Systems and Methods for Providing Gaming Activities

Abstract

Described herein are various systems and methods for providing gaming activities, these particularly relating to gaming activities where a plurality of players provide respective entry fees. Traditional gaming activities necessarily involve the player putting his or her entry fee at risk. The present invention, at least in some of its preferred forms, modifies the traditional approaches of operating such gaming activities so that the player's entry fee is not necessarily placed entirely at risk. Indeed, in some embodiments a player is provided with an option to participate on the basis that his or her entry fee is wholly refundable while retaining the opportunity to win prizes, potentially alongside more risky though still modified participation by other players.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A computer system configured to provide a lottery game wherein:
 a first category of player participates on the basis that, for a player belonging to the first category, an entry fee provided by that player is refundable in the case that a prize is not won by that player in relation to the entry fee; and   a second category of player participates on the basis that, for a player belonging to the second category, an entry fee provided by that player is forfeited in the case that a prize is not won by that player in relation to the entry fee;   wherein players belonging to the first category and the second category are eligible to win a common prize.   
   
   
       22 . A computer system according to  claim 21  wherein:
 prizes are awarded on a periodic basis subject to draws of the gaming activity; and   a player belonging to the first category is allocated a given number of entries in exchange for the entry fee provided by that player, and for that player, in the case that a prize is not won in respect of a first draw, the entry fee provided by that player is refunded by way of the same given number of entries in respect of a further draw.   
   
   
       23 . A computer system according to  claim 21  wherein:
 prizes are awarded on a periodic basis subject to draws of the gaming activity; and   a player belonging to the first category is allocated a given number of entries in exchange for the entry fee provided by that player, and for that player, irrespective of the outcome of a first draw, the entry fee provided by that player is refunded by way of the same given number of entries in respect of a further draw.   
   
   
       24 . A computer system according to  claim 21  wherein:
 a player belonging to the first category is allocated M entries in exchange for an entry fee of value X; and   a player belonging to the second category is allocated N entries in exchange for an entry fee of value X, wherein M<N.   
   
   
       25 . A computer system according to  claim 21  wherein the number of entries allocated to a given player is related to a contribution made by or on behalf of that player to a prize pool from which the common prize is funded. 
   
   
       26 . A computer system according to  claim 25  wherein the contribution made by or on behalf of that player includes a component related to an investment return anticipated to be derived by investing the player's entry fee for a predetermined period of time. 
   
   
       27 . A computer system according to  claim 21  wherein the system includes a terminal that is configured for allocating entries to players. 
   
   
       28 . A computer system according to  claim 21  wherein the system includes a terminal that is configured for allowing players to redeem entries for prizes and/or refunds. 
   
   
       29 . A computer program product configured to perform a method including the steps of:
 receiving data indicative of an entry fee amount;   receiving data indicative of a risk profile selected from a plurality of available risk profiles, wherein each risk profile defines a proportion of an entry fee that is refundable on the basis of predetermined refund criteria and a complementary proportion of the entry fee that is placed at risk; and   providing output indicative of a number of entries for which the entry fee amount is able to be exchanged on the basis of the selected risk profile.   
   
   
       30 . A computer program product according to  claim 29  that implements a predefined protocol for the allocation of entries to players such that a number of entries for which the entry fee amount is able to be exchanged on the basis of the selected risk profile is based on a contribution amount based on the entry fee amount and the selected risk profile. 
   
   
       31 . A computer program product according to  claim 30  wherein the contribution amount includes a component related to an investment return anticipated to be derived by investing entry fee amount for a predetermined period of time. 
   
   
       32 . A computer program product according to  claim 29  wherein the plurality of risk profiles includes a risk profile for which 100% of the entry fee is refundable. 
   
   
       33 . A computer program product according to  claim 29  wherein the plurality of risk profiles includes a risk profile for which 100% of the entry fee is placed at risk. 
   
   
       34 . A computer program product according to  claim 29  wherein the plurality of risk profiles includes a risk profile for which 100% of the entry fee is refundable and a risk profile for which 100% of the entry fee is placed at risk. 
   
   
       35 . A computer program product according to  claim 29  wherein the plurality of risk profiles includes at least one risk profile for which X % of the entry fee is refundable and Y % of the entry fee is placed at risk, wherein X+Y=100 and wherein 0<x<100. 
   
   
       36 . A computer program product according to  claim 29  wherein, for a first risk profile, a predetermined entry fee is able to be exchanged for a predetermined number of entries, and, for a second risk profile, the same predetermined entry fee is able to be exchanged for an increased number of entries, wherein the first risk profile defines a greater proportion of the entry fee that is refundable compared with the second risk profile. 
   
   
       37 . A method for configuring a gaming activity, the method including the steps of:
 defining a first category of player which participates on the basis that, for a player belonging to the first category, an entry fee provided by that player is at least partially refundable in the case that a prize is not won;   defining a second category of player which participates on the basis that, for a player belonging to the second category, an entry fee provided by that player is forfeited in the case that a prize is not won, wherein players belonging to the first category and the second category are eligible to win a common prize;   determining a relationship between contribution and entry allocation; and   defining a protocol for the allocation of entries to players such that, for each player, the number of entries allocated in exchange for an entry fee are based on the determined relationship between contribution and entry allocation.   
   
   
       38 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein determining a relationship between contribution and entry allocation includes:
 defining, for a hypothetical player belonging to either the first or second category, a number of entries that are allocated to the hypothetical player in exchange for a predetermined entry fee;   determining, for the hypothetical player, a contribution made on the basis of the predetermined entry fee; and   comparing the a number of entries that are allocated in exchange for a predetermined entry fee with the contribution made on the basis of the predetermined entry fee, thereby to determine the relationship between contribution and entry allocation.   
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein contribution includes a component related to an investment return derived by subjecting at least a proportion of an entry fee to an investment procedure for a period of time. 
   
   
       40 . A method for providing a gaming activity, the method including the steps of:
 for a first category of player, exchanging an entry fee of value X for Y chances to win a prize from a set of available prizes, wherein the entry fee is refundable irrespective of the outcome of the gaming activity; and   for a second category of player, exchanging an entry fee of value X for Z chances to win a prize from the same set of available prizes, wherein the entry fee is placed at risk subject to the of the outcome of the gaming activity, and wherein Y<Z.   
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein, for a player belonging to the first category of player, a financial contribution is made to a prize pool which funds the set of available prizes, wherein the financial contribution includes a component derived from subjecting at least a proportion of that player's entry fee to an investment procedure for a period of time. 
   
   
       42 . A method for providing a gaming activity, the method including the steps of:
 for a first category of player, exchanging an entry fee of value X for a one or more standard entries in the gaming activity, on the basis that the entry fee will be refundable irrespective of the outcome of the gaming activity; and   for a second category of player, exchanging an entry fee of value X for the same number of one or more standard entries in the gaming activity plus one or more bonus entries in the gaming activity, on the basis that the entry fee is placed at risk in the gaming activity.