Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and associated method for generating a plurality of game data sets for a game. In some examples, each game data set comprises a plurality of possible incidents having respective probabilities of occurrence at one or more associated events which are independent of the game, and the plurality of game data sets are provided for access by one or more players of the game for comparison with a plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to identify any matches therebetween.

Background

A number of different games currently exist in which players are provided with a chance of winning a prize by matching numbers or correctly predicting results. Over time, however, some of these games have become outdated, less popular or less reputable than they previously were.

The listing or discussion of a prior-published document or any background in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document or background is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge.

Summary

According to a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

generate a plurality of game data sets for a game, each game data set representing a plurality of possible incidents having respective probabilities of occurrence at one or more associated events, wherein the one or more associated events are independent of the game; and provide the plurality of game data sets for access by one or more players of the game for comparison of the plurality of possible incidents represented by the game data sets with a plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to identify any matches therebetween.

The plurality of game data sets may be unique data sets.

The total probability of the plurality of possible incidents represented by each game data set may be substantially the same as the other game data sets. The total probability of the plurality of possible incidents represented by each game data set may be between 0.4% and 2.5%, between 0.45% and 0.88%, or around 0.5%.

The apparatus may be configured to generate a first predefined number of game data sets for which the total probability of the plurality of possible incidents represented by those game data sets is within a first probability range, and a second predefined number of game data sets for which the total probability of the plurality of possible incidents represented by those game data sets is within a second non-overlapping probability range.

Each game data set may represent one or more possible incidents having respective probabilities within a first probability range, and one or more possible incidents having respective probabilities within a second non-overlapping probability range.

Each game data set may represent the same number of possible incidents within the first probability range and the same number of possible incidents within the second probability range.

One or more of the possible incidents represented by each game data set may have a respective probability that the incident will occur within a predefined time-period at the associated events.

At least one of the events may be a competition between two or more teams or individuals, and the associated game data sets may represent one or more possible incidents for each team or individual. At least one of the events may comprise a series of related sub-events, and the associated game data sets may represent one or more possible incidents for each sub- event.

The events may comprise one or more of upcoming events, and past events for which the details have not yet been publicly disclosed.

The upcoming events may be events that will be publicly broadcast in due course.

The possible incidents represented within each game data set may be independent of one another.

The apparatus may be configured to generate each game data set independently of the one or more players.

The apparatus may be configured to randomly arrange the representations of the plurality of possible incidents within each game data set.

The apparatus may be configured to randomly select the game data sets provided for access by the one or more players.

The apparatus may be configured to present one or more game data sets for manual selection by the one or more players.

The apparatus may be configured to generate at least one game data set by presenting representations of one or more possible incidents, and/or their arrangement within the game data set, for manual selection by the one or more players.

The apparatus may be configured to present representations of one or more possible incidents having respective probabilities within a first probability range, and one or more possible incidents having respective probabilities within a second probability range, for manual selection by the one or more players.

The apparatus may be configured to provide the plurality of game data sets to one or more player accounts or devices for access by one or more associated players. The apparatus may be configured to provide the plurality of game data sets for printing onto a plurality of respective cards, newspapers or magazines for access by the one or more players.

The apparatus may be configured to generate a unique identifier for each card, newspaper or magazine which enables storage of the respective game data set in an account or device associated with a player.

The apparatus may be configured to compare the plurality of possible incidents represented by one or more game data sets with the plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to automatically identify any matches therebetween.

The apparatus may be configured to provide an indication of one or more identified matches associated with one player of the game to that player and/or another player of the game.

The apparatus may be configured to allocate prizes to one or more game data sets based on at least one of the number, timing, order, arrangement and probability of matched incidents represented by the game data sets.

At least one of the associated events may be a real-world event or a virtual event.

The real-world event may comprise at least one of a sporting event, a game show, a soap opera, a political election, a stock market, a currency market, the weather, and a public announcement.

The virtual event may comprise at least one of an online game, a fantasy game and a role-playing game.

The game may be a form of bingo.

