Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to a web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system which allows users willing to interact with online advertisements to participate in free sweepstakes with the chance to win prizes. The web-based system may display advertisements, manage sweepstakes information, and apply sweepstakes rules to information received from participants in order to determine sweepstakes results. A participant may interact with the web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system simply by visiting a hosted website. The web-based system may be designed to prompt a participant with sweepstakes information, receive participant information in response to prompting the participant with sweepstakes information, retrieve sweepstakes rules from the memory, and apply the sweepstakes rules to the participant information to determine a sweepstakes result.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The following generally relates to a computer-implemented web-based system for displaying advertisements, managing sweepstakes information, and applying sweepstakes rules to information received from participants in order to determine sweepstakes results. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    As the reach of the Internet—and user access to it—continues to grow, advertisers must constantly search for more effective ways to promote their goods and services online in order to keep up with competitors. Their search has led to the emergence of a number of different online advertising models. Such models include web-page banner ads, contextual search engine advertising, pop-up ads, customer e-mail groups, and many others. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    There is a need for novel online advertising systems which effectively utilize Internet-user interest in sweepstakes to bolster advertisement campaigns. This need is met by one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0004]    The present invention, in one or more embodiments, is directed to a web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system that effectively generates and harnesses user interest in online advertising. The system allows users who are willing to interact with online advertisements to participate in sweepstakes with the chance to win prizes. 
         [0005]    The web-based system may display advertisements, manage sweepstakes information, and apply sweepstakes rules to information received from participants in order to determine sweepstakes results. A web-based system designed for performing such functions may include at least one computer and at least one database that are in electronic communication with each other. In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, the web-based system and its corresponding methodology may be based upon a highly referential object-oriented database that maintains several lists identifying a number of advertisements, a number of advertisers, a number of participants, a number of participant groups, a number of sweepstakes, and a number of prizes. 
         [0006]    A web-based system having features of the present invention may include a central processing unit (CPU) for executing machine instructions and a memory for storing machine instructions that are to be executed by the CPU. When executed by the CPU, the machine instructions implement a number of functions. These functions include prompting a participant with sweepstakes information, receiving participant information in response to prompting the participant with sweepstakes information, retrieving sweepstakes rules from the memory, and applying the sweepstakes rules to the participant information to determine a sweepstakes result. 
         [0007]    According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the function of applying the sweepstakes rules to the participant information involves comparing a participant entry number, based on a sequential ordering of participant information received by the system, with a preset number to determine a sweepstakes result. 
         [0008]    According to other embodiments, a prize is awarded in accordance with the sweepstakes result such that a sweepstakes-entry bonus—based at least in part on the participant&#39;s prior sweepstakes entries—affects the prize. According to still other embodiments of the present invention, the machine instructions also implement the function of awarding a primary prize to an active participant and one or more secondary prizes to one or more passive participants in accordance with a participant-referral system. Still yet other embodiments combine two or more of the system features introduced in this paragraph. 
         [0009]    In accordance with at least one additional embodiment of the present invention, the function of prompting a participant with sweepstakes information comprises displaying an advertisement with the sweepstakes information. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the participant is a registered participant and that meets sweepstakes entry requirements in order to qualify for an award of a prize based on the sweepstakes result. 
         [0010]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention. These drawings, together with the summary given above and the description given below, are intended to explain some of the principles of the invention and do not in any way limit its scope. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a simplified, exemplary flow diagram depicting the functions of a web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic diagram depicting a web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a simplified, exemplary illustration of a portion of a third-party website having a banner advertisement linked to an associated website according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a simplified, exemplary illustration of an associated website login interface according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a simplified, exemplary illustration of an associated website sweepstakes interface according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a simplified, exemplary illustration of an associated website sweepstakes interface according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a simplified, exemplary illustration of an associated website displaying a web-based advertisement according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a simplified, exemplary illustration of an associated website displaying a web-based advertisement according to one or more embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a simplified, exemplary illustration of an associated website displaying a sweepstakes result message according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of an invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Therefore, specific functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0022]    As the reach of the Internet—and user access to it—continues to grow, advertisers must constantly search for more effective ways to promote their goods and services online in order to keep up with competitors. Their search has led to the emergence of a number of different online advertising models. Such models include web-page banner ads, contextual search engine advertising, pop-up ads, customer e-mail groups, and many others. Despite some clear differences among the models, the goal of each of these types of online advertising is to transmit product and service information to as many interested consumers as possible. 
