PLATFORM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of fantasy sports and to the software used. It comprises an integrated real-time platform that allows a user to dynamically select one or more real-life players, playing in one or more real-life games of each player occurring during a real-life event comprising real-life statistics generated by each player during the selected real-life games that are used to determine if the user is a winner based on the user's selection in the particular real-life event.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[2] The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

[3] Fantasy sports is a game where each participant acts as an owner ("fantasy owner") to build a team ("fantasy team") that competes against other fantasy teams built by other fantasy owners. The team is selected from real individual players, although the real individual players on a fantasy team need not be on the same real team. Scoring is based on the statistics generated by the real individual players or teams of a sport. Usually, statistical performances are converted into points that are compiled and totaled according to the roster of players selected by a manager (or owner) that makes up a fantasy team. More complex variants use computer modeling of actual games based on statistical input, such as the statistics generated in professional or collegiate sports. A few of the most common statistics are: number of goals, number of assists, and number and type of penalty; many more statistics are known.

[4] In fantasy sports there is sometimes the ability to trade, cut, and sign players, like a real sports owner. A typical fantasy sport league can require a large time commitment for at least an entire season and can also require a large amount of work to do research about teams and players. With real-time engagement of users, as a sports event happening in real-time, improvements to the game and its application to new areas can increase the interest and a user's dynamic engagement in the game. With the purpose of changing and adding to the way fantasy sports games are played, various systems and methods for creating an online, virtual live interactive video games that uses fantasy sports statistics exist in the art.

[5] Fantasy sports live, by Jose A Sanchez., discloses a method of playing an online live interactive fantasy video game comprising obtaining a subscription to play, selecting a platform from which to play the fantasy game, selecting team members to form a fantasy team, interacting with others playing the fantasy game, controlling each team member's performance and competing against other fantasy teams. The game includes access to a live fantasy sports television channel to watch games and tournaments, live access to a fantasy sports analyst, and virtual reality software so that the player can become physically involved with the game.

[6] Designing a real sports companion match-play crowdsourcing electronic game, by

Mindforce Consulting LLC, discloses developing a match-play game in which an outcome of a live event determines an outcome within the match-play game. The crowdsourcing electronic game comprises several steps including determining a set of outcomes that may occur in the live event, presenting the set of outcomes to a game designer, presenting a design interface in which a game designer may create a match-play game, enabling a user to determine a set of outcomes that may occur in the match-play game, and enabling the user to associate at least one outcome in the match-play game to an outcome in the live event.

[7] Certain levels of real-time engagement in fantasy sports exist in the prior art. However, the prior art does not allow a user to dynamically select a team comprising one or more real players in one or more real-life games and to dynamically generate scoring from real-life statistics generated or modified by a real-life player during a real-life event, thereby determining if a user is a winner based on the user's selections before and during the particular real-life event.

Therefore, there is a long felt and unmet need for a system and method that allows real-time scoring based on real-time actions of real players during a real event.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[8] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a data processing system for facilitating a live fantasy sports platform, the data processing system comprising a bus system; a communications unit coupled to the bus system; a memory coupled to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the bus system, wherein the processing unit is operable to cause execution of the set of instructions to perform the following steps: obtaining primary metadata comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values, each value being associated with of one or more real-life players' performance metrics and one or more event factors; processing the primary data to generate secondary data, secondary data additionally comprises a plurality of sets of incorporating users' decision-making characteristics and event factors comprising stochastic and/or probabilistically-determined values associated with each factor throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time; providing, using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event, where users compete against one another to win the event; and generating visual output to a user presenting a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event, throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time.

[9] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for generating live fantasy sports platform, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of: obtaining primary metadata comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values, each value being associated with of one or more real-life players' performance metrics and one or more event factors; processing the primary data to generate secondary data, the secondary data additionally comprises a plurality of sets of incorporating users' decision-making characteristics and event factors comprising stochastic and/or probabilistically-determined values associated with each factor throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time; providing, using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event; and generating visual output to a user presenting a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event where users compete against one another to win the event, throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time.

[10] It is another object of the present invention to provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: obtaining primary metadata comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values, each value being associated with of one or more real-life players' performance metrics and one or more event factors; processing the primary data to generate secondary data, wherein secondary data additionally comprises a plurality of sets of incorporating users' decisionmaking characteristics and event factors comprising stochastic and/or probabilistically- determined values associated with each factor throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time; providing, using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event; and generating visual output to a user presenting a computer- based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event, throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in realtime.

[11] It is one object of the present invention to provide a data processing system for facilitating live fantasy sports platform, the data processing system comprising a bus system; a communications unit coupled to the bus system; a memory coupled to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the bus system, wherein the processing unit is operable to cause execution of the set of instructions to perform the following steps: a. obtaining primary metadata comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values, each value being associated with of one or more real-life players' performance metrics and one or more event factors;

b. processing the primary data to generate secondary data, wherein secondary data additionally comprises a plurality of sets of incorporating users' decision-making characteristics and event factors comprising stochastic and/or probabilistically- determined values associated with each factor throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time;

c. providing, using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event; and

d. generating visual output to a user presenting a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event, throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in realtime.

[12] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally configured to receive the primary data from a gaming database before a start of the real-life sporting event.

[13] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein the data processing system is configured to update the primary data in the gaming database during the real-life sporting event.

