Systems and methods for making real-time, fantasy sports coaching adjustments to live games

Abstract

A fantasy sports system includes a user device, a database, and a controller. The database includes a plurality of statistical adjustments, with each statistical adjustment modifying a score generated during a live contest. The score is generated during a live contest and is related to a team statistic. The controller is configured to provide a first statistical adjustments graphical user interface accessible through the user device through which a first user is presented with a first set of statistical adjustments of the plurality of statistical adjustments, and receive a selection of one of the first set of statistical adjustments from the first user. The controller then calculates a fantasy score using the data related to the live contest and the first selected statistical adjustment. The data includes an actual total score of the live contest, the score related to the team statistics, and the team statistics.

Claims

1. A fantasy sports system comprising: a sports data server including real-time scores derived from a plurality of live contests; a plurality of user devices, each user device being associated with a user; a database including a plurality of statistical adjustments, wherein each statistical adjustment modifies a score generated during a live contest and is related to a team statistic, wherein each statistical adjustment is a weighting factor that either boosts or reduces the score generated by a player, a position, a play, or a strategy during the live contest; a controller in communication with the plurality of user devices, the database, and the sports data server, wherein the controller receives data related to a plurality of teams and the plurality of live contests from the sports data server; a memory coupled to the controller, wherein the memory is configured to store program instructions executable by the controller; wherein in response to executing the program instructions, the controller is configured to: provide a live contest selection user interface accessible through each user device through which each user is presented with the plurality of live contests; receive, from each user device, a selection of one of the plurality of live contests; receive, from the database, a plurality of first sets of statistical adjustments of the plurality of statistical adjustments, each first set of statistical adjustments being associated with a team statistic related to the selected live contest; provide a first statistical adjustments graphical user interface accessible through each user device through each user is presented with a first set of statistical adjustments of the plurality of statistical adjustments, the first set of statistical adjustments for each user device being related to the selected live contest; receive, from each user device, a selection of one of the first set of statistical adjustments from the respective user, wherein the selected statistical adjustment is related to the team statistic of the selected live contest; receive, from the sports data server, data related to the plurality of live contests including an actual total score and an actual subset score associated with the team statistic for each live contest, wherein the actual total score comprises the actual subset score and a remaining balance score; modify, for each user device, the actual subset score related to the team statistic by the selected statistical adjustment to generate a modified subset score associated with the team statistic; not modify, for each user device, the remaining balance score; and calculate, for each user device, a fantasy score using the modified subset score associated with the team statistic and the unmodified remaining balance score.

2. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein the team statistic comprises data related to one of a specific player, a specific position, a team play, and a team strategy.

3. The fantasy sports system of claim 2, wherein the score that is generated during a live contest and is related to a team statistic is a score generated by a specific player during the live contest.

4. The fantasy sports system of claim 2, wherein the score that is generated during a live contest and is related to a team statistic is a number of fast break points scored during the live contest.

5. The fantasy sports system of claim 2, wherein the score that is generated during a live contest and is related to a team statistic is a number of points scored by one or more alley-oops executed during the live contest.

6. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: provide, in the game selection graphical user interface accessible, a plurality of teams to each user; and receive a selection of a selected team from the plurality of teams from each user.

7. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein the fantasy score has a scoring metric selected from the group of points, runs, and goals.

8. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein one of the first set of statistical adjustments boosts the score.

9. The fantasy sports system of claim 8, wherein the one of the first set of statistical adjustments boosts the score by one of a percentage and a number.

10. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein one of the first set of statistical adjustments reduces the score.

11. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: analyze a plurality of win-loss records for a plurality of teams in order to determine the plurality of teams' best win-loss record; determine a game modifier based on the plurality of teams' best win-loss record; and derive the plurality of statistical adjustments from the game modifier.

12. The fantasy sports system of claim 11, wherein the game modifier is a value that, when added to the team's score and subtracted from the team's opponent's score for each game in a plurality of games, results in an overall modified win-loss record that is near, equal to, or better than the plurality of teams' best win-loss record.

13. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein the first statistical adjustment is related to a team participating in the live contest, and wherein, in response to executing further program instructions, the controller is configured to: provide a second statistical adjustments graphical user interface accessible through each user device through which each user is presented with a second set of statistical adjustments related to an opposing team of the team participating in the selected live contest; receive a selection of one of the second set of statistical adjustments from each user; and calculate a fantasy score of the opposing team using the data related to the selected live contest and the second selected statistical adjustment, wherein the data includes an actual total score of the live contest, the score related to the team statistic, and the team statistic.

14. The fantasy sports system of claim 13, wherein the first selected statistical adjustment boosts a first score related to the team and the second selected statistical adjustment reduces a second score related to the opposing team.

15. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to present a further fantasy score of a second user, the second user having selected a further statistical adjustment, the second fantasy score being calculated using data related to the live contest and the further statistical adjustment selected by the second user.

16. The fantasy sports system of claim 1, wherein the fantasy score is related to a single game or competition.

17. A computer-implemented method of scoring in a fantasy sports league comprising the steps of: providing, through each user device of a plurality of user devices, a list of team options; receiving, from each user device, a selection of a team; providing, through each user device, a list of live contest options; receiving, from each user device, a selection of a live contest; providing, through each user device, a first set of statistical adjustments related to the selected team, wherein each statistical adjustment modifies a score that is generated during a live contest and is related to a team statistic, wherein each statistical adjustment is a weighting factor that either boosts or reduces the score generated by a player, a position, or a play strategy; receiving, from each user device, a selection of one of the first set of statistical adjustments and data related to the selected game, wherein the selected statistical adjustment is related to the team statistic; receiving, from a sports data server, data related to the selected live contest including an actual total score and an actual subset score associated with the team statistic, wherein the actual total score comprises the actual subset score and a remaining balance score; modifying, for each user device, the actual subset score related to the team statistic by the selected statistical adjustment to generate a modified subset score associated with the team statistic and not modifying the remaining balance score; and calculating, for each user device, a fantasy score using the modified subset score associated with the team statistic and the remaining balance score.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the team statistic comprises data related to one of a specific player, a specific position, a team play, and a team strategy.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of: providing a second set of statistical adjustments related to an opposing team against whom the selected team is playing, wherein each statistical adjustment modifies a further score generated during the live contest and related to a further team statistic; and calculating the fantasy score using the data related to the live contest, the first selected statistical adjustment, and the second selected statistical adjustment, wherein the data includes an actual total score of the live contest, the score, the team statistic, the further score, and the further team statistic.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected statistical adjustment is related to one of the selected team and an opponent of the selected team competing in the live contest.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Illustrating the concept using the sport of basketball and the National Basketball Association teams and players as an example, the drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the system disclosed herein.

(3) FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C include a team selection user interface, a game selection user interface, and a game lock-in user interface of the system of FIG. 1.

(4) FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C include an offensive tactic selection user interface, a defensive tactic selection user interface, and a game plan lock-in user interface of the system of FIG. 1.

(5) FIGS. 4A and 4B include a game score user interface and a game plan update user interface of the system of FIG. 1.

(6) FIGS. 5A-5E include contest creation user interfaces, a contest selection (or contest board) user interface, and a contest accept-or-reject interface of the system of FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 6A-6D include a contest score user interface, an overall contest comparison user interface, and contest offensive and defensive tactic comparison user interfaces of the system of FIG. 1.

(8) FIG. 7 includes statistic user interfaces of the system of FIG. 1.

(9) FIGS. 8A-8C include tactic comparison user interfaces of the system of FIG. 1.

(10) FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating the steps to a method of using the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 for a fantasy sports league based on unique competitive coaching gameplay. Generally, the system 100 enables a user to engage in a fantasy sports game by selecting and applying statistical modifiers, referred to as coaching tactics, to a real life game. Specifically, the system 100 is based on users competing with one another to engineer the widest win margin, or reduce the losing margin, for a selected team through the selection and application of optimized statistical modifiers that produce a corresponding fantasy score outcome of contemporaneous live games by increasing or decreasing points scored for or against the existing teams.

