Computer image processing method and system for displaying image objects or text in a betting environment

Abstract

To provide a method and a system for performing wager.SOLUTION: A method includes the steps of: starting a first betting session; generating a betting product to store it in a memory element; transmitting information on the betting product stored in the memory element to at least one user; receiving a plurality of bet requests for performing wager on the at least one betting product from one user to store it in the memory element; validating one of the plurality of bet requests stored in the memory element; and by comparing a numerical term associated with another one of the plurality of bet requests stored in the memory element with a corresponding numerical term associated with the one of the plurality of validated bet requests, determining that the numerical term is within a non-zero range with respect to the corresponding numerical term.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 467,047, filed Aug. 24, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] This specification relates to an image processing method and system, and more particularly to a system and method for displaying image objects or text on an interactive display in a wagering environment.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] According to at least one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer image processing system and method are provided for displaying image objects or text in a wagering environment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In at least one embodiment, a computer image processing method is provided for displaying image objects on an image user interface screen including steps of receiving a request for wagering information and causing an image interface screen to be displayed on a user interface. The image interface screen includes a reference wagering line, such as a market betting line, having a value corresponding to a reference variable value associated with an object, such as a market value of the object. Alternatively or additionally, the interface screen may include a high line having a value corresponding to an amount higher than the reference variable value, a low line having a value corresponding to an amount lower than the reference variable value, or at least one or a plurality of spread lines. The market, high, low, and spread lines may be spatially arranged on the interface screen based at least on the respective values of these lines. <00In one embodiment, the interface screen includes at least one image object, computer-generated or otherwise, associated with each betting line. This at least one image object is selectable for submitting at least one up-bet request and / or down-bet request. This at least one image object may rotate or move when tradable. The interface screen may further include odds associated with at least one up-bet request and / or down-bet request superimposed on the image object. In one embodiment, the interface screen and / or at least one market or reference betting line, high line, low line, spread line, and odds are automatically refreshed to reflect changes in the market value of the object.

[0006] Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reviewing the following description.

[0007] To provide a more complete understanding of the present invention, its features, and their advantages, reference numerals are used in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where similar reference numerals represent similar parts. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of a gaming system for betting on events in a market environment, according to at least one embodiment of the system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 2] This is an interface screen for use in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram of a central controller according to at least one embodiment of the system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 4A] This flowchart illustrates a method for betting on market conditions, based on at least one embodiment of the method disclosed in this specification. [Figure 4B] This flowchart illustrates a method for activating at least one bet request according to at least one embodiment of the method disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5] This is an interface screen used in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 6] This is an interface screen used in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 7] This is an interface screen used in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 8] This is an interface screen used in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 9] This is an interface screen used in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 10] This is an interface screen used in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Figure 11] This is an interface screen used in accordance with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a gaming system 10 according to at least one embodiment of the system disclosed in this specification, which provides at least one image user interface screen that enables a user to place bets or wagers on events occurring in a financial or other market, as disclosed in this specification. In one embodiment, the gaming system 10 includes at least one central controller 40 which is coupled to or in communication with an entire communication network 18 having at least one user interface 16 for use by one or more end users 12. The gaming system 10 may also include or be associated with an administrator module 50 and financial market data elements 60.

[0010] The user interface 16 may include, together with other elements in the gaming system 10, one or more elements that provide connectivity and / or interaction for one or more end users 12. The user interface 16 may include, for example, one or more input and / or output devices such as a processor, memory, keyboard, mouse, and display, an internet element 20, a wireless element 22, a casino facility element 24, a television (or display) element 28, etc. Each of these elements may provide related functions in the form of hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0011] The central controller 40 comprises a processor 42 and a memory element 44, and similarly includes software stored in memory, and may, at runtime, perform one or more steps of the method described herein or provide functions. In one embodiment, the central controller 40 generally provides backend functions for the method described herein, and the user interface 16 provides frontend functions.

[0012] Gaming System 10, in one embodiment, provides more flexible and favorable opportunities to diversify bets on a variety of financial or other market events. While the methods and systems described herein may be illustrative of bets on events occurring within financial markets, such as one or more indicators reaching a certain monetary level at the end of a betting session, it should be understood that the methods and systems described herein are equally applicable to bets on other events unrelated to financial markets, such as, for example, sporting events, horse or dog racing, casino games, lotteries, and others, but not limited to these. Furthermore, while the methods and systems described herein relate to market prices or values, it should be understood that the methods and systems described herein are equally applicable to variables without price references, such as trading volume, bid size, demand size, earnings, sports and non-sports scores or statistics, jackpots, and others, likewise, but not limited to these. The methods and systems described herein are generally applicable to bets on the value of a reference variable associated with any object, the value of which is subject to change over time. Accordingly, the present specification provides a method and system that provides a user with an opportunity to place a bet based on whether the value of a reference variable reaches a specific level at a specific time.

[0013] In some embodiments, the gaming system 10 provides betting opportunities or betting products for bets on events occurring in financial or other markets and determines odds on the occurrence of such events in the market. The terms “betting opportunity” and “betting product” as used herein are synonymous. For example, as described below, the system 10 may determine odds on betting on the value of an asset, a group of assets, an index, etc., that moves in a certain direction or reaches a certain price level or a group of levels in a market that is moving in a certain direction, and may further provide an opportunity to bet on whether the value of such asset will satisfy at least one of these betting conditions one or more times throughout the trading day. In this regard, the gaming system 10 may divide a trading day into a group of same-day betting sessions, each having a start time and an expiration time. Thus, a trading day may be considered to have multiple same-day expirations. Betting sessions may be object-specific or inclusive of all objects. That is, the start time may occur at different times for some objects and be the same for all objects.

[0014] The gaming system 10 may further include a pricing engine such as a software component or module, which can operate as follows: 1) determine one or a set of variable or fixed odds around a variable or fixed market line; 2) determine the exact variable market line associated with the fixed odds; and / or 3) receive betting information to determine and / or display debt management information related to financial fixed betting activities.

[0015] With respect to variable odds / fixed line betting products, System 10 provides an interface screen that displays odds around a reference betting line having a value that remains constant throughout the betting session period or during the day's expiration. In this example, System 10 sets the value of the reference variable at the start of the betting session, i.e., the betting line value at the start time, and determines the odds for the value of the reference variable that has reached a level higher or lower than the initial value of the reference variable at a later time. System 10 may further determine the odds for the value of the reference variable that has reached different levels, preferably dynamically, at different times throughout the betting session, so as to reflect real-time changes in the value of the object. Thus, System 10 may provide a betting opportunity for the end user 12 to place a bet on whether the value of the reference variable at the close of the betting session has reached a level higher or lower than the initial value of the reference variable, which has odds and a corresponding payout based on the value of the reference variable at the time the end user 12 places a bet and / or the set odds.

[0016] For example, assume that the reference betting line corresponds to a fixed market line, such as the market value of the Dow at which a betting session (T1) starts at 11192.8. At a later time (T2) after the betting session, as shown in FIG. 5, the value of the Dow is 11192.5, the odds that the Dow will end higher than the 11192.8 level at T2 are 10 / 11, and the odds that the Dow will end lower than the 11192.8 level at T2 are 8 / 11. Generally, the odds vary from the initial Dow value at the start of the betting session based at least on the market value of the Dow at T2. Thus, the end user 12 may place a bet at time T2 on an up position and make a "bet up" with a corresponding payout of (W)×(10 / 11) for the wager (W), or may make a "bet down" with a corresponding payout of (W)×(8 / 11) for the wager. Similarly, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the end user 12 may place bets on the same fixed market line at a later time during the betting session, and odds are determined that reflect fluctuations in the market value of the object at the later time, such as odds based on the market value at the later time. Similarly, as will be described in detail later, the end user 12 may place bets on a high line, a low line, or a spread line.

[0017] In addition to variable odds / fixed line betting, the gaming system 10 may also provide fixed odds / variable line betting results, which allow end users 12 to place bets in dynamic markets, where a reference betting line, such as a market line, has values ​​corresponding to the current values ​​of a reference variable at different times in the betting session to reflect shifts and fluctuations in any market. In this example, the system 10 may provide an interface screen having a reference betting line that reflects changes in the value of a reference value in real time or in other forms, and at the end of the betting session or trading day, it may determine the odds of an object that has reached a different level, for example, that is higher or lower than the current level at that time. The system 10 may then provide a betting opportunity where the end user 12 can select the current value for that reference variable and place a bet on whether the value of that reference variable is higher or lower than the value selected at the current level at the end of the betting session, and the odds and the corresponding payouts based thereon are basically fixed or unchanging for at least the duration of the betting session. In the variable line embodiment, the fixed odds may be fixed at any time, including the start of the trading day, the start of the betting session, etc. For example, end-user 12 may bet that the current level of the Dow at that time will close either higher or lower than the current level of 11252.9 at a first time (T1) within the betting session, as shown in Figure 10, or that the Dow will close higher or lower than the current level of 11252.0 at a second time (T2), as shown in Figure 11, where T2 > T1, as shown in Figure 11. As seen from Figures 10 to 11, the odds for betting on a variable market are fixed at 5 / 6 for both time points and in both directions.

[0018] As described above, end user 12 may bet that the value at the closing time of a selected market such as the FTSE, for example, is higher or lower than the value of a market line value that is fixed or variable. In addition to the market betting line, end user 12 may similarly enjoy additional betting opportunities regarding a fixed or variable betting line. In one embodiment, the system 10 provides a betting opportunity based on the theory that the market closes at a predetermined level higher or lower than a reference betting line, such as, for example, about 1% higher or lower than the market line, or any other percentage from 0.5% to 10% or more, or about 9 units higher or lower than the market line, or any other amount such as 1 to 100 units (scale) or more.

[0019] Thus, in an embodiment of variable odds, the gaming system 10 may provide betting opportunities at high-line levels and / or low-line levels that are each a certain amount, such as a certain percentage or a certain number of units, higher or lower respectively from the value of a reference betting line, such as a fixed market line as shown in FIGS. 5 to 9. Then, end user 12 may bet whether the value of the variable closes higher or lower than the high and / or low-line values. In this example, the system 10 may preferably determine variable odds for the high, low, or any other line level, dynamically and in real-time, preferably during a betting session.

