Inviting Users to Participate in a Venture Exchange

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for inviting members of a venture exchange to participate in a wager. The method includes receiving a wager placed by a first user; parsing the wager to determine wager characteristics associated with the wager; determining, using a processor, friends of the first user that have an affinity for the wager based on the wager characteristics; causing an interface to be displayed to the first user, where the friends of the first user are organized by a relative affinity for the wager; receiving a selection by the first user of friends to invite to participate in the wager; and transmitting a wager invitation to each friend selected by the first user.

1 . A computer-implemented method for inviting members of a venture exchange to participate in a wager, comprising:
 receiving a wager placed by a first user;   parsing the wager to determine wager characteristics associated with the wager;   determining, using a processor, friends of the first user that have an affinity for the wager based on the wager characteristics;   causing an interface to be displayed to the first user, wherein the friends of the first user are organized by a relative affinity for the wager;   receiving a selection by the first user of friends to invite to participate in the wager; and   transmitting a wager invitation to each friend selected by the first user.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wager characteristics include at least one of a bet history of the first user, a geographical location of the first user, an age of the first user, a gender of the first user, preferences of the first user, and a bet history of friends of the first user. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of sorting all of the friends of the first user based on the relative affinity for the wager, wherein the friends of the first user are presented to the first user in the interface based on results of the sorting. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of grouping the friends of the first user into groups based on the relative affinity for the wager. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wager invitation is transmitted via email, SMS (Short Message Service), fax, or postal mail. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wager is placed by the first user via mobile browser on a mobile phone. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wager is placed via a standalone device or kiosk. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wager invitation is transmitted via mobile messaging to an application installed on a mobile phone. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wager invitation is transmitted via a third-party website or service. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wager invitation includes a description of the wager including different betting options available. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wager invitation further includes a recommendation of which betting option the friend should select based on one or more characteristics of the friend. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wager invitation further includes information that indicates which betting option the first user selected when placing the wager. 
   
   
       13 . A computer-implemented method for providing an interface through which a first user invites other members of a venture exchange to participate in a wager, comprising:
 displaying an interface to the first user, wherein friends of the first user are organized by a relative affinity for the wager based on one or more wager characteristics; and   receiving a selection of one or more friends to invite to participate in the wager, to cause a wager invitation to be transmitted to each of the one or more friends.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wager characteristics include at least one of a bet history of the first user, a geographical location of the first user, an age of the first user, a gender of the first user, preferences of the first user, and a bet history of friends of the first user. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the friends are displayed in a ranked order in the interface based on the relative affinity for the wager. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the friends are displayed in groups in the interface based on the relative affinity for the wager. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wager invitation is transmitted via email or SMS (Short Message Service). 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the wager invitation includes a description of the wager including different betting options available. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the wager invitation further includes a recommendation of a betting option for the friend to select based on one or more characteristics of the friend. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the wager invitation further includes information that indicates which betting option was selected by the first user that placed the wager.