[14] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein the computer-based data layer is generable for a sporting event selected from a group consisting of: a horse race, an auto race, a stock car race, a Formula 1 race, a NASCAR race, a boxing match, a kick boxing match, an ultimate fight match, a wrestling match, a judo match, a basketball game, a soccer game, a rugby game, a football game, a baseball game, a hockey game, a lacrosse match, a dog race, a greyhound race, a harness race, a steeplechase, a foot race, an Olympic sporting event, a swimming event, and any combination thereof.

[15] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein the data processing system is configured to facilitate an integrated betting engine, said betting engine enabling said plurality of users to place wagers on an outcome of the real-life sporting event, said integrated betting engine utilizing either pari- mutuel/exchange betting or a fixed odds system.

[16] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of generating live fantasy sports platform, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of: a. obtaining primary metadata comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values, each value being associated with of one or more real-life players' performance metrics and one or more event factors;

b. processing the primary data to generate secondary data, wherein secondary data additionally comprises a plurality of sets of incorporating users' decisionmaking characteristics and event factors comprising stochastic and/or probabilistically-determined values associated with each factor throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time; c. providing, using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer- based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event; and

d. generating visual output to a user presenting a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event, throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time.

[17] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of obtaining the primary data by receiving the primary data from a gaming database before a start of the real-life sporting event.

[18] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of updating the primary data in the gaming database during the real-life sporting event.

[19] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of generating the computer-based data layer for a sporting event selected from a group consisting of: a horse race, an auto race, a stock car race, a Formula 1 race, a NASCAR race, a boxing match, a kick boxing match, an ultimate fight match, a wrestling match, a basketball game, a soccer game, a rugby game, a football game, a baseball game, a hockey game, a lacrosse match, a dog race, a greyhound race, a harness race, a steeplechase, a judo match, a foot race, an Olympic sporting event, a swimming event, and any combination thereof.

[20] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of facilitating an integrated betting engine, said betting engine enabling said plurality of users to place wagers on an outcome of the real-life sporting event, said integrated betting engine utilizing either pari-mutuel/exchange betting or a fixed odds system.

[21] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, further comprising the step of selecting a fantasy team of players from a roster of said real-life players in said real-life sporting event, by a said user. [22] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein said fantasy team comprises at least two players.

[23] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein at least one roster comprises the players of two sports teams matched in said real-life sporting event.

[24] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein at least one said selection of a member of said fantasy team comprises a substitution by said user of at least one real-life player not on said fantasy team for at least one member of said fantasy team.

[25] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein the number of said substitutions is limited.

[26] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein the number of said substitutions is limited to six in each half and two in each overtime period.

[27] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of buffering said substitution in a pending status until after said event has occurred.

[28] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein fantasy points are accumulated for events related to said at least one real-life player not on said fantasy team substituted in instead of said substituted out at least one member of said fantasy team

[29] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of receiving a prediction of an outcome of said event in said real-time sporting event by said user.

[30] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein, for a soccer match, said event is selected from a group consisting of: lob shot, second assist, caught offside, free kick on wall, shot saved by own teammate, shot from corner, penalty kick scored, weak shot, shot off target, bicycle shot, shot to sideline, weak shot, goal - back heel, shot on post, offside pass, error - generated goal, big chance, individual play chance, penalty saved, shot on target, volley shot, pass blocked goal, goal from free kick, penalty off target, penalty on post, dribble & goal, 1 on 1 chip, solo run, weak shot, offensive aerial duel, goal - direct corner, big miss!, shot blocked, long ball, key pass!, pass with the head, pass from free kick, pass from corner, shot deflected, assist!, provoked a penalty, committed a penalty, error - generated attack, provoked a handball, committed a handball, fouled, provoked a corner, committed a corner, lost ball, goal kick out, pull back pass, through ball, weak shot, cross, dribble, pass, dangerous foul, foul, shot deflected, tackle, last man tackle, interception, blocked shot, interception in the box, blocks cross, clearance, cleared duel, failed to block a shot, save on the goal line, provoked offside, committed a penalty, last man interception, defensive aerial duel, tackle missed, blocks a pass, own goal, violent conduct, yellow card - first yellow card - second, red card, spitting, simulation, GK throw, GK throw, GK back pass collect, GK 6 sec violation, GK punch, GK error - generated goal, GK save, GK last man save, GK catch, GK dive, GK clearance, goal conceded, GK error - generated attack, GK claim, GK cross not claimed, gains possession, GK own player save, GK penalty goal conceded, GK penalty saved, GK penalty missed, GK penalty dive, sub-in, sub-out, deflection, interception in the Box, gaining possession and any combination thereof.

[31] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein, for an American football game, said event is selected from a group consisting of: touchdown, conversion, conversion fails, one-point conversion, two-point conversion, field goal, offside, first down, second down, third down, fourth down, penalty, pass, blocked pass, missed pass, handoff, place kick, goal from place kick too many players, illegal position for kickoff, running play, yardage per down, fumble, interception, delay of game foul, scrimmage kick, free kick, place kick, drop kick, punt, fair catch, illegally downfield, holding, pass interference, line-of- scrimmage violation, illegal use-of-hands violation, illegal shift violation, illegal motion, out-of-bounds and any combination thereof.

[32] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein, for a baseball game, said event is selected from a group consisting of: men on base, successful stolen base, failed stolen base, out, double play; triple play, at-bat, single, double, triple, homerun, strikeout, base on balls, foul ball, fly ball caught, fly ball missed, extra innings, dead ball, ground out, force out, tag out, designated hitter, and any combination thereof.