(12) The system 100 includes one or more user devices 102 in communication with a server or controller 106. Wired or wireless communication links over the internet or other cellular network 108 relay data 112 between the devices 102 and the server 106. The server 106 hosts a program that may be accessed through the Internet or on a mobile application running on the devices 102. A database 110 used in connection with the server 106 stores the data 112.

(13) The system also includes a memory 104 coupled to the server 106, wherein the memory 104 is configured to store program instructions executable by the server 106. The user uses the device 102 to connect with the Internet or cellular network 108 to access the program hosted on the server 106. There, the sending user may engage in fantasy game play decisions as described in greater detail below.

(14) While the embodiment in the description below is based on a basketball game, the fantasy sports league system may be applied to a variety of competitive events such as cricket, football, soccer, and hockey, for example. In the example below, the scoring metric is points, which is common to many sports such as basketball, badminton, football, and rugby. The system 100 also applies to sports having other scoring metrics such as, but not limited to, runs (baseball, cricket), goals (soccer, hockey, lacrosse).

(15) The software of the present application enables the user to coach a team by applying statistical modifiers to a live game. In one example embodiment, the system initially generates the game modifier, which is a statistical improvement that, when applied to a team's record, modifies that team's win-loss record to, or near, the best in its professional league's history or potentially beyond. The system then develops optimized statistical modifiers, referred to generally as the coaching tactics that are related to, and intended to improve or nullify, specific player and team statistics and, when applied to the live contest, ideally result in a fantasy score for the user's selected team, that is an improvement over the actual score. The application of the coaching tactics ideally modify the particular statistics of a specific game to improve by an amount near, or beyond, the amount of the game modifier. In the illustrated embodiment, the application of the coaching tactics or statistical modifiers modify scores, statistics, and metrics related to a team statistic. The team statistic may comprise data related to one of a specific player, a specific position, a team play, or a play strategy. For example, the coaching tactic may modify the number of points generated by a specific player (such as Lebron James), generated by a specific position (such as a point guard), generated through a specific game play (such as fast break points or alley-oops), or generated during the execution of a play strategy (such as points scored during fast-paced or slow-paced offense) executed in the live contest.

(16) Where the game modifier is the overall improvement that transforms a team's real-life game results into a highly improved fantasy result, the coaching tactics are the means the system offers to a user to achieve the game modifier for specific real life game statistics of their chosen team. Coaching tactics modify specific statistics within the game, such as points scored by a particular player, or points scored by a team in a particular strategy. The tactics improve the user's chosen team score and reduce the chosen team's opponents score to generate an improved overall game score for the user's chosen team's game or contest, thereby improving the user's chosen team's winning margin (or reducing its losing margin) or turning their chosen team's real game loss into a fantasy win by way of the system's fantasy scoring method.

(17) To calculate the game modifier for a given team, the system 100 analyzes relevant statistical data, calculates the winning or losing margin of each game in the season, and determines a highly successful win-loss record in its professional league's history. The system 100 then deduces the value, that when both added to the team's score and deducted from the opponent's score in each game, would produce a highly improved, successful win-loss record for that team in its given league. In other embodiments, other relevant data and information may be factored into the calculation of the game modifier.

(18) Table 1 below illustrates how the system 100 uses actual and real-time sports data 112 stored within the system's database 110 to calculate a unique game modifier for a user's selected team.

(19) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Application of the Game Modifier Game Modifier: 4.830 points Cleveland Cavaliers (CAVS) New New CAVS Opponent Score Score Win CAVS Opponent (game (game New New Game or Actual Actual modifier modifier Fantasy Fantasy G Date Opponent loss Score Score Margin added) subtracted) Margin Result 1 Oct. 25, New W 117 88 29 121.8 83.2 38.7 W 2016 York Knicks 2 Oct. 28, Toronto W  94 91 3  98.8 86.2 12.7 W 2016 Raptors 3 Oct. 29, Orlando W 105 99 6 109.8 94.2 15.7 W 2016 Magic 4 Nov. 1, Houston W 128 120 8 132.8 115.2 17.7 W 2016 Rockets 5 Nov. 3, Boston W 128 122 6 132.8 117.2 15.7 W 2016 Celtics 6 Nov. 5, Phil. W 102 101 1 106.8 96.2 10.7 W 2016 76ers 7 Nov. 8, Atlanta L 106 110 −4 110.8 105.2  5.7 W 2016 Hawks