The apparatus may be one or more of an electronic device, a portable electronic device, a portable telecommunications device, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet, a phablet, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a server, a smartphone, a smartwatch, smart eyewear, and a module for one or more of the same.

According to a further aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising:

means for generating a plurality of game data sets for a game, each game data set representing a plurality of possible incidents having respective probabilities of occurrence at one or more associated events, wherein the one or more associated events are independent of the game; and

means for providing the plurality of game data sets for access by one or more players of the game for comparison of the plurality of possible incidents represented by the game data sets with a plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to identify any matches therebetween.

According to a further aspect, there is provided a system comprising any apparatus described herein and one or more player devices configured to allow access to the game data sets provided by the apparatus.

According to a further aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method comprising:

generating a plurality of game data sets for a game, each game data set representing a plurality of possible incidents having respective probabilities of occurrence at one or more associated events, wherein the one or more associated events are independent of the game; and

providing the plurality of game data sets for access by one or more players of the game for comparison of the plurality of possible incidents represented by the game data sets with a plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to identify any matches therebetween.

The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated or understood by the skilled person.

Corresponding computer programs for implementing one or more steps of the methods disclosed herein are also within the present disclosure and are encompassed by one or more of the described example embodiments. One or more of the computer programs may, when run on a computer, cause the computer to configure any apparatus, including a battery, circuit, controller, or device disclosed herein or perform any method disclosed herein. One or more of the computer programs may be software implementations, and the computer may be considered as any appropriate hardware, including a digital signal processor, a microcontroller, and an implementation in read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) or electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), as non-limiting examples. The software may be an assembly program.

One or more of the computer programs may be provided on a computer readable medium, which may be a physical computer readable medium such as a disc or a memory device, or may be embodied as a transient signal. Such a transient signal may be a network download, including an internet download.

According to a further aspect, there is provided a method comprising:

generating a plurality of game data sets for a game, each game data set representing a plurality of possible incidents having respective probabilities of occurrence at one or more associated events for comparison with a plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to identify any matches therebetween, wherein the one or more associated events are independent of the game.

The present disclosure includes one or more corresponding aspects, example embodiments or features in isolation or in various combinations whether or not specifically stated (including claimed) in that combination or in isolation. Corresponding means for performing one or more of the discussed functions are also within the present disclosure.

The above summary is intended to be merely exemplary and non-limiting.

Brief Description of the Figures

A description is now given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 shows a system comprising the present apparatus; Figure 2 shows a graphical user interface on a player device displaying a plurality of events for which game data sets are available;

Figure 3 shows a graphical user interface on a player device displaying a game data set during a live football match;

Figure 4 shows representations of possible incidents that may be used to generate a game data set for a football match;

Figure 5 shows a graphical user interface on a player device displaying a plurality of game data sets during the live football match of Figure 3;

Figure 6 shows a graphical user interface of an application displaying a game data set during a live darts match;

Figure 7 shows the method described herein; and

Figure 8 shows a computer-readable medium comprising a computer program configured to perform, control or enable the method of Figure 7.

Description of Specific Aspects/Embodiments

As mentioned in the background section, some existing games have become outdated, less popular or less reputable than they were previously. For example, bingo is a game of chance in which players in a bingo hall match preselected numbers on cards as numbered balls are drawn randomly by a caller, the winner being the first player to match all of their numbers or a subset thereof. A number of bingo halls have closed in recent years due to high taxes, smoking bans and a rise in online games.

A lottery is another game in which randomly drawn numbers are matched with preselected numbers to win a prize. Unlike bingo, some lotteries allow players to select their own numbers in advance of the game. In addition, lotteries are not confined to particular locations. Rather, the results are typically broadcast over large geographical areas as the numbers are drawn which allows the players to participate substantially in real-time regardless of their location. Although still relatively popular, some potential players may be put off by the relatively low chance of winning a prize and a greater number of alternative games on offer.

