Patent Publication Number: US-2022222764-A1

Title: Information processor apparatus, control program, and control method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of International Application PCT/JP2020/025543 filed on Jun. 29, 2020 and designated the U.S., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The International Application PCT/JP2020/025543 is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-178104, filed on Sep. 27, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an information processor apparatus, a control program, and a control method. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, various services have been provided over communication networks with exponential spread of the Internet and improvement of communication environments. A betting ticket purchase system has been disclosed as one example of those services, which allows for betting on government-controlled public racing such as horse racing, motorboat racing, and bicycle racing. 
     Another example of those services includes video distribution services. A video distribution service receives uploads from users who desire to provide video contents and distributes the video contents to users who desire to view the video contents. 
     As a technology related to these services, a game provider system has been disclosed that provides multiplayer electronic games played by multiple players (as an example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2018-000938). This game provider system includes storage means for storing a database that associates information for identifying characters each operated by respective players with details of activities performed in the electronic game through operations of players, and display means for associating a character with the details of activities related to the corresponding player with reference to the database and for displaying the association in a lobby where the multiple players exchange information. 
     SUMMARY 
     An information processor apparatus according to one mode of the present invention that can communicate with a terminal device used by a user over a communication network, and the apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire betting information indicating that the first user has made a bet based on provider-designated betting ticket information that indicates betting ticket information designated by a provider that provides betting ticket information related to a betting ticket for betting a prescribed value on a predicted result of racing, a notification unit configured to notify, when the betting information is acquired, a terminal device of the second user, who has a prescribed relationship with the first user, of information related to the provider by using a prescribed relationship information, and a reception unit configured to receive a betting ticket based on the provider-designated betting ticket information from the second user based on the notified information related to the provider. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of the information processor apparatus according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configuration of a betting ticket purchase system according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks of the betting ticket purchase system according to the present embodiment; 
         FIGS. 4A to 4C  are diagrams illustrating examples of the data structures of databases managed by a server, respectively, according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example of a distributor selecting screen according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating an example of a distributor prediction screen according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating an example of a distributor-adopted prediction particulars screen according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating an example of a betting ticket purchase screen according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is an example of notification (example 1) according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is an example of notification (example 2) according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  is an example of notification (example 3) according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating a sequence between a user terminal  12   a  and a server  16  up to a user purchasing a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by a distributor according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram illustrating a sequence between the user terminal  12   b  and the server  16  up to a user Y purchasing a betting ticket in response to a notification of information that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by a distributor A according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 14  is a flowchart of message generation processing (S 21 ) and notification processing (S 22 ) in a notification controller unit  48  according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a viewing stop management DB  54  according to an additional embodiment; 
         FIGS. 16A to 16C  are diagrams illustrating examples of a screen display, respectively, in the additional embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a diagram illustrating a sequence between the user terminal  12   a  and the sever  16  in the additional embodiment; 
         FIG. 18  is a flowchart of message notification processing performed by a server according to the additional embodiment; and 
         FIG. 19  is an example of a configuration block diagram of a hardware environment of a computer executing a program according to the present embodiment and the additional embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     One example of the above-described video distribution services is a service for distributing video contents related to predictions of government-controlled public racing. In the video contents related to predictions of government-controlled public racing, a distributor predicts the order of arrival in a public racing, for example, and a viewer may possibly purchase a betting ticket based on the prediction. In the past, however, even when a user had purchased a betting ticket by referring to a prediction of a distributor, no technologies could lead the third party to betting actions. 
     In more specific example, a player may be notified of action information of his/her friends in multiplayer electronic games played by multiple players. In the above-described game provider system, for example, details of activities that every characters have performed in the lobby are displayed. 
     However, even when the activities of every characters are notified, associations between their actions were not clear because the actions of the characters are independent from each other. More specifically, whether an action of a user X links up with an action of a user Y or not was unclear. 
     This fact that associations between actions are unclear is not limited to just electronic games. No betting ticket purchase systems that focus on associations between actions have found in the conventional art, and no technologies could lead the third party to betting actions when a user had purchased a betting ticket by referring to a prediction of a distributor. 
     The present invention provides a technology for making a prescribed notification to the second user when the first user purchases a betting ticket based on a prediction of a distributor and for accepting a purchase request of a betting ticket from the second user that is made in response to the notification. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of an information processor apparatus according to the present invention. An information processor apparatus  1  is an information processor that can communicate with a terminal device  6  used by a user over a communication network. As one of the embodiments, the information processor apparatus  1  includes an acquisition unit  2 , a notification unit  3 , and a reception unit  4 . One example of the information processor apparatus  1  is a server  16 , which is described later. One example of the terminal device  6  is a user terminal  12 , which is described later. 
     The acquisition unit  2  acquires betting information indicating that the first user has made a bet based on provider-designated betting ticket information indicating betting ticket information designated by a provider (or a distributor, which is described later as an example) which provides betting ticket information related to a betting ticket for betting a prescribed value on a predicted result of racing. An example of the acquisition unit  2  is a user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 , which is described later. The prescribed value may be, for example, money such as betting money, any valued items, or points that have no monetary value. 
     When the betting information is acquired, the notification unit  3  notifies a terminal device of the second user who has a relationship with the first user of information related to the provider by using prescribed relationship information. The notification may be a push notification, which is described later, a toast notification, which is described later, or a message in a group chat, which is also described later. An example of the notification unit  3  is a notification controller unit  48 , which is described later. 
     The reception unit  4  receives a betting ticket based on the provider-designated betting ticket information from the second user in response to the notified information related to the provider. One example of the reception unit  4  is a user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 , which is described later. 
     The above-described configuration allows for a prescribed notification to the second user when the first user purchased a betting ticket based on a prediction of a distributor and reception of a betting ticket purchase request from the second user that was made in response to the notification. 
     As the information related to the provider, the notification unit  3  may make a notification of at least one piece of information from among information notifying the second user of the first user&#39;s purchase of a betting ticket based on the provider-designated betting ticket information and provider-related information that is the information related to the provider. 
     This configuration allows for, for example, notifying the second user of information that the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of a distributor and details of the prediction made by the distributor. 
     When a content related to the provider-designated betting ticket information is not displayed on the terminal device  6  of the second user, the notification unit  3  may notify the terminal device  6  of the second user of information related to the content related to the provider-designated betting ticket information as the information related to the provider. 
     This configuration allows for, for example, making a notification to the terminal device  6  of the second user even when a content related to the provider-designated betting ticket information is not active (e.g., in an inactivated state) in the terminal device  6  of the second user. The terminal device  6  of the second user that has received the notification displays details of the notification. 
     Here, the prescribed relationship information may be group information related to a preset group of users. In this case, the notification unit  3  may notify the terminal device  6  of the second user who is in the same group as the group of the first user of information based on the provider by using the group information. 
     This configuration allows for notifying a user in the same group of a purchase trend of other users. As a result, depending on the relationship between users, the first user&#39;s betting ticket purchase trend may encourage the second user to purchase a betting ticket and may lead the second user to actually purchase a betting ticket. 
     As an additional embodiment, the information processor apparatus  1  may include a specifying unit  5 , a notification unit  3 , and a reception unit  4 . The specifying unit  5  specifies a video content selected by the first user from among one or more video contents distributed by a provider. An example of the specifying unit  5  is a distribution controller unit  43 , which is described later. At that time, the notification unit  3  notifies a terminal device of the first user of betting ticket information of racing associated with the specified video content at a prescribed timing associated with the video content. The reception unit  4  receives a betting ticket based on the notified betting ticket information from the first user. An example of the notification unit  3  is a notification controller unit  48 , which is described later. An example of the reception unit  4  is a user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 , which is described later. 
     Note that the notification unit  3  may notify the terminal device of the first user not only of the betting ticket information on racing associated with the specified video content but also of link information to the video content, for example, together with the betting ticket information. 
     Here, the prescribed timing associated with the video content may be, for example, a timing at which information on the prediction on betting made by a distributor was registered, under such a condition that a user had once viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not viewed the distributed video again since then. The condition that a user had once viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not viewed the distributed video again since then is, for example, a case in which a screen negative notification, which is described later, was made. As another example of the prescribed timing, the terminal device of the first user may receive a notification at any timing before the betting deadline of the racing associated with the video content (e.g., 15 minutes before the betting deadline). 