(20) The server next generates a number of coaching tactics or statistical adjustments that may be used to improve the selected team's score. The server develops a plurality of statistical adjustments based on the game modifier in view of the relevant statistics for the team and the opponent team's performance, including individual player performance and league history. Each coaching tactic is specific to a player or a team statistic or strategy. Example coaching tactics related to a specific player include boosting/reducing a specific player's score (i.e., James Lebron's score or Kevin Love's score) by a specific percentage or boosting/reducing a specific player's three-point shots attempts. Example coaching tactics related to a team strategy include boosting/reducing team points in the paint, fast break points, or second chance points.

(21) As described herein, the user selects a first coaching tactic that relates to the user's team and a second coaching tactic that relates to the user's team's opponent. Each selection is made from a plurality of options. The user's goal is to select coaching tactics that effectuate the greatest statistical improvement to their team's game or contest. The potency of each tactic is designed to have a reasonable chance to meet, or exceed, the calculated game modifier for their chosen team.

(22) Tables 2 and 3 below provide examples of optional coaching tactics for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers that the system 100 may generate and make available to the user for applying to actual game statistics to create extra fantasy points for their team and deduct fantasy points from their opponent's team.

(23) The offensive tactics listed in Table 2 boost the points generated by specific players by a certain percentage. The system 100 takes this percentage increase and applies it to the actual statistic that the player generates within a live game. For example, the system 100 increases Jose Calderon's fantasy points by 40% from the 19 points that Calderon scored in real-time to 26.6 points in the new fantasy statistics. Accordingly, in selecting this coaching tactic at the start of the game, the user adds 7.6 extra points to the Cavaliers' total for this particular game, thereby potentially increasing their win margin or decreasing their loss margin

(24) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Example Offensive Tactics Actual Fantasy game game Additional points statistics statistics generated by the Offensive Tactic (points) (points) tactic Boost Lebron James' points by 27 32.4 5.4 20% Boost Kevin Love's points by 25% 18 22.5 4.5 Boost Rodney Hood's points by 17 22.1 5.1 30% Boost Jose Calderon's points by 19 26.6 7.6 40% Boost Jeff Green's points by 35% 12 16.2 4.2 Boost Jordan Clarkson's points by 6 8.4 2.4 40%

(25) Similarly, the defensive tactics listed in Table 3 reduce the points scored by particular players by a certain percentage. The system 100 takes this percentage decrease and applies it to the actual statistic that the player generates within a real life, real-time game. For example, the system 100 decreases Serge Ibaka's points by 35% from the 16 points Ibaka scored in real time to a fantasy score of 10.4 points. Accordingly, in selecting this coaching tactic by the start of the game, the user 102 would reduce the Cavaliers' opponent's score by 5.6 points, thereby increasing the Cavaliers' win margin or decreasing their loss margin.

(26) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Example Defensive Tactics Actual Fantasy game game Additional points statistics statistics generated by the Offensive Tactic (points) (points) tactic Reduce DeMar DeRozan's points by 19 15.2 −3.8 20% Reduce Serge lbaka's points by 16 10.4 −5.6 35% Reduce Kyle Lowry's points by 5 3.8 −1.3 25% Reduce Jonas Valanciunas' points 17 11.9 −5.1 by 30% Reduce OG Anunoby's points by 4 2.4 −1.6 40%

(27) As illustrated in Table 4 below, applying the offensive tactic that increases Cleveland's score by 7.6 points and the defensive coaching tactic that decreases Toronto's score by 5.6 points to actual game statistics creates new a fantasy score and winning margin. For example, the user's coaching tactics increased the Cavaliers' actual score of 112 to a fantasy score of 119.6, while decreasing the Toronto Raptors' actual score from 106 to a fantasy score of 100.4, giving the Cavaliers a new fantasy winning margin of 19.2.