[0020] In a fixed odds embodiment, the gaming system 10 may offer similar betting opportunities at high line levels and low line levels, or it may offer betting opportunities at lines based on the spread around the current value of a reference variable such as a fluctuating market line, so that the spread line contains better odds (from the bettor's perspective) than those associated with a fluctuating market line without a spread. Such odds may be basically even (1 / 1), as opposed to, for example, 10 / 11 type odds for a market line. Accordingly, in order to maintain the desired fixed odds, the system 10 may preferably determine the fluctuating values ​​of the high, low, and spread line values ​​on a dynamic and real-time basis during the betting session.

[0021] Daily expiration for betting sessions, as well as other same-day and long-term expirations, may be similarly adjusted by the gaming system 10. Bets may be placed on any appropriate financial market, such as the FTSE, German DAX, French CAC, NASDAQ, American Exchange (AMEX), New York Stock Exchange, Nikkei, bond or public corporation markets, and the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index. Accordingly, the gaming system 10 may facilitate frequent bet expirations for bets related to any number of appropriate financial instruments. Bets or betting sessions may also be extended to expirations every minute or every 30 seconds, or any combination of these or an amount in between. Based on this, the end user 12 may be offered the opportunity to bet on multiple events / scenarios throughout the trading day. Thus, the target financial markets form the basis of normal same-day betting activity.

[0022] In at least one embodiment, System 10 provides betting sessions throughout market hours on a trading day, with bet expirations that are immediately extended to adjust to at least one defined future time frame, such as every 5 minutes, every 30 minutes, every hour, etc. For example, if a trading day is divided into sessions with expirations every 5 minutes, betting opportunities are defined for the FTSE market (GMT time) as follows: (start bell) 10:00 a.m., 10:05 a.m., 10:10 a.m., etc., and continue until 17:05, 17:10, 17:15, 17:20 (end bell). A similar principle applies to other session periods.

[0023] Similarly, system 10 may allow the end user 12 to specify a maturity date of their own choosing. This may be an imminent maturity date or an arbitrarily occurring maturity date. Thus, customers in a betting shop or online environment may be offered betting opportunities at any time throughout the day. Settlement may follow the maturity of the bet in any appropriate manner, such as immediately after maturity, during / concurrently with the operating period of the next or any other arbitrarily occurring arbitrarily occurring betting cycle, or in any other manner.

[0024] The gaming system 10 may allow end users to place bets in sessions with no specific expiration time. In such a scenario, the bet expires at a defined delay time, measured from the moment the bet is placed, rather than at an expiration time defined or planned throughout the trading session. This allows end users 12 to place bets at any time throughout the day, knowing that bets placed in this manner will expire, for example, 5 minutes or at any other time after the bet is placed. For example, a 5-minute expiry bet placed at 12:07:35 will be settled at 12:12:35. Thus, bets do not need to expire at a nominal interval for all participants, but instead expire based on a clear indicator, namely a delay from the time the bet was placed.

[0025] Another possibility derived from the configuration of Gaming System 10 is that sophisticated participants can continuously adjust their overall risk engagement or exposure by, for example, betting in one way on individual trades and taking opposing positions on the outcomes of multiple other events. For instance, a participant might first bet on the NASDAQ market rising, but also hold a short position on the Russell 2000. Such a risk-mixed participation strategy allows participants to efficiently balance or mitigate their bets and betting portfolio in a similar manner to investors who avoid risk in their investment portfolios by offsetting trades on underlying securities assets.

[0026] The end user 12 is a client, customer, prospective investor, or any individual or entity wishing to place a bet. Similarly, the end user 12 may seek access to or participation in communications using the user interface 16, which are supplied bidirectionally to the central controller 40 via the communication network 18. The end user 12 may view data such as the performance characteristics of trading physical commodities objects associated with a particular market in order to take a position, such as placing a bet, on any given objective. Alternatively, the end user 12 may represent any device or object that attempts to initiate communications on behalf of another entity or element, such as a program, database, or any other component, device, element, or item capable of initiating voice or data exchange within the gaming system 10. As used in this specification, the term “data” means any type of numerical, voice, or script data, or any other appropriate information in any format that is communicated from one point to another.

[0027] The fact that end-user 12 may participate in wagers or bets implies that legal means may be used to bind end-user 12 to the agreement. Written wagers may take any appropriate form, such as written documents, electronic files such as emails, database entries, facsimile messages, computer displays, entry into reports, oral agreements between two groups, or a combination thereof. Such wagers are flexible in terms of items, wording, and clauses. In general, any information or data that is relevant or of interest to the betting participant or organizing body may be included in the wager, provided that the items included are mutually agreeable to the two (or more) groups bound by the wager.

[0028] The user interface 16 may be any device that facilitates betting on selected financial or other markets. Generally, the user interface 16 can operate, either alone or in combination with the central controller 40, to communicate with at least one request associated with the processing of bets and / or betting opportunities described in this specification. Similarly, the user interface 16 may provide a portal for the end user 12 to access other elements of the gaming system 10 and to communicate bidirectionally with relevant components of the gaming system 10 with information such as betting opportunities and corresponding bets provided in this specification. The user interface 16 may be a computer, server, administration center, standalone workstation, or a headquarters office for any individual, business, or organization that manages or facilitates betting activities. Accordingly, the user interface 16 may comprise any suitable hardware, software, equipment, components, elements, or items used or implemented in the gaming environment to achieve such operation or function.

[0029] In one embodiment, the user interface 16 includes any one or more selections of elements such as an internet element 20, a wireless element 22, a casino facility element 24, a television element 28, or any other receiver for displaying images or information, biometric elements 65, etc., such as cable, satellite, closed circuit, etc. Any suitable number and combination of interfaces may be implemented within the gaming system 10 according to use, traffic, architecture, and other reasons.

[0030] The user interface 16 may also be any suitable interface or object that facilitates communication between the end user 12 and any other element in the gaming system 10, such as a mobile phone, electronic notebook, personal digital assistance (PDA), personal computer or laptop computer, purpose-specific handheld device, or any other suitable device, wireless or other form, component, or element that can access one or more elements within the gaming system 10. Similarly, the user interface 16 may include any suitable interface for a human user to interact with the gaming system 10, such as a display, microphone, keyboard, camera, mouse, rollerball, touchscreen display, biometric sensor, or any other suitable terminal device according to a particular configuration and arrangement. In addition, the user interface 16 may also be a specific element, such as a purpose-specific communication device, designed specifically for communications including the betting disclosed in this specification. Such an element may be assembled or manufactured specifically for a financial application including the end user 12.

[0031] The user interface 16 may be owned or operated by any appropriate entity having the capacity and / or authority to operate in the gaming industry. A direct connection may exist between the user interface 16 and any financial or other exchange transaction, thereby delivering information associated with the exchange transaction to the end user 12, which may be viewed before executing a buy or sell. Accordingly, the user interface 16 may deliver real-time market and / or financial data to the end user 12 to provide relevant information used to make decisions about whether to place a bet, buy, or sell. This financial information may be retrieved from financial market data elements 60 or any other appropriate elements such as the direct connection described above. Financial market data elements 60 may be relay data such as price information, market line values, expiration data, financial graphs and charts, market history, or moving averages, for example, to the end user 12. Similarly, other relevant financial data may also be delivered immediately based on specific demand.

[0032] To deliver accurate and timely information, the financial market data element 60 may be directly connected to the communication link of the corresponding exchange transaction that transmits the financial data. Alternatively, the financial market data element 60 may collect this information from any other location, such as a newswire or server that operates to deliver information to investors in real time, and deliver the desired data to the end user 12. The financial data element 60 may be embodied in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. The system 10 may store information from, or received by, the financial data element 60 in one or more databases.

[0033] The user interface 16 includes, or may include, at least one self-service betting machine. In some embodiments, the self-service betting machine allows the end user 12 to make a payment to the machine using cash, a voucher, or a credit / debit card, place one or more bets, receive a printout such as a ticket, and confirm the placed bets. The user interface 16 may also include a biometric element 65, such as a fingerprint reader or any other biometric sensor, to authenticate the user's identity. Biometric data generated by the biometric sensor may be used to verify the user's identity for purposes such as accessing an account or electronic money transfer. For example, the biometric data may be transmitted from the interface 16 to a central controller 40, where it is compared with stored biometric data. If the biometric data matches, the user may continue betting in accordance with the method disclosed in this specification. Furthermore, the results of the biometric data matching may be transmitted to a third party, such as a bank, which may then electronically transfer funds from the user's account to one or more betting accounts of the user with the gaming system provider based on the biometric matching.

[0034] Printouts for winning bets may be returned to the self-service betting machine to receive payment or a voucher, which may then be used to receive payment from a teller. In other embodiments, the self-service betting machine allows the end user 12 to use a credit card, debit card, or smart card to place bets. The credit or debit card may have an associated account, which may be a betting account provided and / or managed by a betting account provider using, for example, a centralized computer system. The associated account and information may also be stored in an end-user profile, as described later with reference to Figure 3. A smart card may store information about the betting account and various bets on itself. In some embodiments, after a bet expires, the end user 12 may insert or swipe their credit, debit, or smart card into the self-service betting machine to update the card's balance.

[0035] The user interface 16 may implement one or more telephone operators and one or more websites. End users 12 may access or communicate using such interfaces in any appropriate manner. The telephone operators may separately transmit information to the end users 12 and take bets from the users. Similarly, the websites may transmit betting information to the end users 12 so that the end users 12 can use it to place bets. One or more such websites may be provided by one or more servers associated with the owner or operator of the gaming system 10.

[0036] An internet betting provider may offer betting via an internet account by providing one or more end users 12 with an online betting account. Using the online betting account, the customer may fund the account and connect to one or more websites associated with the internet betting provider to view betting information about betting events, such as variable and fixed odds, variable and fixed references, markets, high, low and spread lines, and historical data, and to place bets. Such an online betting account may include one or more different types of accounts, such as a deposit account, a credit account, a margin account, a stop-loss account, and a hybrid account. Such accounts and their contents may be stored in an end-user profile, as shown in Figure 3.

