Global Pool Betting

Abstract

In some implementations of global pool betting, bets can be received at multiple regional servers, each serving a different geographical region. Bets can be initiated, and subsequently transmitted to a regional server, as text messages (e.g., short message service (SMS) messages) at the regional server. A regional server can process the bets and add bet amounts to a regional betting pool accordingly. The bets can be collected at the regional server over a configured period of time. When the configured period of time has elapsed, the regional server can transmit information defining the regional betting pool to global server where the regional betting pool can be added to a global betting pool containing bets from other regional betting pools.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving bet messages at a regional server;   parsing the received bet messages to determine bets placed by users, the bet messages specifying outcome predictions for a global game on a global server and bet amounts;   transferring funds corresponding to the bet amounts from accounts associated with the users to a local betting pool on the regional server and associated with the global game; and   transmitting information describing the local betting pool to the global server.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the information to the global server includes transmitting the local betting pool funds to the global server. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the local betting pool is associated with a first currency, wherein the global betting pool is associated with a second currency, and further comprising:
 converting the local betting pool funds to the second currency before transmitting the local betting pool funds to the global server.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating metadata for the local betting pool based on the bet messages.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 parsing the bet messages to determine a account associated with the user; and   debiting the account based on the bet amount.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining a time interval for receiving bets for the global game; and   transmitting the local betting pool funds to the global server when the time interval has elapsed.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving a portion of global betting pool funds from the global server and metadata identifying the outcome of the global game;   determining that the user has correctly predicted the outcome of the global game based on the global game metadata;   crediting the account of the user from the portion of the global betting pool funds based on the bet amount.   
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a plurality of regional servers, local betting pool funds associated with a global game on a global server;   combining, at the global server, the local betting pool funds into a global betting pool associated with the global game;   determining a portion of the global betting pool funds to distribute to a particular one of the regional servers based on the outcome of the global game; and   transmitting the portion of the global betting pool funds the particular regional server.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the local betting pools is associated with a first currency, the global betting pool is associated with a second currency, and further comprising:
 converting funds associated with the at least one local betting pool into the second currency.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 converting the portion of the global betting pool funds into the first currency before transmitting the portion of the global betting pool funds to the particular regional server.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving metadata describing bets corresponding to the local betting pools associated with the global game;   determining the portion of the global betting pool funds to distribute to the particular regional server based on metadata associated with a local betting pool received from the particular regional server.   
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes:
 receiving bet messages at a regional server; 
 parsing the received bet messages to determine bets placed by users, the bet messages specifying outcome predictions for a global game on a global server and a bet amounts; 
 transferring funds corresponding to the bet amounts from accounts associated with the users to a local betting pool on the regional server and associated with the global game; and 
 transmitting information describing the local betting pool to the global server. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein transmitting the information to the global server includes transmitting the local betting pool funds to the global server. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the local betting pool is associated with a first currency, wherein the global betting pool is associated with a second currency, and wherein the instructions cause:
 converting the local betting pool funds to the second currency before transmitting the local betting pool funds to the global server.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause:
 generating metadata for the local betting pool based on the bet messages.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause:
 parsing the bet messages to determine a account associated with the user; and   debiting the account based on the bet amount.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause:
 determining a time interval for receiving bets for the global game; and   transmitting the local betting pool funds to the global server when the time interval has elapsed.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause:
 receiving a portion of global betting pool funds from the global server and metadata identifying the outcome of the global game;   determining that the user has correctly predicted the outcome of the global game based on the global game metadata;   crediting the account of the user from the portion of the global betting pool funds based on the bet amount.   
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a computer-readable storage medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes:
 receiving, from a plurality of regional servers, local betting pool funds associated with a global game on a global server; 
 combining, at the global server, the local betting pool funds into a global betting pool associated with the global game; 
 determining a portion of the global betting pool funds to distribute to a particular one of the regional servers based on the outcome of the global game; and 
 transmitting the portion of the global betting pool funds the particular regional server. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the local betting pools is associated with a first currency, the global betting pool is associated with a second currency, and wherein the instructions cause:
 converting funds associated with the at least one local betting pool into the second currency.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions cause:
 converting the portion of the global betting pool funds into the first currency before transmitting the portion of the global betting pool funds to the particular regional server.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions cause:
 receiving metadata describing bets corresponding to the local betting pools associated with the global game;   determining the portion of the global betting pool funds to distribute to the particular regional server based on metadata associated with a local betting pool received from the particular regional server.