Other games, such as betting on professional sports, have attracted negative attention in recent times due to their addictive nature which can seduce players into betting more money in an attempt to win back their original stake (i.e. chasing their losses). A game described herein, together with its associated apparatus and method, may address one or more of these issues. The game itself is based on the same concept as bingo. Instead of matching numbers on a card with numbered balls which are randomly drawn by a caller, however, the players match a plurality of possible incidents that may occur at one or more events with a plurality of actual incidents that do occur when the events take place. The events are independent of the game (i.e. not controlled in any way by the operator of the game) and may comprise at least one of a real-world event and a virtual event. A real-world event may comprise at least one of a sporting event, a game show, a soap opera, a political election, a stock market, a currency market, the weather, a public announcement or any other real-world event at which a plurality of discrete and discernible incidents may occur. Similarly, a virtual event may comprise at least one of an online game, a fantasy game and a role-playing game. These may be live or recorded events.

Unlike traditional bingo, the present game (referred to herein as“Match Bingo”) may be played anywhere provided that the event is publicly disclosed and therefore accessible to the players. In addition, since Match Bingo is based on incidents at events rather than arbitrary numbers, it may appeal to a wider demographic than traditional bingo and other number-based games. The use of incidents over numbers also provides a greater range of different matching probabilities to be incorporated. Furthermore, when applied to competitions such as sporting events and game shows, the focus of the players is shifted to the incidents that occur during the competition rather than the result of the competition. In this respect, Match Bingo could change or even improve the way in which the players of the game interact with the events. Also, given that the operator of the game has no control over the events (including when and how frequently they occur), the chance of a player trying to chase his/her losses is reduced.

Figure 1 shows a system comprising an apparatus 101 and a plurality of devices 106- 109 associated with one or more associated players which may be used to implement Match Bingo. In this example, the player devices comprise a laptop computer 106, a smartphone 107, a tablet 108 and a desktop computer 109. In addition, although the apparatus 101 would typically take the form of a cloud server, it could be one or more of an electronic device, a portable electronic device, a portable telecommunications device, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet, a phablet, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a smartphone, a smartwatch, smart eyewear, and a module for one or more of the same.

The apparatus 101 comprises a processor 102, memory 103 and transceiver 104 which are connected to one another via a data bus 105. The processor 102 may be configured for general operation of the apparatus 101 by providing signalling to, and receiving signalling from, the other components to manage their operation. The memory 103 may be configured to store computer code configured to perform, control or enable operation of the apparatus 101. The memory 103 may also be configured to store settings for the other components. The processor 102 may access the memory 103 to retrieve the component settings in order to manage the operation of the other components. The transceiver 104 may comprise a separate transmitter and receiver, and is configured to transmit data to, and receive data from, the player devices 106-109 via a wired and/or wireless connection.

The memory 103 includes computer program code which is configured to, with the processor 102, cause the apparatus 101 to generate a plurality of game data sets for a game, and provide the plurality of game data sets for access by one or more players of the game. Each game data set represents a plurality of possible incidents having respective probabilities of occurrence at one or more associated events which are independent of the game. These are compared with a plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to identify any matches therebetween.

Figure 2 shows a graphical user interface 210 on a player device 207 displaying a plurality of events 21 1 a-c for which game data sets are available. The player device 207 is running a Match Bingo application which allows the associated player to search or filter the events based on the type and date of the events. In this example, the player has chosen to view upcoming football/soccer matches 21 1 a-c.

In some cases, one or more of the events may comprise a series of related sub-events. For instance, some sporting events (such as Champions League or Premier League Football) may involve both home and away matches, group stages and/or a season of matches between two or more teams. Similarly, other sporting events (such as test cricket) may involve a series of matches at different grounds. Furthermore, the matches in many sporting events (e.g. first and second halves in football or 20 minute periods in ice hockey) are divided into multiple smaller time periods. In these scenarios, the associated game data sets may represent one or more possible incidents for each sub- event and the Match Bingo game may encompass multiple sub-events over an extended time period.