         [0023]    As use of the Internet becomes both more prevalent and more pervasive, businesses are continually adapting and expanding their online advertising models to better reach their target audiences. Along with the constant fight to adapt within a seemingly ever-burgeoning online community, comes expanded opportunity—and increased competition—for attracting the attention of Internet users. The key to effectively implementing online advertising is to develop sustainable models for meeting user interest with suitable, persuasive advertisements. Although the particular design of such advertisements falls outside the scope of the present invention, the following sections confront directly the problem of generating user interest in online advertising. 
         [0024]    Despite the vast number of potential incentive programs that could be used to increase user interest, some are better suited to the online community than others. Notably, the popularity of existing online competitions demonstrates a clear interest among Internet users to enter sweepstakes for the chance to win prizes. If implemented appropriately and managed correctly, Internet-user interest in sweepstakes can be used as the basis for new models of online advertising. 
         [0025]    Reference may be made herein in one or more embodiments to one or more “participants,” which may generally refer to an individual, or individuals, who participate in the sweepstakes. A participant may also be referred to as an ‘Internet-user’ or simply a ‘user’. According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the web-based system may differentiate between “registered participants” and other categories of participants. A “registered participant” may be a participant that meets certain registration requirements in connection with an associated website (introduced below). At various places in this disclosure, reference may also be made to “sweepstakes.” As used herein, “sweepstakes” may generally refer to one or more contests open to a number of participants. The web-based system may be designed to perform the functions necessary for the administration of these sweepstakes contests. 
         [0026]    A web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system according to one or more embodiments of the present invention may generally include one or more integrated databases, application servers, and client and participant components, which facilitate sweepstakes creation, aggregation, and management. The system may be scalable to potentially handle a high volume of sweepstakes and associated functions in a wide area network such as the Internet. The system may be supported by a tiered client/server application environment. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the system  200  may include a system provider  202 , one or more user computers  204 A,  204 B and  204 C, and, optionally, one or more administrators  206 , and the Internet  208  for facilitating electronic communications between the system provider  202 , one or more user computers  204 A,  204 B and  204 C, and the one or more administrators  206 . 
         [0027]    The web-based system may include at least one computer  206  and at least one database  210  in communication with each other, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The computer, or computers, may have a central processing unit (CPU) for executing machine instructions and a memory for storing machine instructions that are to be executed by the CPU. Additionally, the system may include or otherwise cooperate with one or more computer applications. When executed by the CPU, the machine instructions implement a number of functions. As broadly depicted by the simplified, exemplary flow diagram  100  of  FIG. 1 , these functions or steps  102  through  120  may include prompting a participant with sweepstakes information, receiving participant information in response to prompting the participant with sweepstakes information, retrieving sweepstakes rules from the memory, and applying the sweepstakes rules to the participant information to determine a sweepstakes result. These system functions, and a number of others, are described in more detail below. 
         [0028]    The web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system of one or more embodiments of the present invention may be associated with one or more websites accessible via the Internet. An associated website must be properly configured to provide participant access to the functionality of the web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system. A participant may interact with the web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system by directing the participant&#39;s Internet browser software (or other type of communications software) to any of the one or more associated websites, such as by entering an appropriate URL address or by following a link from another website. A link to an associated website, which may appear on a third-party website—such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Google, for example—may be in the form of a banner advertisement  300  like the one shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]    An associated website may include an interface designed to allow participants to interact with the features of the web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system. Such an interface may comprise a single, electronic form capable of at least (i) prompting a participant with sweepstakes information, (ii) receiving participant information, and (iii) communicating a sweepstakes result to the participant. The single, electronic form may include one or more pages. Alternatively, the system may generate any number of distinct electronic forms designed to direct participant interaction with the web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system.  FIGS. 4-9 , by way of simplified, exemplary illustrations  400  through  900 , show various interfaces and forms that may be employed by associated websites in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0030]    A participant may view the information displayed in the electronic form, or forms, on a user display for a user device, such as a personal computer of any type (e.g., a desktop, a notebook, a netbook, etc.), a cell phone, a digital media player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an e-book reader, a global positioning system (GPS) unit, a digital television, or other similarly networked, electronic device. Preferably, associated websites will employ user interfaces and forms that will accommodate participant access and interaction through the use of any number of these various types of user devices. 