[33] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein said users are ranked during said real-life sporting event, after said real-life sporting event, or both during and after said real-life sporting event. [34] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of awarding prizes to one or more of said users based on said ranking.

[35] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein generating said visual output additionally comprises displaying a status of whether viewing of said data layer on top of a live broadcast of said real-life sporting event is supported.

[36] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of at least one of a group consisting of benchmarking and ranking said at least one real-life player against at least one other real-life player, all said ranked players being in at least one of a group consisting of: said real-life sporting event, a same league and any combination thereof.

[37] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein said player ranking is updated in real time according to said at least one event by said at least one real-life players.

[38] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein a member of a group consisting of: said at least one event, an effect of said at least one event on said player ranking, a total of said fantasy points and any combination thereof is displayable.

[39] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein said visual output additionally comprises a leaderboard, said leaderboard comprising a rank of said user among other users participating in said event.

It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, wherein said visual output additionally comprises a widget selected from a group consisting of:

a. a leaderboard widget configured to display a rank of said user among other users participating in a fantasy game based on said real-life sporting event; b. a social picks widget, configured to display, for at least one real-life player, a percentage of users who have said at least one player on their fantasy team; and

c. a summary and prizes widget, configured to display, after completion of the real-life sporting event, a member of a group consisting of: at least one winner selected from said plurality of users, a game summary visualization and any combination thereof.

[40] It is another object of the present invention to provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: a. obtaining primary metadata comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values, each value being associated with of one or more real-life players' performance metrics and one or more event factors;

b. processing the primary data to generate secondary data, wherein secondary data additionally comprises a plurality of sets of incorporating users' decisionmaking characteristics and event factors comprising stochastic and/or probabilistically-determined values associated with each factor throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time;

c. providing, using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer- based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event; and

d. generating visual output to a user presenting a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event, throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time.

[41] It is another object of the present invention to provide the non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined above, wherein obtaining the primary data comprises receiving the primary data from a gaming database before the real-life sporting event, in a real world environment.

[42] It is another object of the present invention to provide the non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined above, wherein obtaining the primary data comprises updating the primary data from the gaming database during the real-life sporting event, in a real world environment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide the non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined above, wherein generating the computer-based data layer comprises generating the computer-based data layer over any type of sport or skill based event, including sporting events such as a horse race, an auto race, a stock car race, a Formula 1 race, a NASCAR race, a boxing match, a kick boxing match, an ultimate fight match, a wrestling match, a basketball game, a soccer game, a rugby game, a football game, a baseball game, a hockey game, a lacrosse match, a dog race, a greyhound race, a harness race, a steeplechase and any other combinations of skill based games and wagering events.

[44] It is another object of the present invention to provide the non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined above, wherein the method additionally comprises a step of facilitating an integrated betting engine to allow users throughout the real-life sporting event to place wagers on the outcome of the real-life sporting event utilizing either a pari-mutuel/exchange betting or a fixed odds system, as it unfolds and changes in real-time.

[45] It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing system for facilitating a live fantasy sports platform; said data processing system includes a set of instructions operable to cause execution of the following steps: e. selecting a fantasy team of players, by at least one user, from a roster of real-life players in a real-life sporting event;

f. identifying at least one event associated with at least one member of said fantasy team of players; and

g. awarding at least one fantasy point to said at least one user according to said at least one event associated with said at least one member of said fantasy team of players.

[46] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said fantasy team comprises at least two players.

[47] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said fantasy team comprises five players.

[48] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein at least one roster comprises the players of two sports teams matched in said real-life sporting event.

[49] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein at least one said selection of a member of said fantasy team comprises a substitution by said user of at least one real-life player not on said fantasy team for at least one member of said fantasy team.

[50] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein the number of said substitutions is limited.

[51] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein the number of said substitutions is limited to six in each half and two in each overtime period.

[52] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising a step of buffering said substitution in a pending status until after said event has occurred.

[53] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein fantasy points are accumulated for events related to said at least one real-life player not on said fantasy team substituted in instead of said substituted out at least one member of said fantasy team

[54] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising a step of receiving a prediction of an outcome of said event in said real-time sporting event by said user.

[55] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said users are ranked during said real-life sporting event, after said real-life sporting event, or both during and after said real-life sporting event.

[56] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising a step of awarding prizes to one or more of said users based on said ranking.

[57] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein generating said visual output additionally comprises displaying a status of whether viewing of said data layer on top of a live broadcast of said real-life sporting event is supported.

[58] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising a step of at least one of a group consisting of benchmarking and ranking said at least one real-life player against at least one other real-life player, all said ranked players being in at least one of a group consisting of: said real-life sporting event, a same league and any combination thereof.

[59] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said player ranking is updated in real time according to said at least one event by said at least one real-life players.

[60] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein a member of a group consisting of: said at least one event, an effect of said at least one event on said player ranking, a total of said fantasy points and any combination thereof is displayable.

[61] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said visual output additionally comprises a leaderboard, said leaderboard comprising a rank of said user among other users participating in said event.

[62] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for playing an MVP fantasy game, comprising steps of: a. providing a data processing system for facilitating a live fantasy sports platform to a user, said processing system comprising a set of instructions operable to cause execution of the following steps:

b. selecting at least one match by said user;

c. selecting at least one player in said at least one match by said user; and d. awarding fantasy points to said user according to real-time statistics and events associated with said player during said real-life sporting event.