     Even under the condition that a user had once viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not viewed the distributed video again since then, this configuration notifies the user of a message informing that information on the prediction of the distributor was registered, advising the user to place a bet. This prevents the user&#39;s loss of betting opportunity and also prevents a loss of opportunity for adopting the prediction on betting made by the distributor. 
     The notification unit  3  may, when a betting ticket based on the notified betting ticket information is received from the first user, notify the terminal device of the second user who is viewing the specified video content of information that the first user purchased the betting ticket. 
     When the second user, who has a prescribed relationship with the first user, is considering the purchase of a betting ticket after viewing a video content of a distributor A, this configuration can notify the terminal device of the second user of information that the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A. This configuration consequently encourages the second user to purchase a betting ticket that the second user is considering. 
     Note that not only in a case in which the second user is viewing the specified video content, but also in the condition that the second user had once viewed the specified video content but has not viewed the distributed video content again since then (case 1), the terminal device of the second user may be notified of the information that the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor of the video content. The terminal device of the second user may be notified of the information that the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor of the video content also in a case in which the second user had viewed other video contents of the distributor of the video content (case 2). Alternatively, in either case 1 or case 2 and when the second user has not yet placed a bet, the terminal device of the second user may be notified of information that the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor of the video content. Here, when the second user has not placed a bet may be a case in which the second user has not purchased any betting ticket for the race or may be a case in which the second user has not purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor of the video content. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configuration of the betting ticket purchase system according to the present embodiment. A betting ticket purchase system  11  includes one or more user terminal(s)  12 , one or more distributor terminal(s)  15 , a server  16 , and a communication network  17 . One or more user terminal(s)  12 , one or more distributor terminal(s)  15 , and the server  16  are connected so as to communicate with each other over the communication network  17 . 
     The user terminal  12  is, for example, a portable electronic terminal device such as a smartphone, a table terminal, a cellular phone carried by a user, which has communication functions that can connect to the communication network  17 . The user terminal  12  has an operation display unit  13 , a microphone from which sound is input, a speaker that outputs sound, and others. The operation display unit  13  is a device that allows for input operations to a screen  14  as well as a device that displays images on the screen  14 , and can be, for example, a touch-screen display. Note that the user terminal  12  can be a so-called personal computer. 
     The user terminal  12  can download and install a prescribed application program from a download site for application programs on the Internet. The user, by performing an input operation to the operation display unit of the user terminal  12 , can operate the application program. In the present embodiment, as an example, a dedicated application software that allows for purchasing betting tickets of public racing such as horse racing, motorboat racing, bicycle racing and also allows for browsing a prediction on the order of arrival made by a distributor (hereinafter referred to as “dedicated application software”) is installed on the user terminal  12 . 
     By activating this dedicated application software on the user terminal  12 , the user can let the user terminal  12  access the server  16 . When the user terminal  12  accesses to the server  16 , input of a preregistered user ID may be required. 
     When the dedicated application software installed on the user terminal  12  is activated, the screen  14  of the user terminal  12  displays a graphical user interface (GUI) screen, which is described later. The GUI screen displays a video content related to a prediction on the order of arrival of racing made by a distributor, and betting ticket information etc. By referring to the video content etc. displayed on the GUI screen, the user predicts the order of arrival of the racing and purchases a betting ticket through the user terminal  12  by making a prescribed input. 
     When the purchased betting ticket became a winning ticket as a result of the race, the user receives a dividend based on a dividend cover (also referred to as “odds”). Note that the purchase of betting tickets can be either a purchase for monetary value or a purchase for non-monetary value. In the case of purchasing betting tickets for monetary value, the dividend is paid in money for example. A user ID therefore is associated with a credit card number or a bank account number of the user, for example, for the payment. In the case of purchasing betting tickets for non-monetary value, the purchase can be made by using points (that have no value as a currency) that can be used within the betting ticket purchase system  11 . 
     The distributor terminal  15  is an information communication terminal device, such as a computer, a smartphone, a table terminal, a cellular phone used by a distributor, which has communication functions that can connect to the communication network  17 . In the present embodiment, the distributor terminal  15  may be a personal computer as an example. The distributor terminal  15  has an imaging device that allows the distributor to make and distribute a video. The imaging device may be built into the distributor terminal  15  or may be an external type device. 
     The distributor accesses to the server  16  by using the distributor terminal  15 . The distributor then distributes a video content (the video content related to a prediction on the order of arrival of racing) that has been made by using the imaging device to the user terminal  12  via the server  16 . 
     The server  16  is an information processor apparatus that manages a dedicated application program installed on the user terminal  12 . For example, the server  16  can stream a video content posted by the distributor terminal  15  to the user terminal  12 . The server  16  can also perform payment processing etc. for the betting ticket purchase in response to an instruction to purchase a betting ticket from the user terminal  12  or the distributor terminal  15 . The server  16  may be a server system configured of one or more physical information processor apparatus(es) or may be a virtual server system configured of one or more virtual server device(s). 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of functional blocks of betting ticket purchase system  11  according to the present embodiment. In the fowling description, functions of the user terminal  12 , the distributor terminal  15 , and the server  16  are explained. 
     The user terminal  12  includes an operation display unit  13 , a communication unit  21 , a controller unit  22 , and a storage unit  27 . The communication unit  21  is an interface that enables communication with devices that are connected to the communication network  17 . Here, the communication unit  21  communicates with the server  16  over the communication network  17 . 
     The operation display unit  13  is a touch-screen display that allows a user to make inputs through an input operation and that is displayable. Although a touch-screen display is used in the present embodiment as an example, the present embodiment is not limited to the touch-screen display, but an input unit and a display unit may be separate and independent units. 
     The controller unit  22  controls overall operations of the user terminal  12 . The controller unit  22  functions as a display controller unit  23 , a prediction adoption unit  24 , a purchase request unit  25 , and a notification reception unit  26  by executing the application program according to the present embodiment. 
     The display controller unit  23  controls a display status of the screen  14  based on user interface (UI) data  28  of the dedicated application program stored in the storage unit  27 . In addition, the display controller unit  23  communicates with the server  16  and displays on the screen  14  the video content designated by a distributor and the betting ticket information designated by the distributor. Here, the betting ticket information designated by the distributor includes betting ticket information of the prediction on the order of arrival made by the distributor (a betting ticket that has not been purchased) and a purchased betting ticket. 
     When receiving an instruction to adopt the betting ticket information designated by the distributor in response to an operation from the operation display unit  13 , the prediction adoption unit  24  keeps the designated betting ticket information in a prescribed temporary hold area  29 . At that time, in response to the operation from the operation display unit  13 , the prediction adoption unit  24  can keep a portion or the entirety of the betting ticket information designated by the distributor in the prescribed temporary hold area  29 . Moreover, in response to the operation from the operation display unit  13 , the prediction adoption unit  24  may add a new piece of betting ticket information based on the prediction of the user to the information related to the betting ticket held in the temporary hold area  29 . 
     The purchase request unit  25 , in response to an instruction from the operation display unit  13 , transmits to the server  16  a purchase request for purchasing a betting ticket of betting ticket information held in the temporary hold area  29 . The purchase request unit  25  receives a purchase completion notification from the server  16  that has performed the payment processing of the purchase request. 
     The notification reception unit  26  receives from another user a notification that the user has purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket information designated by a distributor. In response to the notification received by the notification reception unit  26 , the display controller unit  23  displays on the screen  14  such information that another user has purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by a distributor. At the same time, the display controller unit  23  displays and asks the user of this user terminal whether or not to purchase a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor. In addition, when an input operation indicating an intention of purchasing a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor is made through the operation display unit  13 , the display controller unit  23  displays a screen to purchase a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor. 
     Here, another user is a user who has formed a relationship with the user of this user terminal in advance, and another user can exchange messages and form a group (community) by being connected as a so-called “friend”. The so-called “friend” is a relationship formed on the basis of a mutual agreement made through a friend request from a user on one side and acceptance of the friend request by a user on the other side. 
     Note that a group may be automatically formed on the basis of information that is registered in advance in both users. For example, when both users have the telephone numbers or the mail addresses of each other registered in their user terminals  12 , the server  16  may automatically put the users in the same group. Or, the server  16  may also put users who have viewed video contents of the same distributor in the same group. 
     The storage unit  27  stores installed programs (including the dedicated application program according to the present embodiment) and various types of data. According to the present embodiment, the storage unit  27  stores the UI data  28  etc. as an example. Here, data includes graphical data in addition to status information and text data. 
