Advertising system for the internet and local area networks

Abstract

The present invention is an information service and advertising providing system for presenting interactive information services together with interactive advertising on a communications network such as the internet and LANs. The information service may be a game played interactively on the network while advertising is communicated between users and an advertising network node. However, other interactive services, such as are available on the internet, are also accessible for concurrent use with advertising presentations. advertising or promotionals may be selectively presented to users by comparing archived user profiles with demographic profiles of desired users. user responses to advertising may be used for evaluating advertising effectiveness such as for test or microtarget marketing. Compensation to users for viewing advertising may also be provided. For instance, users may be provided with subsidized internet access for receiving advertising while concurrently interacting with an internet service. Users may also be provided with various games and/or game tournaments via interactive network communications. Thus, users may respond to advertising while being entertained (e.g., via games), or while interacting with another network service.

REEXAMINATION RESULTS

The questions raised in reexamination proceeding No. 90/011,117, filed Jul. 27, 2010, have been considered, and the results thereof are reflected in this reissue patent which constitutes the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 307 as provided in 37 CFR 1.570(e) for ex parte reexaminations, or the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 316 as provided in 37 CFR 1.997(e) for inter partes reexaminations.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This is a Continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 08/759,895 filed Dec. 3, 1996 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,879) which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/010,361 filed Jan. 19, 1996, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/010,703 filed Jan. 26, 1996. The entire disclosure of the prior application 08/759,895, from which a copy of the oath or declaration is supplied, is considered to be part of the disclosure of the accompanying application and is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for automating the playing games such as blackjack so that they can be played continuously and asynchronously by a potentially large plurality of players substantially, and wherein information related to goods and services for sale can be exchanged between players and sponsors of advertisements presented during the playing of a game.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The cost effective automation of playing certain games, like blackjack, has been difficult due to the fact that these games typically require a dealer and only a relatively small number of players may play the game with a single dealer. However, with the popularity of local and wide-area data communication networks, it is desirable to have an automated gaming system for games such as blackjack wherein large numbers of players may cost-effectively and efficiently play such games.

Furthermore, it has been difficult to cost-effectively provide a network gaming system on such networks as the Internet in that gaming restrictions prohibit wagering and ante fees in most contexts except such situations as local area networks within a casino. However, since many players have an interest in playing casino-type games, it would also be desirable to have a way to benefit from interests in such games. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system that utilized a gaming context as a vehicle for delivering product and/or service information to users of a network such as the Internet. In particular, it would be desirable to have a data processing system that provided a large number of players with the ability to substantially asynchronously play casino-style games on the Internet for prizes at a reduced risk or at substantially no risk, wherein the data processing system coordinated the presentation of products and/or services from sponsors of the games so that there is a coordinated, interactive exchange of information between players and sponsors regarding advertisements, samples, prizes and questionnaires related to sponsor products and/or services.

Accordingly, since the present invention, as described in the sections hereinbelow, addresses the above-discussed problems within the context of playing blackjack, an overview of this particular game is provided so that the novelty and various related aspects of the present invention may be more fully appreciated.

DESCRIPTION OF BLACKJACK

The card game of blackjack is a game of chance played between a designated player known as a “dealer” and one or more other players. Basically, each player plays against the dealer in the sense that each player attempts to achieve a collection or hand of cards having a total score for the hand closer to the value 21 than the score of the hand of the dealer. However, if a player's card hand goes over 21, the player may lose any wagers bet on the hand regardless of the value of the card hand of the dealer.

In further detail, blackjack is typically played with one or more standard playing card decks wherein each card has a value. In particular, each of the face cards has the value of 10, and non-face card has a value identical to the numerical value as indicated on the card, except for aces. That is, for aces a value may be assigned of either 1 or 11, depending on which value a player deems most beneficial to his/her hand.

In one conventional method for playing blackjack, at the commencement of a blackjack hand, each player initially is provided with two cards and the dealer also receives two cards. Typically, one of the dealer's cards is dealt with the value of the card showing whereas the other card is dealt with the value of the card hidden. However, variations on when the dealer receives his/her cards may depend on the blackjack gaming rules where blackjack is being played but, in any case, one of the dealer's cards must be face-up before the players exercise various wagering options beyond an initial ante.

After a player has reviewed his/her cards, the player may request one or more additional cards in an attempt to get: (a) a value for a card hand that will be greater than the hand the dealer will have, and (b) a value for the card hand that is less than or equal to 21. Further, a player may under certain circumstances, as will be described below, simultaneously play more than one hand of cards against the dealer's cards. However, in requesting such additional cards, a player runs the risk of “busting” each hand played wherein the player loses his/her wager(s) on a card hand by adding cards to the hand until a value exceeding 21 occurs. Further note that such busting of a hand occurs regardless of whether or not the dealer has a card hand value of less than or equal to 21.

Note that after each player has ceased to request further cards (i.e., each player “stands” on his cards), the dealer either takes one or more further cards (i.e., “hits”) according to predetermined blackjack rules as established, for example, by the gaming establishment where the blackjack game is being conducted. In general, the dealer must take additional cards if his/her current card count total is less than 17 and the dealer must decline further cards if the dealer's hand has a value of 17 or more. However, there are various rules regarding whether a dealer may stand or hit when the card count total is a “soft 17.” That is, one of the dealer's cards is an ace (and therefore may have a value of 1 or 11) and one of the values for the dealer's hand is 17. For example, the dealer may be required to take a hit on a soft 17.