         [0031]    The web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system may contain and manage any number of active sweepstakes. The system may aggregate the sweepstakes, including all associated sweepstakes rules, and store the aggregation in a database that is in communication with one or more computers tasked with executing machine instructions which direct the system&#39;s functions. For each of the aggregated sweepstakes, the system may determine whether one or more prizes are associated with the sweepstakes and what requirements a participant must meet in order to be considered for the award of any such prizes. All of this information may be stored in a database. 
         [0032]    In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, the web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system prompts a participant with sweepstakes information. The system may perform this function in any number of ways. In one embodiment, the system carries out this function by displaying sweepstakes information that may be viewed by a participant. The system may display such information in an electronic form viewable on a participant&#39;s user device. Sweepstakes information may include information concerning how a sweepstakes result is determined, what type of prize (or prizes) is associated with the sweepstakes, and what requirements a participant must meet to be considered for the award of the prize(s). Prompted with such information, the participant is able to decide whether or not to enter the sweepstakes. 
         [0033]    Prompting a participant with sweepstakes information may also include displaying an advertisement with sweepstakes information. The system may contain any number of online advertisements associated with any number of advertisers. The advertisements may be of any suitable type including, but not limited to, video clips, audio clips, interactive ads, floating ads, interstitial ads, and unicast ads.  FIGS. 7 and 8  each show a simplified, exemplary illustration  700  and  800 , respectively, of an associated website displaying a web-based advertisement according to one or more embodiments of the present invention. The system may aggregate the advertisements associated with the one or more advertisers and store the aggregation of advertisements in the database. An associated website may be structured in such a way as to allow participants to select from among a number of advertisements and/or sweepstakes. An interface  500  for allowing participants to select from among a number of advertisements (and/or sweepstakes) is shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0034]    The database may also store information concerning the number of times an advertisement is to be displayed by the system. Once a given advertisement has met its allotted number, the system may replace it with another advertisement to be displayed. For instance, the system may be configured to show Advertisement I 10,000 times in connection with one or more sweepstakes. Once Advertisement I has amassed its allotted number of participant views, the system may replace the ad with Advertisement II, which is to be shown 15,000 times. After reaching 15,000 participant views, Advertisement II may then be replaced by Advertisement III, and so forth. Alternatively, each advertisement may be allowed to reach a threshold number of participant views in a nonconsecutive manner. For example, Advertisements I and II may be shown in connection with one or more sweepstakes such that one participant views Advertisement I followed by another participant viewing Advertisement II and so on, until each ad reaches its respective quota. The ordering associated with any such system may follow a structured pattern or may be random. 
         [0035]    Advertisers may pay for the display of their advertisements based on formulas and models familiar in the art. These formulas and models include, for example, a sum per-appearance or per-impression of an advertisement (known as cost per impression or CPI)—including cost per thousand impressions (known as cost per mille or CPM)—a sum per-participant-click-through of an advertisement (known as cost per click or CPC), a sum per-participant-registration at a website (known as cost per lead or CPL), and a sum per-participant-action (known as cost per action or CPA). The type of advertisement pricing formula or model employed need not be limited to those contained in the preceding list of examples. 
         [0036]    In response to prompting the participant with sweepstakes information, the web-based system receives participant information. The participant information received by the system may be related to any number of subjects including, but not limited to, the actions or inactions of the participant, identifying data associated with the participant, and the length of time an advertisement is displayed. Information received by the web-based system may be used to carry out any of its other functions, and—like the aggregations of sweepstakes, sweepstakes rules, and advertisements—may be stored in a database. 
         [0037]    According to certain embodiments of the present invention, participant-identifying data may be among the types of participant information received by the system. Such data can include the IP address associated with a participant&#39;s networked electronic device, the current date and time, and the like. This information may also include a unique identifier, which uniquely identifies a particular participant within the web-based sweepstakes and advertisement system. The unique identifier may identify a participant that has met certain registration requirements in connection with an associated website and is therefore considered a “registered participant.” The unique identifier may be a generated or provided character string that the system associates with the participant&#39;s IP address, website logon information, or other type of identifying information. 