[63] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising at least one of the following steps: a. during said match, real-time ranking players by performance according to fantasy points earned;

b. displaying live action feeds during said match; and

c. real-time displaying a leaderboard during said match.

[64] It is another object of the present invention to provide the method as defined above, additionally comprising a step of overlaying at least one of the following widgets over a live broadcast of said match: a. a leaderboard;

b. a social picks widget; and

c. a summary and prizes widget.

[65] It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing system for facilitating a live fantasy sports platform, the data processing system comprising a bus system; a communications unit coupled to the bus system; a memory coupled to the bus system, the memory including a set of instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the bus system, wherein the processing unit is operable to cause execution of the set of instructions to perform the following steps: a. for each of a plurality of users, receiving at least one selection of at least one real-life sporting event;

b. for each of said plurality of users, accepting at least one user-selected real-life player, each said at least one user-selected real-life player on a roster of real- life players for said sporting event, a totality of said at least one user-selected real-life players comprising a user fantasy team;

c. generating, for each member of said fantasy team, a fantasy points score, said fantasy points score generated by aggregating fantasy points values, each of said fantasy points values generable from at least one action during said sporting event by at least one member of said fantasy team;

d. generating, for each of said plurality of users, a fantasy score, said fantasy score generable by aggregating fantasy points scores for all of said members of said user fantasy team

wherein, by means of said fantasy score for each of said plurality of users, said plurality of users compete against one another to win a fantasy game.

[66] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of generating a live fantasy sports platform, the method comprising computer-executed steps of: a. for each of a plurality of users, receiving at least one selection of at least one real-life sporting event;

b. for each of said plurality of users, accepting at least one user-selected real-life player, each said at least one user-selected real-life player on a roster of real- life players for said sporting event, a totality of said at least one user-selected real-life players comprising a user fantasy team; c. generating, for each member of said fantasy team, a fantasy points score, said fantasy points score generated by aggregating fantasy points values, each of said fantasy points values generable from at least one action during said sporting event by at least one member of said fantasy team;

d. generating, for each of said plurality of users, a fantasy score, said fantasy score generable by aggregating fantasy points scores for all of said members of said user fantasy team.

[67] It is another object of the present invention to provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: a. obtaining primary metadata comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values, each value being associated with one or more real-life players' performance metrics and one or more event factors;

b. processing the primary data to generate secondary data, said secondary data comprising a plurality of user data sets, each said user data set comprising users' decision-making characteristics, an event factor and any combination thereof, each said event factor associated with at least one of a stochastic value and a probabilistically-determined value, at least one said event factor changeable in real-time over the course of a sporting event, at least one said event factor dependent on one or more actions occurable during said sporting event;

c. providing, using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer- based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event; and

d. generating visual output to a user presenting a computer-based data layer over the real-life sporting event wherein users compete against one another to win the event, throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds and changes in real-time.

[68] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising software configured, when executed, for each of a plurality of users, to receive at least one selection of at least one real-life sporting event. [69] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising software configured, when executed, for each of said plurality of users, to accept at least one user-selected real-life player, each said at least one user- selected real-life player on a roster of real-life players for said sporting event, a totality of said at least one user-selected real-life players comprising a user fantasy team.

[70] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising software configured, when executed, to generate, for each member of said fantasy team, a fantasy points score, said fantasy points score generated by aggregating fantasy points values, each of said fantasy points values generable from at least one action during said sporting event by at least one member of said fantasy team.

[71] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, additionally comprising software configured, when executed, to generate, for each of said plurality of users, a fantasy score, said fantasy score generable by aggregating fantasy points scores for all of said members of said user fantasy team

[72] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein, by means of said fantasy score for each of said plurality of users, said plurality of users compete against one another to win a fantasy game

[73] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein, for each said at least one action, said fantasy points value is generable from aggregation of a weighting factor for said at least one action and a number of points awardable for said at least one action, said weighting factor changeable during said real-time sporting event, said number of points awardable fixed during said real-time sporting event.

[74] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said weighting factor is a function of at least one relationship between an action and at least one previous action.

[75] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said aggregation of said weighting factor and said number of points awardable is selected from a group consisting of: adding said weighting factor and said number of points awardable, multiplying said weighting factor and said number of points awardable, and raising said number of points awardable to the power of the weighting factor. [76] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said aggregating of said fantasy points values is selected from a group consisting of:adding together said fantasy points values, multiplying together said fantasy points values, and raising at least one said fantasy point value to a power of at least one other fantasy point value.

[77] It is another object of the present invention to provide the data processing system as defined above, wherein said at least one action is identifiable by a method selected from a group consisting of: executing: image analysis software to real-time identify said action from at least one image of the real-life sporting event; executing voice analysis software to real-time recognize an action from a real-time verbal description of the real-life sporting event; executing text analysis software to real-time recognize identified events posted to a social network, executing text analysis software to real-time recognize identified events posted to a professional network, executing text analysis software to real-time recognize identified events posted to a commercial network, and any combination thereof.