[0037] The communication network 18 is a communication platform capable of exchanging data or information between the end user 12, the user interface 16, and / or the central controller 40. The communication network 18 may also be an internet architecture, which provides the end user with the ability to electronically execute or initiate buy and sell transactions associated with betting. Alternatively, the communication network 18 may be an analog telephone line (Plain Old Telephone System, POTS), which the end user 12 can use to perform the same operations or functions. Such transactions may be assisted by a broker 30 associated with the user interface 16, or manually keyed into a telephone or other suitable electronic device to request the execution of a transaction. In other embodiments, the communication network 18 may be any packet data network (PDN) providing communication between any two nodes in the communication interface or gaming system 10. The communication network 18 may, or may additionally, be any local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), virtual private network (VPN), intranet, or any other suitable architecture or system that facilitates communication within a network or telephone environment, or a combination thereof.

[0038] In one embodiment, the central controller 40 comprises a processor 42 and a memory element 44. The central controller 40 generally provides backend functions relating to the method described herein, such as receiving requests from end users 12, and is operable to process these requests so that bets are executed based on events occurring in the market environment, such as financial transactions in financial markets. The resulting bets are properly managed and stored by the processor 42 and may be appropriately stored in the memory element 44, such as a database 45 or any other suitable format. The processor 42 may assist in processing any betting items or conditions requested by the end user 12, such as desired maturity dates, exchange transaction types, odds, reference lines, market lines, high lines, low lines, and spread line values. If the central controller 40 cannot match the betting information requested by the end user 12 or the bid bet items provided with those available in the market, the central controller 40 may contact the end user 12 and notify the end user 12 of the circumstances under which it is impossible to fulfill the bet.

[0039] The processor 42 may include any suitable processor that executes betting system applications or other computer instructions that facilitate betting. The processor 42 may be a CPU and / or microprocessor and may comprise any suitable number of processors working in conjunction. The processor 42 is generally operable to perform software, various algorithms, calculations, or calculations to determine current bet data such as betting values, betting odds, market, high, low, or spread lines, variable or fixed, and / or potential payout data, and to perform authentication, verification, or any other functions that facilitate the methods disclosed herein. The processor 42 may determine these current bet data based on data received from memory element 44 and / or financial market data element 60. In addition, the processor 42 may update these current bet data based on new information received from financial market data element 60. In some embodiments, the processor 42 may update the current bet data in real time, substantially real time, or at preset intervals such as every 5 seconds to every 30 seconds. In addition, the processor 42 may perform the operations described herein to establish betting odds, fluctuating market lines or levels and to provide betting opportunities to the end user 12 based thereon. In other embodiments, the odds are determined externally to the gaming system 10 and simply transmitted to the central controller 40 via an external link.

[0040] The memory element 44 may include one or more memory devices that facilitate or store information related to betting, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), high-speed cycle RAM (FCRAM), static RAM (SRAM), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a microcontroller or microprocessor, a hard drive, optical media, magnetic media, etc., or a combination thereof. The memory element 44 is generally operable to store data used by the processor 42 in determining odds and / or payouts. In addition to storing betting information, the memory element 44 may store software that performs some or all of the functions described in this specification at runtime.

[0041] It should be noted that the internal structure of the central controller 40 is flexible and can be immediately changed, modified, reorganized, or reconfigured to achieve the intended operation. Therefore, the central controller 40 may be equipped with any suitable components, devices, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), hardware, software, processors, algorithms, ROM elements, RAM elements, EPROMs, EEPROMs, or any other suitable objects that can operate to facilitate the operation of the central controller 40. Within the environment of the gaming system 10, the structure of the central controller 40 provides considerable flexibility.

[0042] In an alternative embodiment, the user interface 16, the communication network 18, and / or the central controller 40 may be replaced in whole or in part by a single person who provides a human interface between the end user 12 and bets related to financial markets. In such an embodiment, the agent of the user interface 16 (or any other suitable person or agent) may receive contact from the end user 12, for example, via telephone, network, other suitable electronic device, or directly by oral word. The agent or agent may receive a request from the end user 12 and execute a transaction that includes bets, such as a bet request, items of the bet request, and other inputs. The agent or agent may then act on behalf of the request to a suitable entity to execute the bet, or may conduct a broker transaction. The agent or agent may then record the completed transaction once and then contact the end user 12 to confirm that the transaction has been executed. The agent may then issue any suitable type of receipt to the end user 12, indicating the items of the bet. Additional details relating to the internal structure of the central controller 40 will be described later with reference to Figure 3.

[0043] The administrator module 50 is an element that works in conjunction with the central controller 40 to ensure the fair and proper execution of betting transactions initiated by the end user 12. The administrator module 50 is an optional component of the gaming system 10. In one embodiment, the administrator module 50 may be used to control any operation of the central controller 40. For example, the administrator module 50 may be used to manually set betting odds, approve margin requests or individual bet requests, or stop the operation of a particular bet. In a selected example, the administrator module 50 may request additional margin throughout the day without waiting for routine end-of-day settlements. In yet another scenario, the administrator module 50 may be used for general monitoring functions. In this example, the administrator module 50 may act as an interface for a user to send at least one query against data stored in the system, such as tables or databases. The module 50 may also act as an interface for parsing, extracting, filtering, deleting, or more generally, processing data stored in the system. The administrator module 50 may also be accessed using a provider interface 32, which may be any type of device similar to the end-user interface 16 for communicating with the central controller 40 and / or the administrator module 50. Furthermore, the administrator module 50 may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

[0044] Figure 2 shows an interface screen or page 70 used for communication with at least one embodiment of the method and system disclosed in this specification. The interface screen 70 generally provides an opportunity for an end user 12 to bet, at the end of a trading session or trading day, on whether a variable associated with a selected market or object has reached a level higher or lower than a defined market level, such as a market line 71, a high line 73, a low line 75, and a spread line 77. As described above, the expiration associated with a bet or multiple bets may vary. For illustrative purposes only, the expiration 79 for the interface shown in Figure 2 is the expiration for the day, ending at the market close time.

[0045] The interface in Figure 2 shows that for the fixed odds and / or variable odds embodiments described above, System 10 may generate an interface screen containing one or more betting lines, image objects, buttons, and / or text, providing up to eight betting opportunities in total with respect to the values ​​of one or more reference variables associated with objects such as index values, specific assets or a set of assets, or any other transferable items. The terms image or image object as used in this specification include, but are not limited to, still or video images, text, and buttons, and are used to indicate any item that is selected by the end user 12 to place a bet request for at least one betting opportunity provided together and is displayed on the interface screen. Interface 70 may include a list 72 containing at least one selectable link for placing a bet in a selected inter-exchange transaction.

[0046] The eight or fewer betting opportunities are based on the user's ability to bet that a specified market or object within it closes higher or lower than at least one of four individually defined levels. In this regard, the interface screen 70 may display at least one betting line having a value 81 corresponding to a selected reference variable of object 89, such as the market price of object 89, where this value 81 may be superimposed on line 71 along with a selectable image for the user to place a bet (up bet) in an up position 76a and at least one selectable image for the user to place a bet (down bet) in a down position 76b relative to the value 81 of betting line 71. The interface screen 70 may similarly display values ​​for each betting line, such as a value 83 associated with a high line 73, a value 85 associated with a low line 75, and values ​​87a, 87b associated with a spread line 77, where each betting line also corresponds to a value of a selected reference variable, along with a corresponding image for placing a bet in either an up or down position relative to each line.

[0047] In one embodiment, an image object displays the odds for a bet on a specific position that has become available. Lines may be displayed on the interface screen 70 in spatial relationships based on the value of a particular line relative to other lines or multiple lines. As shown in Figure 2, lines may be spatially arranged with lower-value lines drawn below lines with higher values. The spatial distance between lines may vary to reflect any proximity in the spread between lines. For example, the distance may be narrowed to provide a scaled display of the betting lines, or widened to provide a zoom in on the display of the betting lines. Images and / or text displayed on the interface screen may be dynamically updated to reflect changes in the values ​​of the objects or changes in the odds for betting opportunities. Betting data such as betting lines and odds are preferably automatically refreshed without user intervention.

[0048] In one embodiment, the interface screen 70 includes a high line 73, a current market line 71, and a low line 75 for betting on an index such as the FTSE. In a fixed odds embodiment, the value of the current reference betting line, such as the current market line, is preferably changing to reflect changes in the index's value in real time. Accordingly, the high line and low line values ​​may also fluctuate based on the fluctuating current market level, for example, if the high and low lines are about 1% higher or lower than the reference and then current market level lines, respectively. In more volatile markets or specific demands, such high and low lines may be any appropriate percentage level or amount increase or decrease from the reference betting line, such as the market line, to achieve favorable fixed odds for each betting position.

[0049] In the example in Figure 2, the high line 73 is located at 4404. High (up bet) and low (down bet) betting opportunities represent certain fixed or fixed odds that persist for at least the duration of the betting session. Higher odds are generally odds against the current level (sell positions), and lower odds are odds in favor of the current level (buy positions or "odds on"). Thus, the pair of bet images 74a and 74b may reflect buy and sell positions against the high line. Bet 74a contains odds of 1 / 5, while bet 74b contains odds of 1 / 12. Similarly, the pair of bet images 80a and 80b may be offered reflecting higher odds of 1 / 12 (up bet, buy position) and lower odds of 1 / 5 (down bet, sell position), respectively.

[0050] As described above, the value of market line 71, in this example, is accompanied by fixed odds of approximately 10 / 11 for high (up-bet) or low (down-bet) betting opportunities, and may fluctuate or change constantly to reflect the actual market level for an object such as the FTSE. The current market line at that time is at 4354 and includes the pair of bet images 76a and 76b, which represent high (up-bet) or low (down-bet) positions with accompanying odds of 10 / 11 for both. In addition, other bet images 78a and 78b may be provided for reference and then for derivatives of current market line 71, i.e., the spread line. The two bets on the spread line are submitted at levels 4361 and 4348, respectively, and are calculated to provide even betting odds for both up-bet and down-bet betting opportunities. Therefore, a second-closest current market level is provided, which also fluctuates with respect to the market line, resulting in a market spread, or a spread line, which allows customers to bet an even amount on the market expiring higher or lower than the spread line. In this example, a 13-point spread straddles the reference market middle line, providing an additional betting opportunity for the end user 12.

