Systems and methods for wager management

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing wagers using third-party content are disclosed. An example system may include a wager management engine configured to create an account for a third-party host of entertainment content, the account including third-party host-specified wager parameters associated with the hosted content. The example system may also include a wager services engine configured to establish a wagering game in conjunction with the hosted content, to receive win conditions for the wagering game from the host, and to determine winning wagers in the wagering game based on the win conditions. The example system may also include a recording engine configured to store records of wagering transactions for the wagering game.

1 . A system for processing wagers in games using third-party content, comprising:
 a transaction processing engine configured to receive wager transactions and wager parameters corresponding to games provided by third-party entertainment content providers, the games provided by the third-party content including at least one game chosen from the list consisting of a conventional non-wagering video game, a simulated card game, an MMOG, a game based on predicting the outcome of an event in the plot of fictional television show, a game based on results of TV game show, a game based on the results of a TV reality show, a sport simulation video game, a simulated instant win lottery scratch ticket, a simulated casino game, and a game based on a live broadcast of a sporting contest;   a wager management engine configured to create and update host accounts for third-party content providers, and to associate with each host account a respective set of specific wager service enabled by the system for the third-party content provider, the wager services including at least one wager service chosen from the list consisting of accepting wagers, determining wager outcomes, generating a list of winning wagers, validating a wager presented for redemption, informing the holders of wagers of the status of their wagers, creating a wagering pool, adjusting a wagering pool;   a wager services engine configured to establish an instance of a wagering game in conjunction with the hosted content, to receive win conditions associated the wagering game, and to determine if a wager placed in the wagering game is a winner.   a recording engine configured to store records of wagering transactions for the wagering game; and   a verification engine configured to verify winning wagers in the wagering game.   
   
   
       2 . A system for processing wagers using third-party content, comprising:
 a wager management engine configured to create an account for a third-party host of entertainment content, the account including third-party host-specified wager parameters associated with the hosted content;   a wager services engine configured to establish a wagering game in conjunction with the hosted content, to receive win conditions for the wagering game from the host, and to determine winning wagers in the wagering game based on the win conditions; and   a recording engine configured to store records of wagering transactions for the wagering game.   
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the wager parameters include rules describing a valid wager. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the wager parameters specify categories for winning wagers. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the categories are associated with different matching patterns corresponding to possible wager selection combinations. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the wager services engine is configured to accept wager transactions until a sales close notification is received from the host. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the wager management engine is configured to provide a status report including a list of winning wagers to the host. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the win conditions include at least one of winning numbers and winning events that occurred within the hosted content. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a game services engine configured to provide a game service to the host, the game service including at least one of a randomization service and an outcome generation service. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the wager services engine is configured to create and adjust a pool of winning and losing wagers on behalf of the host. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the wager services engine is configured to manage a wager pool by calculating prize distribution amounts as a function of a total amount wagered by all the players of the wagering game. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the wager services engine is configured to generate a list of winning wagers based on the win conditions and to deliver the list to the host.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a game services engine configured to determine the outcome of instant win-type wagers.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a game services engine configured to determine the outcome of wagers based on at least one event occurring within the hosted content.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the wager services engine is configured to encrypt a token containing information indicative of a wager outcome; and   delivering the token to the host.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the wager services engine is configured to encrypt the token with a plurality of encryption levels, at least one of which cannot be decrypted by the host.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 additional information related to the wager outcome is appended to the token during the encryption of at least one of the encryption levels.   
   
   
       18 . A method for processing wagers, comprising:
 establishing an account for a third-party host of entertainment content;   receiving wager parameters from the host;   associating a set of wager rules with the hosted content, the wager rules depending on the wager parameters;   establishing a wagering game in conjunction with the hosted content;   receiving and recording wager transactions for the wagering game;   receiving win conditions from the host; and   determining winning wagers based on the win conditions.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the wager parameters include rules describing a valid wager. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the wager parameters specify categories for winning wagers. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the categories are associated with different matching patterns corresponding to possible wager selection combinations. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 accepting wager transactions until a sales close notification is received from the host.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 providing a status report including a list of winning wagers to the host.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the win conditions include at least one of winning numbers and winning events that occurred within the hosted content. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 providing a game service to the host, the game service including at least one of a randomization service and an outcome generation service.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 creating and adjusting a pool of winning and losing wagers on behalf of the host.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 managing a wager pool by calculating prize distribution amounts as a function of a total amount wagered by all the players of the wagering game.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the wagering game is an instant win game.   
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the wagering game is based on at least one event occurring within the hosted content.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 encrypting a token containing information indicative of a wager outcome; and   delivering the token to the host.   
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 encrypting the token with a plurality of encryption levels, at least one of which cannot be decrypted by the host.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 during the encryption of at least one of the encryption levels, appending additional information related to the wager outcome to the token.   
   
   
       33 - 34 . (canceled)