Since a hit(s) taken by the dealer is performed after all players have exercised their wagering options, the final numerical value of the dealer's hand is then compared to the final numerical value of each of the player's hand(s) to determine the winning and losing wagers. Note that if the dealer's hand exceeds the value of 21, then any player that has not busted wins the wagers for their hand(s) regardless of the hand's total value. Alternatively, if the dealer's card hand is less or equal to 21, then it is compared with each of the player's card hand(s) and in each comparison the card hand with the closest total value to 21 without exceeding 21 wins. Of course, ties are possible. In such cases (called a “push”), the player's wager(s) on his/her card hand are returned.

It is typical in blackjack to have at least three additional player options depending on the circumstances of play. A first such option is known as “doubling down” wherein if the player's first two cards have a value within a predetermined range (e.g., 10 or 11), then the player may double his or her wager and once dealt a single additional card, the total of the three card hand becomes the value for the player's hand. Alternatively, another option is that of “splitting pairs” wherein if the player's first two cards are identical with the exception of suit (i.e., a pair), then the pair may be split so that two card hands are created with one card of the pair in each hand. Thus, the player must wager on each of the hands at least the initial wagering or ante amount. Subsequently, a second card and any subsequent successive cards are dealt to each of the separate hands as the player requests and the results of both hands are compared to the dealer's hand, assuming neither the dealer nor either of the player's two hands busts.

In a third option, played immediately after each player has been dealt their first two cards and the dealer has been dealt at least a first card, a player may request “insurance” under the circumstances where the dealer's single face-up card is an ace. In this circumstance, the player is betting that the dealer has blackjack (i.e., a card value total of 21). If the dealer does not have blackjack, then the insurance bet is forfeited and the player plays his/her blackjack hand as if the insurance bet were never made. Note that the player can typically wager an insurance bet of one-half of the amount of his/her initial blackjack wager or ante and if the dealer has blackjack, then the dealer (or the gaming establishment) pays the player double or triple his/her insurance bet.

Further note that options for splitting pairs and doubling down may interact with one another according to certain pre-established gaming establishment rules wherein, for example, a player may double down on one or more of his/her split hands.

Additionally, there are blackjack tournaments having tournament entrants that compete against each other for tournament prizes. In such tournaments each entrant has a fixed initial number of points that can be wagered in a pre-established number of tournament blackjack games to be played. Accordingly, the player having the highest number of points at the end of the tournament wins the tournament. Note that in such tournaments, there may be specific guidelines established at the beginning of the tournament for varying the blackjack gaming rules between tournament games. For example, rules may vary on when a player may split pairs repeatedly during the same blackjack game. Also, double down rules may vary so that, for example, after a splitting of pairs, a player may be allowed to double down on any two cards or, alternatively, an additional wager of less than the initial wager may be acceptable when a player requests to double down.

However, in all known variations of blackjack, players are only allowed to enter a blackjack game at the completion of a previous game and, further, there is a relatively small number of players that can play blackjack at a dealer's station simultaneously. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system for playing blackjack wherein potentially a very large number of players can play blackjack simultaneously from a single dealer station and wherein players can commence playing blackjack at their own discretion without waiting for a previous blackjack game to complete.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a computerized interactive advertising system (i.e., method and apparatus) for exchanging information regarding goods and/or services between a first population of users (hereinafter also known as “players” or “users”) and a second population of users (hereinafter also known as “sponsors” or “advertisers”). In particular, the sponsors or advertisers may present information related to goods and/or services to the players using the present invention and the players may view this information while, for example, interacting with the present invention for playing a game such as blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, pai gow or the like. Moreover, a player may also interact with the present invention so that the player has the capability for responding to sponsor or advertiser presented questionnaires, as well as for purchasing or viewing sponsor goods and/or services. Thus, the present invention provides an information exchange service within a gaming context for enticing players to view and/or interact with sponsor presentations such as interactive advertisements.

It is also an aspect of the present invention that each player or user is presented with advertisements for products and/or services, wherein it is believed the player will be receptive to the advertisement. That is, the present invention selectively presents advertisements to each player, according to stored characteristics and preferences of the player that the present invention has determined from, for example, player supplied personal information, player responses to questions, and/or analysis of player interactions such as player requests for additional information related an advertisement. Thus, such a selective presentation of advertisements allows a sponsor or advertiser to provide information related to relatively extensive or expensive promotionals (e.g., demonstrations, samples, discounts, trial subscriptions, prizes, bonuses) to players most likely to subsequently purchase the advertised product or service. Consequently, such selectivity can greatly increase the cost effectiveness of advertising, wherein the term, advertising (or advertising presentation), as used herein is understood to include not only product or service presentations that are merely informational, but also more interactive advertising presentations such as promotionals wherein discounts, free samples or a trial usage may be offered.