[0051] The values ​​of the high and low lines may fluctuate over time, in addition to reflecting market fluctuations, in order to maintain the desired odds fixed throughout the trading session. The spread between the high, market, and low lines generally narrows or moves closer to the market as the session nears its end, at least based on the remaining time in the session. This is also true for the purpose of ensuring that the odds on bets to the spread line remain even for high (up-bet product) and low (down-bet product) positions (bets 78a and 78b). Thus, such lines not only float in the sense of market fluctuations, but also converge as time progresses toward the closing of the betting session. For example, if there are 5 minutes remaining to bet in a 24-hour session, these lines will be extremely narrow. Therefore, throughout a trading day or betting session, the high line generally declines and the low line generally rises, while the odds, in some cases, remain relatively constant.

[0052] Similarly, as time passes and a market or betting session closes, practical constraints may invalidate or eliminate certain betting opportunities. For example, a market generally fluctuates with an increasing total number of shares. Therefore, spreads that are too narrow to offer practical betting opportunities, such as bet images 74a, 74b, 78a, 78b, 80a, and 80b, may be eliminated as the market approaches closing.

[0053] Therefore, a betting provider may restrict betting opportunities by invalidating high and low lines, for example, if the line is closer than 5 to 10 divisions, or by any other amount from the market line or both. Similarly, a betting provider may invalidate a betting opportunity if the odds are too high, such as being higher than or equal to a threshold of 1 / 100, or too low, such as being lower than or equal to a threshold of 1 / 28. A betting opportunity may be invalidated by simply removing the image associated with the particular invalidated bet, as shown in Figure 7, or by changing the color of the image to a color with a different brightness than the original color, and / or by removing the odds displayed above the image object associated with the particular betting opportunity on the image. For example, an image that is initially bright red may be replaced with a light red image. It should be understood that any type of modification may be used to indicate that a bet has been erased, such as replacing a moving image with a stationary image, a rotating image with a stationary image, or replacing opacity with transparency or semi-transparency. In addition to disabling the entire line, the provider may disable only parts of it, such as up-bet images and / or down-bet images.

[0054] In one embodiment, the image reflects the tradable state of the betting opportunity. The tradable state may be at least one of "tradable," "viewable," and "off." In the tradable state, the image associated with the betting opportunity is both viewable and tradable, meaning the user may place a bet by selecting the image. In the viewable state, the image is viewable but not tradable; for example, the betting opportunity is deleted or otherwise disabled. In the off state, the product is neither viewable nor tradable.

[0055] The 1 / 12 odds for buy bets 74b and 80a, and the 1 / 5 odds for sell bets 74a and 80b, respectively, reflect the fixed odds for the corresponding lines, namely 4404 and 4306, which are determined based on the remaining time in the betting session and / or market volatility. Thus, end-user 12 may select image 74a and use it to place a $100 bet at 1 / 5 odds on the FTSE closing above the high line. If the FTSE closes at 4425 at the end of the trading day, this bet is a winning bet and may be settled later. In this example, end-user 12 would receive $500 (W x (1 / 5)) from the winning bet in addition to their initial stake, for a total of $600. Instead, if end-user 12 selects image 74b and places a $100 bet at odds of 1 / 12, this bet would be identified as a losing bet at the close of the betting session, and end-user 12 would lose their $100 bet. On the other hand, if the FTSE closes at 4390, end-user 12 would receive a reward of $100 (1 / 12) (at the presented odds) in addition to their stake. This would result in a payout of approximately $108.33 for the winning bet.

[0056] As described above, the market or other reference line prices or values ​​presented to the end user 12 may be provided by transmission of communications. These communications reflect the market conditions on a daily basis and can effectively anticipate news flows and other financial parameters that may potentially affect the market. Other embodiments, which will be described in detail later, provide the owner or operator of the gaming system 10 with highly flexible market line and odds settings.

[0057] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a central controller 40 provided in a gaming system 10 according to one embodiment. The central controller 40 includes a processor 42 coupled to a memory element 44. The processor 42 executes one or more applications, generates betting opportunities in one or more betting sessions, receives bets thereon, and implements various specifications and functions for settling bets on the value of one or more financial instruments, assets, objects, etc. The memory element 44 may store the applications, various embodiments of the betting means 90, and / or any other relevant information associated with the betting means 90. In certain embodiments, the processor 42 comprises or includes at least one odds determination module 84 operable to establish, calculate, or otherwise determine odds for positions associated with one or more betting lines disclosed in this specification, a price / level determination module 86 operable to establish, calculate, or otherwise determine prices or values ​​for one or more betting lines disclosed in this specification, and a bet settlement module 88 operable to settle one or more bets, each module generally intended to provide an end user 12 with a betting opportunity.

[0058] The betting means 90 is generally a data element derived from or substantiating a bet made on the outcome of one or more events associated with a financial or other market. Accordingly, the betting means 90 is a file or database entry containing information reflecting a bet placed in the system 10, and means 90 may include parameters related to a particular event that forms the basis of the bet. The event may include fluctuations or values ​​of financial market indicators, assets, or other instruments at a predetermined period of time or at the end thereof, as described above. If applicable, means 90 may include all relevant financial data and associated debt items, such as participant identification information, account information, bet amount, market line levels, high line levels, low line levels, spread line levels, up and down odds for each line, time the bet is placed, betting session in which the bet is placed, start time, expiration time, bet identification number, bet status such as approved (manual or automatic), pending, expired, win, loss, or combinations thereof. Similarly, the memory element 44 may include one or more templates and / or tables 94 for use in generating betting sessions, as will be described in detail later.

[0059] During operation, in one embodiment, fluctuations in the financial market may be represented as an image on an electronic screen using symbols or image objects such as red, green, or yellow arrows. Each symbol may indicate, for example, that the value of an associated financial market indicator, such as a reference variable, has decreased during the last predetermined period, such as the last betting session or the last relevant trade or buy / sell in the market for the object, for example, by a downward-pointing red arrow or simply an image or text object of an appropriate color; that it has increased during the last predetermined period or the last relevant trade or buy / sell period, for example, by an upward-pointing green arrow or an image or text object of an appropriate color; and that it has not changed in a subsequent predetermined period or the last relevant trade or buy / sell period, for example, by a horizontal yellow arrow or simply remaining as an image or text object of the original color. Any appropriate number and combination of symbols can represent an appropriate portion of the history or fluctuation of the value of the reference variable. For example, the color of the market line, the font of the displayed value, the text box around the displayed value, etc., may be a first color, such as blue, to indicate an upward fluctuation in the value of the object. Similarly, the colors of market lines, fonts, text boxes, etc., may be a secondary color, such as red, to indicate a downward movement in the object's value. The direction of the movement may be derived, for example, from information indicating that the object is under-bought or under-sold.

[0060] The memory element 44 of the central controller 40 may store information about various types of bets and their results placed in the gaming system 10. The memory element 44 may also store various betting instruments 90 and multiple end-user profiles 92. The memory element 44 may additionally store information associated with the financial instrument number (FIN), the market symbol of the subject of a particular bet, the specified period / expiration date, and the odds established for a particular bet. These and other fields may be defined in numerous ways. For example, the term "expiration date" may refer to a specific closing or settlement time and / or the date on which the betting instrument 90 closes, and may be based on the event itself that will be completed on any future or specific date, such as a closing bell.

[0061] In addition, each end-user profile 92 may include any relevant information such as the end-user 12, the user's betting activity, biometric data, or the user's financial resources. For example, items such as the number of accounts, trading history, lending and borrowing, fees, available funds, and available debit / credit cards may be reflected in the profile, fingerprint profile, etc. The end-user profile 92 may be accessed only by the end-user 12 using their personal identification number, or it may be accessed solely by an authorized entity or administrator.

[0062] The odds determination module 84 generally determines the odds offered to the end user 12 for a particular bet, and the pricing module 84 determines the betting line value offered to the end user 12 for a particular bet. Generally, three factors may be considered in setting the odds and / or betting line value for a betting opportunity: the spot commodity market or generally the reference level, volatility, and time. Volatility represents the uncertainty that appears in the market over a given period of time. Generally, the market follows a common logarithmic distribution and reflects an abstract concept or theory from which one can reasonably estimate market fluctuations. In this sense, the mathematics used in calculating the odds / betting line value is similar to that used for pricing options. In other scenarios, the odds calculation may also be based on exposure to the owner / operator of the gaming system 10. Note that numerous control parameters are provided to the administrator of the gaming system 10. For example, the volatility factor may be manipulated in response to breaking news that is likely to have a significant impact on the market level. This decision is made by the administrator and may reflect the administrator's judgment and / or experience in market theory. In other scenarios, such news items are automatically priced in the financial markets.

[0063] In an alternative embodiment, the odds determination module 84 determines the odds for a particular bet based on the following formula:

number

[0064] In the illustrative scenario, the S&P 500 is unlikely to underperform in a US presidential election year. Historically, the S&P 500 has only negatively impacted investors twice during election years. Therefore, during election years, control parameters may be implemented to reflect the proposition that the S&P 500 will mostly rise during that period. Similarly, markets tend to decline during wartime or periods of rising interest rates. In the event of a major war or a pattern such as a systematic rise in interest rates, managers may, for example, identify desired volatility factors and manipulate the odds again as appropriate to reflect this potential downtrend.

[0065] In other scenarios, the odds associated with a market may be established based on the current market line, combined with the ratio of the bet amount on that market to the total amount accumulated in the relevant betting pool. Since each set of odds corresponds to a percentage, each participant also has a percentage associated with them. To form a group of participants for no-take-out bets, the gaming system 10 can select participants from a participant field where the sum of the total percentages corresponds to the amount of the odds. The percentage corresponding to the odds is also referred to as the target percentage. For example, if a representative participant in a participant group has 5-2 odds for an even bet, i.e., a target percentage of 50%, and this is accompanied by a 28% percentage, then gaming system 10 may form participant groups by selecting other participants whose combined percentage is 22%, such as a participant with 7-2 odds (22%), a participant with 4-1 odds (20%) and 50-1 odds (2%), or a participant with 7-1 odds (12%) and 9-1 odds (10%). In another example, if a bet has odds of 2-1, i.e., a target percentage of 33%, and a representative participant in the participant group has odds of 6-1, which accounts for 14% of the total, then gaming system 10 may form the participant group by selecting other participants whose total percentage is 19%, such as participants with odds of 9-1 (10%) and 10-1 (9%), participants with odds of 5-1 (16%) and 30-1 (3%), or a single other participant with odds of 9-2 (18%) or 4-1 (20%).