     The storage unit  27  also has the temporary hold area  29  that temporarily holds betting ticket information designated by the user. When the betting ticket information designated by the distributor is adopted, the temporary hold area  29  can temporarily have a portion or the entirety of the adopted betting ticket information. The temporary hold area  29  holds, for example, information to specify racing (a race name or a race ID etc.), a combination of numbers, betting money (or betting points) on the combination of numbers, information to specify a distributor (a distributor name or a distributor ID etc.) of betting ticket information when the betting ticket information is held by the prediction adoption unit  24 . 
     The distributor terminal  15  includes a communication unit  31 , a controller unit  32 , an input unit  33 , and an imaging unit  34 . The communication unit  31  is an interface that enables communications with devices connected to the communication network  17 . The communication unit  31  communicates with the server  16  over the communication network  17 . 
     The controller unit  32  controls overall operations of the distributor terminal  15 . The controller unit  32  distributes a video content captured by the imaging unit  34  to the user terminal(s)  12  through the server  16  in response to an instruction from the input unit  33 . 
     The input unit  33  is an input interface for inputting instructions to the controller unit  32  and for inputting instructions or data. By using the input unit  33 , a distributor inputs details of the prediction on the order of arrival in target racing, purchases a betting ticket, and inputs instructions related to distribution of video contents. The imaging unit  34  is an imaging device such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device). 
     The server  16  includes a communication unit  41 , a controller unit  42 , and a storage unit  50 . The communication unit  41  is an interface that enables communications with devices connected to the communication network  17 . The communication unit  41  communicates with the user terminal(s)  12  and the distributor terminal(s)  15  over the communication network  17 . 
     The controller unit  42  controls overall operations of the server  16 . The controller unit  42  at the same time makes a control of executing processing in response to a request from the user terminal(s)  12  or the distributor terminal(s)  15  and of returning an execution result to the user terminal(s)  12  or the distributor terminal(s)  15 . By executing the application program according to the present embodiment, the controller unit  42  functions as a distribution controller unit  43 , a distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44 , a distributor betting ticket information provider unit  45 , a user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 , a payment processer unit  47 , and a notification controller unit  48 . 
     The distribution controller unit  43  receives a video content captured by a distributor in response to a distribution request from the distributor. In addition, the distribution controller unit  43  distributes the received video content to the user terminal(s)  12  in which the dedicated application program is activated. 
     The distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44  acquires betting ticket information designated by the distributor (distributor betting ticket information). Here, the distributor betting ticket information includes information of the prediction on the order of arrival in racing that is input by the distributor and betting ticket information of the betting ticket that the distributor purchased. 
     The distributor betting ticket information provider unit  45  associates the distributor betting ticket information acquired by the distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44  with a video content of the corresponding distributor and provides the associated information to the user terminal(s)  12 . 
     The user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46  acquires betting ticket information of a user held in the temporary hold area  29  of a user terminal  12  in response to a betting ticket purchase request from the user terminal  12 . 
     The payment processer unit  47  executes payment processing for purchasing a betting ticket based on the betting ticket information of the user acquired by the user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 . The payment processing is executed on the basis of a credit card or an account number etc. registered in advance. 
     When the payment is completed for a betting ticket that a user X purchased by referring to a betting ticket designated by a distributor, the notification controller unit  48  extracts a user Y who has previously formed a relationship with the user X from a group information DB  53 . When the user Y who has a relationship with the user X is extracted, the notification controller unit  48  generates a notification informing that the user X has made the purchase by referring to a betting ticket designated by a distributor and including information related to the betting ticket designated by the distributor. The notification controller unit  48  transmits the generated notification to the user terminal  12  of the extracted user Y. 
     Note that in one example according to the present embodiment, the notification controller unit  48  not have to transmit any notification to the user terminal  12  of the user X. When the extracted user has already purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor A or other distributors, the notification controller unit  48  may not need to transmit the notification to the users. 
     The storage unit  50  stores a distributor betting ticket information database  51 , a user betting ticket information database  52 , and a group information database  53 . Note that a database is abbreviated as “DB” in the following description. 
     The distributor betting ticket information DB  51  is a database that manages betting ticket information designated by distributors. The user betting ticket information DB  52  is a database that manages information on betting tickets purchased by users. The group information DB  53  is a database that manages groups (communities) formed between users. 
       FIGS. 4A to 4C  are diagrams illustrating examples of the data structures of databases managed by the server  16 , respectively, according to the present embodiment. 
     The distributor betting ticket information DB  51  includes data items such as “distributor ID”, “race ID”, “betting ticket”, “purchased amount”, and “video content ID”. In the following description, each record in the distributor betting ticket information DB  51  may be referred to as distributor betting ticket information. The item “distributor ID” stores information to specify a distributor (distributor ID). The item “race ID” stores information to specify racing (race ID). The item “betting ticket” stores a combination of numbers of the order of arrival from the first to the prescribed order in racing (race) specified by the race ID. Note that the present embodiment does not refer to the betting types such as perfecta and quinella for explanatory convenience, but these types should not be excluded. The item “purchased amount” stores the amount of betting money corresponding to the betting ticket information. The item “video content ID” stores information to specify a video content (video content ID) of the corresponding distributor. 
     The user betting ticket information DB  52  includes data items of “user ID”, “race ID”, “betting ticket”, “purchased amount”, “purchased Pt”, and “distributor ID”. The item “user ID” stores information to specify a user (user ID). The item “race ID” stores information to specify racing (race ID). The item “betting ticket” stores a combination of numbers of the order of arrival from the first to the prescribed order in racing (race) specified by the race ID. The item “purchased amount” stores the amount of betting money corresponding to the betting ticket information (This item is used in the case of a purchase for monetary value, and the currency serves as the betting money). The item “purchased Pt” stores the amount of betting money corresponding to the betting ticket information (This item is used in the case of a purchase for non-monetary value, and the points serve as the betting money). The item “distributor ID” stores a distributor ID of a distributor when a user adopted the betting ticket designated by the distributor and purchased a betting ticket. 
     The group information DB  53  includes data items of “user ID” and “group ID”. The item “user ID” stores information to specify a user (user ID). The item “group ID” stores information to specify a group of the user (group ID). 
     When a group is formed or when a user is added in a group as a new member, a record (group information) is added to the group information DB  53 . For example, when a user on one side makes a friend request and a user on the other side accepts the friend request, group information is added to the group information DB  53 . In another example, when both users have the telephone numbers or the mail addresses of each other registered in their user terminals  12 , the server  16  registers these users as the same group members in the group information DB  53 . In the other example, the server  16  registers users who have viewed video contents of the same distributor as the same group members in the group information DB  53 . 
     Next, a user interface of the dedicated application program installed on a user terminal  12  is explained with reference to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8 . When a user activates the dedicated application program in the user terminal  12 , the screen  14  displays a screen for selecting a race for which a betting ticket can be purchased at that point in time. The user operates the operation display unit  13  and selects a target race. Then the screen illustrated in  FIG. 5  is displayed. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example of a distributor selecting screen according to the present embodiment. A distributor selecting screen  61  includes a login user display field  62 , a possessing amount display field  63 , a possessing point display field  64 , a purchase-target race name display field  65 , and a distributor list  66 . 
     The login user display field  62  displays a user name and an icon of user who is currently logged into the betting ticket purchase system  11  by using the user terminal  12 . The possessing amount display field  63  displays the amount of money that the user currently possesses in the betting ticket purchase system  11 . The possessing point display field  64  displays the points that the user currently possesses in the betting ticket purchase system  11 . The purchase-target race name display field  65  displays the race name for which a betting ticket is to be purchased. Note that the purchase-target race display field  65  displays a message that informs the time remaining until the deadline of purchasing a betting ticket for the race. 
     The distributor list  66  displays thumbnail images  66   a,    66   b,    66   c,  . . . of information related to the race predictions that distributors have distributed (distributor information) for the race displayed in the purchase-target race name display field  65 . The distributor list  66  can display distributor information that is not currently displayed on the screen by means of the scrolling operation with the operation display unit  13 . The user taps, for example, a thumbnail image  66   a  that is distributor information of a distributor A of the distributor list  66  by using the operation display unit  13 . Then the screen illustrated in  FIG. 6  is displayed. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating an example of a distributor prediction screen according to the present embodiment. A distributor prediction screen  71  includes a login user display field  72 , a selected distributor display field  73 , a distributor video content display field  74 , a distributor betting ticket information display field  75 , and a prediction adopting button  76 . 
