of rewarding the user with a prize determined by a plurality of factors comprising the number of contestants and the amount of sponsoring revenues. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein a software program converts the predictions into points that are tabulated. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the points are awarded according to the accuracies of the predictions within predetermined prediction ranges. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predictive capabilities of the user are measured against members of a pre-identified portion of the online community. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing the user with customized statistical data about one or more of the user's predictive capabilities and of the actual entertainment events. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the customized statistical data are provided to the user by tabulating raw statistical data supplied by an outside source. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a moderator to the online community or to a portion of the online community. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the moderator is one user defining one or more of the actual entertainment events with a group of other members of the online community. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the group of other members predicts the performances of actual participants in actual entertainment events, and wherein the moderator insures that the predictions are provided in advance of the actual entertainment events. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user's participation in the online entertainment is free of charge. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user's participation to the online entertainment is subject to a monetary charge. 
   
   
       16 . A system for providing online prediction-based entertainment, the system comprising:
 a user terminal having a user interface that is interactive with a browser to communicate online; and   a server communicating online with the user terminal, wherein the server,
 provides the user terminal with a user identification system that enables access to an online community, 
 offers an interactive selection of actual entertainment events to a user by displaying the interactive selection on the user terminal, the actual entertainment events being scheduled to be performed,
 wherein the selection of actual entertainment events is a string of occurrences, one or more occurrences within a string of occurrences, or an isolated occurrence, and 
 wherein the string of occurrences has yet to begin or is in progress, 
 
 requires the user to select one or more of the actual entertainment events, 
 enables the user to make predictions on one or more features of the one or more of the actual entertainment events selected by the user, thereby testing the user's predictive capabilities, and 
 recognizes the user with the best predictive capabilities for the one or more of the actual entertainment events. 
   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the user identification system is structured to provide the user with the option of adopting a user name different from his real name. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1   6 , wherein the actual entertainment events are sport events, wherein the string of occurrences is a sport tournament, and wherein the occurrence is a sport match or a portion of a sport match. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1   6 , wherein the predictive capabilities of the user are exposed to the entire online community or only to a portion of the online community. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 1   9 , wherein the server calculates and displays rewards for the user with the best predictive capabilities according to plurality of factors comprising the number of contestants and the amount of advertising sponsors. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein a software program converts the predictions into points that are tabulated. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the points are awarded according to the accuracies of the predictions within predetermined prediction ranges. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 1   8 , wherein the predictive capabilities of the user are measured against members of a pre-identified portion of the online community. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 1   6 , wherein the server further provides the user with customized statistical data about one or more of the user's predictive capabilities and of the actual entertainment events. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the customized statistical data are provided to the user by tabulating raw statistical data supplied by an outside source. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 1   6 , wherein the server further provides access to a moderator to the online community or to a portion of the online community. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the moderator is one user defining one or more of the actual entertainment events with a group of other members of the online community. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the group of other users predicts the performances of actual participants in actual entertainment events, and wherein the moderator insures that the predictions are provided in advance of the actual entertainment events. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the user's participation in the online entertainment is free of charge. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 1   6 , wherein the user's participation to the online entertainment is subject to a monetary charge. 
   
   
       31 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for online prediction-based entertainment, the computer program product comprising:
 computer readable program code for causing the computer to provide a user identification system that enables access to an online community of contestants;   computer readable program code for causing the computer to offer an interactive selection of actual entertainment events to a user, wherein the actual entertainment events are scheduled to be performed, wherein the selection of actual entertainment events is a string of occurrences, one or more occurrences within a string of occurrences, or an isolated occurrence, and wherein the string of occurrences has yet to begin or is in progress;   computer readable program code for causing the computer to require the user to select one or more of the actual entertainment events;   computer readable program code for causing the computer to enable the user to make predictions on one or more features of the one or more of the actual entertainment events selected by the user, thereby testing the user's predictive capabilities; and   computer readable program code for causing the computer to recognize the user with the best predictive capabilities for the one or more of the actual entertainment events.