System and method for providing a multiple-stage contest

Abstract

A method of providing a multiple-stage contest is provided. A plurality of contest entries eligible to win a multiple-stage contest are sold to a plurality of contestants, each contest entry being defined at least by a set of one or more distinct identifiers. At each stage in the multiple-stage contest, one or more determinations regarding the distinct identifiers are made, which determinations cause a portion of the contest entries remaining eligible at that stage to become ineligible to win the contest. A market may be provided for contest entries remaining eligible after at least one of the plurality of stages. At least one winning contest entry is determined from one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the multiple stages of the contest. A competition may be held among contestants holding eligible contest entries to determine one or more winners. An award for each winning contest entry may be determined based on the revenues received from selling the plurality of contest entries.

1 . A method of providing a multiple-stage contest, comprising: 
 at each of a plurality of stages in a contest, causing a portion of a plurality of contest entries eligible to win the contest to become ineligible to win the contest; and    determining at least one winning contest entry from one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the plurality of stages.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a market for buying and selling contest entries that remain eligible after at least one of the plurality of stages.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the market comprises an electronic market.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing a market for eligible contest entries comprises providing an electronic auction for eligible contest entries.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the plurality of contest entries to a plurality of contestants.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein providing the plurality of contest entries to a plurality of contestants comprises selling each of a plurality of contest entries to a contestant for a particular price.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein providing the plurality of contest entries to a plurality of contestants comprises offering contest entries for sale to contestants via the Internet.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each contest entry is defined at least by one or more distinct identifiers.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more distinct identifiers defining each contest entry comprises one or more alphanumeric characters.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each contest entry comprises a ticket having the one or more distinct identifiers defining that contest entry printed thereon.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest at each of the plurality of stages comprises: 
 at each stage, making one or more determinations regarding at least one of the distinct identifiers defining at least a portion of the contest entries, the one or more determinations causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the one or more distinct identifiers defining each contest entry comprises one or more numbers; and    causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest at each of the plurality of stages comprises at each stage, making one or more numerical determinations causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest based on the numbers defining at least a portion of the contest entries.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the one or more distinct identifiers defining each contest entry comprises, for each of the plurality of stages, one of a plurality of possible identifiers corresponding to that stage; and    causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest at each of the plurality of stages comprises, at each stage, making a determination regarding the plurality of possible identifiers corresponding to that stage that causes a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest based on the identifier corresponding to that stage not being included in the set of distinct identifiers defining each of the eligible contest entries.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 selling each of a plurality of contest entries to a contestant for a price;    determining an award for at least one winning contest entry based on revenues received from selling the plurality of contest entries.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 selling each of a plurality of contest entries to a contestant for a price;    creating an award pool based on revenues from the sale of the contest entries; and    determining an award for at least one winning contest entry based on at least a portion of the award pool.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest at each of the plurality of stages comprises performing a first type of selection process; and    determining at least one winning contest entry from one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the plurality of stages comprises a second type of selection process different from the first type of selection process.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 each contest entry is defined at least by one or more distinct identifiers;    the first type of selection process comprises making determinations regarding at least one of the distinct identifiers defining at least a portion of the contest entries, each determination causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest; and    the second type of selection process comprises a competition between contestants associated with the one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the plurality of stages.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the competition between the contestants comprises one or more physical or mental competitions.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the competition between the contestants comprises voting to determine at least one winning contestant.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the competition between the contestants is broadcast to the public and comprises voting by the public to determine at least one winning contestant.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining at least one winning contest entry from one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the plurality of stages comprises determining each of the one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the plurality of stages to be a winning contest entry.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining an award for at least one winning contest entry based on an award pool that comprises revenues generated by broadcasting the competition between the contestants.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein at least one contestant in the competition is a designee associated with an owner of a contest entry remaining eligible after the plurality of stages.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the designee paid the owner for the right to participate in the competition in exchange for a share of an award won by the owner.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising performing the second type of selection process after the number of eligible contest entries is reduced below a predetermined threshold by the first type of selection process.  
   
   
       26 . A method of providing a multiple-stage contest, comprising: 
 selling a plurality of contest entries eligible to win a contest to a plurality of contestants, each contest entry being defined at least by one or more distinct identifiers;    at each of a plurality of stages in the contest, making one or more determinations regarding at least one of the distinct identifiers defining at least a portion of the contest entries, the one or more determinations causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest;    providing a market for buying and selling contest entries remaining eligible after at least one of the plurality of stages;    determining at least one winning contest entry from one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the plurality of stages;    determining an award for each of the at least one winning contest entry based at least on the revenues received from selling the plurality of contest entries.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein determining at least one winning contest entry from one or more contest entries remaining eligible after the plurality of stages comprises providing a competition between contestants associated with the one or more contest entries that remain eligible after the plurality of stages to determine at least one winning contest entry.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 the distinct identifier of each contest entry comprises one or more alphanumeric characters; and    making one or more determinations to cause a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest comprises at each stage, making one or more determinations causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest based at least on the associated alphanumeric characters.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the competition between the contestants comprises one or more physical or mental competitions.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the competition between the contestants comprises voting to determine at least one winning contestant.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the competition between the contestants is broadcast to the public and comprises voting by the public to determine at least one winning contestant.  
   
   
       32 . A system for providing a multiple-stage contest, comprising: 
 a memory operable to store information associated with a plurality of contest entries; and    a processor coupled to the memory and operable, at each of a plurality of stages in a contest, to cause a portion of the plurality of contest entries eligible to win the contest to become ineligible to win the contest.    
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the processor is further operable to support a market for buying and selling contest entries that remain eligible after at least one of the plurality of stages.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein each contest entry is defined at least by one or more distinct identifiers.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more distinct identifiers defining each contest entry comprises one or more alphanumeric characters.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest at each of the plurality of stages comprises: 
 at each stage, making one or more determinations regarding at least one of the distinct identifiers defining at least a portion of the contest entries, the one or more determinations causing a portion of the eligible contest entries to become ineligible to win the contest.