         [0038]    Besides the participant-identifying data just described, the web-based system may monitor, collect, store, and/or otherwise develop and employ additional participant-specific information that may be used to direct targeted advertisements to particular participants based on certain criteria. A participant&#39;s age, gender, geographic location, general interests, and other characteristics and preferences may form some of the potential criteria. The system may filter the aggregation of advertisements in accordance with this participant-specific information—thereby obtaining a filtered aggregation of advertisements. Accordingly, the web-based system may choose to display advertisements from a filtered aggregation of advertisements dependent upon the identity of the participant. 
         [0039]    The web-based system is also designed to receive information related to whether the participant has met certain compliance requirements. Compliance information—often including the actions or inactions of the participant and the length of time an advertisement is displayed—may be collected so that the system can subsequently check that the participant is qualified to enter the sweepstakes. Once a participant has been prompted with sweepstakes information, the system may receive and store compliance information in accordance with entry requirements associated with the particular sweepstakes. In order to determine whether a participant is qualified to enter the sweepstakes, the collected compliance information may be compared with the relevant sweepstakes entry requirements. Each sweepstakes may either have its own entry requirements or share common entry requirements. 
         [0040]    Sweepstakes entry requirements can include, among many others, displaying an advertisement for a preset length of time, providing user feedback in connection with a particular advertisement, and clicking or otherwise interacting with the interface generally—or with the advertisement itself—in response to prompting the participant with sweepstakes information. In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the participant may be required to click, select, or in some other way interact with an advertisement for a given length of time in order to qualify for entry into the sweepstakes. The sweepstakes entry requirements may involve a single interaction, such as a single mouse-click, or, alternatively, may necessitate participants complete a series of interactions or responses. In a preferred embodiment, the participant is required to click (by a mouse, keyboard, or keypad operation, or the like) in order to activate an advertisement that is then displayed for a preset length of time, such as 5, 10 or 15 seconds, for example. In other embodiments, the entry requirements may call for sweepstakes participants to rate a certain quality of, or answer questions related to, a given advertisement in order to qualify for entry into the sweepstakes. The system may receive this click and advertisement interaction data as part of the collected participant information, which may be used for subsequent system functions. 
         [0041]    Sweepstakes entry requirements may also involve a limit on the number of times a participant may enter one or more sweepstakes. For example, the system may be designed to permit only one entry per participant for a given sweepstakes. Alternatively, the system may allow multiple entries by a participant while restricting the number of entries per unit of time, for example, one entry per participant per hour. Both the number of permissible entries and the given unit of time may be set at any reasonable value. In order to enforce any such limits, the web-based system may be designed to judge whether a particular participant—identified by an associated IP address or other type of identifying information—has exceeded a set number of entries or a set number of entries per unit of time. The system may, for example, determine whether or not a participant has exceeded a set number of allowable entries by comparing the number of clicks from a single participant to a set value established for the given sweepstakes. Specifically, if one click (or other entry interaction) is permitted per day, the system may judge whether there has been an entry interaction by the participant within the past 24 hours. If the participant has already entered the sweepstakes during that period of time, the system will not allow an additional entry until the appropriate time period has elapsed. A number of variations on the methods, here introduced, for restricting user entries into sweepstakes may be employed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0042]    Proper functioning of the web-based advertisement and sweepstakes system may require that sweepstakes rules be retrieved and applied to participant information. According to one or more embodiments, sweepstakes rules may be stored in, and retrieved from, the memory. The rules associated with a sweepstakes may include sweepstakes entry requirements and any rules related to the determination of a sweepstakes result, such as how a winning or losing sweepstakes outcome is decided by the system. Each sweepstakes may either have its own unique set of rules or share a set of common rules with a number of other sweepstakes. The specific form of some sweepstakes rules are outlined in the following sections directed to the system function of applying such rules. 
         [0043]    Once sweepstakes rules have been retrieved from the memory, the web-based system may perform the function of applying the sweepstakes rules to the participant information to determine a sweepstakes result. The operation of this function may vary significantly in accordance with the particular sweepstakes rules that are to be applied to participant information received for a given sweepstakes. 