The game data sets for each event are provided by the apparatus in the form of respective tickets which can be purchased (or otherwise acquired) via the application before the event begins. As shown in Figure 2, the application displays the date, start time and any teams involved in each event 21 1 a-c, together with the total prize fund available to be won (which may be updated substantially in real-time based on the number of tickets sold). The apparatus may be configured to generate the plurality of possible incidents for each game data set, and select the game data set for each ticket, independently of the player. Furthermore, selection of the game data set for each ticket may be performed randomly by the apparatus. These features can help to ensure that each player has as equal a chance of winning as possible before and after the time of purchase. The purchased tickets may then be stored on the player device 207 or an online player account associated with the player. The latter option enables the player to access the purchased tickets via his/her device 207 without the need for the tickets to be stored on the device 207.

Figure 3 shows a graphical user interface 310 on a player device 307 displaying a data set 312 for a particular event 311a. In this example, the event 31 1a is a live football match between Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) and Manchester City Football Club (MCFC), and the game data set 312 represents a plurality possible incidents 313 for each team.

Figure 4 shows representations of possible incidents that may be used to generate a game data set for a football match. These incidents may be divided into several distinct groups based on their probabilities of occurring. For example, Group A may comprise incidents having respective probabilities within an upper probability range (such as Kick Off, Throw In, Free Kick, Goal Kick, Corner, Keeper Touch, Keeper Kick, Missed Shot, Header, and Attempt Off Target); Group B may comprise incidents having respective probabilities within a middle probability range (such as Crossbar, Post, Offside, Yellow Card, Attempt on Target, Substitutions, Right Footed Goal, and Left Footed Goal); and Group C may comprise incidents having respective probabilities within a lower probability range (such as Red Card, Direct Free Kick Goal, Converted Penalty, and Saved Penalty). The incidents in Group A may be likely to occur in the opening 15 minutes of a football match, the incidents in Group B may be likely to occur at some point during the full 90 minutes of a football match, and the incidents in Group C may be likely to occur once every 3-10 football matches. As such, the incidents in Group A may have a probability of over 90%, the incidents in Group B may have a probability of 33-90%, and the incidents in Group C may have a probability of less than 33% for a given match.

The total number of incidents 313 represented by each game data set 312 can be varied to increase/decrease the total probability of the game data set 312 and/or to generate a sufficient number of unique game data sets 312 for the total number of (potential) players. For example, 20 possible incidents 313 for each team in a football match would cater for a multi-million player game. The apparatus may be configured to arrange the representations 313 of the plurality of possible incidents in a particular pattern within the graphical user interface 310. The apparatus may be further configured to arrange the representations 313 within the pattern in a random or predefined manner. In the latter scenario, the representations 313 may be arranged based on the probability of the associated incidents occurring during the event 31 1 a. For example, the apparatus may be configured to arrange the representations 313 in a square or rectangular array in order of probability from top to bottom and left to right.

As mentioned previously, Match Bingo is not limited to football, but could be applied to other sporting events such as darts (the scores may be the incidents) or formula 1 (the pit stops and finishers may be the incidents); game shows such as It’s A Knockout or World’s Strongest Man; soap operas such as Coronation Street or EastEnders; political elections such as a local, by-election or general election, public announcements such as a Presidential Address or Queen’s Speech; stock markets such as the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index (the share prices may be the incidents); or any other real- world event comprising randomly generated incidents 312. Match Bingo could also be applied to virtual events such as fantasy or role-playing games like League of Legends where the incidents may comprise the outcome of battles between the various characters, virtual items obtained by the characters or the points accrued by players of the game. In one embodiment, the player manually compares the plurality of possible incidents 313 represented by the game data set 312 with the plurality of actual incidents that occur during the event 31 1 a and marks any identified matches 314 on the graphical user interface (e.g. by touching the representations 313 to highlight them). In another embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to identify and mark 314 any matches automatically. In the latter scenario, the apparatus would provide an indication of the identified matches to the player (e.g. by highlighting the representations 313 using one or more of colour, shading and borders). In some cases, the apparatus may also be configured to provide an indication of another player’s identified matches for comparison with their own ticket. If the game involves a large number of players, this may simply be an indication that one or more other players are only one matched incident away from a win.