[0066] Because the number of participants in an event and the odds for specific participants within the event change, it can be difficult to assemble a group of participants with a total percentage that is as close as possible to the target percentage. For this reason, the administrator of the gaming system 10 may intend to form a group of participants with a total percentage that is as close as possible to the target percentage. In certain embodiments, the gaming system 10 may establish a percentage threshold, for example via the odds determination module 84, to be used to determine whether an odds bet is being offered for a particular event. For example, the gaming system 10 may establish a threshold that is 3 percentage points higher or lower than the target percentage. In this example, the gaming system 10 will offer odds if the total percentage for the group of participants is within 3 percentage points above or below the target percentage. If no bets are established in this scenario, the gaming system 10 may convert the odds bets for representative participants into straight odds bets. The gaming system 10 may intend to form participant groups using any appropriate number and combination in the field of the end user 12. This embodiment may be implemented by disabling certain bidding opportunities until the system 10 receives a bet from the opposing side to meet a threshold level.

[0067] In yet another embodiment, the market line may be fixed or constant over a given period, thereby allowing the odds to change for the purpose of enticing end-users or encouraging additional betting. For example, if the FTSE rises 300 points in morning trading to reach the 5000 level, the odds may change significantly, for example, to 50 / 1 or 100 / 1, for the purpose of inducing people to bet on the FTSE closing below the initial market line. Other events that may affect the rise or fall of the corresponding market may be taken into consideration immediately and are therefore clearly within the scope of the gaming system 10's instigation.

[0068] In the example above, the original market line when the FTSE started was 4700. Therefore, if the FTSE was at the 5000 level, the odds must have been attractive enough to persuade potential bettors to participate in a betting opportunity that would have an impact on a significant decline in the FTSE. Thus, the odds price for buying can be generated to entice investors, i.e., bettors. Market odds can be refreshed several times a day to provide new betting opportunities.

[0069] The valuation for the fixed odds embodiment may be calculated based at least on the relationships shown in the following algorithm.

number

[0070] The odds for the fixed line embodiment are calculated using at least the relationship shown by the algorithm described later.

number

[0071] The odds for up and down bets on the mid and low lines are calculated based on similar formulas. The price for the even odds embodiment is calculated based on at least the relationships shown in the algorithm described later.

number

[0072] The odds determination module 84 may be used to determine the odds for this configuration. Furthermore, the administrator module 50 may also be involved in such a process for the purpose of establishing appropriate odds or refreshing the gaming environment to provide new betting opportunities. In other scenarios, any suitable elements within the gaming system 10 may be implemented to achieve a fixed or variable market line configuration, including the ability to change the odds used to attract bettors.

[0073] Figure 4(a) is a flowchart illustrating one or more steps involved in a method for betting on a financial or other market environment. The method may begin by initiating the first betting session in 96. The betting session may begin at any time as described above. For example, the first betting session may begin at the market open on a trading day. For sessions within the same day, subsequent betting sessions may begin immediately following the expiration of the previous betting session.

[0074] In one embodiment, in 98, the system 10 generates a betting product. The betting product may be generated in various ways. The betting product may be generated at any time, such as before or at the start of a betting session. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the system 10 may provide a betting product with an image element 576a so that a user can place a bet on a particular betting session in which the market price on the Dow closes higher than the opening market price 581 of 11192.8 with odds of 10 / 11. In this regard, the betting product may be a persistent record in a database or file that internally contains relevant data representing the betting product, such as the market price at the start of the betting session, the odds for the particular betting opportunity, the expiration time, and the result identification number. In this example, the system 10 retrieves the betting product data from the database and, based on this, communicates the betting product to the end user 12 for display. The database may then be updated to include data on betting products for subsequent betting sessions.

[0075] Similarly, system 10 may generate less persistent betting opportunities. That is, system 10 receives betting data related to betting opportunities from financial market data elements 60, etc., and temporarily maintains such data in memory, such as a system cache, for a sufficient amount of time to provide betting opportunities to end users. In one embodiment, this is achieved by accessing one or more templates in 100, retrieving betting data based on the one or more templates in 102, and storing information representing betting opportunities in memory in 104. In 106, system 10 may delete and / or generate additional betting opportunities from memory in 108 if the session has expired or if the betting opportunity has expired due to fluctuations in the spot commodity market at any given time. In this regard, system 10 does not necessarily need to permanently store each betting opportunity in a database or file.

[0076] Various types and numbers of templates may be implemented to search for betting data and provide betting opportunities based on it. In one embodiment, system 10 accesses at least one template, such as a product template, which contains at least one field for each item of a betting product, such as an object code like FTSE or Dow, a session type like time or day, a start time, an end time, etc. Then, system 10 accesses at least one template and at least one table that store the desired betting data and generates a betting product based on it. For example, with respect to a betting product with image element 576a in Figure 5, system 10 may access a table containing fields for the object, namely market price, up odds, and session length, and search for a Dow where these are 11198.8, 10 / 11, and 5 minutes, respectively, from at least one data source.

[0077] System 10 may similarly use multiple templates and / or tables, such as product tables for generating object codes and session tables for providing durations for specific session types. For example, there may be product tables with horizontal axes for FTSE and Dow, and session tables accompanying each of these with horizontal axes for 60-minute and 7-day intraday and weekly sessions. System 10 may implement software that applies templates to each object in the product tables, including FTSE intraday and weekly betting opportunities and Dow intraday and weekly betting opportunities, and uses these to generate betting opportunities for each object.

[0078] System 10 may generate results for any number of objects of any session length. Therefore, to have FTSE daily reports, Vodafone daily reports, BT daily reports, FTSE weekly reports, Vodafone weekly reports, BT weekly reports, FTSE hourly reports, Vodafone hourly reports, and BT hourly reports, the product table stores three objects, namely FTSE, Vodafone, and BT, and the session table stores three time periods: day, week, and hour. Then, two general tables are used by product templates to generate 3x3 results within a limited time period, for example, 780 products per day, 156 products per week, 7020 products per hour, etc. Many different types of templates may be generated. Each template may control many products, and each product may be controlled by many templates. For example, there may be a template for each type of betting session, which is used to read objects in the product table and generate betting opportunities for each object in the table. The number of each betting product generated is M*N in this example, where M is the number of objects and N is the number of different session types.

[0079] For fluctuating market lines, a new betting product is generated to replace the product as a result of fluctuations in the value of the physical commodity. Therefore, a session may have multiple betting products that are generated sequentially to reflect real-time changes in the value of the object, etc. In this example, the start time of a betting product may signal the end of a betting product that started earlier for the same object.

[0080] In 110, at some point during the betting session, a participant may request information about at least one betting product. The request may be submitted via an interface screen, such as the interface screen shown in Figure 2, which may contain at least one element or link that may be selected for a request for information about at least one specific betting product. For example, the interface screen may include links to display betting products associated with objects such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ, FTSE, and currencies such as Euro against the US Dollar.

[0081] In response to a request, System 10 may transmit information relevant to the request to the participant in step 112. The information may be transmitted to the participant in various formats, such as electronic files, including HTML or XML documents that may support the display of Flash® files or other image files. The transmission may result in the display of an interface screen containing the relevant information on the user interface 16, such as the interface screens shown in Figures 2 and 5 through 11. The information transmitted to the participant may be determined in various ways. For example, betting product information, such as market prices or any other values ​​associated with the object, may be retrieved from a database or from a stream source of market data for the object. For other types of information, System 10 may determine relevant betting product information, such as high-level, low-level, spread-level, and odds for up and down positions at each level, by calculating these types of information as described above.

[0082] In one embodiment, the betting product information in 114 is refreshed or reissued at least once, or preferably periodically, within a betting session. For example, this information is periodically reissued to reflect changes in the market value of an object in real time or otherwise, thereby erasing or expiring bet images that invalidate a betting opportunity, or changing the color of an image to indicate the direction of market fluctuations, etc. The product information may be updated using FlashMediaServer® software, which updates the information and media components as appropriate. As described above, refreshing the betting product information may signal the end of a betting product in a betting session and the generation of subsequent betting products for the same product within the same session. The information is preferably refreshed automatically without participant intervention.

[0083] In 116, the system 10 listens to a bet request from at least one participant. Participants may submit bet requests in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, a participant submits a bet request by selecting an image associated with at least one betting level or line. Similarly, a bet request may include the amount of the bet.

[0084] After receiving a bet request, and preferably in response thereto, the system 10 in 118 communicates to the participant for confirmation at least one of the betting items. The items may include at least one of the following: participant identification information, account information, bet amount, marker line level, high line level, low line level, spread line level, up and down odds for each line, time the bet was made, betting session in which the bet was made, duration of the betting session, start time of the betting session, expiration time of the betting session, bet identification number, etc. The items of the request preferably reflect a specific selected betting product. For example, the items for a bet with fixed odds on the market price of an object may include fixed odds on a specific selected position, such as an up or down position, and the market price at the time the bet request is made. Similarly, the items for a bet with variable odds on the market price of an object may include odds on a selected position determined at the time the bet request is made, and the market price at the start of the session. The items may be communicated as fields within an interface screen that includes at least one selectable element to confirm the bet and / or at least one element, for the purpose of allowing participants to change one or more items such as the bet amount.

[0085] Confirmed bet requests are generally received at 120 and activated at 122. Activation may include one or more steps. For example, activation may include a step of determining whether the selected betting product exists, is valid, and is tradable. Similarly, activation may include a step of confirming that no bets have expired in the past, that the odds or value items of the bet request do not differ significantly from those communicated to the participant, for example by 50%, or that the bet is not zero but within any minimum and maximum range.