[78]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[79] In order to better understand the invention and its implementation in practice, a plurality of embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[80] Fig. 1 presents a high level data flow diagram of the method disclosed by the present invention;

[81] Fig. 2 presents an embodiment of a computer system disclosed by the present invention;

[82] Fig. 3 presents an embodiment of the statistics (stats) and update system disclosed by the present invention;

[83] Fig. 4 lists items for which performance metrics can be calculated for a soccer game;

[84] Fig. 5A-B presents an embodiment of buffering of user requests until an event is complete; [85] Fig. 6 illustrates an MVP game screen;

[86] Fig. 7 illustrates a method by which an MVP fantasy game can be executed, including accepting input from a user and providing feedback to a user;

[87] Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a match selection screen;

[88] Fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a player selection screen;

[89] Fig. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a player ranking screen;

[90] Fig. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a live action feed screen;

[91] Fig. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a leaderboard selection screen;

[92] Fig. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a leaderboard;

[93] Fig. 14 illustrates an embodiment of a social picks (wisdom of the crowd) widget; and

[94] Fig. 15 illustrates an embodiment of a Summary and prizes widget.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[95] In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured.

[96] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[97] While the technology will be described in conjunction with various embodiment(s), it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the present technology to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present technology is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

[98] Furthermore, in the following description of embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present technology. However, the present technology may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present embodiments.

[99] Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present description of embodiments, discussions utilizing terms such as "obtaining", "facilitating", "processing", "performing," "extracting," "configuring" or the like, refer to the actions and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device. The computer system or similar electronic computing device manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices, including integrated circuits down to and including chip level firmware, assembler, and hardware based micro code.

[100] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of "a," "an," and "the" includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[101] All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g. "such as") provided with respect to certain embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention.

[102] Groupings of alternative elements or embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are not to be construed as limitations. Each group member can be referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with other members of the group or other elements found herein. One or more members of a group can be included in, or deleted from, a group for reasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion or deletion occurs, the specification is herein deemed to contain the group as modified thus fulfilling the written description of all Markush groups used in the appended claims.

[103] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and the above detailed description. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[104] The term "user" refers hereinafter to a party employing an integrated real-time platform in order to dynamically generate a fantasy team by selecting one or more real-life players, each player competing in a real-life game, where points are scored by the fantasy team based on real-life statistics generated by each selected player during the real-life game.

[105] The term "mobile device" interchangeably refers, but not limited to such as a mobile phone, laptop, tablet, wearable computing device, cellular communicating device, digital camera (still and/or video), PDA, computer server, video camera, television, electronic visual dictionary, communication device, personal computer, and etc.

[106] The terms "match", "real-life sporting event", "sporting event" and "game" have the same meaning, a a real-life sports game between two real-life athletic teams.

[107] The terms "player" and "real life player" refer hereinafter to a real-life athlete playing on a real-life athletic team.

[108] The term "statistics" refers hereinafter to one or more metrics of performance for one or more real-life players and one or more event factors from a gaming database. Non-limiting examples of player statistics for soccer are number of goals, number of penalties, type(s) of penalty, number of tries and number of assists. Statistics can be, for non-limiting example, per season, per game, or cumulative over a career.

[109] The term "fantasy game" hereinafter refers to a game wherein actions within a selected real- life sporting event can alter a score of a user, the user playing against other users with the same selected real-life sporting event.

[110] The term "event factor" refers hereinafter to a factor related to the real-life sporting event, to the fantasy game, or to both. Non-limiting examples of an event factor include: the number of players on a fantasy team, the number of times a user can exchange a selected player for another player, the actions within a sporting event that, when the occur, can alter a user's score, the size of alteration of score if a selected action occurs, and whether betting on an outcome of an event is permitted A score within a fantasy game is generated based on an aggregation of points given to a user, where points are given as a result of at least one selected action is executed by at least one selected player.

[I l l] In one embodiment, the system for facilitating a live fantasy sports platform can be executed using a computerized process according to the example method 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the method 100 can first obtain primary metadata 102 comprising a plurality of sets of statistics values and one or more event factors.

[112] A set of statistics values is associated with a player, a team and any combination thereof, each value being associated with one or more performance metrics for the player, the team and any combination thereof. The primary metadata is stored in a gaming database before the real-life sporting event and can be updated in real time during the real-life sporting event as a result of actions occurring during the sporting event. A non-limiting example of updating of primary metadata is altering a number of penalties when a player is given a penalty.

[113] An event factor is a factor related to the real-life game, to the fantasy game, or to both.

Fantasy points can be aggregated (increased or lost) based on event factors related to actions within the real-life game. Non-limiting examples of events primarily related to the real-life game include: an action within a sporting event that, if it occurs, can alter a user's score, and the names of the real-life players on the rosters of the participating teams. Non-limiting examples of an event factor primarily relalted to the fantasy game include: rules of the fantasy game such as the number of players on a fantasy team, or the number of times a user can replace a selected player on the fantasy team with another player, Non-limiting examples of factors related to both the real-life game and the fantasy game include: the number of points awardable if a selected action occurs, a weighting factor applied to the points awardable for an action if the action occurs in conjunction with another action, and whether betting on an outcome of an event is permitted.

[114] The primary data 104 are processed to generate secondary data, the secondary data additionally comprising a plurality of sets of data incorporating users' decision-making characteristics and event factors comprising stochastic and/or probabilistically-determined values associated with each event factor throughout the real-life sporting event, as it unfolds in real time. Using computer simulation techniques, the secondary data are provided to a dynamic real-time platform having a physics engine to generate a computer-based data layer 106 over the real-life sporting event. The dynamic real-time platform generates visual output 108 which provides a computer-based data layer in conjunction with at least one image of the real-life sporting event, where the computer-based data layer can be an overlay on the at least one image, to a side of the at least one image, on a separate screen from the at least one image, and any combination thereof. Preferably, the at least one image comprises a real-time display of at least part of the action of the sporting event. A non-limiting example of such a real-time display is the action of a sporting event as provided to viewers by a television company. Via the dynamic real-time platform, users can compete against one another in real time throughout the real-life sporting event in order to win a game. Typically, winning a game comprises accumulating the most points during the sporting event. For non-limiting example, points can be accumulated if a user's selected players (the user's team) have one or more sets of best statistics (most goals, most assists, fewest penalties, etc.).

