Method and system for distributing game content

Abstract

An image of a game being played on a real game machine is captured, in a single frame, with an image of a screen displaying images currently broadcast by public and private television stations and generally viewable to the public. Accordingly, the captured image shows that the game is truly in progress at the present moment.

1 . A method for distributing game content, comprising: 
 displaying a currently broadcast image;    receiving betting content information from a terminal used by a game participant, the betting content information designating, as a betting target, a result of a game randomly determined by a game machine and including information of a betting money amount;    concurrently capturing the displayed currently broadcast image and a process of the game on the game machine, and sending the terminal a game image including the displayed currently broadcast image and the process of the game;    calculating a collected/refunded money amount on the basis of the result of the game determined by the game machine and the betting content information, the collected/refunded money amount indicating a money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant; and    sending the terminal information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount.    
   
   
       2 . The method for distributing game content according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 displaying, on the terminal used by the game participant, the game image and the information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount sent to the terminal.    
   
   
       3 . The method for distributing game content according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 managing, for each individual game participant, a total amount of money collected from or refunded to the game participant; and    receiving and relaying to the terminal used by the game participant the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount, and updating, upon receipt of the collected/refunded money amount, the total amount of money collected from or refunded to the game participant on the basis of the collected/refunded money amount.    
   
   
       4 . The method for distributing game content according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 determining, on the basis of an operation of setting a game available time during which the game participant can make a bet, whether or not a time of reception of the betting content information is within a game available time; and    sending the terminal used by the game participant a notice that participation in the bet is accepted, when the time of reception of the betting content information is within the game available time.    
   
   
       5 . A system for distributing game content, comprising: 
 a betting content information receiving device for receiving betting content Information from a terminal used by a game participant via a communications network, the betting content information designating, as a betting target, a result of a game randomly determined by a game machine and including information of a betting money amount;    a collected/refunded money amount calculating device for calculating a collected/refunded money amount on the basis of the result of the game determined by the game machine and the betting content information, the collected/refunded money amount indicating a money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant;    a result sending device for sending information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount to the terminal via the communications network:    a broadcast image displaying device for displaying a currently broadcast image; and    a game image sending device for concurrently capturing the displayed currently broadcast image and a process of the game on the game machine, and for sending the terminal a game image including the displayed currently broadcast image and the process of the game.    
   
   
       6 . The system for distributing game content according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein the terminal displays the game image sent from the game image sending device and the information of the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount sent from the result sending device.    
   
   
       7 . The system for distributing game content according to  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a managing device for managing, for each individual game participant, a total money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant,    wherein the managing device receives and relays to the terminal used by the game participant the result of the game and the collected/refunded money amount sent from the result sending device, and updates, upon receipt of the collected/refunded money amount, the total money amount collected from or refunded to the game participant on the basis of the collected/refunded money amount.    
   
   
       8 . The system for distributing game content according to  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a game available time setting device for performing an operation of setting a game available time during which the game participant can make a bet;    a game available time verifying device for determining, on the basis of the operation of setting the game available time, whether or not a time of reception of the betting content information is within the game available time; and    a betting acceptance notice sending device for sending the terminal used by the game participant a notice that participation in the bet is accepted, when the time of reception of the betting content information is within the game available time.