Moreover, it is an aspect of the present invention that each player may interact with and play a game at a time and pace (i.e., tempo) substantially of the player's choosing. In particular, the player is not bound by a required order or sequence of play involving other players, even though the player may be in competition with other players. In fact, a player may cease play for an extended time while in the midst of a game and subsequently continue the game at the point where the player ceased to play. Thus, if the present invention is easily accessible, then players may interact with the present invention at their leisure.

Accordingly, in a related aspect of the present invention, it is intended that players (more generally, users) are able to interact with the present invention remotely, as for example, via the Internet and/or an interactive cable television network. Thus, using an Internet embodiment as an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a gaming web site may be provided wherein players may access the interactive gaming capabilities of the present invention and substantially simultaneously also be presented with sponsor or advertiser provided information related to goods and/or services of the sponsor or advertiser (those two terms being used substantially interchangeably to denote e.g., those who provide advertising to users and/or subsidize game playing, product promotionals or network access). Moreover, the sponsor provided information may include, for example, hypertext links (also denoted hyperlinks) that allow players to activate, for example, network transfers for obtaining additional information regarding a sponsor's goods and/or services regardless of the status of any game in which a player may be currently involved at the gaming web site.

It is a further aspect in one embodiment of the present invention that a player is able to commence play of a game at substantially any time the player accesses the present invention. That is, it is not necessary for any previous game being played by other players to be completed for the player to commence play. In other words, games provided by the present invention may be continuously and asynchronously commenced or entered by players.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to require each player to use a distinct identification provided when the player “registers” with the present invention before playing any games so that a network site for the invention may be able to identify each player. Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention during registration, that each player provides personal information about him/herself both for gaming identification and for use as selection criteria by sponsors or advertisers for presenting particular presentations. For example, in the case of an Internet embodiment of the present invention, such registering can be performed via the Internet prior to play of any games at a gaming/advertising web site. Thus, players may be required to provide the present invention with information about themselves such as name, address, E-mail address, age, sex, and/or other player characteristics deemed pertinent to one or more sponsors or advertisers. Accordingly, the present invention provides a sponsor or advertiser with the capability to target its presentations substantially only to players or users having selected characteristics as, for example, determined from player information provided when registering with a network site for the present invention.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to have players compete against one another for prizes in one or more gaming tournaments. Using the Internet embodiment of the present invention as illustrative, a gaming/advertising web site for the present invention may partition the population of players into competitive groups wherein each group includes the players for a distinct tournament. Moreover, the present invention may determine a competitive group according to criteria such as: (a) the game(s) to be played in the tournament; (b) a skill level for the players (e.g., as determined by play in a previous tournament(s)); (c) particular player characteristics such as age, area of residence, home ownership, etc.; (d) particular player lifestyle traits such as traits exhibited by exercise enthusiasts or cruise ship enthusiasts; and (e) particular player preferences such as preferences related to jewelry, personal care products or particular sports.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to allow players to play games offered by the present invention without incurring financial risk or charges beyond those that are typical for the network being used in accessing the present invention.

It is a particular aspect of the present invention to provide blackjack and other casino-style games such as craps, roulette, poker, pai gow, or variations thereof, wherein such games may be played by a plurality of players continuously and asynchronously, and wherein each game is likely to be unique from all other games being played concurrently. Furthermore, in a related aspect of the present invention, such games may be automated so as to not require a manual dealer. Also, the present invention may be played, in one embodiment, in a gaming establishment (e.g., casino) using low cost gaming stations at which players may play such games entirely electronically. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the present invention may be used to play such casino style games as blackjack on the Internet. In this later embodiment, a blackjack game controller for the present invention communicates with blackjack players at Internet client nodes via a web site from which the blackjack game controller is accessed. Thus, blackjack players may play blackjack in the privacy of their own homes and at their leisure since the present invention does not require that a particular tempo of a blackjack game be maintained.

Additionally, the present invention utilizes novel varieties in such games, as blackjack, that make the games more enjoyable for users. For example, using variations of blackjack as illustrative, in one novel embodiment wherein the dealer functions are automated by a dealer module, this module can play blackjack with a plurality of players concurrently such that each player appears to be playing exclusively with the dealer module (e.g., “head-to-head”). Moreover, in one blackjack embodiment, each blackjack game is played asynchronously from other concurrent blackjack games with the dealer module. Furthermore, the dealer module may play a different dealer card hand with each player. In particular, the initial one (or two) cards (or card representations) dealt to the dealer for each game are unlikely to be the same for any two blackjack games being played with the dealer module; i.e., the probability of any two concurrently played blackjack games being identical is substantially equal to chance. Accordingly, this variation is particularly worthwhile when players are playing remotely through a network such as the Internet. Alternatively, in a different blackjack variation, the dealer module and each player concurrently playing blackjack with the dealer module may be provided with cards (or card representations) from the beginning of an identical sequence of card representations. Thus, each concurrently playing player receives an identical initial card hand and the dealer is also dealt an identical initial card hand. Subsequently, the card hands within each concurrent game will vary only if players request further cards differently. Accordingly, this variation of blackjack is particularly useful in tournament blackjack played within the confines of a casino, wherein the play of each player in the tournament is synchronized to start and stop within a predetermined interval. Note that this variation of blackjack is enjoyed by tournament players in that the tournament players may consider it a better or fairer way for demonstrating blackjack playing skill.