[115] Periodically, a check is made whether the data layer remains correlated with the secondary data, as the secondary data will change as the primary data change. If the secondary data have changed, the system returns to step 106, to generate new secondary data and to generate the corresponding visual output (108).

[116] Reference is made now to FIG. 2 which graphically illustrates a high-level preferred embodiment of computer architecture 200 for implementing the present invention. In the embodiment shown, a processing unit, a data storage controller, a display device, a network communication device and a user interface are in two-way communication with each other via a system bus. The data storage controller is further in two-way communication with executable program storage and data storage. A real-life (real time) sporting event data layer is in two-way communication with both the data storage and the user interface, so that data entered into the user interface can be passed both the real-life sporting event data layer for and (via the bus) to the processing unit.

[117] It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented in software, hardware and any combination thereof. The present invention can be implemented using one or more computing devices and the various computing devices can be physically linked, physically separate, logically linked, logically separate and any combination thereof. Additionally, one or more aspects of the software or hardware can be combined or merged.

[118] In some embodiments, the system of the present invention can operate in a standalone mode, with a single electronic device comprising the processing unit, the software, at least one screen and at least one means of communication. In some embodiments, the device has nonlocal functionality - at least a portion of at least one functionality, such as, but not limited to, at least one processor, at least a portion of the software, or at least a part of at least one database can be in a cloud-based platform, a web-based platform, a remote computer, a remote server and any combination thereof, with the remainder of the functionality on the local electronic device. In a system comprising more than one electronic device, any combination of standalone electronic devices and devices with non-local functionality can be used.

[119] Similarly, hardware elements can be combined into a single hardware device or separated into multiple hardware devices. If multiple hardware devices are used, the hardware devices can be physically located proximate to each other or remote from each other.

[120] The methods can be implemented in a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium that provides program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. A computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium can be any apparatus that can contain or store the program for use by or in connection with the computer or instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[121] A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing the corresponding program code can include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to computerized data storage devices such as memory elements. Input/output (I/O) devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system. Network adapters can also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. To provide for interaction with a user, the features can be implemented on a computer with a display device, such as an LCD (liquid crystal display), virtual display, or another type of monitor for displaying information to the user, and a keyboard and an input device, such as a mouse or trackball by which the user can provide input to the computer.

[122] A computer program can be a set of instructions that can be used, directly or indirectly, in a computer. The systems and methods described herein can be implemented using programming languages such as Flash™, JAVA™, C++, C, C#, Visual Basic™, JavaScript™, PHP, XML, HTML, etc., or a combination of programming languages, including compiled or interpreted languages, and can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. The software can include, but is not limited to, firmware, resident software, microcode, etc. Protocols such as SOAP/HTTP may be used in implementing interfaces between programming modules. The components and functionality described herein may be implemented on any desktop operating system executing in a virtualized or non-virtualized environment, using any programming language suitable for software development, including, but not limited to, different versions of Microsoft Windows™, Apple™ Mac™, iOS™, Android™, Unix™/X-Windows™, Linux™, etc. The system could be implemented using a web application framework, such as Ruby on Rails.

[123] The processing system can be in communication with a computerized data storage system.

The data storage system can include a non-relational or relational data store, such as a MySQL™ or other relational database. Other physical and logical database types could be used. The data store may be a database server, such as Microsoft SQL Server™, Oracle™, IBM DB2™, SQLITE™, or any other database software, relational or otherwise. The data store may store the information identifying syntactical tags and any information required to operate on syntactical tags. In some embodiments, the processing system may use object- oriented programming and may store data in objects. In these embodiments, the processing system may use an object-relational mapper (ORM) to store the data objects in a relational database. The systems and methods described herein can be implemented using any number of physical data models. In one example embodiment, an RDBMS can be used. In those embodiments, tables in the RDBMS can include columns that represent coordinates. In the case of environment tracking systems, data representing user events, virtual elements, etc. can be stored in tables in the RDBMS. The tables can have pre-defined relationships between them. The tables can also have adjuncts associated with the coordinates.

[124] Suitable processors for the execution of a program of instructions include, but are not limited to, general and special purpose microprocessors, and the sole processor or one of multiple processors or cores, of any kind of computer. A processor may receive and store instructions and data from a computerized data storage device such as a read-only memory, a random access memory, both, or any combination of the data storage devices described herein. A processor may include any processing circuitry or control circuitry operative to control the operations and performance of an electronic device.

[125] The processor may also include, or be operatively coupled to communicate with, one or more data storage devices for storing data. Such data storage devices can include, as non-limiting examples, magnetic disks (including internal hard disks and removable disks), magneto- optical disks, optical disks, read-only memory, random access memory, and/or flash storage. Storage devices suitable for tangibly embodying computer program instructions and data can also include all forms of non-volatile memory, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, ASICs (application- specific integrated circuits).

[126] The systems, modules, and methods described herein can be implemented using any combination of software or hardware elements. The systems, modules, and methods described herein can be implemented using one or more virtual machines operating alone or in combination with each other. Any applicable virtualization solution can be used for encapsulating a physical computing machine platform into a virtual machine that is executed under the control of virtualization software running on a hardware computing platform or host. The virtual machine can have both virtual system hardware and guest operating system software.