(28) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Fantasy Scoring Based on Tactics Actual game score Fantasy game score Cleveland 112 119.6 Toronto 106 100.4 Cleveland Win or Loss W W Game margin 6 19.2

(29) Non-limiting examples of tactics used for other sports are provided in Tables 5-7.

(30) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Example tactics for football Offensive tactics Defensive tactics Increase team's points from Decrease opposing team's points receiving touchdowns. from receiving touchdowns. Increase team's points from Decrease team's points from rushing touchdowns. rushing touchdowns. Increase team's points from Decrease team's points from field goals made. field goals made. Increase team's points from Decrease team's points from extra points made. extra points made. Increase a specific player's points Decrease a specific player's points from receiving touchdowns. from receiving touchdowns. Increase a specific player's points Decrease a specific player's points from rushing touchdowns. from rushing touchdowns. Increase a specific player's points Decrease a specific player's points from field goals made. from field goals made. Increase a specific player's points Decrease a specific player's points from extra points made. from extra points made.

(31) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Example tactics for baseball Offensive tactics Defensive tactics Increase team runs by X %. Decrease team runs by X %. Increase a specific Decrease a specific player's runs by Y %. player's runs by Y %. Turn certain types of hits into runs. Nullify certain types of runs.

(32) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Example tactics for one-day cricket Offensive tactics Defensive tactics Increase team's Decrease opposing team's runs from 6s runs from 6s Increase team's Decrease opposing team's runs from 4s runs from 4s Increase team's Decrease opposing runs from a team's runs from a particular batting shot type particular batting shot type Increase team's runs from Decrease opposing team's extras runs from extras Increase a particular Decrease an opposing player's runs player's runs Increase a particular player's Decrease an opposing player's runs from 4s runs from 4s Increase a particular player's Decrease an opposing player's runs from 6s runs from 6s Increase a particular Decrease an opposing player's runs from a player's runs from particular batting shot type a particular batting shot type

(33) Referring to FIGS. 2A-4B, the system 100 prompts the user to make selections as to which team to coach, which game to play, and which coaching tactics to apply through the series of graphical user interfaces. Upon first accessing the program, the user is presented with a list of teams to coach in a professional sports league 202 through a team selection user interface 200 shown in FIG. 2A. Once the user has selected a team, the program accesses upcoming game schedules for the chosen team, presenting the relevant game list 212 to the user through a game selection user interface 210 shown in FIG. 2B. The user then selects the game that they would like to coach from the game list 212. Once these selections are made, the user may proceed to choose (“lock in”) their game plan, i.e. to agree on and confirm their selected game, by selecting a lock button 222 on a game lock-in user interface 220 illustrated in FIG. 2C.

(34) The system presents the user with a plurality of offensive tactics 302 as shown in an offensive tactic selection user interface 300 illustrated in FIG. 3A. The offensive tactics 302 generally boost a specific player's performance by a certain percentage, or a team statistic by a certain percentage, thereby increasing the potential points a given player and/or team might generate within a game. The term “offensive” is intended to describe any tactic that boosts the user's selected team's score, in contrast to a tactic that reduces the opponent's score, referred to as “defensive” tactics. The terms “offensive” and “defensive” are in no way limiting to the types of games and/or strategies that can be applied. Further, the offensive and defensive coaching tactics are tailored to the specific sport. For example, where the game is cricket, the coaching tactics may be fielding and bowling tactics and batting tactics.

(35) Referring to FIG. 3A, the user then selects an offensive tactic to be applied during the game. In some embodiments, the user interface 300 also includes a link for each offensive tactic that leads to a pop-up notification providing additional analytical data concerning the performance of the tactic used for a particular team, or a tactic comparison indicating the average additional points or ranking of a tactic, over the course of a number of games. Selection of an offensive tactic 302 leads the user to the defensive tactic selection user interface 310. The user selects a defensive tactic 312 to employ during the game.

(36) As with the offensive tactics 302 mentioned above, the server presents the user with a variety of defensive tactics 312 through a defensive tactic selection user interface 310 shown in FIG. 3B. These defensive tactics generally reduce a specific player's performance on the opposing team by a certain percentage, or an opposing team statistic by a certain percentage, thereby decreasing the number of points that the player, and/or team, might generate within the game.