[0086] Next, as described above, in 124 the betting means 90 may be generated to include one or more bet items represented by the means. The betting means 90 is generally a persistent record in, for example, a table, database, or fault-tolerant cache, which is stored at least until the settlement of the bet.

[0087] At 126, a determination is made as to whether the betting session has expired. If, at 126, the betting session has not expired, at 114, system 10 refreshes the betting product information and continues to listen for bet requests. If, at 116, system 10 determines that the betting session has expired, at 128, system 10 proceeds with settling the bets and at 132, either starts the next session or at 120, if no additional sessions are started during that trading day, terminates processing for that trading day. The setting may be done, for example, immediately after the expiration of the betting session via debit or credit to the end-user account, concurrently with the execution of the next betting session, or extended if the end-user 12 increases the credit by a certain amount. In other cases permitted by the relationship between the end-user 12 and the administrator, payment may be simply mailed or electronically communicated by the betting provider in the case of wins, or by the end-user 12 in the case of losses. Similarly, biometric data may be used to verify payments or debits from authenticated account users.

[0088] Settlement may be carried out in any number of ways, based on specific demand. A given end-user 12 may activate a certain number of bets at any given time. For example, end-user 12 may bet on an overall rise in the NASDAQ market, using a 1-day validity period and a conversion in German DAN (sell position) (with a 5-minute validity period). Thus, the method in Figure 4(a) may be repeated for each session, object, betting opportunity, etc., to provide such functionality. Furthermore, settlement may occur for multiple bets with different validity periods at a common time, such as the last validity period of bets expiring within the same trading day or week, or at the end of the trading day.

[0089] Any relevant information may be communicated to the end user 12 of the gaming system so that the end user is notified of any changes in the value of their betting instrument 90 or any news that may affect their position. For example, market-level data, employment figures, and / or GDP statistics may be provided to the end user 12. Other information provided may simply be an update of the expected value of the betting instrument 90 based on current market conditions. The administrator of the gaming system 10 may ignore or use this information to provide new betting opportunities for potential gamers. These opportunities may be displayed immediately so that the end user 12 can participate in further betting opportunities through the gaming system 10.

[0090] As described above, a bet request may be activated in various ways. Referring to Figure 4(b), in one embodiment, activation begins with receiving a bet request in 2020. In 204, a determination is made as to whether any other requests have been deemed valid. For example, if no bet request has been previously activated within the same betting session, system 10 applies at least one activation test to the bet request in 206. System 10 applies tests to determine, for example, whether a betting product exists in 208, whether it is valid in 210, and whether it is tradable in 212. System 10 may similarly determine in 214 whether the session or the bet request itself has expired, or in 216 whether the bet request has at least one item that exceeds a certain limit. Restrictions on any number may be applied to the activation process, such as minimum, maximum, and non-zero limits, which the system uses to determine whether a bet exceeds the participant's or organizer's betting limits. System 10 may similarly determine in 218 whether a numerical value, such as the market price, differs from one that was communicated to the participant by the recipient of the bet request within a certain period of time. For example, the system may validate a bet request if the betting line value for the bet request does not exceed a certain percentage, such as 50%, or a certain amount from a value communicated to the participant before the bet request, such as within 30 seconds. Similarly, the system may determine the reliability of the user making the bet request by comparing it with biometric data received from the user that is stored in the system.

[0091] In one embodiment, at 218, a determination is made as to whether the bet request is suspicious. That is, in some examples, a participant may ensure that incoming data does not replace expired data previously communicated to the participant. The participant may then place a bet on a corresponding odds that is more favorable to the participant than the expired betting line value and the current betting line value. For example, as shown in Figure 5, a low line value of 11183.8 for the Dow at time T1 may be offered to the participant with down bet odds of 6 / 1. Later, at time T2, as shown in Figure 9, the market price moves to 11255.2, below the low line value at T1. Thus, the down bet placed at T1, i.e., the low line value, becomes "gold" at the market price of T2. Accordingly, a determination may be made as to whether the participant intends to bet on an expired, more favorable betting line value and / or bet. This may be achieved in various ways. In one embodiment, the system 10 determines whether the betting line value or odds of a bet request are any one of a number generated as of the activation time. For example, in a relatively volatile market, the betting line value or odds of a bet request may be required to match those of the current betting opportunity. In a more volatile market, the bet request may be required to match at least one of the previous three betting opportunities. An exception may be applied if the current market conditions at the activation time are less favorable to the bet request.

[0092] If a bet request is determined to be invalid, such appropriate message may be conveyed to the participant in 226. Similarly, in 222, a determination may be made that the bet is valid and / or accepted, triggered by a valid request.

[0093] In 204, if other requests are deemed valid, system 10 compares the bet request in 232 with the validated requests and determines whether at least one of the items of the bet request falls within a certain range or threshold of the validated requests. If the bet request is not within the range, the bet request may be tested by a default validation test in 206. If the bet request falls within the range, the bet request may be automatically approved in 222, and such a message may be transmitted to the participant, thereby passing the default validation test. Various criteria may be applied in this regard. For example, a bet request may be automatically approved if the time, betting line value, odds, or a combination thereof falls within a certain range of a manually or otherwise validated bet request. For example, a bet request may be automatically approved if it is within 5 seconds and within 3 price units (scales), such as between 4503 and 4497, from the betting line value of a manually validated bet request at 4500. Depending on the session duration, the time criterion may span any range from 1 to less than 30 seconds or more. The price range may similarly range from 1 to 1000 units.

[0094] Figures 5 to 8 show interface screens used in connection with at least one embodiment of the variable odds / fixed line described in this specification. The interface screen 500 may include a list 72 having at least one selectable link for the user that displays betting opportunities on specific objects such as index links and FX links. Each link may further dig down to allow the user to select an index from several available indices such as the FTSE and Dow, and to select several available foreign exchanges such as USD / EUR and USD / JPY. The system may further provide multiple betting opportunities for each object having different session lengths, in this example, the list 72 may be digged down to specific session lengths such as 5 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, and 1 week.

[0095] When a user selects one of the links, they typically submit a request to bet on information related to the selected object associated with that link. In response to this selection, the system updates or generates the display of at least one betting line built into the interface screen 500, such as a reference starting level line 571, a high line 573, and a low line 575. Each betting line may have associated values, for example superimposed above the line, such as a market value 581 above the reference starting level line 571, a high line value 583 above the high line 573, and a low line value 585 above the low line 575. Each line and value may have an image of at least one betting opportunity that the user can select to use to submit a bet request. For example, the starting level line may have an up-bet image 576a and a down-bet image 576b. Similarly, the high and low lines may have up-bet images 574a, 580a and down-bet images 574b, 580b. The interface screen 500 includes odds for each betting opportunity offered, which are displayed on a selectable image for each betting opportunity. The interface screen 500 may also include live level lines 506 that show market values ​​at different times within the betting session in order to reflect changes in object values ​​in real time. The live level lines 506 may move spatially, for example, perpendicular to the displayed betting lines.

[0096] Figures 5 through 8 show interface screens offering betting opportunities on the Dow during a 5-minute betting session ending at 11:55 AM on August 3rd. It can be seen that the betting line values ​​remain constant throughout the betting session, and the odds for each betting opportunity change based at least on the value of the live level line 506. It can also be seen that the down betting opportunity associated with the high level line 574b in Figure 5 was invalidated in Figure 6. As the betting session progresses, the sell position betting opportunity images 583b and 580b may be invalidated, as shown in Figure 7. Similarly, all betting opportunity images may be invalidated near the end of the session, as shown in Figure 8. Figure 9 shows that interface screen 500 with down bet images 576b and 583b was invalidated for the starting level line 571 and the high level line 573 based on fluctuations in the live level line 506 toward these positions.

[0097] Figures 10 and 11 show interface screens used in connection with at least one embodiment of the fixed odds / variable line described in this specification. In response to selecting one of the links 72, the system updates the interface screen 500 to incorporate at least one betting line, such as a current level line 671, a high line 673, a low line 675, and a spread line 677. Each betting line has a value superimposed and associated above the line, such as a market value above the starting level line 671, a high line value 683 above the high line 673, a low line value 685 above the low line 675, and a spread value 687a above the spread line 677. Each line and value may have an image of at least one betting opportunity that is selectively associated with it for the user to use to place a bet request. For example, the reference current level line 671 may have an up-bet image 676a and a down-bet image 676b. Similarly, the high, low, and spread lines may have up-bet images 674a, 680a, 678a and down-bet images 674b, 680b, 678b. In this example, the interface screen 500 updates the current level line and up-betting line values ​​at different times during the betting session to reflect real-time changes in the object values.

[0098] Figures 10 and 11 show a series of betting opportunities on the Dow Jones Industrial Average during a five-minute betting session ending at 2:25 PM on August 3rd. The odds for each betting opportunity remain constant throughout this session, and the values ​​of the betting level lines can be seen to change to reflect fluctuations in the Dow's market value. The spread between the high and low lines narrowed from 15.5 in Figure 10 to 14.5 in Figure 6. Upward or downward fluctuations in the spot commodity market may be displayed on the interface screen. For example, upward fluctuations may be shown in blue, as shown above the low line value of 685 in Figure 11, and downward fluctuations may be shown in red, as shown above the spread line values ​​of 687a and 687b in Figure 11.

