Method and apparatus for storing a plurality of wager data from a plurality of individual wagers in a parimutuel wagering system

1. A method for storing a plurality of wager data from a plurality of individual wagers in a parimutuel game using (i) non-volatile data storage, and (ii) a volatile data storage device, wherein the wager data for each individual wager includes wager selection, wager amount, game identifier, wager field, and a unique wager identifier, the method comprising:

(a) storing the wager data for each of the individual wagers in the non-volatile data storage;

(b) after the wager data is stored in the non-volatile data storage, storing only a portion of the wager data for each of the individual wagers in the volatile data storage device, the stored portion of the wager data including at least (i) the wager selection, (ii) the wager field, and (iii) the unique wager identifier; and

(c) performing a real time query of the wager data in the volatile data storage using a computing device, thereby providing for real time data mining of the wager data in the volatile data storage.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) receiving and storing bets in a non-volatile data storage bet queue.

3. The method of claim 2 where the non-volatile data storage bet queue receives bets in real time from a wager interface.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the pari-mutuel wagering system is used for playing parimutuel games, the method further comprising:

(d) during a system outage for one of the parimutuel games, the non-volatile data storage bet queue receives saved bets from the non-volatile data storage to expedite reconstruction of the wager data in the volatile data storage device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-volatile data storage is n number of non-volatile data storage devices, the method further comprising prior to steps (a) and (b):

(d) performing, in a computer processor, a mathematical operation on at least a portion of wager data for each of the individual wagers, the mathematical operation causing the plurality of wager data to be distributed among n sets, the wager data for each individual wager being distributed to one of the n sets,

wherein the wager data for each of the individual wagers are stored in the nth non-volatile data storage device as distributed in step (a), and step (b) occurs after the wager data is stored in the n non-volatile data storage devices.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the distribution is about even among the n sets, the wager data for each of the individual wagers thereby being about evenly distributed among the n numbers of non-volatile data storage devices.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the mathematical operation is a modulus function.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) generating, in a report processor, summary data of at least a portion of the wager data for each of the individual wagers, the summary data being a subset of the wager data and including at least (i) the wager selection, (ii) the wager field, and (iii) the unique wager identifier, wherein the wager data stored in the volatile data storage device is the summary data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the wagers are embodied by tickets, and the unique wager identifier is a unique ticket identifier.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the game identifier includes a horse race track location, date, and race position in a queue.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the wager selection includes selection of a winning horse or a trifecta.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the wager field is a pool of horses that are running in particular race.

13. A system for storing a plurality of wager data from a plurality of individual wagers in a parimutuel wagering system, wherein the wager data for each individual wager includes wager selection, wager amount, game identifier, wager field, and a unique wager identifier, the system comprising:

(a) non-volatile data storage that stores the wager data for each of the individual wagers;

(b) a volatile data storage device that stores only a portion of the wager data for each of the individual wagers therein after the wager data is stored in the non-volatile data storage, the stored portion of the wager data including at least (i) the wager selection, (ii) wager field, and (iii) the unique wager identifier; and

(c) a computing device configured to perform a real time query of the wager data in the volatile data storage, thereby providing for real time data mining of the wager data in the volatile data storage.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

(d) a non-volatile data storage bet queue that receives and stores bets.

15. The system of claim 14 where the non-volatile data storage bet queue receives bets in real time from a wager interface.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the parimutuel wagering system is used for playing parimutuel games, and during a system outage for one of the parimutuel games, the non-volatile data storage bet queue receives saved bets from the non-volatile data storage to expedite reconstruction of the wager data in the volatile data storage device.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the non-volatile data storage is n number of non-volatile data storage devices, the system further comprising:

(d) a computer processor configured to perform a mathematical operation on at least a portion of wager data for each of the individual wagers, the mathematical operation causing the plurality of wager data to be distributed among n sets, the wager data for each individual wager being distributed to one of the n sets,

wherein the n number of non-volatile data storage devices store the wager data for each of the individual wagers in the nth non-volatile data storage device as distributed in accordance with the mathematical operation, and

wherein the volatile data storage device stores the portion of the wager data for each of the individual wagers therein after the wager data is stored in the n non-volatile data storage devices.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the distribution is about even among then sets, the wager data for each of the individual wagers thereby being about evenly distributed among the n numbers of non-volatile data storage devices.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the mathematical operation is a modulus function.

20. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

(d) a report processor that generates summary data of at least a portion of the wager data for each of the individual wagers, the summary data being a subset of the wager data and including at least (i) the wager selection, (ii) the wager field, and (iii) the unique wager identifier, wherein the wager data stored in the volatile data storage device is the summary data.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the wagers are embodied by tickets, and the unique wager identifier is a unique ticket identifier.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the game identifier includes a horse race location, date, and race position in a queue.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein the wager selection includes selection of one or more winning horses or selection of a trifecta.

24. The system of claim 13 wherein the wager field is a pool of horses that are running is particular race.