Patent ID: 8490977

Claim:
A method, comprising the steps of: receiving at a broker computing device, from clients' remote devices, a plurality of bets on behalf of a plurality of clients, each bet including a bet amount, at least two bets, respectively from a first and second client, instructing the broker computing device to place bets on a game of chance, the bets from the first and second clients being substantially opposed to each other; combining the plurality of clients' bet amounts into a combined pool, the combined pool being sufficiently large to meet a minimum betting limit for a high-limit game of the first and second client's chosen type of game of chance, the high-limit's limit being larger than the individual bet amounts of the plurality of clients' bet amounts; using the combined pool to negotiate for at least one characteristic relating to a game of chance; the at least one negotiated-for characteristic being favorable to the clients; the at least one negotiated-for characteristic being not generally available to clients betting the respective bet amounts alone; receiving at the broker computing device first information about a first game of the chosen type of game of chance at a first casino and second information about a second game of the chosen type of game at a second casino different than the first casino; computing at the broker computing device, based at least in part on the first information and second information and based at least in part on the result of the negotiation, whether the first game at the first casino or the second game at the second casino is more favorable to the clients; using the broker computing device, placing a bet on the first game at the first casino or the second game at the second casino, depending at least in part on which is computed to be more favorable; the bet amount being above the minimum bet limit for the game; withholding offsetting portions of the first and second clients' opposed bet amounts from being bet on the game; receiving at the broker computing device information concerning the outcome of the game; if the outcome of the game shows that the combined bet is a winning bet in the game of chance, distributing winnings from the payout to the respective clients that placed bets on the winning outcome, the winnings being distributed based at least in part on an outcome of the game of chance and on a payout from the game of chance based on that outcome; and based on the outcome of the game, by computer instructing payout amounts to the first and/or second clients of amounts payable out of the offsetting portions of the bets withheld by the broker.