Lottery system based on sporting events

Abstract

A method of conducting a lottery using sporting events as a basis of defining a winning condition for the lottery, comprising the steps of: identifying a group of scheduled sporting events 11 , associating the group of sporting events with single lottery competition 12 , defining a plurality of parameters comprising predictions to be made by a lottery participant with respect to the win/loss outcomes of the group of sporting events 13 , charging a fee to participate in the lottery competition 14 , providing a prediction request to the participant to enable reporting of predictions made by the participant regarding win/loss outcomes of the sporting events 15 , and assigning cash award amounts to participants that are at least partially successful in predicting a majority of sporting event outcomes 16 , said amounts being based on a total of fees paid by the participants in the lottery competition.

1 . A method of conducting a lottery using sporting events as a basis of defining winning conditions for the lottery, said method comprising the steps of:
 a) identifying a group of scheduled sporting events;   b) associating the group of sporting events with a lottery competition;   c) defining a plurality of parameters comprising predictions to be made by a lottery participant with respect to the win/loss outcomes of the group of sporting events;   d) charging a fee to participate in the lottery competition;   e) providing a prediction request to the participant to enable reporting of the predictions made by the participant regarding will/loss outcomes of the sporting events;   f) assigning award amounts to the participants that are at least partially successful in predicting a majority of sporting event outcomes, said amounts being based on a total of fees paid by the participants in the lottery competition; and   g) carrying awards over to a next game if no participant fulfills the winning conditions.   
   
   
       2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the events are approximately coincident in time of play. 
   
   
       3 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the events are spread over a period of several days. 
   
   
       4 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the events are selected from a group consisting of football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, softball, hockey, skiing, snowboarding, skating, bicycle racing, horse racing, vehicle racing, gymnastics, swimming, boxing, extreme sports, and track and field. 
   
   
       5 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the events are selected from a single sport. 
   
   
       6 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the events are selected from a group of events in at least two or more sports. 
   
   
       7 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a difference of two team's final scores (point spread). 
   
   
       8 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a tie game status for events in which a tie outcome is allowed. 
   
   
       9 . A method as defined  8 , wherein the tie condition can occur by an event winner prevailing by exactly a given point spread. 
   
   
       10 . A method as defined  1 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a score outcome to be either over a given point total or under a given point total. 
   
   
       11 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a ranking order of competitors in the event. 
   
   
       12 . A method as defined  11 , wherein only a segment of the order is predicted. 
   
   
       13 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the participant's predictions are a combination of outcome possibilities. 
   
   
       14 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the participant may predict multiple outcomes of the same event. 
   
   
       15 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein predictions are made on alternate events in an instance of a cancellation of the original event. 
   
   
       16 . A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for processing a lotter event, said method steps comprising:
 a) generating a list of scheduled sporting events;   b) creating prediction requests for lottery participants based on the list;   c) recording predictions by the participants of win/loss outcome(s) for the event(s);   d) collecting an entry fee along with the prediction requests from the participants;   e) placing the predictions in a lottery;   f) comparing predicted results from each of the participants with actual outcome(s) of the sporting events;   g) awarding specified prizes to the participants that are at least partially successful in predicting a majority of the win/loss outcomes, said prizes being based on a total of fees paid by all of the participants in the lottery; and   h) carrying the awards over to later lotteries in the case that no participant is partially successful in predicting the outcomes.   
   
   
       17 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the events are approximately coincident in time of play. 
   
   
       18 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the events are spread over a period of several days. 
   
   
       19 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the events are selected from a group consisting of football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, softball, hockey, skiing, snowboarding, skating, bicycle racing, horse racing, vehicle racing, gymnastics, swimming, boxing, extreme sports, and track and field. 
   
   
       20 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the events are selected from a single sport. 
   
   
       21 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the events are selected from a group of events in at least two sports. 
   
   
       22 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a difference of two team's final scores (point spread). 
   
   
       23 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a tie game status for events in which a tie outcome is allowed. 
   
   
       24 . A method as defined  23 , wherein the tie condition can occur by an event winner prevailing by exactly a given point spread. 
   
   
       25 . A method as defined  16 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a score outcome to be either over a given point total or under a given point total. 
   
   
       26 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the win/loss outcome includes a ranking order of competitors in the event. 
   
   
       27 . A method as defined  26 , wherein only a segment of the order is predicted. 
   
   
       28 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the participant's predictions are a combination of outcome possibilities. 
   
   
       29 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the participant may predict multiple outcomes of the same event. 
   
   
       30 . A method as defined in  claim 16 , wherein predictions are made on alternate events in an instance of a cancellation of the event. 
   
   
       31 . A computer program product comprising:
 a computer usable medium having a computer readable code means embodied in said medium for processing a lottery event, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising:   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to generate a list of scheduled sporting events;   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to create prediction requests for lottery participants based on the list;   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to record predictions by the participants of win/loss outcome(s) for the event(s);   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to collect an entry fee along with the prediction requests from the participants;   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to place the predictions in a lottery;   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to compare predicted results from each of the participants with actual outcome(s) of the sporting events;   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to award specified prizes to the participants that are at least partially successful in predicting a majority of the win/loss outcomes, said prizes being based on a total of fees paid by all of the participants in the lottery; and   a computer readable program code means for causing the computer to carry the awards over to later lotteries in the case that no participant is partially successful in predicting the outcomes.