Figure 5 shows a graphical user interface 510 on a player device 507 displaying a plurality of tickets 515 during the live football match 31 1 a, 51 1a of Figure 3. In this example, the player has purchased/acquired multiple tickets 515 for the football match 31 1 a, and an overview 516 of the progress of each ticket 515 is displayed in parallel. This feature enables the player to keep track of each of his/her tickets 515 conveniently over the course of the event 51 1 a. If greater detail of a particular ticket 515 is required, the player can select that ticket 515 and the application will display the corresponding marked-up game data set 312 (as shown in Figure 3). The identification and marking of matched incidents 314 by the apparatus may occur in real-time, but there could be a delay between the occurrence of an incident and the identification or marking of a match 314 depending on network traffic, network reliability and/or available processing power.

The apparatus may also be configured to allocate prizes to one or more tickets 515 based on the matched incidents 314 represented by the associated game data sets 312. The prizes could be allocated based on at least one of the number, timing, order, arrangement and probability of matched incidents 314. For example, different prizes may be allocated for matching a line, four corners, all incidents for one team, or all incidents for all teams within the array of representations. Also, the prizes may be allocated to the first ticket(s) 515 with each pattern of matched incidents 314, or the ticket(s) 515 having the greatest number of matched incidents 314 by the end of the event 311a, 511a if none of the tickets 515 successfully matched all incidents 313 within the array of representations. Furthermore, a line of matched incidents having respective probabilities within the lower probability range (Group C) may be awarded a larger prize than a line of incidents having respective probabilities within the upper (Group A) or middle (Group B) probability ranges. Similarly, a ticket 515 having a lower total probability may be awarded a larger prize for matching all represented incidents than a ticket 515 having a higher total probability.

The prizes would typically be cash prizes, but they could be non-cash prizes such as passes to future events, food or drink vouchers, holidays, cars, etc. The prizes may or may not be based on the total amount of money raised from the sale of tickets for that particular event. For instance, the jackpot may be set before the tickets go on sale to encourage potential players to participate. Once the prizes have been allocated to the winning tickets, the associated players may be required to claim their prizes. This can be achieved by the players responding to a winning notification automatically sent by the apparatus, after which the apparatus may be configured to transfer cash prizes to the associated player/bank accounts and/or send non-cash prizes to the players based on the contact details stored in their associated player accounts.

The apparatus may be configured to generate the plurality of game data sets such that each data set is unique. The apparatus may also be configured to generate the plurality of game data sets such that the total probability of the plurality of possible incidents represented by each game data set is substantially the same as the other game data sets (e.g. within 0.1 %, 0.5%, 1 %, 5% or 10% of one another). To achieve this, each game data set may represent the same number of possible incidents from each probability range (e.g. from Groups A, B and C mentioned above). In other cases, the apparatus may be configured to generate a first predefined number of game data sets having a total probability within a first probability range and a second predefined number of game data sets having a total probability within a second non-overlapping probability range. For example, the apparatus may generate a smaller number of higher probability game data sets than lower probability game data sets to limit the number of winning tickets and therefore ensure that the associated prizes are relatively large (i.e. because the total prize fund is distributed between fewer winning tickets).

Ideally, the possible incidents represented within each game data set would be independent of one another, and the apparatus would be configured to generate the game data sets based on the unconditional probabilities of each incident occurring. Nevertheless, there may be situations where this is not the case. For example, if the event comprises two or more league football matches involving the same team, and a player of that team receives a yellow card during the first match, the probability of that player being sent off during one of the subsequent matches is increased. In this scenario, the apparatus may need to take account of the conditional probabilities of any dependent incidents.

