Fantasy gaming

Abstract

Some embodiments include a fantasy sports game. In some embodiments, an expected performance value may be determined that may affect the outcomes of a fantasy game. In some embodiments, player location may affect available opponents for a game. Groups may play against one another in a fantasy competition. Various examples of fantasy gaming options are given.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining, by a computing device, a first group of players to which a first player belongs;   determining, by the computing device, a second group of players to which a second player belongs;   determining, by the computing device, that the first player is allowed to play a game against the second player based on the first group and the second group being rival groups, in which the first player is not allowed to play games against other members of the first group;   matching, by the computing device, the first player and the second playing the game; and   determining, by the computing device, a winner of the game.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 determining that the first player belongs to the first group based on a location of the first player.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 determining that the first player belongs to the first group based on a characteristic of the first player.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , in which the characteristic includes to least one of: the first player being a fan of a first team, the first player being a student at a first school, the first player being an alumni of a first school, the first player being a patron of a first merchant, the first player living in a first location, and the first player being a first gender. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the game includes a fantasy sports game. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 requiring the first player to pick at least one members of a first fantasy sports team for the game from a first set of players that is specific to the first group and the second player to select one member of a second fantasy sports team for the game from a second set of players that is specific to the second group.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , in which determining the first group includes assigning the first player to the first group without a request from the first player to be assigned to the first group. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 forming the first group, in which the first group is defined to include players that have a particular first characteristic.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , in which forming the first group includes forming the first group in response to a request to form the group defined by the first characteristic from a sponsor of the first group. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 determining outcomes of a plurality of other games that are each between respective members of the first group and respective members of the second group.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 determining an outcome of a group game based on the out outcome of the game and plurality of other games.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , in which the first group wins the group game if a total number of games of the first game and the plurality of other games won by members of the first group exceeds a total number of games of the first game and the second game won by members of the second group. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , in which a group that wins the group game is based on a total number of points earned by players in the first group through the first game and the plurality of other games compared to a total number of points earned by players in the second group though the first game and the plurality of other games. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 assigning a prize to a group that wins the group game.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , in which assigning the prize includes making a payment to respective accounts of players in the group that wins the group game. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , in which assigning the prize includes making a payment to an account of a sponsor of the group that wins the group game. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the sponsor is not a player in the group that wins the group game. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the sponsor includes a charity chosen by the players in the group that wins the group game. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the game includes a fantasy game that is based on a real life tournament, in which players in the tournament are dropped from the tournament as the tournament progresses and are not replaced in the fantasy game that is based on the tournament so that some members of each fantasy team in the game do not earn points after elimination from the tournament. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 during play of first game, facilitating the first player offering a buyout of the game to the second player.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising:
 receiving, from the first player, an indication of an amount of money that the second player will be awarded if the second player accepts the buyout; and   presenting that amount to the second player in an offer to end the game.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising:
 receiving an acceptance of the offer; and   in response to receiving the acceptance, awarding the amount of money to the second player and awarding a second amount of money to the first player, in which the second amount of money includes an amount of money in a prize pool for the game minus the amount of money.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 presenting the first player with an option to offer a doubling raise of the game to the second player prior to a start of the game.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving from at least one of the first player and the second player a selection of a statistic related to a real event that is to be used to score the game.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the first player access the game through a gaming operator that determines outcomes for the game and the second player access the game through a service provider that provides at least one of a white-labeled access to the game and an over the counter access to the game. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus comprising:
 a computing device; and   a non-transitory medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that when executed by the computing device cause the apparatus to:   determine a first group of players to which a first player belongs;   determine a second group of players to which a second player belongs;   determine that the first player is allowed to play a game against the second player based on the first group and the second group being rival groups, in which the first player is not allowed to play games against other members of the first group;   match the first player and the second playing the game; and   determine a winner of the game.