In particular, FIGS. 8A and 8B is a block diagram of an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein an advertisement sending daemon (i.e., TCP/IP daemon ad sender on the host computer 308) and an advertisement receiving daemon 806 (on the client end user machine 318) communicate for periodically displaying advertisements and other announcements to a user on the end user machine 318. sequenceadvertingFor exampleAn additional and/or alternative description of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B is as follows: users may use the present invention to access the INTERNET 324 on a reduced cost or free basis, by using whatever TCP/IP SLIP/PPP package they desire and registering with the web server 308. That is, a user can sign up or register by dialing into a terminal server with normal serial dialing and log on as a user identified by the identifier “NEW.” User “NEW” is then forced into a connection to an enrollment or registration program so he/she can provide information requested by the present invention. When enrollment is completed, the present invention allows the user to download a communications daemon (e.g., ad receiver daemon 806) to the user's Internet client node 318. The user may then install the daemon on their machine (Internet client node 318) and dial-up with their favorite TCP/IP package.

However, upon accessing the host 308, the user accesses basic functionality of the DISPLAY ENGINE 622 that starts up the downloaded daemon 806. The network host 308 periodically queries each active port on the terminal servers (e.g., Internet client node 318) to get the IP addresses and then send a short message to the daemon 806 which is listening in on a specific port. The DISPLAY ENGINE 622 may also disable access by an end user machine 318 after a certain number of failures.

Note that the host 308 periodically sends an item to the downloaded daemon 806 to display. The daemon then displays the message (advertisement) in a window (of the WWW browser 640) on the user's screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for presenting one of products and services while providing an a user interactive informational service on a network, comprising:

an advertising selector for determining, for each of a plurality of users, a corresponding advertising presentation, from a plurality of advertising presentations, to present to the user at a corresponding node of the network, wherein each presentation (P) of at least some presentations of said corresponding advertising presentations is unrequested, and is used for presenting information about at least one of a product and a service;

wherein the advertising selector communicates with each node for the plurality of users through the network;

a service providing computational system for providing a first of the users with a requested corresponding instance of the informational service, wherein the instance includes a plurality of user interactions by the first user, via each user interaction providing data for a corresponding different transmission on the network, with the service providing computational system;

wherein a corresponding user input for activating the corresponding instance is received prior to activation of the advertising selector for determining the corresponding advertising presentation;

a combiner for obtaining combined data, wherein said combined data is a result of combining at least one of said corresponding advertising presentation presentations with data for displaying at least a portion of said corresponding instance, the portion being transmitted on the network as a response to one of the user interactions, said at least one corresponding advertising presentation including at least one network link for identifying another presentation related to said at least one corresponding advertising presentation, said network link associated with a corresponding one or more locations on a display of said at least one corresponding advertising presentation, wherein a first user input indicative of at least one of said locations activates said network link for presenting said another presentation;

wherein said service providing computational system provides substantially a same informational content of the corresponding instance, regardless of which of said advertising presentations are combined therewith;

a network interface for (a) and (b) following:

(a) transmitting, via the network, and for each user interaction of the user interactions, a corresponding occurrence of said combined data to the first user for display during as a response to the user interactions interaction with said corresponding instance, wherein the at least one corresponding advertising presentation and the informational content for the occurrence, are presented concurrently at the first user's corresponding node;

(b) receiving, from the first user, one or more user data items indicative of an action in response to at least one of the occurrences of said combined data being presented; and

one or more user response processing modules for one or more of: evaluating an effectiveness of said corresponding presentation, and obtaining another one of said advertising presentations for providing to said combiner, said processing modules receiving said one or more user data items.

2. The method apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interactive informational service includes a playing of a game as the corresponding instance, wherein the combined data is in response to a user game play transmitted to the service providing computational system, wherein a portion of the network used for communications between said service providing computational system and the first user includes a portion of the internet, and further including a means for generating a value determined using said user data items, wherein said value is provided to a party requesting a first of said advertising presentations be presented to the users accessing the internet.

3. A method of playing a game, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining which of the users the advertising is to be presented thereto;

subsequently performing, for each user of the users, the following steps (1) through (5) following;

(1) generating electronic game tokens for playing the game, said game tokens played in instances of the game to affect outcomes of the instances, wherein the electronic game tokens are representations of game indicia;

(2) receiving player identification data prior to at least a first player playing the game, wherein said identification data is used to identify information related to the first player in subsequent instances of the game;

(3) first playing a first instance of the game interactively with the first player and a substantially electronic game playing module, wherein said game playing module plays a first sequence of said game tokens, wherein at least one of the tokens of the first sequence is provided upon request;

(4) second playing a second instance of the game interactively with a second player and said game playing module, wherein said first and second game instances overlap in time, and wherein said game playing module plays a second sequence of game tokens when playing said second instance of the game;

wherein said first and second sequences have at least different game tokens in at least one identical game token position, in each of said first and second sequences; and

(5) presenting to the first player, during said first instance, an advertisement capable of changing to a different advertising presentation when the first player responds to said advertisement, wherein said change to said different advertising presentation does not change an availability to subsequently perform game plays of said first instance;

wherein for determining the advertisement, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the advertisement;

wherein in playing each of the first and second instances of the game, instances of combined data are obtained using a common advertising selector for determining, for each instance of the combined data, corresponding advertising for combining with a game play, the instance of combined data subsequently transmitted on a network, respectively, to one of the first and second players;

wherein for each player of the first and second players, each instance of the combined data therefor is (a) transmitted on the network in response to a user interaction by the player, and (b) the advertising and the game play therein are presented concurrently to the player.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein one or more of:

(a) said token representations are useful for playing one or more of the following games: blackjack, poker, pia gow, craps, and roulette; and

(b) said game tokens include token representations of one or more of: cards, and dice.