     The login user display field  72  display a user name and an icon of user who is currently logged into the betting ticket purchase system  11  by using the user terminal  12 . The selected distributor display field  73  displays a distributor name etc. selected in the distributor list  66  of the distributor selecting screen  61 . The distributor video content display field  74  displays a video content of the selected distributor (e.g., live streaming video). The distributor betting ticket information display field  75  displays betting ticket information designated by the distributor. The prediction adopting button  76  is a button to be pressed when the betting ticket information of the distributor is adopted and the betting ticket is purchased. In the example of  FIG. 6 , the prediction adopting button  76  has a caption “piggyback on prediction of distributor A”. When the prediction adopting button  76  is tapped, the screen illustrated in  FIG. 7  is displayed. At that time, details of the distributor betting ticket information display field  75  is stored in temporary hold area  29 . 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating an example of an adopted distributor prediction particulars screen according to the present embodiment. The adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  includes a distributor video content display field  82 , a possessing point display field  83 , a possessing point adding designation filed  84 , a possessing amount display field  85 , a possessing amount adding designation field  86 , a distributor-predicted betting ticket display field  87 , and an “add to your cart” button  95 . 
     The distributor video content display field  82  displays a video content of the selected distributor (e.g., live streaming video). The possessing point display field  83  displays the points that the user currently possesses in the betting ticket purchase system  11 . When the possessing point adding designation filed  84  is tapped, points that are used within the betting ticket purchase system  11  can be added (charged) to purchase a betting ticket for non-monetary value. The possessing amount display field  85  displays the amount of money that the user currently possesses in the betting ticket purchase system  11 . When the possessing amount adding designation field  86  is tapped, the amount of money to purchase a betting ticket for monetary value can be added (charged) to the betting ticket purchase system  11 . Note that in the betting ticket purchase system  11 , a betting ticket can be purchased within the charged amount of money or the charged points. 
     The distributor-predicted betting ticket display field  87  includes a predicted betting ticket list  88 , an yen/point selection switch  93 , and a total betting money/betting point display field  92 . The distributor-predicted betting ticket display filed  87  displays by default combinations of numbers and the betting money or betting points of a betting ticket designated by the distributor A. 
     The yen/point selection switch  93  is a switch button for changing between purchasing a betting ticket for monetary value and purchasing a betting ticket for non-monetary value. A user designates “yen” to purchase a betting ticket for monetary value and designates “Pt (point)” to purchase a betting ticket for non-monetary value (when using the points within the betting ticket purchase system). 
     The predicted betting ticket list  88  includes a combination number display field  89 , an odds display field  90 , and a betting money/betting point display field  91 . The combination number display field  89  is a field for displaying combinations of numbers that a bet covers, and displays some combinations of numbers designated by the distributor. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the predicted betting ticket list  88  displays three combinations of numbers including a combination of numbers “No. 1 for the first place, No. 4 for the second place”, a combination of numbers “No. 1 for the first place, No. 4 for the second place”, and a combination of numbers “No. 1 for the first place, No. 2 for the second place, No. 4 for the third place”. 
     The odds display field  90  displays the odds corresponding to the combinations of numbers displayed in the combination number display field  89 . The betting money/betting point display field  91  displays the betting money or betting points for each of the combinations of numbers. The total betting money/betting point display field  92  displays the total amount of the betting money/betting point display field  91  in the predicted betting ticket list  87   a.    
     When the “add to your cart” button  95  is tapped, a betting ticket purchase screen that is explained with reference to  FIG. 8  is displayed. 
     Note that when the prediction adopting button  76  illustrated in  FIG. 6  is tapped, details of the distributor betting ticket information display field  75  is stored in the temporary hold area  29 , which however does not limit the embodiment. For example, details of the distributor-predicted betting ticket display field  87  may be stored in the temporary hold area  29  when the “add to your cart” button  95  is tapped. 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating an example of a betting ticket purchase screen according to the present embodiment. A betting ticket purchase screen  101  includes a distributor video content display field  102 , a possessing point display field  103 , a possessing point adding designation field  104 , a possessing amount display field  105 , a possessing amount adding designation field  106 , a distributor-predicted betting ticket display field  107 , and a purchase execution button  116 . 
     Because the distributor video content display field  102 , the possessing point display field  103 , the possessing point adding designation field  104 , the possessing amount display field  105 , and the possessing amount adding designation field  106  are the same as the distributor video content display field  82 , the possessing point display field  83 , the possessing point adding designation field  84 , the possessing amount display field  85 , and the possessing amount adding designation field  86  in  FIG. 7 , respectively, the explanations of the above fields are omitted. 
     The distributor-predicted betting ticket display field  107  includes a predicted betting ticket list  108 , a total betting money/betting point display field  112 , a purchase in sets buttons  113 , an edit button  114 , and a delete button  115 . The distributor-predicted betting ticket display field  107  displays by default combinations of numbers and the betting money or betting points of the betting ticket designated by the distributor A. 
     The predicted betting ticket list  108  includes a combination number display field  109 , an odds display field  110 , and a betting money/betting point display field  111 . Because the combination number display field  109 , the odds display field  110 , the betting money/betting point display field  111  and the total betting money/betting point display field  112  are the same as the betting combination number display field  89 , the odds display field  90 , the betting money/betting point display field  91  and the total betting money/betting point display field  92  in  FIG. 7 , respectively, the explanations of these fields are omitted. 
     The purchase in sets buttons  113  is a button for purchasing betting tickets in sets when a combination of betting tickets in the predicted betting ticket list  108  is referred to as one set. Every time a “+” button of the purchase in sets buttons  113  is tapped, the number of sets to be purchased can be increased. Every time a “−” button of the purchase in sets buttons  113  is tapped, the number of sets to be purchased can be decreased. 
     When the edit button  114  is tapped, details of the predicted betting ticket list  108  can be edited. Examples of the editing includes changing the monetary unit for the purchase from points (purchase for non-monetary value) to yen (purchase for monetary value), changing the monetary unit for the purchase from yen (purchase for monetary value) to points (purchase for non-monetary value), adding a new prediction of the user to the predicted betting ticket list  108 , and deleting a prescribed combination(s) of numbers from the predicted betting ticket list  108 . When the delete button  115  is tapped, the distributor-predicted betting ticket display field  107  can be deleted. 
     When the purchase execution button  116  is tapped, purchase processing of the betting ticket information designated in the betting ticket purchase screen  101  is executed. 
     As described above, by means of the operations on the screens illustrated in  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8 , a user can purchase a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket that a selected distributor has predicted. Assume that the user X, for example, has purchased a betting ticket in the above-described manner by using his/her user terminal  12   a  and by referring to the betting ticket predicted by the distributor A. Then, the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y, who has a prescribed relationship with the user X, is notified of the information that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket predicted by the distributor A. This point is explained with reference to  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11 . 
       FIG. 9  is an example of a notification (example  1 ) according to the present embodiment.  FIG. 9  illustrates an example of a push notification displayed on the screen  14  based on the notification information from the server  16  when the above-described dedicated application program is not in an active state in the user terminal  12   b.    
     In  FIG. 9 , a message  121  of a push notification is displayed on the home screen of the operating system (OS) of the user terminal  12   b.  The message  121  displays information that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket predicted by the distributor A and advises the user Y to purchase a betting ticket in the same manner. In addition, the message  121  provides a link (link information) to the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) of the betting ticket designated by the distributor A. 
     Here, “link information” includes information to specify a transition destination screen (e.g., a screen ID) and information to specify distributor betting ticket information of the distributor displayed in the transition destination screen (e.g., a distributor ID). 
     Accordingly, when the user Y taps this message  121 , the dedicated application program becomes an active state and, based on the link information, the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) about the betting ticket designated by the distributor A is displayed. Afterwards, by performing the operations explained in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the user Y can purchase a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A as the user X did. 
     In this manner, even when the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y is not displaying a content of distributor betting ticket information (e.g., when the dedicated application program is not in an active state), the information related to the content of distributor betting ticket information can be displayed on the user terminal  12   b  by the push notification from the server  16 . 
       FIG. 10  is an example of a notification (example 2) according to the present embodiment.  FIG. 10  illustrates an example of a toast notification that is displayed on the screen  14  based on the notification information from the server  16  when the above-described dedicated application program is in an active state in the user terminal  12   b.  The toast notification is temporarily displaying a message notification as popup. 