         [0044]    In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the web-based system determines the sweepstakes result on the basis of a sequential ordering of participant information. By ordering discrete sets of participant information in a numerical fashion based on the time it is received, the system can assign a unique entry number to each participant in a given sweepstakes. To determine the sweepstakes result, which may comprise a losing outcome or a winning outcome, the web-based system may compare a participant&#39;s entry number to a preset number contained within the sweepstakes rules. If the participant&#39;s entry number matches the preset number, the system adjudges the participant a winner and the sweepstakes result is a winning outcome. If, on the other hand, the participant&#39;s entry number does not match the preset number, the system adjudges the participant a loser and the sweepstakes result is a losing outcome. For example, if according to the associated rules the preset winning number for a given sweepstakes is 1,000—meaning that the 1,000 th  sweepstakes participant will win the sweepstakes—the 999 th  participant, according to the order in which her participant information was received by the system, will trigger a losing outcome. According to this example, the very next sweepstakes participant—provided all associated sweepstakes entry requirements are met—will trigger a winning outcome. 
         [0045]    A single sweepstakes need not be limited to a single preset winning entry number. For example, although one sweepstakes may have a single preset winning entry number of 10,000—having the result that the 10,000 th  participant will win the sweepstakes—another sweepstakes may employ more than one preset winning entry number, i.e., 10,000, 30,000 and 100,000. According to one or more embodiments, the sweepstakes may be structured so that a number of winners are determined based on a regular interval of entries. For example, a sweepstakes may include that every 10,000 th  participant is a winner; consequently, the 10,000 th  participant, the 20,000 th  participant, the 30,000 th  participant, the 40,000 th  participant, and so on, will each win the sweepstakes. Additionally, the prizes—discussed in detail below—associated with a sweepstakes having multiple winning entry numbers may either be all the same or may be differentiated on the basis of which entry number has been satisfied by the winning participant. 
         [0046]    This function of the web-based system—applying the sweepstakes rules to the participant information such that a participant entry number, based on a sequential ordering of participant information received by the system, is compared with a preset number to determine a sweepstakes result—may generate user interest in the sweepstakes and, consequently, in viewing any advertisement associated with entry into the sweepstakes. The systematic, nonrandom nature of determining a sweepstakes result based on a sequential ordering of participant information received may provide a greater attraction for potential participants than would a more-random basis for the determination of the sweepstakes. Accordingly, advertisements connected with a web-based sweepstakes system of the type disclosed herein may be capable of getting product and service information to interested consumers more efficiently than advertisements associated with other types of sweepstakes systems. 
         [0047]    Upon the determination of a sweepstakes result, the web-based system may perform additional functions. Among such functions may be the awarding of a prize based on the sweepstakes result. For example, if the participant is adjudged a winner, the system may award a prize to the participant. Preferably, the prize awarded in connection with a sweepstakes is a cash award of any amount, e.g., $10, $50, or $100. In other embodiments, the prize may include merchandise, coupons, rebates, or any other item of value. The prize may further include both a primary prize and one or more secondary prizes in accordance with a participant-referral system described below. 
         [0048]    Additional system functions may include transmitting a sweepstakes result message to the participant and updating a sweepstakes information database in accordance with the sweepstakes result and the participant information received. The sweepstakes result message may comprise either a losing-outcome message or a winning-outcome message. Transmission of the appropriate sweepstakes result message may be achieved by displaying the message in an electronic form, sending the message to the participant via e-mail, directing the participant&#39;s browser to a particular URL address, or by similarly appropriate means. According to one or more embodiments, an associated website&#39;s interface may include a notifications section for displaying all of a given participant&#39;s sweepstakes result messages. Furthermore, the web-based sweepstakes system may allow a participant to collect winnings only after a threshold prize amount or number has been won by the participant. 
         [0049]    When a prize is awarded to a participant based on the sweepstakes result (a “primary prize”), the web-based system may also award one or more additional prizes (“secondary prizes”) to other participants. According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a participant-referral system may be used to determine the allocation of secondary prizes. A participant referral system may be based on connections which may exist between participants. The system may employ any number of different participant referral system structures. In one or more embodiments, the referral system may be dependent upon the registration status of participants in connection with associated websites. For example, a referral system may be structured as follows: if a participant refers another individual to an associated website and that individual becomes a participant, the two participants have established a referral connection; if the new participant then wins a sweepstakes, the original participant may be awarded a secondary prize due to the existence of this referral connection. The participant who actively participates in the sweepstakes resulting in the award of a primary prize and associated secondary prizes, dependent upon the existence of referral connections, may be herein referred to as an active participant. In the alternative, those who win secondary prizes in connection with the active participant&#39;s primary prize may herein be referred to as passive participants. 
