Methods and systems for communicating parimutuel wager details and results

1. A method of sending a message to a patron of a computerized parimutuel gaming system, the method comprising:

providing at least one patron an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager on a race;

providing at least one patron an opportunity to establish an identity on a computerized parimutuel gaming system operatively configured with hardware and software;

responsive to the at least one patron establishing the identity, providing the at least one patron an opportunity to associate a virtual address with the identity;

responsive to the at least one patron associating the virtual address with the identity, sending a message from the computerized parimutuel gaming system to the virtual address comprising sending a result of the at least one parimutuel wager responsive to completion of the race.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein providing the at least one patron an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager on a race comprises providing the at least one patron an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager on a race from the virtual address.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

providing the at least one patron an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager on a race by responding to the message.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein providing the at least one patron with the opportunity to establish the identity comprises providing the at least one patron an opportunity to purchase a token card, establish an account, place at least one wager, or any combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending the message from the computerized parimutuel gaming system to the virtual address comprises at least one of transmitting the message from the computerized parimutuel gaming system to an email address, transmitting the message to a telephone number, transmitting the message to a cellular telephone number, transmitting the message to a pager address, and instant messaging.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

assigning a personal identifier to the identity of the at least one patron; and

enabling the at least one patron to access the identity by entering the personal identifier on the parimutuel gaming system.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein assigning the personal identifier comprises assigning a PIN, a password, or a biometrix indicator to the identity of the at least one patron.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sending the message from the computerized parimutuel gaming system to the virtual address comprises at least one of sending a record of wagers made by the at least one patron, sending a notification that a race is declared official, sending official prices for at least one pool of a race, sending an updated account balance of the at least one patron, sending a narrative describing a race, sending a narrative describing a runner's performance in the race, and sending a specified time remaining before a post time of a race.

9. A system for conducting a parimutuel gaming activity, the system comprising:

a computer operatively configured with software; and

wherein the software is operatively configured to enable the computer to conduct the parimutuel gaming activity, wherein, in the parimutuel gaming activity:

at least one patron is provided with an opportunity to associate a virtual address with an identity of the at least one patron wherein the software is operatively configured to enable the computer to associate the virtual address with at least one of a token card, an account established by the at least one patron, and at least one parimutuel wager placed by the at least one patron; and

responsive to the at least one patron associating the virtual address with the identity, sending a message to the virtual address.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an input device for interacting with the at least one patron.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the input device comprises at least one of a wagering terminal, a telephone, a computer terminal, and a personal wagering terminal.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is operatively connected to a telephone system.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is operatively connected to the Internet.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the software is operatively configured to provide the at least one patron an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager on a race and responsive to a completion of the race, sending the message from the computer to the virtual address, wherein the massage includes a result of the at least one parimutuel wager.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the software is operatively configured to enable the computer to provide the at least one patron an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the software is operatively configured to enable the computer to send the message as at least one of a text message, a graphical message, and an audio message.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the software is operatively configured to enable the computer to assign a personal identifier to the identity of the at least one patron.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the personal identifier is a PIN, a password, or a biometrix indicator.

19. A method of communicating a result of a parimutuel gaming activity to a player of a computerized parimutuel gaming system, the method comprising:

providing at least one player an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager on a race over a computerized parimutuel gaming system operatively configured with hardware and software;

providing the at least one player an opportunity to associate a virtual address with the at least one parimutuel wager comprising providing the at least one patron with an opportunity to purchase a token card, establish an account, place at least one wager, or any combination thereof; and

responsive to the at least one player associating the virtual address with the at least one parimutuel wager, sending a message from the computerized parimutuel gaming system to the virtual address, wherein the message comprises a result of the at least one parimutuel wager.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein providing at least one player an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager on a race over a computerized parimutuel gaming system operatively configured with hardware and software comprises providing the at least one player an opportunity to place at least one parimutuel wager from the virtual address.

21. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising: providing the at least one player an opportunity to place another parimutuel wager by responding to the message.

22. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising at least one of:

sending a record of wagers made by the at least one patron to the virtual address, sending a notification that a race is declared official to the virtual address, sending official prices for at least one pool of a race to the virtual address, sending an updated account balance of the at least one patron to the virtual address, sending a narrative describing a race or a runner's performance in the race to the virtual address, and sending a specified time remaining before a post time or a race to the virtual address.

23. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising: assigning a personal identifier to the identity of the at least one patron; and allowing the at least one patron to access the identity by entering the personal identifier on the computerized parimutuel gaming system.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein entering the personal identifier comprises entering a PIN, a password, or identifying a biometrix indicator.