     In the example of  FIG. 10 , a toast notification  131  displays an icon  132  of the user X, information that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A, and a “piggyback” button  133 . 
     The “piggyback” button  133  is a button to be tapped to piggyback on the prediction of the distributor A. The “piggyback” button  133  provides a link (link information) to the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) of the betting ticket designated by the distributor A. 
     When the user Y taps this “piggyback” button  133 , the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) of the betting ticket designated by the distributor A is displayed based on the link information. Afterwards, by performing the operations explained in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the user Y can purchase a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A as the user X did. 
       FIG. 11  is an example of a notification (example  3 ) according to the present embodiment.  FIG. 11  is an example of a chat screen  141  displayed as a result of operating the dedicated application program. The chat screen  141  allows users in a prescribed group to exchange messages (group chat) by using a chat function of the above-described dedicated application program. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an example of the message displayed when a member of a group purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A while users in the group are exchanging messages. 
     The message  142  displays information that the user X, who is a member of the group, purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A, details of the prediction on the order of arrival made by the distributor A, and the “piggyback” button  143 . 
     The “piggyback” button  143  is a button to be tapped to piggyback on the prediction of the distributor A. The “piggyback” button  143  provides a link (link information) to the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) of the betting ticket designated by the distributor A. 
     When the user Y taps this “piggyback” button  143 , the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) of the betting ticket designated by the distributor A is displayed based on the link information. Afterwards, by performing the operations explained in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the user Y can purchase a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A as the user X did. 
       FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating a sequence between the user terminal  12   a  and the server  16  up to the user X purchasing a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by a distributor according to the present embodiment. The user X operates the user terminal  12   a  and activates the dedicated application program installed in the user terminal  12   a  (S 1 ). The user terminal  12   a  that has the dedicated application program activated makes a data acquisition request to the server  16  (S 2 ). In response to the request, the server  16  transmits distributor information (including a distributor ID, a race ID, and a video content ID) to the user terminal  12   a  (S 3 ). 
     When the user terminal  12   a  receives the distributor information from the server  16 , the user terminal  12   a  displays the distributor information on the distributor list  66  illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The user X selects a thumbnail image  66   a  of the distributor information of the distributor A, for example, from the distributor list  66  (S 4 ). Then the user terminal  12   a  makes a request for a video content of the distributor A based on the video content ID (S 5 ). The user terminal  12   a  receives the video content from the server  16  responding to the request (S 6 ). The user terminal  12   a  plays the received video content on the distributor prediction screen  71  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     When the distributor A designates a combination of numbers of the order of arrival and a purchased amount in a betting ticket, the server  16  (the distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44 ) acquires the designated details (the distributor betting ticket information) (S 7 ). The distributor betting ticket information includes a distributor ID, a race ID, a combination of numbers in the betting ticket, a purchased amount, and a video content ID. The server  16  (the distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44 ) registers the acquired distributor betting ticket information to the distributor betting ticket information DB  51 . Then the server  16  (the distributor betting ticket information provider unit  45 ) distributes the distributor betting ticket information to the user terminals  12  ( 12   a ) of a user viewing a video content of the distributor A (S 8 ). 
     The user terminal  12   a  displays, on the distributor betting ticket information display field  75  of the distributor prediction screen  71  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the combination of numbers in the betting ticket included in the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A transmitted from the server  16  (S 9 ). 
     On the user terminal  12   a  side, the user X taps the prediction adopting button  76  in the distributor prediction screen  71  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Then the user terminal  12   a  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) holds the distributor betting ticket information in the temporary hold area  29  (S 10 ). At that time, the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  illustrated in  FIG. 7  is displayed. In  FIG. 7 , when the “add to your cart” button  95  is tapped, the betting ticket purchase screen  101  illustrated in  FIG. 8  is displayed. 
     In the betting ticket purchase screen  101 , the user X may delete a portion of the distributor betting ticket information or may add betting ticket information that the user X has predicted to the distributor betting ticket information. The user X, in addition, designates the betting money (or betting points) on each piece of the betting ticket information (S 11 ). In response to these operations, the user terminal  12   a  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) updates the information held in the temporary hold area  29 . In other words, the user terminal  12   a  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) updates the details of the temporary hold area  29  (keeps a portion or the entirety of the betting ticket information in the temporary hold area  29 ) in response to the input operations in the betting ticket purchase screen  101 . 
     When a betting ticket to be purchased is finalized, the user X taps the purchase execution button  116  in the betting ticket purchase screen  101  (S 12 ). The user terminal  12   a  (the purchase request unit  25 ) transmits a purchase request that includes user betting ticket information (including the user ID, the race ID, the combination of numbers in the betting ticket, the purchase amount (or purchase Pt), and the distributor ID) to the server  16  based on the details of the temporary hold area  29  (S 13 ). 
     The server  16  (the user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 ) acquires the purchase request. The server  16  (the user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 ) registers the details of the user betting ticket information included in the acquired purchase request to the user betting ticket information DB  52 . The server  16  (the payment processor unit  47 ) performs payment processing of the purchase of the betting ticket based on the purchase request (S 14 ). When the payment processing has completed, the server  16  updates the details of the user betting ticket information DB  52  based on the payment details and notifies the user terminal  12   a  of completion of the payment processing (S 15 ). 
       FIG. 13  is a diagram illustrating a sequence between the user terminal  12   b  and the server  16  up to the user Y purchasing a betting ticket in response to a notification of information that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor A according to the present embodiment. 
     After S 15  in  FIG. 12 , the server  16  (the notification controller unit  48 ) extracts user ID(s) of user(s) who belong to the same group as the group of the user X from the group information DB  53  by using the user ID of the user X. When user ID(s) of user(s) who belong to the same group as the group of the user X are extracted, the server  16  (the notification controller unit  48 ) performs message generation processing (S 21 ). Here, assume that the user ID of the user Y is extracted as a member of the group that is the same as the group of the user X. The server  16  (the notification controller unit  48 ) transmits, to the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y extracted in S 21 , a notification informing that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor A (S 22 ). 
     The user terminal  12   b  (the notification reception unit  26 ) receives the notification from the server  16 . Based on the notification, the user terminal  12   b  (the display controller unit  23 ) displays on the screen  14  a message informing that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor A, as described in  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11  (S 23 ). 
     The user Y taps link information included in the notification (e.g., the message  121  illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the “piggyback” button  133  illustrated in  FIG. 10 , or the “piggyback” button  143  illustrated in  FIG. 11 ) (S 24 ). The user terminal  12   b  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) requests the server  16  to provide the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A based on the link information (S 25 ). 
     The server  16  acquires the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A from the distributor betting ticket information DB  51  in response to the request and transmits the information to the user terminal  12   b  (S 26 ). 
     The user terminal  12   b  receives the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A from the server  16 . Then user terminal  12   b  displays details of the prediction of the distributor A on the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  illustrated in  FIG. 7  based on the link information and the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A (S 27 ). At that time, the user terminal  12   b  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) holds the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A in the temporary hold area  29  (S 28 ). When the user Y taps the “add to your cart” button  95  illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the betting ticket purchase screen  101  illustrated in  FIG. 8  is displayed. 
     In the betting ticket purchase screen  101 , the user Y may delete a part of the distributor betting ticket information or may add betting ticket information that the user Y has predicted to the distributor betting ticket information. The user Y, in addition, designates the betting money (or betting points) on each piece of the betting ticket information (S 29 ). In response to these operations, the user terminal  12   b  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) updates the information held in the temporary hold area  29 . In other words, the user terminal  12   b  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) updates details of the temporary hold area  29  (keeps a portion or the entirety of the betting ticket information in temporary hold area  29 ) in response to the input operations in the betting ticket purchase screen  101 . 
     When a betting ticket to be purchased is finalized in the betting ticket purchase screen  101 , the user Y taps the purchase execution button  116  (S 30 ). The user terminal  12   b  (the purchase request unit  25 ) transmits a purchase request that includes user betting ticket information (including the user ID, the race ID, the combination of numbers in the betting ticket, the purchase amount (or purchase Pt), and the distributor ID) to the server  16  based on the details of the temporary hold area  29  (S 31 ). 
