Method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for enabling real-time competition having an entertaining experience based on commodities or currencies

1. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for enabling real-time competition between a first user and a second user based on commodities or currencies, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, information from a first user including a selection of a first commodity or currency and a second commodity or currency, a first competitive position, and odds corresponding to the first competitive position, the first competitive position corresponding to whether a value of the first commodity or currency will rise, fall, or remain the same relative to a value of the second commodity or currency over a specified duration of time, the specified duration of time having a start time and an end time;

receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, information from a second user including an acceptance of the odds corresponding to the first competitive position and a second competitive position, the second competitive position also indicating whether the value of the first commodity or currency will rise, fall, or remain the same relative to the value of the second commodity or currency over the specified duration of time, wherein the first competitive position and the second competitive position are mutually exclusive;

enabling, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, a real-time competition based on the first competitive position and the second competitive position, the real-time competition including the display of an entertaining experience on a computing device associated with at least one of the first user and the second user during the specified duration of time, the entertaining experience indicating a real-time state of the first competitive position relative to the second competitive position, the real-time state corresponding to a first state in which the first competitive position is consistent with a real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to a real-time value of the second commodity or currency, a second state in which the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency, or a third state in which neither the first competitive position nor the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency;

transmitting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, after the end time of the specified duration of time, information to the first user and the second user indicating either:

an outcome that is favorable for the first user based at least in part on a determination that the first competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency at the end time of the specified duration of time, or

an outcome that is favorable for the second user based at least in part on a determination that the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency at the end time of the specified duration of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time information regarding the first commodity or currency and the second commodity or currency is received from a live feed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specified duration of time is a fixed time interval.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information from the first user further includes information corresponding to a wager based on the selection of the first commodity or currency and the second commodity or currency and the first competitive position.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outcome is displayed as part of the entertaining experience.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the entertaining experience includes a virtual roulette wheel.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the entertaining experience includes a virtual slots machine.

8. An apparatus for enabling real-time competition between a first user and a second user based on commodities or currencies, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to:

enable the receipt of information from a first user including a selection of a first commodity or currency and a second commodity or currency, a first competitive position, and odds corresponding to the first competitive position, the first competitive position corresponding to whether a value of the first commodity or currency will rise, fall, or remain the same relative to a value of the second commodity or currency over a specified duration of time, the specified duration of time having a start time and an end time

enable the receipt of information from a second user including an acceptance of the odds corresponding to the first competitive position and a second competitive position, the second competitive position also indicating whether the value of the first commodity or currency will rise, fall, or remain the same relative to the value of the second commodity or currency over the specified duration of time, wherein the first competitive position and the second competitive position are mutually exclusive;

enable a real-time competition based on the first competitive position and the second competitive position, the real-time competition including the display of an entertaining experience on a computing device associated with at least one of the first user and the second user during the specified duration of time, the entertaining experience indicating a real-time state of the first competitive position relative to the second competitive position, the real-time state corresponding to a first state in which the first competitive position is consistent with a real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to a real-time value of the second commodity or currency, a second state in which the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency, or a third state in which neither the first competitive position nor the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency;

transmit, after the end time of the specified duration of time, information to the first user and the second user indicating either:

an outcome that is favorable for the first user based at least in part on a determination that the first competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency at the end time of the specified duration of time, or

an outcome that is favorable for the second user based at least in part on a determination that the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency at the end time of the specified duration of time.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the real-time information regarding the first commodity or currency and the second commodity or currency is received from a live feed.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the specified duration of time is a fixed time interval.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the information from the first user further includes information corresponding to a wager based on the selection of the first commodity or currency and the second commodity or currency and the first competitive position.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the outcome is displayed as part of the entertaining experience.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the entertaining experience includes a virtual roulette wheel.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the entertaining experience includes a virtual slots machine.

15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to:

receive information from a first user including a selection of a first commodity or currency and a second commodity or currency, a first competitive position, and odds corresponding to the first competitive position, the first competitive position corresponding to whether a value of the first commodity or currency will rise, fall, or remain the same relative to a value of the second commodity or currency over a specified duration of time, the specified duration of time having a start time and an end time;

receive information from a second user including an acceptance of the odds corresponding to the first competitive position and a second competitive position, the second competitive position also indicating whether the value of the first commodity or currency will rise, fall, or remain the same relative to the value of the second commodity or currency over the specified duration of time, wherein the first competitive position and the second competitive position are mutually exclusive;

enable a real-time competition based on the first competitive position and the second competitive position, the real-time competition including the display of an entertaining experience on a computing device associated with at least one of the first user and the second user during the specified duration of time, the entertaining experience indicating a real-time state of the first competitive position relative to the second competitive position, the real-time state corresponding to a first state in which the first competitive position is consistent with a real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to a real-time value of the second commodity or currency, a second state in which the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency, or a third state in which neither the first competitive position nor the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency;

transmit, after the end time of the specified duration of time, information to the first user and the second user indicating either:

an outcome that is favorable for the first user based at least in part on a determination that the first competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency at the end time of the specified duration of time, or

an outcome that is favorable for the second user based at least in part on a determination that the second competitive position is consistent with the real-time value of the first commodity or currency relative to the real-time value of the second commodity or currency at the end time of the specified duration of time.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the real-time information regarding the first commodity or currency and the second commodity or currency is received from a live feed.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the specified duration of time is a fixed time interval.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the information from the first user further includes information corresponding to a wager based on the selection of the first commodity or currency and the second commodity or currency and the first competitive position.

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the outcome is displayed as part of the entertaining experience.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the entertaining experience includes a virtual roulette wheel.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the entertaining experience includes a virtual slots machine.