5. A method of viewing a presentation related to one of a product and a service while playing a user interactive game on a network, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics for the users for determining which of the users the advertising is to be presented thereto;

wherein at least one of the characteristics for each user is not a characteristic of the advertisers used for selecting advertising;

subsequently performing, for each user of the users, the following steps (1) through (6) following;

(1) communicating with a server network node that provides network access to one or more games capable of being played using communications on said network;

(2) playing one of said games using communications between a first user node for the user, and said server network node;

(3) presenting a first presentation at said first user node, wherein said first presentation is initially presented between two plays of the game and wherein said first presentation is capable of being replaced by a different second presentation, during the game, without changing a play of the game;

wherein for determining the first presentation, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the first presentation;

wherein during the user playing the one game, instances of combined data are obtained using an advertising selector for determining, for each instance of the combined data, corresponding advertising for combining with a game play, the instance of combined data subsequently transmitted on the network to the first user node;

wherein each instance of the combined data is (a) transmitted on the network in response to a user interaction by the user, and (b) the advertising and the game play therein are presented concurrently to the user;

(4) detecting an action in response to said first presentation;

(5) transmitting a data item indicative of said action to a second network node not contacted for the playing of the game with the user; and

(6) conducting a network communication between the user and the second network node, in response to said data item, for information related to the purchase of at least one of: a product and a service.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further including, in response to said step of detecting, a step of identifying a network address of the second network node without the user inputting the network address.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said step of identifying includes activating a hyperlink.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, further including a step of subsidizing the user's access to said network.

9. A method of advertising on the internet, comprising:

activating by an internet accessible user node, an instance of an interactive service available at a first internet accessible node via a first internet connection;

first presenting a first presentation, via the internet, to a user at said user node, during internet interactions between the user and the service, wherein said first presentation identifies at least one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service; and wherein said first presentation is: unrequested by the user, and substantially unrelated to a performance of the service by the user;

transmitting data, via an internet communication, indicative of an action by the user in response to said step of first presenting;

receiving, via the internet, a second presentation for presenting to the user, wherein said second presentation is determined using said data, said second presentation also identifying one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service; and

second presenting to the user said second presentation during the first internet connection.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said step of activating the service includes providing an internet transmission to a second internet accessible node, wherein said second internet accessible node performs at least said first presenting step; and

said second internet accessible node includes an internet website that at least one of:

(a) provides said first internet connection;

(b) provides an offer to subsidize said first internet connection;

(c) stores information on said first internet accessible node for use in a second internet connection different from said first internet connection; and

(d) stores information related to the user for selecting an advertising presentation for presenting to the user.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 135, wherein the service is one or more of:

(a) a game; and

(b) substantially any service available on the internet through an internet service provider by which the user accesses the internet, such that when the user connects to the internet, said internet service provider provides a communication to a predetermined website that subsequently transmits said first presentation to said user node.

12. A method for providing advertising related information while playing a user interactive game on a communications network, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining which of the users the advertising is to be presented thereof;

subsequently performing, for each user of the users, the following steps (1) through (5) following;

contacting a game playing network node by a user at a user network node;

initiating an instance of the game by the user at the user network node, wherein the instance includes a plurality of user plays;

first receiving one or more advertising related presentations by the user for presentation during a playing of the instance of the game, wherein for at least a duration of time between a pair of some of the user plays, a first of said one or more advertising presentations is presented at the user network node, wherein said first advertising related presentation was not presented to the user during the instance of the game between a different pair of some two of the user plays, wherein at least one of said advertising related presentations is interactive and has network node identifying information for accessing an additional network node different from said game playing network node, said additional network node having an additional presentation responsive to a user input to said at least one advertising related presentation;

wherein for determining the first advertising presentation, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the first presentation;

wherein during the user playing the instance of the game, instances of combined data are obtained using an advertising selector for determining, for each instance of the combined data, corresponding advertising that is combined with a game play for being subsequently transmitted on the network to the user network node;

wherein each instance of the combined data is (a) transmitted on the network in response to a user input, and (b) the advertising and the game play therein are presented concurrently to the user;

wherein for each instance of the combined data, the advertising therein and a play of the game therein are combined in response to a previous game play by the user;

transmitting for said at least one advertising related presentation, user response data to said additional network node, wherein said user response data is related to one or more responses by the user to said at least one advertising related presentation; and

second receiving by the user network node another advertising related presentation providing additional information about a product or service advertised in said at least one advertising related presentation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of:

(a) said at least one advertising related presentation includes a hyperlink for said network node identifying information; and

(b) said first advertising related presentation and said at least one advertising related presentation are identical.