     The server  16  (the user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 ) acquires the purchase request. The server  16  (the user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 ) registers the details of the user betting ticket information included in the acquired purchase request to the user betting ticket information DB  52 . The server  16  (the payment processor unit  47 ) performs payment processing of the purchase of the betting ticket based on the purchase request (S 32 ). When the payment processing has completed, the server  16  updates the details of the user betting ticket information DB  52  based on the payment details and notifies the user terminal  12   a  of completion of the payment processing (S 33 ). 
       FIG. 14  is a flowchart of the message generation processing (S 21 ) and the notification processing (S 22 ) in the notification controller unit  48  according to the present embodiment. The notification controller unit  48  detects completion of the payment processing of the betting ticket that the user X has purchased by referring to the prediction of the distributor A (S 41 ). 
     The notification controller unit  48  then extracts user ID(s) of user(s) who belong to the same group as the group of the user X from the group information DB  53  by using the user ID of the user X (S 42 ). When no user IDs of users who belong to the same group as the group of the user X are extracted, or in other words, when there are no other members in the group (NO in S 43 ), this flow ends. 
     When user ID(s) of user(s) who belong to the same group as the group of the user X are extracted, or in other words, when other members are present in the group (YES in S 43 ), the notification controller unit  48  generates a message including link information (S 44 ). For example, assume that a user ID of the user Y is extracted as a member who belongs to the same group as the group of the user X. In this case, the notification controller unit  48  generates a message informing that the user X has purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor A. To the message, the notification controller unit  48  gives the link information that causes screen transition to the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  of the distributor A. As described above, link information includes information to specify a transition destination screen (e.g., a screen ID) and information to specify distributor betting ticket information of a distributor displayed in the transition destination screen (e.g., a distributor ID). 
     The notification controller unit  48  transmits the message with the link information to the user terminal  12  of the user extracted in S 42  (S 45 ). Note that when the extracted user has already purchased a betting ticket by referring to the betting ticket designated by the distributor A or other distributors, the notification controller unit  48  does not need to transmit the notification to the user. 
     Next, under a condition that a user had viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not seen the distributed video again since then, an example of notifying the user of the betting ticket information of the prediction on the order of arrival made by the distributor and encouraging the user to place a bet related to the notified betting ticket information is explained as an additional embodiment. 
     For example, the user X viewed a video content of the prediction of the distributor A on a race and put the browsing screen into a negative state before the prediction of the distributor A was finished. In this case, when the prediction of the distributor A is completed, the user X will be notified of betting ticket information of the prediction on the order of arrival made by the distributor. Here, putting the browsing screen into a negative state includes a case, for example, of ending the dedicated application, a case of moving to another screen, or a case of activating another application program. In this manner, the user X can purchase a betting ticket based on the notification informing that the prediction of the distributor A is completed. 
     Because the configuration of the betting ticket purchase system  11  in the additional embodiment is the same as the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 3  except that the storage unit  50  stores the screen status management DB  54  ( FIG. 15 ), the explanation of the same configuration is omitted. 
       FIG. 15  is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the screen status management DB  54  in the additional embodiment. The screen status management DB  54  includes data items of “user ID”, “distributor ID”, “video content ID”, and “before prediction screen negative flag”. The item “user ID” stores information to specify a user (user ID). The item “distributor ID” stores information to specify a distributor (distributor ID). The item “video content ID” stores information to specify a video content of the corresponding distributor (video content ID). The item “before prediction screen negative flag” stores a flag to determine whether or not a user who had been viewing a video of a distributor put the viewing screen of the video into a negative state before the prediction of the distributor was finished. 
       FIGS. 16A to 16C  is diagrams illustrating examples of a screen display, respectively, in the additional embodiment.  FIG. 16A  illustrates the distributor prediction screen  71  on the user X side (the user terminal  12   a ) before a distributor finalizes the prediction on a race. In this case, because the distributor A has not yet designated betting ticket information, a text “predicting” is displayed in the distributor betting ticket information display field  75 . At that time, the prediction adopting button  76  is unusable. 
       FIG. 16B  is an example of a notification when a prediction of a distributor is designated under a condition that a user had once browsed (viewed) the distributor prediction screen  71  before the distributor finalized the prediction on a race on the user X side (the user terminal  12   a ) and put the dedicated application program into a negative state. In this example, when the prediction of the distributor is designated under such a condition, in the user terminal  12   a,  a push notification is given and a message  152  is displayed on the screen  14  based on the notification information from the server  16 . 
     The message  152  displays information that a betting ticket that the distributor A predicted was designated. In addition, the message  152  provides a link (link information) to the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) of the betting ticket designated by the distributor A. 
     Here, “link information” includes information to specify a transition destination screen (e.g., a screen ID) and information to specify distributor betting ticket information of the distributor displayed in the transition destination screen (e.g., a distributor ID). 
     Accordingly, when the user X taps this message  152 , the dedicated application program becomes an active state and, based on the link information, the distributor prediction screen  71  ( FIG. 6 ) or the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) about the betting ticket designated by the distributor A is displayed. Afterwards, by performing the operations explained in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the user X can purchase a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A. 
     Note that the format of the message  152  is merely an example and is not limited to this format as long as the message clarifies that the betting ticket information that the distributor A predicted is registered. The format of the notification may be vibrations or sounds that let the user X know. 
       FIG. 16C  illustrates an example of a toast notification to the user Y side (the user terminal  12   b ) when the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A, and the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y who is viewing a video content of the distributor A is notified of information that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A. In this example, a toast notification  153  displays an icon  154  of the user X and information that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A. For example, assume that the user Y is considering a purchase of the betting ticket that the distributor A predicted while displaying the distributor prediction screen  71  on the user terminal  12   b . In this case, the display of the notification  153  informing that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A can encourage the user Y to purchase the betting ticket. 
     Note that the format of the message  153  is merely an example and is not limited to this format as long as the message clarifies that the user X purchased a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A. The format of the notification may be vibrations or sounds that let the user X know. 
       FIG. 17  is a diagram illustrating a sequence between the user terminal  12   a  and the sever  16  in the additional embodiment.  FIG. 17  is mostly the same as  FIG. 12 , but processing of S 51  to S 54  and processing of S 55  to S 59  are added. 
     The user X operates the user terminal  12   a  and activates the dedicated application program installed in the user terminal  12   a  (S 1 ). The user terminal  12   a  having the dedicated application program activated makes a data acquisition request to the server  16  (S 2 ). In response to the request, the server  16  transmits distributor information (including a distributor ID, a race ID, and a video content ID) to the user terminal  12  (S 3 ). 
     When receiving the distributor information from the server  16 , the user terminal  12   a  displays the distributor information in the distributor list  66  illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The user X selects the thumbnail image  66   a  of the distributor information of the distributor A, for example, from the distributor list  66  (S 4 ). The user terminal  12   a  requests a video content of the distributor A based on the video content ID (S 5 ). The user terminal  12   a  receives the video content from the server  16  in response to the request (S 6 ). The user terminal  12   a  plays the received video content in the distributor prediction screen  71  illustrated in FIG.  6  (S 51 ). Assume that the prediction of the distributor on a betting ticket has not been designated at this point in time. 
     Before the prediction of the distributor A on a betting ticket is designated, the user X operates the user terminal  12   a  and puts the distributor prediction screen  71  into a negative state (S 52 ). Here, putting the distributor prediction screen  71  into a negative state includes a case, for example, of ending the dedicated application, a case of moving to a screen other than the distributor prediction screen  71 , or a case of activating another application. The user terminal  12   a,  then, notifies the server  16  of information that the distributor prediction screen  71  is in a negative state (a screen negative notification) (S 53 ). The screen negative notification includes a user ID, a distributor ID, and a video content ID. 
     When acquiring the information that the distributor prediction screen  71  is in a negative state, the server  16  manages the user X having put the distributor prediction screen  71  into a negative state before the distributor A&#39;s betting prediction is designated. 
     Afterwards, when a combination of numbers of the order of arrival on a betting ticket and a purchased amount are designated by the distributor A, the server  16  (the distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44 ) acquires the designated details (the distributor betting ticket information) (S 7 ). The distributor betting ticket information includes a distributor ID, a race ID, a combination of numbers on a betting ticket, a purchased amount, and a video content ID. The server  16  (the distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44 ) registers the acquired distributor betting ticket information in the distributor betting ticket information DB  51 . 
     When the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A is registered in the distributor betting ticket information DB  51 , the server  16  (the notification controller unit  48 ) generates a message informing that the distributor A&#39;s prediction on the race in a betting ticket is designated (S 55 ). The server  16  (the notification controller unit  48 ) transmits the generated message to the user terminal  12   a  (S 56 ). 