[127] The systems and methods described herein can be implemented in a computer system that includes a back-end component, such as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, such as an application server or an Internet server, or that includes a front-end component, such as a client computer having a graphical user interface or an Internet browser, or any combination of them. The components of the system can be connected by any form or medium of digital data communication such as a communication network. Examples of communication networks include, e.g., a LAN, a WAN, and the computers and networks that form the Internet.

[128] One or more embodiments of the invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, microprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, etc. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a network.

[129] Reference is made now to FIG. 3 which graphically illustrates, according to ar preferred embodiment of the present invention, an example of a computerized system for facilitating updating of the data layer 108. The system is configured to facilitate construction of a team of players (selected players) and to real-time manage the team during a sporting event, thus providing a real second screen experience to the game.

[130] The system, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises at least one FN server in communication with a provider of statistics (stats provider) and a client. The distributed network platform uses a push update via a client module. The client accepts changes to the selected players on the team (player team changes) and updates the roster of selected players in real time Ilive player update).

[131] Since all of the players' full statistics are updated in real time, a user can decide on an action (such as replacing a player on a team) based on data received from the system such as player statistics), based on information acquired by watching the game or both and can compete against other users and win prizes.

[132] At the end of the real-life sporting match, the fantasy game also ends. At that time, one or more of the users are declared to be winners; these are the users with the highest scores (the largest number of fantasy points). Points are awarded when a member of a user's fantasy team (a selected real-life player) achieves a selected (point-awarding) event. For some of these events, such as a goal, the points award will be positive - the event will increase the fantasy score. For other events, such as a penalty, the points award will be negative - the event will decrease the fantasy score. The number of points awarded for an event will depend on the importance of an event to the real-life game. For example, a goal will be worth significantly more points than a shot on goal; the more severe the foul, the more negative the points - a brutal tackleill remove significantly more points than losing a ball.

[133] In the real-life sporting events, events (actions) are often related. For non-limiting example, a player may incur a penalty in the process of scoring a goal. Therefore, the points awarded can be weighted so that the actual number of points aggregated to a user's score by a selected event can change during a fantasy game, depending on relationships between actions in the real-life sporting event. For example, a player scores a goal, then crosses. Since, in the real- life game the player had recently scored a goal, a subsequent cross (a minor offense) can be downweighted; it will reduce the user's fantasy score by a smaller amount that it otherwise would. The weighting can be any mathematical function that up weights and downweights fantasy points. Non-limiting examples include multiplicative weighting - the fantasy points for an event are multiplied by a weighting factor, additive - a weighting factor (which can be negative) is added to fantasy points for an event, or power law - the fantasy points for an event are raised to a weighting power; the power can be greater (upweight) than one, less (downweight) than one, or equal to one (no weighting).

[134] The total fantasy score is an aggregate of the weighted fantasy points awarded for the scorable events executed by the members of the fantasy team. The aggregations can be any mathematical function that combines the weighted fantasy points. Typically, the aggregating function will be summation or multiplication - the total fantasy score is a sum of the weighted fantasy points, or a product of the weighted fantasy points.

[135] The events can be identified in a number of ways. For example, the platform can include: image analysis software to real-time identify an event (action) from at least one image of the real-time sporting event; voice analysis software to real-time recognize an event (action) from a verbal description by a person (such as a sportscaster) real-time verbally describing the events (actions) in the real-life sporting event; text analysis software to real-time recognize an identified event (action) posted to a social network, text analysis software to real-time recognize an identified event (action) posted to a professional network, text analysis software to real-time recognize an identified event (action) posted to a commercial network, and any combination thereof.

[136] An example of the platform includes a game play scenario wherein one or more users construct a fantasy team of players (e.g., five players) from a roster of players; for example, a roster of 22 players in one of that day's soccer matches; once the game starts, the user can change his team's players to any of the other players in the roster in order to maximize his final number of fantasy points. Once a player has been swapped, the number of fantasy points he made up to that point is kept and will be added to the number of points the new player makes; once the match is over, the points for each game position will remain the same. The number of player swaps is limited and, once a swap has been made, it can take up to a predefined period of time for the swap to actually take place and the player's scores to be added to the user's points. An example of game options for the scenario given above includes a fantasy team that is made up of five players (Goalkeeper, Defender, two Midfielders and an Attacker). The user can select any player before the match (there is no salary limit). Once the game starts, the user can select only active players (players in the roster). The number of swaps is limited to six in each half and two during extra time, if the real-life game goes into extra time. In a case of Team Captain, the team captain gets three times the number of fantasy points of a regular player; captain swap is limited to three times.

[137] Some embodiments comprise 'mini games,' which can be displayed on top of a main game, in which users can predict the outcome of certain events in the game; for example, a prediction on a match event in a game such as penalty or free kick in which a user predicts the outcome of this event and can be awarded fantasy points while the game is in progress.

[138] Fig. 4 shows an example of events for which fantasy points can be awarded for a soccer game. For some of these events, such as a goal, the points award will be positive - the event will increase the fantasy score. For other events, such as a penalty, the points award will be negative, - the event will decrease the fantasy score. Example scoring rules include goal +10 points; assist +6 points; shot +1 point; shot on goal +1 point; cross +1 point; foul drawn +1 point; fouls conceded -0.5 points; tackle won +1 point; pass intercepted (D,M,F) +0.5 points; yellow card -1 point; red card -3 points; penalty kick miss -5 points; save (GK) +2 points; goal conceded (GK) -2 points; penalty kick save (GK) +3 points.