Although the apparatus would normally be configured to generate and provide the plurality of game data sets independently of the players, greater player involvement could be accommodated. In one example, the apparatus may be configured to present one or more predefined game data sets for manual selection by the players when considering which ticket(s) to purchase. In another example, the apparatus may be configured to present representations of one or more possible incidents, and/or their arrangement within the game data set, for manual selection by the players. This option would enables the players to at least partially define their own game data sets rather than using game data sets which have been predefined entirely by the apparatus. One issue with this approach, however, is that the total probability of one game data set may not necessarily be equal to the total probability of another game data set, which could provide one player with an unfair advantage. This issue may be addressed by linking the prizes for each ticket to the probabilities of matching the specific incidents represented by the associated game data set (i.e. the prizes decrease in value as the probabilities increase). Another way of normalising the chances of winning is by the apparatus forcing each player to select a predefined number of possible incidents from each probability range, e.g. X incidents from Group A, Y incidents from Group B and Z incidents from Group C (where X, Y and Z are integers which may or may not be equal).

In addition to being played online via a website or application, Match Bingo could also be played offline using printed tickets. In this scenario, the apparatus may be configured to provide the plurality of data sets for printing onto a plurality of respective cards, newspapers or magazines for access by the one or more players. Rather than purchasing the electronic tickets directly via the website or application, therefore, physical tickets could be purchased directly in a shop (similar to lottery tickets or scratch cards) or acquired by the players through the purchase of the newspaper or magazine as part of a promotion. The apparatus may be further configured to generate a unique identifier (e.g. a barcode or QR code) for each card, newspaper or magazine which enables storage of the respective ticket in an online account or device associated with the player. This would allow the player to participate in the game online via his/her device as described previously.

Figure 6 shows a graphical user interface 610 of an application displaying three game data sets 624 during a live darts match. A typical darts match is divided into multiple games (or legs). In each leg, two darts players/individuals take turns to throw three darts per visit to the dartboard. The objective is to reduce a fixed score, commonly 301 or 501 , to zero (referred to as“finishing” or "checking out"). The final dart must land in either the bullseye or a double segment in order to win. When two teams play, the starting score is sometimes increased to 701 or even 1001 , although the rules remain the same. A throw that reduces a player's score below zero, to exactly one, or to zero but not ending with a double is known as "going bust", with the player's score being reset to the value prior to starting the turn, and the remainder of the turn being forfeited.

The rules of this version of Match Bingo are the same as before. Unlike the football- based incidents shown in Figure 4, however, the darts-based incidents 613 comprise possible scores for one or more of the darts players per visit to the dartboard (i.e. the combined scores for three darts). In the example shown in Figure 6, the ticket comprises three lines 624 of five scores 613 (and thus three separate chances to win). The first two scores 625 of each line 624 are associated with player 1 's visits, the last two scores 626 are associated with player 2’s visits, and the middle score 627 is for the finish. The jackpot is won when all scores 625, 626, 627 in a single line 624 have been matched. If the darts match has 12 legs each comprising 4 visits per player and one finish, then there will be 48 scores for player 1 , 48 scores for player 2, and 12 finishing scores. This means that there are 48 opportunities to match the first two scores 625 of a line 624, 48 opportunities to match the last two scores 626 of a line 624, and 12 opportunities to match the finishing score 627 of a line 624.

The graphical user interface 610 displays the names 620 and photographs 621 of the darts players, the total prize fund 622 and the score 623 for each dart in addition to the plurality of possible scores 613. In this example, the name 620 and photo 621 of the player currently at the oche is displayed or highlighted. The graphical user interface 610 also displays an overview 616 of the progress of other tickets purchased/acquired for the darts match, which is updated (substantially in real-time if possible) as the match progresses. As before, any matched incidents 614 are marked, and prizes are allocated based on at least one of the number, timing, order, arrangement and probability of the matched incidents 614.

Since each incident 613 is the combined score for three darts, there are a total of 172 different possible scores ranging from 0-180 (excluding scores of 163, 166, 169, 172, 173, 175, 176, 178 and 179 which are impossible to obtain due to the configuration of the dartboard). This enables many unique game data sets to be generated. Furthermore, the probabilities of the possible scores range from 0.01 % (odds of 10,000/1 ) to 14.29% (odds of 6/1 ). As such, a plurality of game data sets may be generated with total probabilities which are substantially similar so that each player has an equal chance. On the other hand, game data sets of varying probability could be generated to control the number of winning tickets as described previously.