     The user terminal  12   a  (the notification reception unit  26 ) receives the notification from the server  16 . As described with reference to  FIG. 16B , based on the notification, the user terminal  12   a  (the display controller unit  23 ) displays on the screen  14  the message informing that the distributor A&#39;s prediction on the race in a betting ticket is designated (S 57 ). 
     The user X taps link information (e.g., the message  152  illustrated in  FIG. 16B ) included in the notification (S 58 ). The user terminal  12   a  (the prediction adoption unit  24 ) makes a request for the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor A to the server  16  based on the link information (S 59 ). 
     In response to the request, the server  16  (the distributor betting ticket information provider unit  45 ) distributes the distributor betting ticket information to the user terminal  12   a  (S 8 ). The subsequent steps are the same as the sequence in  FIG. 12  and the explanation is omitted. 
       FIG. 18  is a flowchart of message notification processing performed by a server according to the additional embodiment. The distribution controller unit  43  distributes a video of the distributor A in response to the request from the user terminal  12   a  (S 61 ). Assume that the distributor A&#39;s betting prediction has not been designated at this point in time. 
     At that time, the distribution controller unit  43  registers screen status management information (a user ID, a distributor ID, a video content ID, a before prediction screen negative flag=0) as default in the screen status management DB  54  upon the start of distribution of the video content of the distributor A to the user X (S 62 ). 
     The server  16  stays in a waiting state while the user X is viewing the video content of the distributor A (“NO” in S 63 ). When the screen that the user X is viewing the video content of the distributor A is put into a negative state, or in other words, when a screen negative notification is received from the user terminal  12   a  (“YES” in S 63 ), the server  16  (the notification controller unit  48 ) determines whether the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor corresponding to the screen negative notification is absent in the distributor betting ticket information DB  51  or not (S 64 ). 
     When the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor corresponding to the screen negative notification being absent in the distributor betting ticket information DB  51  is determined (“YES” in S 64 ), the server (the notification controller unit  48 ) sets the before prediction screen negative flag of the corresponding screen status management information to “1” in the screen status management DB  54  based on the screen negative notification (including a user ID, a distributor ID, and a video content ID) (S 65 ). 
     Assume that the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor corresponding to the screen negative notification is registered. When the distributor betting ticket information of the distributor corresponding to the screen negative notification being present in the distributor betting ticket information DB  51  is determined (“NO” in S 64 ), the server  16  (the notification controller unit  48 ) generates a message including link information based on the screen status management information of the before prediction screen negative flag=1 (S 66 ). In other words, the notification controller unit  48  generates a message informing that the predicted betting ticket information related to a video content of the distributor that has been viewed before the prediction was finished is designated. To the message, the notification controller unit  48  gives link information that causes screen transition to the distributor prediction screen  71  or the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  of the distributor A. As described above, the link information includes information to specify a transition destination screen (e.g., a screen ID) and information to specify distributor betting ticket information of the distributor displayed in the transition destination screen (e.g., a distributor ID). 
     The notification controller unit  48  transmits the message with the link information to the user terminal  12   a  that makes the screen stay in a negative state based on the screen negative notification (S 67 ). 
     The user X who received the message operates the user terminal  12   a  and taps the link information given to the message. Then the distributor prediction screen  71  or the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  of the distributor A is displayed. In the following steps, the user X can purchase a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A in the same manner as the details explained with reference to  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 8 . 
     Note that in the above example, a message including link information was sent to the user terminal  12   a  of the user X, but a message without the link information may be sent. In this case, the user X may display the distributor prediction screen  71  or the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  and may perform the betting operation by operating the user terminal  12   a.    
     In the above example, under the condition that a user had once viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not seen the distributed video again since then, the notification controller unit  48  notifies the user of betting ticket information of the prediction on the order of arrival made by the distributor. However, the embodiment is not limited to this example. For example, the notification controller unit  48  may notify the user terminal  12   a  of the user X of the above message (may include the link information) at a timing before the betting deadline of the race of the video content related to the prediction of the race (e.g.,  15  minutes before the betting deadline). 
     Afterwards, the messages illustrated in  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11  are displayed on the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y, who has a prescribed relationship with the user X. The user Y operates the user terminal  12   b  and taps the link information in the message. Based on the link information, the adopted distributor prediction particulars screen  81  ( FIG. 7 ) for the betting ticket designated by the distributor A is displayed. In the following steps, the user Y can purchase a betting ticket by referring to the prediction of the distributor A, as the user X did, by performing the operations explained in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . 
     As described with reference to  FIG. 16C , when the user Y, who has a prescribed relationship with the user X, is considering a purchase of a betting ticket after viewing a video content of the distributor A, the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y can be notified of information that the user X purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A. In this case, when the user X&#39;s payment of the betting ticket purchase has been completed, by using a distributor ID and a race ID included in the user betting ticket information, the server  16  identifies a video content ID from the distributor betting ticket information. Based on the distributor ID and the video content ID, the server  16  can identify, from the screen status management DB  54 , user(s) who is/are viewing the video content corresponding to the information of the betting ticket that the user X purchased. Here, the user Y is a user who has a prescribed relationship with the user X as described above. The processing, in this manner, can encourage the user Y, who has a prescribed relationship with the user X, to purchase a betting ticket that the user Y is considering. 
     Note that the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y may be notified of information that the user X has made a bet based on the prediction of the distributor A not only when the user Y is viewing the video content of the distributor A, but also under the condition that the user Y had once viewed the video content but has not viewed the distributed video content again since then (case 1). Or when the user Y has viewed another video content of the distributor A, who distributed the video content (case 2), the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y may be notified of the information that the user X has made a bet based on the prediction of the distributor A. Alternatively, in either case 1 or case 2 and in a case in which the user Y has not yet placed a bet, the user terminal  12   b  of the user Y may be notified of the information that the user X has made a bet based on the prediction of the distributor A. Here, the case in which the user Y has not yet placed a bet may be a case in which the user Y has not placed any bet at all for the race or may be a case in which the user Y has not placed a bet based on the prediction of the distributor A. 
       FIG. 19  is an example of a configuration block diagram of a hardware environment of a computer executing a program according to the present embodiment and the additional embodiment. A computer  161  may be the user terminal  12 , may be the distributor terminal  15 , or may be the server  16 . The computer  161  is configured of CPU  162 , ROM  163 , RAM  164 , a storage device  165 , an input I/F  166 , an output I/F  167 , a communication I/F  168 , a reader device  169 , and a bus  170 . 
     Here, CPU stands for a central processing unit. ROM stands for a read only memory. RAM stands for a random access memory. I/F stands for an interface. CPU  162 , ROM  163 , RAM  164 , the storage device  165 , the input I/F  166 , the output I/F  167 , the communication I/F  168  and the reader device  169 , when necessary, are connected to the bus  170 . 
     When the computer  161  is the server  16 , CPU  162  reads out a program according to the present embodiment from the storage device  165  and functions as the distribution controller unit  43 , the distributor betting ticket information acquisition unit  44 , the distributor betting ticket information provider unit  45 , the user betting ticket information acquisition unit  46 , the payment processing unit  47 , and the notification controller unit  48 . ROM  163  stands for a read only memory. RAM  164  is a memory for a temporary storage. 
     The storage device  165  is a device for storing a high capacity of information. Various forms of storage devices can be used for the storage device  165  such as hard disk drives, solid state drives (SSD), and flash memories. The storage device  165  stores programs according to the embodiments of the present invention and various types of data stored in the storage unit  50 . 
     The input I/F  166  can connect to input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, an electronic camera, a web camera, a microphone, a scanner, a sensor, a tablet, a touch-screen display, and an information reader device. The output I/F  167  can connect to output devices such as a display, a touch-screen, a projector, a printer, and a speaker. 
     The communication I/F  168  is an interface such as a port for connecting to a communication network to communicate with other devices. The communication network may be a network such as the Internet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a dedicated line network, a wire communication network, and a wireless communication network. The reader device  169  is a device for reading out a portable recording medium. 