[139] Reference is now made FIGS. 5A-B. To ensure a smooth and fair gaming experience on a live sports event, the platform can enable a buffering 500 of user actions that, during an event, can give some users an unfair advantage over others. For example, during a match, a feed provider 505 issues an event-in-process report 510 of a penalty kick in progress, including a timestamp, to a data warehouse 520. While the penalty kick is still in process, a user action 525— a substitution of a player on the user's fantasy team— is being processed by a game engine 530. The user action 525 is timestamped, and both event report 510 and user action 525 are sent to a game engine 530. A timestamp for an action by a real-life player can be provided by a data provider such as a provider of live action or a provider of commentary, while a timestamp for a user action is typically provided by the user device. User action 525 is placed in a pending status. The user interface shows an action pending indication 535, indicating that the substitution is pending. When the penalty kick is completed, feed provider 505 issues a time-stamped event completed report 540 to data warehouse 520. Event completed report 540 is sent to game engine 530. Game engine 530 may confirm to data warehouse 520 that event completed report 540 was received and processing of user action 525 has resumed. The user interface shows an action completed indication 545, indicating that the substitution was completed.

[140] Some embodiments of the invention comprise an MVP game, wherein a user selects one player among those on both teams of a match. The selected player gains fantasy points from any event on the field according to an index (e.g., a goal is worth 40 points). The user can decide at any time to substitute his athlete for another one currently playing. Upon confirmation of the substitution, the new athlete starts to accumulate fantasy points instead of the previous one.

[141] Users are ranked by fantasy points resulting from each user's selected player and from substitutions made. Prizes (cash or merchandise) can be awarded to users according to their respective rankings, as stipulated in a particular implementation of the platform.

[142] In some embodiments, the platform benchmarks and ranks players in a match or in an entire league.

[143] Reference is now made to Fig. 6. An MVP game screen 600 can includes displays of a user's selected player 605, the selected player's fantasy points score 607, and the selected player's percentile ranking 609 for the match. MVP screen 600 can include a display of other players 610 available for substitution, with their fantasy point scores. MVP screen 600 can include a display of user ranking 615, which can include ranked users' fantasy scores.

[144] Reference is now made to Fig. 7. According to some embodiments of the invention, there is provided an MVP fantasy game method 700 comprising one or more of the following steps:

[145] 1) Providing a user with the data processing system 702.

[146] 2) Selecting a match 705. A user can select among upcoming and/or in-progress matches in soccer, football, or another sport. Fig. 8 illustrates a match selection screen 800, showing displays of various available soccer matches 805 (805a, 805b, etc.) and of live status 810, indicating whether the MVP game is supported on top of a live broadcast;

[147] 3) Selecting a player 710. Fig. 9 shows a player selection list 900, with a display of player names with photos and team 905, and a power ranking 910 of players. The power ranking provides an empirical benchmarking for an athlete or a player by weighting selected statistical data and benchmarking the selected statistical data against other athletes or other players in the league or in the sports event in order to show a simplified yet empirical power rank;

[148] 4) Ranking players 715. Players are ranked during a match by number of fantasy points acquired, according to a predetermined index of data points where the rules of the game specify the number of fantasy points acquired by a player for each type of event that can occur during a match. During the sports event, the platform real-time updates the rankings of the athletes or players. Fig. 10 illustrates a player ranking screen 1000, showing, for each of the players, a player ranking 1005 and fantasy points score 1010 during a match.

[149] 5) Broadcasting a live action feed 720. Events for which fantasy points are scored are broadcast in real time to users. Fig 11 illustrates a live action feed screen 1100. An event summary display 1105 is is added live to the feed with an event score display 1110.

[150] 6) Broadcasting a leaderboard 725. Fig. 12 illustrates a leaderboard screen 1200, showing displays of user ranking 1105 and fantasy points score 1110 for each user participating in a match.

[151] 7) Adding widgets over a live broadcast of a match 730. In addition to or as well as the screens disclosed above, one or more widgets can display fantasy game information in conjunction with a live broadcaset of a match. Typically, the fantasy game information will be overlaid on a portion of the live broadcast image area, or be at an edge of the live broadcast image area. Widgets can include one or more of the following:

a) A leaderboard. Fig. 13 shows a leaderboard displaying user rankings and fantasy points scores overlaid on the lower part of a live broadcast screen.

b) A social picks widget - an interactive widget showing, real time, "the wisdom of the crowd", in other words, at any given time during a game, for each athlete or player, how many users have selected that athlete or player to be on a fantasy team. The picks can be displayed as a number of users, as a fraction of users or as a percentage of users, preferably as a percentage of users. Fig. 14 shows a social picks screen displaying players' names and pictures and players' social picks percentages overlaid on the lower part of a live broadcast screen

c) A summary and prizes widget - Shows, after the sports event has ended, the winners of the fantasy game and a visualization of a summary of the fantasy game at the end of the match. Fig. 15 shows a summary and prizes widget screen displaying the name and picture of the winner of the fantasy game and the winner' s score overlaid on the lower part of a live broadcast screen.

[152] Although the screens used herein show pictures of the players and of the users, it should be noted that an identifying image for a player or a user can be a picture, an avatar, an image selected by a user or an icon. Typically, an image identifier for a player is a camera image of the player. Typically,, a user selects an image identifier either from a set of predetermined identifiers stored in a platform database or uploads an image identifier to a platform database.