14. A method of advertising on the internet, comprising:

for each of one or more users accessing the internet, the following steps are performed:

first transmitting, from the user, an internet request for contacting a providing node of the internet, said providing node provides access to one or more display presentations for a user interactive service with which the user desires to interact, wherein said request has associated therewith an internet address for contacting the providing node, and wherein said interactive service is interactive via the internet with the user;

first receiving, via the providing node, said one or more display presentations for presenting on at least a portion of a display of a user node by which the user accesses the internet;

first presenting, by the user node, overlapping with a display of at least one of the display presentations, a first one or more interactive advertising presentations for providing information related to one or more of a product and a service, wherein said first one or more interactive advertising presentations are received via the internet in response to internet transmissions by the providing node, and displayed on at least a portion of said display;

wherein the first one or more interactive advertising presentations, and the at least one of the display presentations are determined in response to a user input resulting in a transmission to the providing node, the user input including a request for the at least one of the display presentations;

wherein the first one or more interactive advertising presentations, and the at least one of the display presentations are combined at the providing node for transmission to the user node via the internet;

second presenting, by the user node over time, one or more additional advertising presentations, said additional advertising presentations are sequentially presented on the user node having delay therebetween provided by the providing node, each said additional advertising presentation for providing information related to one of a product and a service, wherein each of at least most of said additional advertising presentations is: (a) received via the internet in response to internet transmissions by the providing node, and (b) not in response to any prior user input obtained in the first transmitting, first receiving, and first presenting steps, and (c) displayed on at least a portion of said display without the user providing an a user node input that is (i) subsequent to said steps of first transmitting, first receiving and first presenting, and (ii) to which said one or more additional advertising presentations are would be responsively provided;

second transmitting, via the internet, data indicative of an action by the user in response to one of said first and said additional advertising presentations, wherein said data is transmitted: (a) from said user node, and (b) to a destination node of the internet, said destination node identified at said user node by destination internet link information used for transmitting said data;

second receiving, via the internet, another presentation for presenting to the user at said user node, wherein said another presentation is responsive to said action by the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein one three or more of the following hold:

(a) said step of second presenting includes periodically transmitting via the internet one of said additional advertising presentations to said user node;

(b) said step of second presenting includes forcing a display of at least one of said additional advertising presentations to be exposed on said display;

(c) said forced display is forcing a display of at least one of said additional advertising presentations to be exposed on said display in exchange for subsidizing a cost related to accessing the internet, wherein said subsidizing the cost related to accessing the internet includes one of: a subsidy of an internet access charge, and free access to the internet;

(d) said first advertising presentations is one of: (i) received from the providing node as part of the at least one display presentation, and (ii) received from an internet site providing for the forced exposure of said first advertising presentations on said display;

(e) said destination internet link information includes a hyperlink for accessing said destination internet node;

(f) said destination internet node is an internet site for a sponsor of said advertising presentation to which said action by the user is responsive; and

(g) said display presentations are related to a game, and said providing node includes an internet web site for determining at least one play of said game.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said providing node is not said destination node, and said destination internet link information is not indicative of said providing node being said destination node.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein one or more of:

(a) at least one of said steps of first and second presenting is in response to a communication: (i) from said providing node connecting the user to the internet, and (ii) to some internet node so that said some internet node transmits one or more of: said first advertising presentations, and said additional advertising presentations to the user node;

(b) said step of second receiving includes receiving further information related to the product or service of the advertising presentation for which said action by the user is a response;

(c) further including a step of third presenting said another presentation on said internet user node, wherein at least a portion of said display maintains a graphical format displayed prior to said step of third presenting.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of second presenting includes presenting at least one of said additional advertising presentations overlapping with a display of at least one of said display presentations.

19. A method of advertising on the internet, comprising:

for each of one or more users accessing the internet, the following steps are performed:

receiving, at an internet providing node and from a user node by which the user accesses the internet, an internet request for one or more display presentations of an interactive service, wherein said request has associated therewith an internet address for contacting the providing node, and wherein said interactive service is interactive via the internet between said providing node and the user;

transmitting to the user node, in response to said internet request (a) and (b) following:

(a) said one or more display presentations of said service for presenting on at least a portion of a display for the user node, and

(b) one or more advertising presentations, wherein a first of said advertising presentations is also displayed on at least a portion of said display with at least one of said display presentations;

wherein, over time, one or more additional of said advertising presentations are presented on at least a portion of said display without the user providing an input having a corresponding next response that presents said one or more additional advertising presentations;

wherein at least one of said first and said additional advertising presentations is capable of responding to an action by the user by transmitting, via the internet, data indicative of said action to a destination internet node, wherein said destination node is identified by destination internet link information, provided in said step of transmitting, for contacting said destination node with said data.

