Last 2 Left

Last 2 Left is the copyrighted name for a patent pending game system for Fantasy Sports and Reality Television. The patent application was drafted, filed and now published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The game system provides a unique format to be played by any size group of people. The object of this game is for participants to correctly select the final or top two contestants of a specific contest, without necessarily correctly predicting the order of finish.
The method of the game system applies to competition events of the type with a finite number of competitors which are hereinafter referred to as “contests.” For example, contests may include tournaments, such as golf or tennis tournaments, or a set of competitive games, such as March Madness. It is also contemplated that the competitors in the contests of the present invention could be individuals, teams, individual members of teams, or the like. Examples of contests having finite numbers of competitors that could be used with the system and method of the present invention include, but are not limited to, reality television show contests, all major, sports team championships, any type of bracketed tournament, professional golf tournaments, horse races, car races, track and field events, ice skating events, rowing events, etc., and political contests such as the presidential election, primaries, and party nominating contests. Simply put, this format can be used for any event that starts with more than two competitors and concludes with, or reaches a point at which, there are definitive first and second place contestants.

The game is now served via a website by its name. This is NOT a gambling website.

How to Play and How to Win

A. How to Play

Participants first choose one team to reach the final two contestants. Participants then choose a second team that will reach the final two contestants. Of the two teams selected, the participant then provides an indication of the finishing order of the two teams.

B. How to Win

1. Both Selected Teams Reach the Final Two
If a single participant correctly selects the two contestants that reach the final two contestants, regardless of which contestant wins, that participant may be declared the sole winner and the game is over. If two or more participants correctly select the final two contestants, a tiebreaker may be implemented based on which participant or participants correctly indicated the finishing order of the final two contestants. If there are multiple participants that correctly selected the final two contestants and the finishing order of the final two contestants, or there is no participant that correctly selected the final two contestants and the finishing order of the final two contestants the game may end with multiple winners.

2. 1st Tie Breaker: Correctly Select the Champion
If no participant correctly selected both teams to reach the final two contestants, and only one participant correctly selected the first place contestant, that participant will be declared the winner and the game is over. If no participant correctly selected both teams to reach the final two contestants and two or more participants correctly selected the first place contestant, the participant with the lowest combined ranking score, may be declared the winner.
Combined ranking score is defined as the sum of the finishing position of each of the two teams selected by a participant. If multiple participants have the same combined ranking score, they may be declared joint winners and the game is over.

3. 2nd Tie Breaker: Best Combined Ranking Score - Must have a Team in the Final Two to Qualify
If no participant correctly selects the final two contestants and no participant correctly indicates the first place contestant, the participant that correctly selects one of the final two contestants and has the lowest combined ranking score may be declared the winner and the game is over. If under these circumstances multiple participants selected one of the final two contestants and have the same combined ranking score, they may be declared joint winners and the game is over.

4. Final Tie Breaker: Best Combined Ranking Score.
If no participant correctly selects one of the final two contestants, the participant with the lowest combined ranking score will be declared the winner. If no participant correctly selected one of the final two contestants and multiple participants have the same combined ranking score, they will be declared joint winners and the game is over.

The indication of the finishing order of the final two contestants and/or the indication of the first place contestant may be given in any suitable form. The preferred method is to require each participant to select a winner of the contest from among the final two contestants that were selected by that participant. However, it is also possible to allow each participant to place the final two contestants in a particular order as part of the selection process, or to have the participant select the second place contestant, in which case the first place contestant can be determined by elimination. All of these permutations are within the scope of the present invention and are considered to be an indication of the finishing order of the final two contestants.

Several variations on the basic concept of the game, as exemplified in the example, are possible. Some of the possible variations are described below.

Variation of Selection Deadlines
Selections can be initiated and closed at any time prior to determination of the first two contestants and/or the final finishing order. For example, all selections can be made prior to the start of a contest, during the contest or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, all deadlines can be set to expire before the contest starts. Alternatively, all deadlines can be set to expire at one or more points prior to and/or during the contest based on a specific time period, date or occurrence of a specific event. Alternatively, all deadlines can be set to expire at one or more points prior to, during, or after the contest.

Multiple Selection Deadlines
In a typical game in accordance with the present invention, at least three selections are required, two selections for the top two contestants and an indication of the finishing order or first place contestant. One or more selections can be required by different deadlines. For example, a participant may be require to select one of the final two contestants prior to the initiation of the contest, a second of the top two contestants at some point during the contest and to select the first place contestant at the same time or even at some later time dictated by a third deadline.

The type of contest and anticipated number of entries can be used to determine the best approach for a particular contest. For example, all three selections for the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament™ could be required prior to a single deadline, e.g. prior to the first game of the tournament. Conversely, for professional golf’s Masters Tournament™, the first selection could be required before the tournament begins, the second selection could required prior to the second round of the tournament, and the final selection could be required prior to the third round of the tournament. Such variations may be used to encourage participants of the game to closely follow the tournament in order to be in a position to make informed selections and improve their chances of being declared the winner.

No Identical Sets of Selections Permitted
In order to reduce the probability of joint winners, and/or force a wider array of selections, this option will not allow more than one participant to have the same set of selections for the final two finishers and the indication of the finishing order. This option can be optimally implemented in games when all selections are due at the same deadline since otherwise, certain participants could be left with no possible final selection or opportunity to continue playing. Also, this option is best used for an event with many realistically probable scenarios for final contestants, such as golf and auto racing, and/or when very few participants are expected for a particular game.

Alternatively, a partial variation of this option can be used whereby participants are not permitted to select at least a pair of the same selections, but multiple participants would be allowed to select, for example, the same first place contestant to thereby reduce the potential for participants being left with no opportunity to continue playing.

Revealing Participants’ Selections
Optionally, participants’ selections can be revealed prior to the conclusion of the contest to allow other participants to know which participants have a chance of winning as the game progresses. When using multiple selection deadlines, exercising the option of revealing or not revealing participants’ selections prior to one or more of the selection deadlines can be employed to influence the strategy of participants in making their second or subsequent selections.

In one embodiment, the games, as described above, are offered via a website interface on the World Wide Web. Participants may create unique accounts for participation and can be granted access from any World Wide Web portal. This approach allows for selections to remain confidential and for the manager of the game to control distribution of selection information. This approach also provides the ability to allow participants to change their selections until a deadline passes since the interface can be set to lock-in selections at the deadline.
Optionally, the game system can provide the opportunity, for those interested in running a game, the ability to easily set up, customize and manage their own game using the World Wide Web interface. The game system will record and distribute information about selections, as required, and determine the winners based on a set of rules for that particular version of the game. The web site manager may globally manage the game system such that individual participants or managers of a custom game need not concern themselves with determination of the winners.

Publicity

The website has received mention from the following:

Sports Illustrated:"...if you want to get a little more creative, we suggest the last 2 left pool,...".

Television PR News:
"Fantasy Games have become big business but not everyone has the time that these games require. Dot Holdings, LLC has launched a patent-pending, alternative that includes sports, reality TV shows and even politics."

Additional Coverage: Read additional opinions and articles about Last 2 Left. Click the link in the Reference below.

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