[0099] While the invention has been described in detail above for the sake of clear understanding, those skilled in the art will consider, upon reading this disclosure, that various modifications are possible in form and detail without deviating from the true scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0100] (First Addendum) The first method of Appendix 1 is a method performed using a system including at least one processor and a memory element having stored software, comprising the steps of: starting a first betting session; transmitting information of a betting product to at least one user by the at least one processor; receiving a plurality of bet requests from one user for placing bets on at least one betting product by the at least one processor, wherein each of the plurality of bet requests includes at least one betting item of the information of the betting product; activating one of the plurality of bet requests; and activating another of the plurality of bet requests by the at least one processor The process includes: determining that a numeric item associated with one of the multiple bet requests is in a non-zero range with respect to a corresponding numeric item associated with one of the activated multiple bet requests; activating the other of the multiple bet requests based on the determination by at least one processor that the numeric item associated with the other of the multiple bet requests is in a non-zero range with respect to a corresponding numeric item associated with one of the activated multiple bet requests; generating a bet means for each of the activated multiple bet requests based at least in part on activating one of the multiple bet requests and activating the other of the multiple bet requests; and settling the bets associated with the bet means. The method of the first appendix 2 is the method of the first appendix 1, wherein the step of activating one of the multiple bet requests is performed manually. The method of the first appendix 3, in the method of the first appendix 1, includes applying at least one activation test selected from: determining whether the betting product exists; determining whether the betting product is active; determining whether the betting product is tradable; and determining whether the betting request exceeds the limit. The method of the first appendix 4, in the method of the first appendix 1, includes the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests, which includes determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ from the information of the betting product that has been communicated to the at least one user. The method of the first appendix 5, in the method of the first appendix 1, includes the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests, which includes determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ from the information of the betting product that was communicated to the at least one user within a certain period of time after receiving one of the plurality of bet requests. The method of the first appendix 6, in the method of the first appendix 1, includes the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests, which includes determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ by a predetermined amount from the information of the betting product communicated to the at least one user. The method of the first appendix 7 is the method of the first appendix 1, wherein at least one betting item includes a betting line value, and one of the plurality of bet requests is activated on the basis that the betting line value associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the betting line value associated with one of the activated bet requests. The method of the first appendix 8 is the method of the first appendix 1, wherein the at least one betting item includes odds for a bet request, and one of the plurality of bet requests is activated on the basis that the odds associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests are within a range of the odds associated with one of the activated bet requests. The method of the first appendix 9 is the method of the first appendix 1, wherein the at least one betting item includes a bet request time, and one of the plurality of bet requests is activated on the basis that the time associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the time associated with one of the activated bet requests. The method of the first appendix 10 includes the step of starting a second betting session immediately after the expiration of the first betting session, in the method of the first appendix 1. The first system of Appendix 11 is a system comprising at least one processor and a memory element having stored software, wherein the at least one processor performs the steps of: starting a first betting session; transmitting information of a betting product to at least one user; receiving a plurality of bet requests from a user for placing bets on at least one betting product, wherein each of the plurality of bet requests includes at least one betting item of the information of the betting product; activating one of the plurality of bet requests; and processing the other of the plurality of bet requests by the at least one processor. A method is performed that includes the steps of: determining that a numeric item associated with one is in a non-zero range with respect to a corresponding numeric item associated with one of the activated bet requests; activating another of the bet requests based on the determination by at least one processor that the numeric item associated with the other of the bet requests is in a non-zero range with respect to a corresponding numeric item associated with one of the activated bet requests; generating bet means for each of the activated bet requests based at least in part on activating one of the bet requests and activating another of the bet requests; and settling the bets associated with the bet means. The system of the first appendix 12 performs a method in which the step of activating one of the multiple bet requests is performed manually in the system described in the first appendix 11. The system of the first appendix 13, in the system of the first appendix 11, performs a method in which the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes applying at least one activation test selected from: determining whether the betting product exists; determining whether the betting product is active; determining whether the betting product is tradable; and determining whether the bet request exceeds the limit. The system of the first appendix 14, in the system of the first appendix 11, performs a method in which the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ from the information of the betting product communicated to the at least one user. The system of the first appendix 15, in the system described in the first appendix 11, performs a method in which the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ from the information of the betting product that was communicated to the at least one user within a period of time after receiving one of the plurality of bet requests. The system of the first appendix 16, in the system of the first appendix 11, performs a method in which the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ by a predetermined amount from the information of the betting product communicated to the at least one user. The system of the first appendix 17 performs a method in the system of the first appendix 11 in which at least one betting item includes a betting line value, and one of the plurality of bet requests is activated on the basis that the betting line value associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the betting line value associated with one of the activated bet requests. The system of the first appendix 18 performs a method in the system of the first appendix 11 in which the at least one betting item includes odds for a bet request, and one of the plurality of bet requests is activated on the basis that the odds associated with the other one of the plurality of bet requests are within a certain range of the odds associated with one of the activated bet requests. The system of the first appendix 19 performs a method in the system of the first appendix 11 in which the at least one betting item includes a time for a bet request, and one of the plurality of bet requests is activated on the basis that the time associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the time associated with one of the activated bet requests. The system of the first appendix 20 performs a method in the system described in the first appendix 11, which includes the step of starting a second betting session immediately after the expiration of the first betting session.

[0101] (Second addendum) The second method of Appendix 1 is a method performed using a system including at least one processor and a memory element storing software including a program executed by the at least one processor, wherein when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor performs the steps of: starting a first betting session; generating a betting product and storing it in the memory element and communicating information of the betting product stored in the memory element to at least one user; receiving a plurality of bet requests from one user for placing bets on at least one betting product and storing them in the memory element, wherein each of the plurality of bet requests includes at least one betting item of the information of the betting product; and activating one of the plurality of bet requests stored in the memory element. A method comprising: a step of determining whether a numeric item is in a non-zero range with respect to the corresponding numeric item associated with one of the plurality of bet requests, by comparing a numeric item associated with one of the plurality of bet requests, which is stored in the memory element, with a corresponding numeric item associated with one of the plurality of bet requests, which is activated; a step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests, based on the determination that the numeric item associated with one of the plurality of bet requests, which is stored in the memory element, is in a non-zero range with respect to the corresponding numeric item associated with one of the plurality of bet requests, which is activated; a step of generating betting means for each of the activated bet requests and storing them in the memory element, at least based on activating one of the plurality of bet requests and activating one of the plurality of bet requests, and storing them in the memory element; and a step of settling the bets associated with the betting means stored in the memory element. The method of the second appendix 2 is a method in which, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor performs the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests on the basis of manual operation. The method of the second appendix 3 is a method of the method of the second appendix 1, wherein the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, applying at least one activation test selected from: determining whether the betting product exists; determining whether the betting product is active; determining whether the betting product is tradable; and determining whether the bet request exceeds the limit. The method of the second appendix 4 is a method of the method of the second appendix 1, wherein the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ from the information of the betting product communicated to the at least one user. The method of the second appendix 5 is a method of the method of the second appendix 1, wherein the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ from the information of the betting product that was communicated to the at least one user within a period of time after receiving one of the plurality of bet requests. The method of the second appendix 6 is a method of the method of the second appendix 1, wherein the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ by a predetermined amount from the information of the betting product communicated to the at least one user. The method of the second appendix 7 is the method of the second appendix 1, wherein the at least one betting item includes a betting line value, and the step of activating another of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor activating the other of the plurality of bet requests on the basis that the betting line value associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the betting line value associated with the activated one of the plurality of bet requests. The method of the second appendix 8 is the method of the second appendix 1, wherein the at least one betting item includes odds for a bet request, and the step of activating another of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, activating the at least one processor on the basis that the odds associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests are within a certain range of the odds associated with the activated one of the plurality of bet requests. The method of the second appendix 9 is the method of the second appendix 1, wherein the at least one betting item includes a time for a bet request, and the step of activating another of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor activating the time associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests on the basis that the time associated with the activated one of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the time associated with the activated one of the plurality of bet requests. The method of the second appendix 10 is a method of the method of the second appendix 1, wherein when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor starts a second betting session immediately after the expiration of the first betting session. The system of the second appendix 11 is a system including at least one processor and a memory element that stores software including a program executed by the at least one processor, wherein when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor performs the steps of: starting a first betting session; generating a betting product and storing it in the memory element and communicating information of the betting product stored in the memory element to at least one user; receiving a plurality of bet requests from one user to place bets on at least one betting product and storing them in the memory element, wherein each of the plurality of bet requests includes at least one betting item of the information of the betting product; and activating one of the plurality of bet requests stored in the memory element. A system that performs the steps of: determining whether a numeric item is in a non-zero range with respect to the corresponding numeric item associated with one of the multiple bet requests stored in a memory element; determining whether a numeric item is in a non-zero range with respect to the corresponding numeric item associated with one of the multiple bet requests stored in a memory element; determining whether a numeric item is in a non-zero range with respect to the corresponding numeric item associated with one of the multiple bet requests stored in a memory element; activating one of the multiple bet requests based on the determination that the numeric item is in a non-zero range with respect to the corresponding numeric item associated with one of the multiple bet requests stored in a memory element; generating betting means for each of the activated bet requests and storing them in the memory element based at least in part on activating one of the multiple bet requests and activating one of the multiple bet requests; and settling the bets associated with the betting means stored in the memory element. The system of the second appendix 12 is a system that, in the system of the second appendix 11, performs a method in which, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor performs the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests on the basis of manual operation. The system of the second appendix 13 is a system that performs a method in the system of the second appendix 11 in which the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor applying at least one activation test selected from: determining whether the betting product exists; determining whether the betting product is active; determining whether the betting product is tradable; and determining whether the bet request exceeds the limit. The system of the second appendix 14 is a system that performs a method in the system of the second appendix 11, wherein the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, determining whether the items associated with the bet request are different from the information of the betting product that has been communicated to the at least one user. The system of the second appendix 15 is a system of which, in the system of the second appendix 11, the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests is to perform a method which includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor determining whether the items associated with the bet request are different from the information of the betting product that has been communicated to the at least one user within a period of time since receiving one of the plurality of bet requests. The system of the second appendix 16 is a system that performs a method in the system of the second appendix 11, wherein the step of activating one of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, determining whether the items associated with the bet request differ by a predetermined amount from the information of the betting product communicated to the at least one user. The system of the second appendix 17 is a system of which, in the system of the second appendix 11, the at least one betting item includes a betting line value, and the step of activating one of the other of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor activating one of the plurality of bet requests on the basis that the betting line value associated with one of the other of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the betting line value associated with one of the activated plurality of bet requests. The system of the second appendix 18 is a system of which, in the system of the second appendix 11, the at least one betting item includes odds for a bet request, and the step of activating another of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor activating the other of the plurality of bet requests on the basis that the odds associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests are within a certain range of the odds associated with the activated one of the plurality of bet requests. The system of the second appendix 19 is a system of which, in the system of the second appendix 11, the at least one betting item includes a time for a bet request, and the step of activating another of the plurality of bet requests includes, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor activating the other of the plurality of bet requests on the basis that the time associated with the other of the plurality of bet requests is within a certain range of the time associated with the activated one of the plurality of bet requests. The system of the second appendix 20 is a system of the system of the second appendix 11 that, when the program is executed by the at least one processor, performs a method including the step of the at least one processor starting a second betting session immediately after the expiration of the first betting session.