(37) Following these selections, the program then presents a visual game plan 322 to the user through a coaching tactic lock-in user interface 320 shown in FIG. 3C, who may select the change tactics button 324 to edit the selection of offensive tactics 302 or defensive tactics 312, or lock-in the selected tactics 302, 312 before the start of the game in real-time by selecting the lock-in button 326.

(38) Once a user locked in their game plan 322, the server monitors the fantasy game in real-time as illustrated in a game score user interface 400 as shown in FIG. 4A. The server collects and analyzes game data in real-time and, in applying the selected offensive and defensive tactics, calculates the fantasy score 402, shown adjacent to the actual, real life game score 404. The game score user interface 400 may also provide a differential 406 to illustrate the impact of the coaching decisions on the fantasy team's score. Selection of a “view your tactics” button 408 on the game score user interface 400 leads the user to a second game score user interface 410, which includes the effects 412, 414 of the offensive and defensive tactics on the fantasy game as well. Further, the second game score user interface 410 may provide real-time performance statistics as the game progresses to monitor how the selected tactics are performing.

(39) FIGS. 5A-6D demonstrate the ability of a user to engage with other users, or other fantasy coaches, in one-to-one or group contests or competitions. Users may select an option 502 to create head-to-head contests, an option 504 to create a group contest, or an option 506 to find an existing contest through a contest selection user interface 500 shown in FIG. 5A.

(40) In creating competitions through a contest generation user interface 510 shown in FIG. 5B, a user may assign a wager amount to the competition by selecting a cash contest generation button 512, or may create a free competition by selecting a free contest generation button 514. Once the contest is created, a user may invite contacts and others to join through buttons 522 on a contest user interface 520 provided in FIG. 5C. A user may join an existing contest prior to the start of the game or during a game. The contest details 532 may also be viewable by other users engaging in the contest through the contest board user interface 530 shown in FIG. 5D. The user who created the contest and those who join the contest will be able to see the entry fee for the contest as well as the size of the contest pool as it grows through the contest details 532.

(41) Once a user is invited by another, they receive a notification on their device through a contest offer user interface 540 shown in FIG. 5E. The invited user may see information associated with the contest, including, for example, the date and time of the game and the contest entry fee. In some embodiments, the user may view the offensive and defensive tactics selected by the other user. In other embodiments, the user cannot see which offensive and defensive tactics have been selected by the other user. Referring to the contest offer user interface 540, the invited user may accept or reject this invitation by selecting buttons 542, 544.

(42) Referring to FIG. 6A, users can monitor and view the outcome of the fantasy game through a contest score user interface 600, which shows real-time contest statistics on how one user's tactics are affecting the game score in relation to an opponent's tactics. The contest score user interface 600 provides the actual score information 602, your fantasy score information 604, and your opponent's fantasy score information 606. The contest score user interface 600 also includes buttons 608, 610 that lead to views of the user's tactic details and the user's opponent's tactic details. Once the contest or competition has completed, the results of the competition 612 with the prize amount may also be provided on the contest score user interface 600.

(43) A contest comparison user interface 614 in FIG. 6B shows real-time contest statistics of each user's selected tactics. In the illustrated embodiment, the contest statistics include the improvement effected by each game plan 616, the offensive tactic 617, and the defensive tactic 618 for each user. The contest comparison user interface 614 may include links to contest offensive and defensive tactic comparison user interfaces 620, 630 shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D, which break the statistics comparison down into greater detail. In the examples shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D, the statistics comparison includes the tactic 622, 632, the base statistic 624, 634 to which the tactic is applied, the increase or decrease in the team score 626, 636 due to the tactic, and a comparison 628, 638 of the user's tactics.

(44) The head-to-head or group contests may be coordinated through the system 100 for a single game or competition at a time or throughout a season. Where the competitions continue throughout the seasons, points may be accrued over time, awarded based on user performance, selection of winning coaching tactics, or other various measures. As the user participates in a number of fantasy games throughout a sporting league season(s), virtual points, credits, or tokens may be accrued by the user, having been awarded them based on user performance, success in contests against other users, selection of winning coaching tactics, or other various measures.

