Systems and methods for scoring competitive strategy predictions of users on a play-by-play basis

Abstract

The present disclosure describes, among other things, a method that may include receiving, by a first computing device, an identity of an event that has occurred in a sporting competition, the sporting competition comprising a plurality of events. The method may include determining, by a processor of the first computing device, a probability that the event would occur. The method may include determining, by the processor of the first computing device, a number of points based at least in part on the probability that the event would occur. The method may include receiving, by the first computing device, a prediction of an event from a second computing device in communication with the first computing device. The method may include increasing, by the processor of the first computing device, a score of a user of the second computing device by the number of points if the prediction of the event matches the identity of the event.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 receiving, in real time via a first network, an identity of a first event that has occurred in a live sporting competition, wherein the live sporting competition comprises a plurality of events;   identifying, by a processor of a computing device, two or more potential next plays, wherein the two or more potential next plays are identified based at least in part upon the first event;   causing, by the processor, display of the two or more potential next plays to a user of a second computing device, wherein
 the second computing device is in communication with the first computing device via a second network, 
 each play of the two or more potential next plays is associated with a selectable control, and 
 the respective selectable controls are activated for selection for a predetermined period of time; 
   receiving, from the second computing device, within the predetermined period of time, a prediction of a next event, wherein the next event comprises a first play of the two or more potential next plays;   receiving, in real time via the first network, an identity of a second event that has occurred in the live sporting competition, wherein the second event comprises an actual next play;   determining, by the processor, a match between the next event and the second event;   responsive to determining the match,
 determining, by the processor, a number of points associated with the prediction of the next event, and 
 increasing, by the processor, a score of the user based upon success of prediction of the next event; and 
   causing, by the processor, display of an indication of success of the prediction of the next event to the user of the second computing device.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising, responsive to the second event, updating, in real time, at least one statistic associated with at least one of a) a player involved in the second event, and b) a sporting team involved in the second event. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the live sporting competition is a baseball game, the second event comprises a turn at bat for the player, and the at least one statistic comprises a batting average. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising, prior to receiving the prediction, causing, by the processor, display of a competition status to the user of the second computing device. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the competition status comprises one or more of a) a current score of the live sporting competition, b) a remaining time of at least a portion of the live sporting competition, and c) a plurality of past events within the live sporting competition. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the competition status comprises position information regarding at least one of a) one or more players in the live sporting competition, and b) a ball. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein causing display of the two or more potential next plays comprises causing display of a timer, wherein the timer illustrates passage of the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising determining, by the processor, a probability of occurrence of the next event, wherein determining the number of points comprises determining the number of points based at least in part upon the probability of occurrence of the next event. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the probability of occurrence is determined after receiving the identity of the second event. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first network is the second network. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive, in real time via a first network, an identity of a first event that has occurred in a live sporting competition, wherein the live sporting competition comprises a plurality of events; 
 identify two or more potential next plays, wherein the two or more potential next plays are identified based at least in part upon the first event; 
 cause display of the two or more potential next plays to a user of a computing device,
 wherein;
 the computing device is in communication with the apparatus via a second network, and 
 each play of the two or more potential next plays is associated with a selectable control; 
 
 
 receive, from the computing device, a prediction of a next event, wherein the prediction comprises selection of a first selectable control associated with a first play of the two or more potential next plays; 
 receive, in real time via the first network, an identity of a second event that has occurred in the live sporting competition, wherein the second event comprises an actual next play; 
 determine that the next event matches the second event; and 
 responsive to determining the next event matches the second event,
 determine a number of points to associate with the prediction, and 
 cause display, to the user of the computing device, of a score of the user, wherein the score of the user is adjusted based upon the number of points. 
 
   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the score of the user is a prediction score associated with a type of the live sporting competition, wherein the user is associated with at least one additional prediction score. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one additional prediction score comprises a cumulative prediction score based upon a total number of predictions submitted by the user via a competitive strategy prediction service. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to, responsive to determining the next event matches the second event, adjust a prediction percentage score associated with the user, wherein the prediction percentage score identifies a percentage of correct predictions made by the user. 
     
     
         34 . A method comprising:
 receiving, via a first network, a plurality of predictions of an upcoming event, wherein
 the upcoming event comprises a play within a live sporting competition, and 
 each prediction of the plurality of predictions is associated with a respective user of a
 plurality of users, wherein
 the plurality of users are competing in a competition group via a competitive strategy prediction service, and 
 each respective user of the plurality of users is associated with a user account of the strategy prediction service; 
 
 
   receiving, via a second network, in real time, identification of a next event that has occurred in the live sporting competition;   identifying, by a processor of a computing device, a subset of users of the plurality of users associated with a respective prediction matching the next event;   responsive to the respective prediction matching the next event, modifying, by the processor, a score of each user of the subset of users, wherein the respective user account comprises the score; and   for at least a first user of the plurality of users, causing, by the processor, upon a display area of a computing device used to issue the respective prediction of the first user, presentation of
 for each additional user of the plurality of users,
 an identification of the respective user, and 
 the respective prediction of the respective user. 
 
   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein modifying the score of each user of the subset of users comprises determining a number of points to allocate to the respective user based in part upon predictions of other users of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein modifying the score of each user of the subset of users comprises:
 determining the subset of users consists of one user; and   responsive to determining only one user successfully predicted the next event, increasing the respective score of the one user by an additional amount.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein at least one prediction of the plurality of predictions indicates a lack of selection of a prediction by the respective user. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of users comprise a competition league, wherein the competition league competes, via the competitive strategy prediction service, with at least one additional competition league, wherein each additional competition league of the at least one additional competition league comprises two or more additional users. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , comprising:
 determining, for each user of the plurality of users, a respective standing within the competition league, wherein the respective standing is based at least in part upon the respective score of each users of the plurality of users; and   causing, by the processor, upon the display area of the computing device used to issue the respective prediction of the first user, presentation of standings for each user of at least a subset of the plurality of users.