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, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, first information from a first user including a first competitive position associated with a real-time live event that occurs over a predetermined duration of time;

receiving, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, second information from a second user including a second competitive position also associated with a real-time live event, wherein the first competitive position and the second competitive position are mutually exclusive;

transmitting, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, third information for display as an entertaining experience on a computing device associated with at least one of the first user and the second user during at least a portion of the predetermined duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a casino-style game separate from the real-time live event, the graphical representation of the casino-style game including one or more first symbols representing a real-time state of the first competitive position and one or more second symbols representing a real-time state of the second competitive position; and

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

a first outcome that is favorable for the first user based at least in part on a determination that the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time, or

a second 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 data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the real-time state of at least one of the first competitive position and the second competitive position is received from a live feed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first and second outcome is displayed as part of the entertaining experience.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual roulette wheel and the one or more first symbols representing the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the second competitive position are displayed in one or more pockets surrounding the virtual roulette wheel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual slots machine and the one or more first symbols representing the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the second competitive position are displayed on one or more reels of the virtual slots machine.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.

8. An apparatus for enabling real-time competition between a first user and a second user, 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 first information from a first user including a first competitive position associated with a real-time live event that occurs over a predetermined duration of time;

enable the receipt of second information from a second user including a second competitive position also associated with the real-time live event, wherein the first competitive position and the second competitive position are mutually exclusive;

transmit third information for display as an entertaining experience on a computing device associated with at least one of the first user and the second user during at least a portion of the predetermined duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a casino-style game separate from the real-time live event, the graphical representation of the casino-style game including one or more first symbols representing a real-time state of the first competitive position and one or more second symbols representing a real-time state of the second competitive position; and

transmit, after the predetermined duration of time has ended, fourth information to the first user and the second user indicating either:

a first outcome that is favorable for the first user based at least in part on a determination that the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time, or

a second 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 data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the real-time state of at least one of the first competitive position and the second competitive position is received from a live feed.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second outcome is displayed as part of the entertaining experience.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual roulette wheel and the one or more first symbols representing the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the second competitive position are displayed in one or more pockets surrounding the virtual roulette wheel.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual slots machine and the one or more first symbols representing the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the second competitive position are displayed on one or more reels of the virtual slots machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.

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 first information from a first user including a first competitive position associated with a real-time live event that occurs over a predetermined duration of time;

receive second information from a second user including a second competitive position also associated with the real-time live event, wherein the first competitive position and the second competitive position are mutually exclusive;

transmit third information for display as an entertaining experience on a computing device associated with at least one of the first user and the second user during at least a portion of the predetermined duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a casino-style game separate from the real-time live event, the graphical representation of the casino-style game including one or more first symbols representing a real-time state of first competitive position and one or more second symbols representing a real-time state of the second competitive position; and

transmit, after the duration of time has ended, fourth information to the first user and the second user indicating either:

a first outcome that is favorable for the first user based at least in part on a determination that the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time, or

a second 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 data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the real-time state of at least one of the first competitive position and the second competitive position is received from a live feed.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

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

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual roulette wheel and the one or more first symbols representing the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the second competitive position are displayed in one or more pockets surrounding the virtual roulette wheel.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual slots machine and the one or more first symbols representing the real-time state of the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the real-time state of the second competitive position are displayed on one or more reels of the virtual slots machine.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.

22. 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:

transmit first information including a first competitive position associated with a real-time live event that occurs over the predetermined duration of time;

receive second information from a second user including a second competitive position also associated with the real-time live event, wherein the first competitive position and the second competitive position are mutually exclusive;

display an entertaining experience during at least a portion of the predetermined duration of time, the entertaining experience including a graphical representation of a casino-style game separate from the real-time live event, the graphical representation of the casino-style game including one or more first symbols representing a real-time state of the first competitive position and one or more second symbols representing a real-time state of the second competitive position; and

receive, after the predetermined duration of time has ended, third information indicating either:

a first outcome that is favorable for the first user based at least in part on a determination that the first competitive position is consistent with real-time data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time, or

a second 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 data of the real-time live event at the end of the predetermined duration of time.

23. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the real-time state of at least one of the first competitive position and the second competitive position is received from a live feed.

24. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes a wager associated with the first competitive position.

25. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the at least one of first and second outcome is displayed as part of the entertaining experience.

26. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual roulette wheel and the one or more first symbols representing the real-time state of the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the real-time state of the second competitive position are displayed in one or more pockets surrounding the virtual roulette wheel.

27. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the graphical representation of the casino-style game includes a virtual slots machine and the one or more first symbols representing the real-time state of the first competitive position and the one or more second symbols representing the real-time state of the second competitive position are displayed on one or more reels of the virtual slots machine.

28. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the first information corresponding to the first competitive position includes odds associated with the first competitive position.