20. The method of claim 19, further including a step of second presenting, by the user node over time, one or more additional advertising presentations, each said additional advertising presentation for providing information related to one of a product and a service, wherein each of said additional advertising presentations is: (1) received via the internet in response to internet transmissions by the providing node, and (2) displayed on at least a portion of said display without the user providing an input subsequent to said steps of first transmitting, first receiving and first presenting to which said one or more additional advertising presentations are responsively provided;

wherein one or more of:

(a) said step of second presenting includes periodically transmitting via the internet one of said additional advertising presentations to said user node;

(b) said step of second presenting includes forcing a display of at least one of said additional advertising presentations to be exposed on said display;

(c) said display presentations are related to a game;

(d) said first advertising presentations is one of (i) and (ii):

(i) received from the providing node as part of the at least one display presentation, and

(ii) received from an internet site providing for the forced exposure of said first advertising presentation on said display;

(e) said first advertising presentation is received from the providing node for the forced exposure of said first advertising presentation on said display, said forced exposure of said first advertising presentation is in exchange for subsidizing a cost related to accessing the internet, wherein said subsidizing the cost related to accessing the internet includes one of: a subsidy of an internet access charge, and free access to the internet;

(f) said providing node is an internet website;

(g) at least one of said steps of first and second presenting are in response to a communication:

(i) from an internet service provider connecting the user to the internet, and

(ii) to some internet node so that said some internet node transmits one or more of: said first advertising presentation, and said additional advertising presentations to the user node;

(h) said destination internet link is used for providing a hyperlink for accessing said destination internet node;

(i) further including a step of third presenting said another presentation on said internet user node, wherein at least a portion of said display maintains a graphical format displayed prior to said step of third presenting;

(j) said destination internet node is an internet site for a sponsor of said at least one advertising presentation to which said action by the user is responsive; and

(k) further including a step of the user registering at the providing node prior to receiving said one or more presentations.

21. A method of advertising on a network, comprising:

for each of one or more users accessing the network, the following steps are performed:

first transmitting, from the user, a corresponding request for accessing a providing node of the network, said providing node provides one or more interactive display presentations, wherein said request has associated therewith a network address for identifying the providing node;

wherein for each presentation of said one or more display presentations, the presentation includes a content for display to the user, wherein upon display to the user, the content provides for user interaction with the providing node, the content not including data for display of interactive advertising;

first receiving, from the providing node via the network, said one or more interactive display presentations for presenting on at least a portion of a display of a user node by which the user accesses the network, and wherein said interactive display presentations are interactive, via the network, between the user and said providing node;

wherein data for at least one of said interactive display presentations is combined with data for a first advertising presentation, prior to transmission on the network to the user node, to thereby obtain combined data, and wherein the combined data is transmitted to the user node in response to a user request;

first presenting, by the user node, concurrently with the at least one of the interactive display presentations, a the first advertising presentation for providing information related to one of a product and a service, wherein said first advertising presentation is received via the network from some one node of the network, and displayed on at least a portion of said display;

subseqeuntly, second receiving and presenting, by the user node over time, one or more additional advertising presentations, each said additional advertising presentation for providing information related to one of a product and a service, wherein each of at least most of said additional advertising presentations is:

(a) received via the network from said some one node, and

(b) displayed on at least a portion of said display without the user providing an input that causes said additional advertising presentation to be displayed;

second transmitting, via the network, data indicative of an action by the user in response to one of said first and said additional advertising presentations, wherein said data indicative of an action is transmitted:

(i) from said user node, and

(ii) to a destination node of the network, said destination node identified at said user node by a destination network address used for transmitting said data; and

second receiving, via the network, another presentation for presenting to the user at said user node, wherein said another presentation is responsive to said step of second transmitting.

22. The method of claim 20 21, wherein (f) and (k) below hold in addition to one or more of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (l), (m), (n), and (o):

(a) said step of second presenting includes periodically transmitting one of said additional advertising presentations to said network user node;

(b) said step of second presenting includes forcing a display of at least one of said additional advertising presentations to be exposed on said display;

(c) at least a portion of said network is used in one of said steps first and second receiving and first and second transmitting includes the internet;

(d) at least a portion of said network used in one of said steps of first and second receiving, and first and second transmitting communicates using TCP/IP as a network protocol;

(e) said network providing node and said some one network node are at a same internet site;

(f) said internet site provides internet communications via the network to said network user node so that the user can play an interactive game using the internet communications;

(g) said step of first receiving includes interacting with an internet informational service accessible from the network providing node when said interactive display presentations are displayed at said network user node;

(h) said step of second receiving includes receiving further information related to the product or service of the one of said first and said additional advertising presentation presentations for which said action by the user is a response;

(i) said network address includes internet addressing information for use in routing the request through the internet to said network providing node;

(j) said step of second presenting includes presenting at least one of said additional advertising presentations concurrently with at least one of said interactive display presentations;

(k) said at least one interactive display presentation includes an output from a game instance;

(l) said destination network address is used by a hyperlink for accessing said destination network node;

(m) further including a step of third presenting said another presentation on said network user node, wherein at least a portion of said display maintains a graphical format displayed prior to said step of third presenting;

(n) said destination network node is an internet site for a sponsor of said advertising presentation to which said action by the user is responsive; and

(o) said destination network node is an internet site identical to one of: said network providing node, and said some network node.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of said steps of first and second presenting is in response to a communication: (a) from an internet service provider connecting the user to the network, and (b) to said some one network node so that said some one network node transmits one or more of: said first advertising presentation, and said additional advertising presentations to the network user node.