Claims

1. Equipped with at least one processor, The at least one processor is The steps include: transmitting betting product information about a betting product to the communication device of at least one user via a communication network during a first betting session, thereby enabling the display of at least first and second betting images in the image user interface of the communication device, the first and second betting images being displayed in the image user interface, and the first and second betting information being displayed as the first and second betting images, respectively; The image user interface is configured to display a plurality of lines and a plurality of value indicators associated with each of the plurality of lines during the first betting session, wherein the plurality of value indicators are configured to display the betting line value corresponding to each of the plurality of lines, and the plurality of lines include a market line, a first spread line, a second spread line, a high line, and a low line. The position of the market line is related to the market price of the betting subject, the betting product is related to the betting subject, and the position of the market line is continuously updated upwards and downwards during the first betting session to reflect the actual market level of the betting subject. The first and second spread lines extend from the market line such that the first spread line extends upward from the market line and the second spread line extends downward from the market line. The market line, the first and second spread lines, and the high and low lines are spatially arranged in the image user interface, at least based on the betting line values, such that the high and low lines are separated from the market line and the first and second spread lines, and the first and second spread lines are continuously updated to maintain static, pre-set odds as the position of the market line moves during the first betting session. The first betting image is configured to show whether one of the value indicators has changed, The second betting image is configured to show whether the extension of each of the value indicators has changed. Steps and During the first betting session, the updated betting product information is transmitted in real time via the communication network in response to an automatic determination during the first betting session that (i) the current time is in a predetermined relationship with the end time of the first betting session, or (ii) at least one change in a predetermined betting line value with respect to a predetermined betting reference value, thereby disabling the display state of one of the first and second betting images, refreshing the image user interface, and displaying a predetermined betting image without displaying the said betting image. The steps include receiving a first betting request for a first bet on the betting product from a first communication device of a first user via the communication network, wherein the first betting request includes a first betting item, The steps include: activating the first betting request by comparing the parameters included in the first betting request with a plurality of predetermined parameter values; The steps include receiving a second betting request for a second bet from a second communication device of a second user via the aforementioned communication network, wherein the second betting request includes a second betting item, A step of determining whether a past valid betting request was received prior to a first betting request, including detecting that the first betting request was received prior to a second betting request and that the first betting request was successfully confirmed, Based on detecting that the first betting request is the past valid betting request, the process involves: going through a comparison between the parameters included in the second betting request and the plurality of predetermined parameter values ​​in order to reduce the expenditure of processing resources used to perform the comparison of parameters; determining that the numeric items associated with the second betting request are within a non-zero range from the corresponding numeric items associated with the activated first betting request; and activating the second betting request. The steps include settling the bets associated with the first betting request and the bets associated with the second betting request, Configured to control, Device.

2. The step of activating the first betting request is: A step of determining whether the aforementioned betting product exists, A step of determining whether the betting product is valid, A step of determining whether the betting product is tradable, or The process includes at least one of the steps of determining whether the first betting request exceeds a limit, The apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The step of activating the first betting request is: A step of determining whether the items associated with the first betting request differ from the betting product information transmitted to the at least one user, A step of determining whether the items associated with the first betting request differ from the data about the betting product that was transmitted to the at least one user within a certain period of time from the receipt of the first betting request, The process includes at least one step of determining whether the items associated with the first betting request differ by more than a predetermined amount from the betting product information communicated to the at least one user, The apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The second betting request is, A second betting line value associated with the second betting request, which is within a certain range from the first betting line value associated with the first activated betting request, The odds associated with the second betting request are within a certain range from the odds associated with the first activated betting request, or The time associated with the second betting request is within a certain range from the time associated with the first betting request. Activated based on at least one of the following: The apparatus according to claim 1.

5. At least one processor, The steps include: generating a betting means for the activated first betting request in response to activating the first betting request; The steps include: generating a betting means for the activated second betting request in response to activating the second betting request; Configured to control, The apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The at least one processor is The steps of resolving bets received in the first betting session based on at least one value determined at the end of the first betting session, The system is configured to control the step of starting a second betting session at the end of the first betting session, The apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The betting product includes at least one up bet or down bet on a second predetermined betting line value corresponding to one of the lines. The apparatus according to claim 1.

8. At least one processor, A step of determining the odds of at least one up-bet betting product or the down-bet betting product, wherein the betting product information is configured to control the step of including the at least one odds of the up-bet betting product or the down-bet betting product. The apparatus according to claim 7.

9. It is a method, With at least one processor, The steps include: transmitting betting product information about a betting product to the communication device of at least one user via a communication network during a first betting session, thereby enabling the display of at least first and second betting images in the image user interface of the communication device, the first and second betting images being displayed in the image user interface, and the first and second betting information being displayed as the first and second betting images, respectively; The image user interface is configured to display a plurality of lines and a plurality of value indicators associated with each of the plurality of lines during the first betting session, wherein the plurality of value indicators are configured to display the betting line value corresponding to each of the plurality of lines, and the plurality of lines include a market line, a first spread line, a second spread line, a high line, and a low line. The position of the market line is related to the market price of the betting subject, the betting product is related to the betting subject, and the position of the market line is continuously updated upwards and downwards during the first betting session to reflect the actual market level of the betting subject. The first and second spread lines extend from the market line such that the first spread line extends upward from the market line and the second spread line extends downward from the market line. The market line, the first and second spread lines, and the high and low lines are spatially arranged in the image user interface, at least based on the betting line values, such that the high and low lines are separated from the market line and the first and second spread lines, and the first and second spread lines are continuously updated to maintain static, pre-set odds as the position of the market line moves during the first betting session. The first betting image is configured to show whether one of the value indicators has changed, The second betting image is configured to show whether the extension of each of the value indicators has changed. Steps and During the first betting session, the updated betting product information is transmitted in real time via the communication network in response to an automatic determination during the first betting session that (i) the current time is in a predetermined relationship with the end time of the first betting session, or (ii) at least one change in a predetermined betting line value with respect to a predetermined betting reference value, thereby disabling the display state of one of the first and second betting images, refreshing the image user interface, and displaying a predetermined betting image without displaying the said betting image. The steps include receiving a first betting request for a first bet on the betting product from a first communication device of a first user via the communication network, wherein the first betting request includes a first betting item, The steps include: activating the first betting request by comparing the parameters included in the first betting request with a plurality of predetermined parameter values; The steps include receiving a second betting request for a second bet from a second communication device of a second user via the aforementioned communication network, wherein the second betting request includes a second betting item, A step of determining whether a past valid betting request was received prior to a first betting request, including detecting that the first betting request was received prior to a second betting request and that the first betting request was successfully confirmed, Based on detecting that the first betting request is the past valid betting request, the process involves: going through a comparison between the parameters included in the second betting request and the plurality of predetermined parameter values ​​in order to reduce the expenditure of processing resources used to perform the comparison of parameters; determining that the numeric items associated with the second betting request are within a non-zero range from the corresponding numeric items associated with the activated first betting request; and activating the second betting request. The steps include settling the bets associated with the first betting request and the bets associated with the second betting request, control method.

10. A non-temporary machine-readable medium, when executed by at least one processor, The steps include: transmitting betting product information about a betting product to the communication device of at least one user via a communication network during a first betting session, thereby enabling the display of at least first and second betting images in the image user interface of the communication device, the first and second betting images being displayed in the image user interface, and the first and second betting information being displayed as the first and second betting images, respectively; The image user interface is configured to display a plurality of lines and a plurality of value indicators associated with each of the plurality of lines during the first betting session, wherein the plurality of value indicators are configured to display the betting line value corresponding to each of the plurality of lines, and the plurality of lines include a market line, a first spread line, a second spread line, a high line, and a low line. The position of the market line is related to the market price of the betting subject, the betting product is related to the betting subject, and the position of the market line is continuously updated upwards and downwards during the first betting session to reflect the actual market level of the betting subject. The first and second spread lines extend from the market line such that the first spread line extends upward from the market line and the second spread line extends downward from the market line. The market line, the first and second spread lines, and the high and low lines are spatially arranged in the image user interface, at least based on the betting line values, such that the high and low lines are separated from the market line and the first and second spread lines, and the first and second spread lines are continuously updated to maintain static, pre-set odds as the position of the market line moves during the first betting session. The first betting image is configured to show whether one of the value indicators has changed, The second betting image is configured to show whether the extension of each of the value indicators has changed. Steps and During the first betting session, the updated betting product information is transmitted in real time via the communication network in response to an automatic determination during the first betting session that (i) the current time is in a predetermined relationship with the end time of the first betting session, or (ii) at least one change in a predetermined betting line value with respect to a predetermined betting reference value, thereby disabling the display state of one of the first and second betting images, refreshing the image user interface, and displaying a predetermined betting image without displaying the said betting image. The steps include receiving a first betting request for a first bet on the betting product from a first communication device of a first user via the communication network, wherein the first betting request includes a first betting item, The steps include: activating the first betting request by comparing the parameters included in the first betting request with a plurality of predetermined parameter values; The steps include receiving a second betting request for a second bet from a second communication device of a second user via the aforementioned communication network, wherein the second betting request includes a second betting item, A step of determining whether a past valid betting request was received prior to a first betting request, including detecting that the first betting request was received prior to a second betting request and that the first betting request was successfully confirmed, Based on detecting that the first betting request is the past valid betting request, the process involves: going through a comparison between the parameters included in the second betting request and the plurality of predetermined parameter values ​​in order to reduce the expenditure of processing resources used to perform the comparison of parameters; determining that the numeric items associated with the second betting request are within a non-zero range from the corresponding numeric items associated with the activated first betting request; and activating the second betting request. The steps include settling the bets associated with the first betting request and the bets associated with the second betting request, Configured to store instructions for controlling, Medium.

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