One method of generating a plurality of game data sets with a substantially equal chance of winning is to categorise the various scores into groups with similar likelihoods and then construct combinations of these categories that give rise to a similar total probability. For example, we categorised the 172 possible scores into 13 groups for visits and 8 groups for finishes. These groups were denoted A, B, C, ... and U, each defining a different range of probabilities. Lines were then generated from the group combination ABCDU by selecting player Ts first visit score from group A, player Ts second visit score from group B, player 2’s first visit score from group C, player 2’s second visit score from group D, and a finish score from group U. The least likely selection from this combination was [180, 59, 81 , 80, 14] with a total probability of 1.2% and the most likely selection was [100, 96, 57, 95, 120] with a total probability of 2.2%.

We constructed 12 different combinations of groups with varying total probabilities. This gave rise to 64,320 possible lines (i.e. 20,000 tickets), but additional group combinations could be constructed if a greater number of tickets are required. Ideally, each combination should include some scores that are highly likely. This enables nearly every ticket to have some matching scores before there is a winner, which helps to keep the participants engaged.

If we assume once again that each leg comprises 4 visits to the board per darts player and one finish, then after n legs there will have been 4n opportunities for player Ts visit scores to occur, 4n opportunities for player 2’s visit scores to occur, and n opportunities for the finish score to occur. To calculate the probability of all scores in a given line being matched, let pi and P2 be the probability of player 1’s first and second visit scores occurring, pa and p4 be the probability of player 2’s first and second visit scores occurring, ps be the probability of the given finish occurring, A be the event of player Ts first visit score occurring, and B be the event of player Ts second visit score occurring. The probability of player Ts first and second visit scores occurring is therefore given by:

P(A P B) = 1 - P(A ^C u B ^c )

= 1 - P(A°) - P(B ^C ) + P(A ^C P BP)

= 1 - (1 - Pi) ⁴ⁿ - (1 - p ₂ ) ⁴ⁿ + (1 - pi - p ₂ ) ⁿ

A similar calculation can be done for player 2’s scores and the finishing score. Since player Ts visit scores, player 2’s visit scores and the finish are independent of one another, the probability of matching the complete line within n legs is:

[1 - (1 - pi) ⁴ⁿ - (1 - p ₂ ) ⁴ⁿ + (1 - pi - p ₂ )' 7 [1 - (1 - ps) ⁴ " - (1 - P4) ⁴ⁿ + (1 - p3 - P4) ⁿ ][1 - (1

- P5) ⁿ ]

This can be calculated for any given n. By plotting as a function of n, we gain insight into the cumulative probability distribution function for the time taken for a line to be completed. Ideally, this function should be approximately the same for each line in the ticket in order to maintain fairness. By running simulations, we observe that the curve has the same shape for various lines, with its overall scale factor being the defining property for a given line. Thus, an accurate and efficient way of measuring the relative probability of the tickets is to compare the height of the curve at a given point.

We can then calculate the likelihood of there being a winner by the end of the darts match for different numbers of tickets sold. Let N be the number of tickets and p be the probability for each ticket. Since each ticket has three lines, there are 3N lines in total. The probability of at least one line matching all 5 scores by the end of the match is therefore approximately given by:

If we set p = 0.005 (i.e. a ticket probability of 5%), we find that there is a 77.8% chance of a winner when there are 100 tickets, a 98.9% chance of a winner when there are 300 tickets, and a 99.99997% chance of a winner when there are 1000 tickets. The ticket probability should be adapted to the total number of tickets. If the ticket probability is too high, the game will not last sufficiently long. On the other hand, if the ticket probability is too low, there may not be a winning ticket at the end of the match. For a game with up to 1000 tickets, the individual ticket probabilities may suitably range from 0.45% to 0.88%.

