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 . A method for providing a gaming activity wherein a plurality of players provide respective entry fees, the method including the steps of:
 defining a plurality of 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;   receiving, for each player, data indicative of the entry fee provided by that player and a risk profile selected by that player; and   allocating to each player, on the basis of the entry fee provided by that player and the risk profile selected by that player, one or more entries in relation to the gaming activity.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of risk profiles includes a risk profile for which 100% of the entry fee is refundable. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of risk profiles includes a risk profile for which 100% of the entry fee is placed at risk. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  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. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the risk profile selected by a given player affects the relative probability of that player winning a prize in relation to the gaming activity in exchange for the entry fee provided. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the risk profile selected by a given player affects the number of entries allocated to that player in exchange for the entry fee provided. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein, for a first risk profile, a given player is allocated a predetermined number of entries in exchange for a predetermined entry fee, and, for a second risk profile, a given player is allocated an increased number of entries for the same predetermined entry fee, wherein the first risk profile defines a greater proportion of the entry fee that is refundable compared with the second risk profile. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  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. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the number of entries allocated to a given player is determined according to the formula:
     E   player   =kA+B    
 wherein E player  is the number of entries allocated to a particular player in exchange for the entry fee provided by that player, A is a parameter related to the contribution made by or on behalf of that player to the prize pool, B is an adjustment factor, and k is a proportionality factor selected such that the allocation of entries follows a predetermined risk/chance favouritism protocol. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the risk profile selected by a given player affects the quantum of entry fee in exchange for which a predetermined number of entries is allocated. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein, for a first risk profile, a given player is allocated a predetermined number of entries in exchange for a predetermined entry fee, and, for a second risk profile, a given player is allocated the same predetermined number of entries for less than the predetermined entry fee, wherein the first risk profile defines a greater proportion of the entry fee that is refundable compared with the second risk profile. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the risk profile selected by a given player affects one or more characteristics of a prize winnable by that player in exchange for the entry fee provided. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein, for a first risk profile, a given player is able to win a prize having a first value in exchange for a predetermined entry fee, and, for a second risk profile, a given player is able to win a prize having a second value in exchange for the same predetermined entry fee, wherein the second value is greater then the first value, and wherein the first risk profile defines a greater proportion of the entry fee that is refundable compared with the second risk profile. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1  including the steps of:
 identifying one or more winning entries for the gaming activity; 
 awarding prizes to the players to whom winning entries were allocated in accordance with a predetermined prize distribution protocol; and 
 for each player who selected a risk profile for which a non-zero proportion of the entry fee is refundable, refunding the refundable proportion of the entry fee. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the step of refunding the refundable proportion of the entry fee includes, for at least one player:
 defining the refundable portion of the entry fee as at least part of a subsequent entry fee in relation to a subsequent gaming activity; 
 allocating to the at least one player one or more entries in relation to the subsequent gaming activity in exchange for the subsequent entry fee. 
 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the subsequent gaming activity is a gaming activity provided by a method according to  claim 15 . 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 1  including the steps of:
 identifying, for each entry fee, a total contribution amount corresponding to that entry fee, the total contribution amount including: 
 i. a primary contribution amount comprising the proportion of the entry fee that is placed at risk, less any predefined deductions; and 
 ii. a supplementary contribution amount; 
 combining the total contribution amounts of the respective entry fees to form a prize pool; 
 identifying one or more winning entries; 
 distributing the prize pool among the players to whom winning entries were allocated in accordance with a predetermined prize distribution protocol. 
 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein, for a given entry fee, the supplementary contribution amount includes an amount derived from one or more sources selected from a group comprising:
 an investment return derived by subjecting at least a proportion of that entry fee to an investment procedure for a period of time; 
 an operator contribution; and 
 a third-party contribution. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1  including the steps of:
 identifying one or more winning entries for the gaming activity; 
 providing a prize pool for distribution in accordance with a predetermined prize distribution protocol amongst the players to whom winning entries were allocated; 
 identifying an undistributed portion of the prize pool; 
 investing at least a proportion of the undistributed portion of the prize pool to generate an investment return; 
 adding at least a proportion of the investment return to a subsequent prize pool in relation to a subsequent gaming activity. 
 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing a gaming activity wherein a plurality of players provide respective entry fees, the method including the steps of:
 defining a risk profile, the risk profile defining a non-zero 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;   receiving, for each player, data indicative of the entry fee provided by that player; and   allocating to each player, on the basis of the entry fee provided by that player and the risk profile, one or more entries in relation to the gaming activity.