         [0050]    A number of variations on these types of participant-referral systems may be utilized in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. For instance, the system may be structured such that if Participant 1 refers Participant 2 to register with an associated website and subsequently enter a sweepstakes, and if Participant 2 then triggers a winning sweepstakes outcome and is awarded a primary prize of $100, Participant 1 may be awarded a secondary prize equal to a certain percentage of the primary prize, e.g., 25% resulting in a secondary prize of $25. The referral system also need not be limited to a single referral connection. For example, the system may be structured such that if Participant 1 refers Participant 2 who then refers Participant 3, and if Participant 3 subsequently wins a sweepstakes prize of $50, Participant 2 may be awarded a secondary prize of $10 and Participant 1 may be awarded a secondary prize of $2. Similarly, according to one or more embodiments, if Participant 1 refers Participant 2 who then refers Participant 3 who then refers Participant 4, and if Participant 4 subsequently wins a sweepstakes prize of $100, Participants 2 and 3 may each be awarded equal secondary prizes of $10 and Participant 1 may not be awarded any prize, if the system is structured so as to place a limit on the number of referral connections to which a secondary prize may attach. The preceding references to specific referral systems which involve the award of secondary prizes equaling a certain percentage of the primary prize is not intended to limit the scope of such systems; secondary prizes may be, or may not be, related to the primary prize in any way. For example, if the primary prize is $25, the one or more secondary prizes may be a coupon or any other form of prize. 
         [0051]    In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the web-based system may award a prize such that a sweepstakes-entry bonus, based at least in part on a given participant&#39;s prior sweepstakes entries, affects the prize. A sweepstakes-entry bonus may be calculated based on a number of factors. For example, if a participant has consistently participated in sweepstakes, consecutively fulfilling the total allowed entries per unit of time, the participant may be eligible for a sweepstakes-entry bonus. Prior participation information, or sweepstakes entry data, may affect an awarded prize in any number of ways. The system may perform this function by retrieving sweepstakes entry data from the memory, the sweepstakes entry data including a sweepstakes-entry bonus, associating the participant with the sweepstakes-entry bonus, and combining the sweepstakes-entry bonus with the sweepstakes result to determine a prize. 
         [0052]    For example, the system may be designed to award a prize to a participant that has entered one or more sweepstakes per day for ten consecutive days. In the alternative—or in addition—if a participant wins a sweepstakes on the tenth consecutive day in which he has entered one or more sweepstakes, the prize awarded may be systematically increased through the application of a multiplier. As an illustration of this multiplier effect, consider the following example: a participant eligible for a sweepstakes-entry bonus, because he has participated in the maximum allowed number of sweepstakes over the preceding ten days, wins a sweepstakes with a normal prize of $10; a multiplier of 1.5 may be applied such that the prize is increased from $10 to $15. Although the preceding examples have described situations in which the sweepstakes-entry bonus is triggered by ten days of consecutive sweepstakes participation, the number of consecutive sweepstakes entries or the number of total sweepstakes entries which trigger the sweepstakes-entry bonus may be set at any value. Additionally, the multiplier may be set to any reasonable value and may increase or decrease according to any type of sweepstakes-entry bonus system. 
         [0053]    In addition to those based on consecutively fulfilling the total allowed entries per unit of time, sweepstakes-entry bonuses may be based on other measures of a given user&#39;s participation in the sweepstakes system. Such measures include, but are not limited to, providing the web-based system with personal or identifying information beyond that required for basic registration with an associated website, thoroughness in providing feedback on advertisements, the participant&#39;s number of referral connections, and the amount of time the participant spends interacting with the system. 
         [0054]    Although a number of novel features are delineated throughout this specification, all of them need not be—and have not been—incorporated into every embodiment of the invention. Additionally, while embodiments and aspects of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Specific details disclosed are merely representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention contained herein.