     The program that realizes the processing described in the above embodiments may be provided from a program provider over the communication network and through the communication I/F  168  and may be stored in the storage device  165 , for example. The program that realizes the processing described in the above embodiments may also be stored in a portable recording medium that are commercially available and are distributed in the marketplace. In such a case, the portable recording medium may be set to the reader device  169  and the stored program may be read out and executed by CPU  162 . Various forms of recording media such as CD-ROM, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a magnetic optical disk, an IC card, a USB memory device, and a semiconductor memory card can be used as the portable recording medium. Programs stored in such recording media are read out by the reader device  169 . 
     These programs may be installed in a standalone computer, or may be installed in a cloud computer so that only the functions are provided to users. In the present embodiment, an application program that can communicate with the server  16  is installed in the user terminals  12  to control the betting ticket purchase system of the present embodiment, which however does not limit this embodiment. For example, a user may access the server  16  by using a web browser installed in user terminal  12  and may use the system according to the present embodiment that is operated on the server  16  side. 
     According to the present embodiment, when the user X purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A, the user Y can be notified of information that the user X purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A. The present embodiment can consequently encourage the user Y to purchase a betting ticket that the distributor A predicted based on the notification. At that time, a notification informing that the user X, who has a prescribed relationship with the user Y, purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A is more likely to lead the user Y to the action of purchasing a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A than a notification informing that the third person, who has no relationship with the user Y, purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A. Accordingly, the present embodiment can increase the probability that the user Y purchases a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor A. 
     One mode of the present invention, when the first user purchases a betting ticket based on predictions of a distributor, can make a prescribed notification to the second user and can receive a betting ticket purchase request of the second user that was made in response to the notification. 
     In the present embodiment, the term “race” or “racing” is used as an example, which however does not limit this embodiment. For example, the term “competition”, “game”, “joust”, “play”, “contest”, etc. may be used in place of “race” or “racing”. 
     Although the present modes are explained above based on the embodiments and modifications, the embodiments in the above-described modes are for facilitating the understanding of the present modes and do not limit the present modes. The present modes can be changed or modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and the present modes include their equivalents. Some technical features may be eliminated as appropriate unless the present specification describes the technical features as essential. 
     In addition to the above-described embodiments, the following appendants are added. 
     Appendant 1 
     An information processor apparatus that can communicate with a terminal device used by a user over a communication network, the apparatus comprising: 
     an acquisition unit configured to acquire betting information indicating that a first user has made a bet based on provider-designated betting ticket information that indicates betting ticket information designated by a provider that provides betting ticket information related to a betting ticket for betting a prescribed value on a predicted result of racing; 
     a notification unit configured to notify, when the betting information is acquired, a terminal device of a second user who has a prescribed relationship with the first user of information related to the provider by using a prescribed relationship information; and 
     a reception unit configured to receive a betting ticket based on the provider-designated betting ticket information from the second user based on the notified information related to the provider. 
     This configuration allows for making a prescribed notification to the second user when the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor and for receiving a request, made on the basis of the notification, for purchasing a betting ticket from the second user. 
     Appendant 2 
     The information processor apparatus according to Appendant 1, wherein 
     as the information related to the provider, the notification unit notifies of at least one of information that the first user has made a bet based on the provider-designated betting ticket information and provider-related information that is information related to the provider. 
     This configuration allows for notifying the second user of, for example, the first user having purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor and details of the prediction of the distributor. 
     Appendant 3 
     The information processor apparatus according to Appendant 1, wherein 
     when a content related to the provider-designated betting ticket information is not displayed in the terminal device of the second user, the notification unit notifies the terminal device of the second user of information related to the content related to the provider-designated betting ticket information as the information related to the provider. 
     This configuration allows for notification to the terminal device of the second user even when the content related to the provider-designated betting ticket information is not in an active state (e.g., in an inactivated state) in the terminal device of the second user, for example. The terminal device of the second user that received the notification displays the details of the notification. 
     Appendant 4 
     The information processor apparatus according to any one of Appendants 1 to 3, wherein 
     the prescribed relation information is group information related to a group of users formed in advance, and the notification unit notifies the terminal device of the second user who is in the same group as the first user of the information related to the provider by using the group information. 
     This configuration allows for notifying users in the same group of a purchase action of other users. As a result, depending on the relationship between users, the first user&#39;s action of purchasing the betting ticket may encourage the second user to purchase a betting ticket and may lead to the second user&#39;s purchase of a betting ticket. 
     Appendant 5 
     A control program causing a computer that can communicate with a terminal device used by a user over a communication network to execute processing comprising: 
     acquiring betting information indicating that a first user has made a bet based on provider-designated betting ticket information that indicates betting ticket information designated by a provider that provides betting ticket information related to a betting ticket for betting a prescribed value on a predicted result of racing; 
     notifying, when the betting information is acquired, a terminal device of a second user who has a prescribed relationship with the first user of information related to the provider by using a prescribed relationship information; and 
     receiving a betting ticket based on the provider-designated betting ticket information from the second user based on the notified information related to the provider. 
     This configuration allows for making a prescribed notification to the second user when the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor and for receiving a request, made on the basis of the notification, for purchasing a betting ticket from the second user. 
     Appendant 6 
     A control method causing a computer that can communicate with a terminal device used by a user over a communication network to execute processing comprising: 
     acquiring betting information indicating that a first user has made a bet based on provider-designated betting ticket information that indicates betting ticket information designated by a provider that provides betting ticket information related to a betting ticket for betting a prescribed value on a predicted result of racing; 
     notifying, when the betting information is acquired, a terminal device of a second user who has a prescribed relationship with the first user of information related to the provider by using a prescribed relationship information; and 
     receiving a betting ticket based on the provider-designated betting ticket information from the second user based on the notified information related to the provider. 
     This configuration allows for making a prescribed notification to the second user when the first user purchased a betting ticket based on the prediction of the distributor and for receiving a request, made on the basis of the notification, for purchasing a betting ticket from the second user. 
     Appendant 7 
     An information processor apparatus that can communicate with a terminal device used by a user over a communication network, the apparatus comprising: 
     a specification unit configured to specify a video content selected by a first user from one or more video contents distributed by a provider; 
     a notification unit configured to notify a terminal device of the first user of betting ticket information of racing associated with the specified video content at a prescribed timing associated with the video content; and 
     a reception unit configured to receive a betting ticket based on the betting ticket information notified from the first user. 
     Even under the condition that a user had once viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not viewed the distributed video again since then, this configuration notifies the user of a message informing that information on the prediction of the distributor was registered, advising the user to place a bet. This prevents the user&#39;s loss of betting opportunity and also prevents a loss of opportunity for adopting the prediction on betting made by the distributor. 
     Appendant 8 
     The information processor apparatus according to Appendant 7, wherein 
     when a betting ticket based on the notified betting ticket information is received from the first user, the notification unit notifies a terminal device of a second user who is viewing the specified video content of information that the first user made a bet. 
     When the second user who has a prescribed relationship with the first user considers the purchase of a betting ticket after viewing a video content of the distributor A, this configuration can notify the terminal device of the second user of information that the first user has purchased a betting ticket based on the predictions of the distributor A. This configuration consequently encourages the second user to purchase a betting ticket that the second user is considering. 
     Appendant 9 
     A control program causing an information processor apparatus that can communicate with a terminal device used by a user over a communication network to execute processing comprising: 
     specifying a video content selected by a first user from one or more video contents distributed by a provider; 
     notifying a terminal device of the first user of betting ticket information of racing associated with the specified video content at a prescribed timing associated with the video content; and 
     receiving a betting ticket based on the betting ticket information notified from the first user. 
     Even under the condition that a user had once viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not viewed the distributed video again since then, this configuration notifies the user of a message informing that information on the prediction of the distributor was registered, advising the user to place a bet. This prevents the user&#39;s loss of betting opportunity and also prevents a loss of opportunity for adopting the prediction on betting made by the distributor. 
     Appendant 10 
     A control method executed by a computer that can communicate with a terminal device used by a user over a communication network, the method comprising: 
     specifying by a computer a video content selected by a first user from one or more video contents distributed by a provider; 
     notifying by a computer a terminal device of the first user of betting ticket information of racing associated with the specified video content at a prescribed timing associated with the video content; and 
     receiving by a computer a betting ticket based on the betting ticket information notified from the first user. 
     Even under the condition that a user had once viewed a video distributed by a distributor but has not viewed the distributed video again since then, this configuration notifies the user of a message informing that information on the prediction of the distributor was registered, advising the user to place a bet. This prevents the user&#39;s loss of betting opportunity and also prevents a loss of opportunity for adopting the prediction on betting made by the distributor.