(45) In another embodiment, a casino or other gaming entity, referred to in the role of “the house”, runs a series of competitions of which users may join in. Multiple players may play against the house at any given time. In some embodiments, the house indicates the offensive and defensive tactics selected for a game prior to the user entering into the contest. In these cases, the user may select the contest to join based on the selected offensive and defensive tactics.

(46) During the course of a professional league's season, the server collects and analyzes user statistics concerning users' performance in contests as well as in competitions against other users as described below. User statistics and rankings for various aspects of the contests and competitions, such as a head-to-head contests, may be provided in a user statistic interface 700 in FIG. 7A. The user statistic interface 700 may include statistics related to the user's win-loss records, the user's success rates in contests against other users, and the user's comparison to other users with respect to a specific team.

(47) In tactic comparison user interfaces 800, 810, 820 provided in FIGS. 8A-8C, the system 100 provides analytical data concerning the performance of types of offensive and defensive tactics used for a particular team. The tactic comparison user interface of FIG. 8A provides the number of games that a given tactic has been ranked as the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth best performing offensive tactic in a game. In the interface 810 of FIG. 8B, the statistics compare a given tactic against another tactic. In the interface 820 of FIG. 8C, the statistics show how frequently a given tactic has been the best performing tactic.

(48) The server may rank the user in relation to the overall success of their game plan in relation to other users coaching the same game. For example, the server may provide that a user's offensive tactic is ranked 1.sup.st of 22 offensive tactics for that particular game, their defensive tactic is ranked 2.sup.nd out of 28 defensive tactics for that particular game, and their game plan is ranked 1.sup.st out of 572 possible combinations for that particular game. In another example, the user may be ranked in the top two percent of all users playing as a certain team for a certain game, or 506th out of 25,583 coaches for a particular team and game based on other terms.

(49) Throughout game play, the server 106 may send notifications to the user's device via the program stored on the device. These notifications may, for example, inform a user as to how their tactics are performing throughout the course of the game at gameplay intervals (such as periods, quarters, and halves). One example notification is: “At half time, your defensive tactic is the 3.sup.rd best possible tactic!” In some embodiments, the system may also provide links for the user to publish notifications regarding their performance through social networking platforms. For example, a user may choose to publish their ranking of “best offensive tactic” to Facebook or Instagram.

(50) Throughout a professional league season, the server will store and calculate user data related to their performance history, such as how well or how poorly their coaching decisions have impacted their chosen team's score in relation to other coaches for the same team. The system may provide notifications alerting the user to their rankings. For example, a user may be ranked in the top two percent of all coaches for a particular team, or 1,673rd out of 57,834 coaches for a particular team, over the course of the season.

(51) In addition to sending notifications to a user's device concerning the performance of their tactics during a game, the server and program also facilitate communication between users through a messaging system or board. For example, a user could decide to “trash talk” their opponent during a competition.

(52) During use, the server is configured to perform the method 900 outlined in FIG. 9. In the first step 902, the system provides a list of team options to the user. Upon selection of a team from the list of options, the system provides a list of game options to the user in step 904. In step 906, a first set of statistical adjustments is provided the user. In one embodiment, the first set of statistical adjustments is related to the team selected in step 902, although it could alternatively be related to the opponent of the selected team. In other embodiments, the first set of statistical adjustments may include combination statistical adjustments that relate to both competing teams. Upon receipt of a selection of a first statistical adjustment in step 906, the system provides a second set of statistical adjustments in step 908. In some embodiments, the second set of statistical adjustments is related to the opposing team against whom the selected team is playing. In other embodiments, the second set of statistical adjustments may be related to the selected team or both competing teams. The system receives the second selected statistical adjustment in step 910. Throughout the actual live game, the system monitors the statistics related to the game and calculates a fantasy score based on the application of the selected statistical adjustments in step 912. In step 914, the system provides the fantasy score results and statistics to the user. Steps 912 and 914 are undertaken repeatedly throughout the actual game in order to provide real-time, up-to-date data to the user.

(53) It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.