Figure 7 shows the main steps 717-718 of the method described herein. The method generally comprises: generating a plurality of game data sets for a game, each game data set representing a plurality of possible incidents having respective probabilities of occurrence at one or more associated events, wherein the one or more associated events are independent of the game 717; and providing the plurality of game data sets for access by one or more players of the game for comparison of the plurality of possible incidents represented by the game data sets with a plurality of actual incidents that occur at the associated events to identify any matches therebetween 718.

Figure 8 shows a computer/processor readable medium 819 providing a computer program. The computer program may comprise computer code configured to perform, control or enable one or more of the method steps 717-718 of Figure 7 using at least part of the apparatus described herein. In this example, the computer/processor readable medium 819 is a disc such as a digital versatile disc (DVD) or a compact disc (CD). In other embodiments, the computer/processor readable medium 819 may be any medium that has been programmed in such a way as to carry out an inventive function. The computer/processor readable medium 819 may be a removable memory device such as a memory stick or memory card (SD, mini SD, micro SD or nano SD).

Other embodiments depicted in the figures have been provided with reference numerals that correspond to similar features of earlier described embodiments. For example, feature number 1 can also correspond to numbers 101 , 201 , 301 etc. These numbered features may appear in the figures but may not have been directly referred to within the description of these particular embodiments. These have still been provided in the figures to aid understanding of the further embodiments, particularly in relation to the features of similar earlier described embodiments. It will be appreciated to the skilled reader that any mentioned apparatus/device and/or other features of particular mentioned apparatus/device may be provided by apparatus arranged such that they become configured to carry out the desired operations only when enabled, e.g. switched on, or the like. In such cases, they may not necessarily have the appropriate software loaded into the active memory in the non-enabled (e.g. switched off state) and only load the appropriate software in the enabled (e.g. on state). The apparatus may comprise hardware circuitry and/or firmware. The apparatus may comprise software loaded onto memory. Such software/computer programs may be recorded on one or more memories/processors/functional units.

In some embodiments, a particular mentioned apparatus/device may be preprogrammed with the appropriate software to carry out desired operations, and wherein the appropriate software can be enabled for use by a player downloading a“key”, for example, to unlock/enable the software and its associated functionality. Advantages associated with such embodiments can include a reduced requirement to download data when further functionality is required for a device, and this can be useful in examples where a device is perceived to have sufficient capacity to store such pre-programmed software for functionality that may not be enabled by a player.

It will be appreciated that any mentioned apparatus/circuitry/elements/processor may have other functions in addition to the mentioned functions, and that these functions may be performed by the same apparatus/circuitry/elements/processor. One or more disclosed aspects may encompass the electronic distribution of associated computer programs and computer programs (which may be source/transport encoded) recorded on an appropriate carrier (e.g. memory, signal).

It will be appreciated that any“computer” described herein can comprise a collection of one or more individual processors/processing elements that may or may not be located on the same circuit board, or the same region/position of a circuit board or even the same device. In some embodiments one or more of any mentioned processors may be distributed over a plurality of devices. The same or different processor/processing elements may perform one or more functions described herein.

It will be appreciated that the term “signalling” may refer to one or more signals transmitted as a series of transmitted and/or received signals. The series of signals may comprise one, two, three, four or even more individual signal components or distinct signals to make up said signalling. Some or all of these individual signals may be transmitted/received simultaneously, in sequence, and/or such that they temporally overlap one another.

With reference to any discussion of any mentioned computer and/or processor and memory (e.g. including ROM, CD-ROM etc), these may comprise a computer processor, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and/or other hardware components that have been programmed in such a way to carry out the inventive function.

The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features or combinations are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole, in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features or combinations of features solve any problems disclosed herein, and without limitation to the scope of the claims. The applicant indicates that the disclosed aspects/embodiments may consist of any such individual feature or combination of features. In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the disclosure.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features as applied to different embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices and methods described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. Furthermore, in the claims means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.