Wager slip exchange systems and methods

Abstract

A wager slip may be made available for transfer using a slip exchange system. The price of the wager slip may, for example, be set by the system according to current odds pertaining to the wager or may be set by a slip owner and/or potential buyer of the wager slip. The price may differ from an initial price of the wager. A wager slip may be transferred between users up until the wager is resolved and the slip is vested (e.g., until the unsettled matter upon which the wager is predicated is resolved). The slip exchange may further provide for transferring a payout of the wager (if any), once the slip is vested, from the slip issuer and/or an administrator of the slip exchange system to the current owner.

1 . A system for exchanging wager slips, comprising:
 a computing device comprising a processor, the computing device configured to communicate with a plurality of user devices;   a datastore in communication with the computing device, wherein the datastore is configured to store user account information associated with a plurality of users, wherein the datastore is configured to store a plurality of wager slip records, and wherein each wager slip record corresponds to an initial, pre-existing wager between a better and a slip issuer,
 wherein the computing device comprises a slip exchange module, the slip exchange module configured to associate wager slip records with user accounts, wherein the slip exchange module is further configured to manage transactions relating to the wager slips between users, whereby the value of the wager slips varies from the initial value of the wager slips depending upon events pertaining to the wagers of the wager slips taking place subsequent to the initial issuance of the wager slips. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the datastore comprises a first datastore and a second datastore, the first datastore configured to store user account information associated with a plurality of users and the second datastore configured to store a plurality of wager slip records. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wager slip records comprise at least one of a physical copy of a wager slip, information pertaining to a wager slip, a digital representation of a wager slip, a slip identifier from a slip issuer, and a digital wager slip issued by a slip issuer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the slip exchange module is further configured to verify at least one of the authenticity and ownership of the wager slip records. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the slip exchange module is configured to manage transactions relating to the wager slips between users by transferring ownership of wager slips between users. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the slip exchange module is configured to receive input from users to allow users to offer their wagers slips for sale at an offer price and receive input from users to allow users to purchase wagers slips offered for sale. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the slip exchange module is configured to receive input from users to allow for initiation of an auction with respect to one or more wager slips and receive auction bids from users with respect to the one or more wager slips and transfer ownership of the one or more wager slips to a user satisfying defined conditions for winning the auction. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user devices comprise one or more of computers, notebook computers, tablets, personal digital assistants, and smart phones. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the slip exchange module is configured to establish odds associated with the wagers underlying the wager slip records. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the slip exchange module is further configured to set current prices for at least a subset of the wager slips in accordance with the current odds. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the slip exchange module is further configured to provide the established odds to at least a subset of the users. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the slip exchange module is further configured to provide suggested current prices for at least a subset of the wager slips in accordance with the current odds to at least a subset of the users. 
     
     
         13 . A method for exchanging pre-issued wager slips, the method comprising the steps of:
 establishing a user account on a computing device comprising a processor;   receiving wager slip information pertaining to a pre-issued wager slip issued to a user, the pre-issued wager slip relating to an unsettled matter;   associating the user account with the wager slip information; and   facilitating a transaction involving the wager slip, wherein the transaction takes place prior to the wager slip's vesting by way of the unsettled matter being resolved.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of receiving wager slip information comprises receiving one or more of a physical copy of the wager slip, information pertaining to the wager slip, a digital representation of the wager slip, a slip identifier from a slip issuer, and a digital wager slip issued by a slip issuer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising sending information pertaining to the wager slip to a user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the information pertaining to the wager slip comprises at least one of an offer price, a current bid amount, current odds on the wager slip, and a wager payout amount. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of facilitating a transaction involving the wager slip comprises facilitating a transfer of ownership of the wager slip. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of facilitating a transaction involving the wager slip further comprises transferring credits from a user account of a first user to a user account of a second user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the credits have value corresponding to a currency. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of facilitating a transaction involving the wager slip comprises facilitating a transaction on a slip exchange module, wherein the terms of the transaction are set by the slip exchange module, and wherein the terms of the transaction depend upon events taking place between the wager slip's issuance and the wager slip's vesting that bear on the odds of the unsettled matter. 
     
     
         21 . A method for exchanging pre-issued wager slips, the method comprising the steps of:
 establishing a plurality of user accounts on a computing device comprising a processor;   receiving wager slip information pertaining to a plurality of pre-issued wager slips issued to a plurality of users, the pre-issued wager slips each relating to an unsettled matter;   associating each of at least a subset of the plurality of user accounts with wager slip information;   assigning a first price for a first wager slip of the plurality of pre-issued wager slips, the first wager slip associated with an offering user;   assigning a second price for the first wager slip of the plurality of pre-issued wager slips, wherein the second price differs from the first price in accordance with one or more events taking place between the first wager slip's issuance and the first wager slip's vesting that bear on the odds of the unsettled matter underlying the first wager slip;   receiving a notification of acceptance of the second price from a purchasing user prior to the first wager slip's vesting by way of the unsettled matter underlying the first wager being resolved;   transferring credits from a user account of the purchasing user to a user account of the offering user; and   updating the user accounts of the purchasing user and the offering user to account for the transfer in ownership of the first wager slip.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of assigning a first price for a first wager slip of the plurality of pre-issued wager slips comprises:
 receiving an offer price from the offering user; and   sending the offer price to one or more users.