24. A method for providing advertising related information while playing a game on the internet, comprising:

contacting a game playing internet site by a user at a user internet station for initiating the playing an instance of a game via an internet connection;

transmitting user identification information prior to the user playing an the instance of the game, wherein said user identification information is used to identify additional personal information related to the user for use during at least one subsequent play of the instance of the game;

initiating said at least one instance of the game by the user at the user internet station, wherein said at least one instance includes a plurality of user plays;

first receiving, by the user, one or more advertising related presentations for presentation during a playing of said at least one instance of the game, wherein at least one of said advertising related presentations accesses internet site identifying information for contacting, on the internet connection, an additional internet site different from said game playing internet site, said additional internet site having an additional presentation responsive to input by the user to said at least one advertising related presentation;

wherein data for the at least one advertising related presentation is combined with a response to one of the user plays of the instance of the game for obtaining combined data prior to performance of the first receiving step, the combined data transmitted on the internet connection, wherein the at least one advertising related presentation and the response to the one user play are presented concurrently to the user;

transmitting, for said at least one advertising related presentation, user response data to said additional internet site, wherein said user response data is indicative of one or more inputs by the user to said at least one advertising related presentation; and

second receiving, by the user internet station, another advertising related presentation providing additional information about a product or service advertised in said at least one advertising related presentation.

25. A method of advertising on the internet, comprising:

for each of one or more users accessing the internet, the following steps are performed:

providing, by the user, information for a subsidized internet access from an internet service provider;

connecting, by the user, to the internet via said internet service provider;

first receiving, from a first internet site via the internet, a first transmission of one or more advertising presentations for presenting on at least a portion of a display of a user node by which the user accesses the internet, wherein said first transmission is in response to first said step of connecting;

wherein said advertising presentations are unrequested by the user, and the internet access terminates as a result of one or more of said advertising presentations not being presented on the user node;

first presenting, by the user node, concurrently with at least one of the advertising presentations, a collection of one or more internet presentations from one or more internet sites different from said first internet site;

subsequently, second receiving, by the user node over time, one or more additional advertising transmissions, from the first internet site, for presenting to the user concurrently with said collection of internet presentations, each said additional advertising transmission for providing information related to one of a product and a service, wherein each of at least most of said additional advertising transmissions is: (a) received via the internet from said first internet site, and (b) displayed on at least a portion of said display, wherein both (a) and (b) are performed independently of the user providing a corresponding request to said first internet site;

second transmitting, via the internet, data indicative of an action by the user in response to a presentation of one of said first and said additional advertising transmissions, wherein said data is transmitted: (a) from said user node, and (b) to a destination node of the internet, said destination node identified at said user node by destination internet link information used for transmitting said data;

second receiving, via the internet, another presentation for presenting to the user at said user node, wherein said another presentation is responsive to said action by the user.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said internet service provider and said first internet site have a same internet address.

27. A method for providing advertising related information while playing a game on a communications network, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining which of the users the advertising is to be presented thereto;

subsequently, performing the following substeps (A1) through (A2) for each of a plurality of users:

(A1) providing, in response to a request on the communications network by the user, access to an instance of the game for playing by the user, wherein the instance includes a plurality of user plays;

(A2) transmitting one or more advertising related presentations to the user for presentation during a playing of the instance of the game, wherein for at least a duration of time between a pair of some of the user plays, a first of said one or more advertising related presentations is presented to the user, wherein said first advertising related presentation was not presented to the user during the instance of the game between a different pair of some two of the user plays, and wherein for at least one of said advertising related presentations, (a) and (b) following hold:

(a) said at least one advertising related presentation has associated therewith network linking information identifying a corresponding one of a plurality of nodes connected to the communications network, said network linking information being identical for transmissions of said at least one advertising related presentation for at least most of the users; and

(b) said at least one advertising related presentation is capable of providing a responsive transmission, for transmitting on the communications network, corresponding data related to one or more responses by the user to said at least one advertising related presentation;

wherein for determining the first advertising related presentation, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the first advertising related presentation;

wherein during the user playing the instance of the game, instances of combined data are obtained using an advertising selector for determining, for each instance of the combined data, corresponding advertising for combining with a game play, the instance of combined data subsequently transmitted on the network to the user;

wherein each instance of the combined data is (i) transmitted on the network in response to a user input, and (ii) the advertising and the game play therein are presented concurrently to the user;

providing advertising related information to a first advertiser for said at least one advertising related presentation, wherein said advertising related information is obtained using said corresponding data for said at least one advertising presentation.

28. A The method as claimed in of claim 27, wherein said step of transmitting occurs during at least a portion of a presentation of the instance of the game, and said network linking information is used in providing a hyperlink to said corresponding node.

29. A The method as claimed in of claim 27, further including a step of determining a perceived effectiveness of said at least one advertising related presentation using said corresponding data received from said responses from at least some of the one or more users.

30. A The method as claimed in of claim 29, wherein said perceived effectiveness of said at least one advertising related presentation includes (a) following, and one or more of the (b), (c) and (d) following:

(a) a measurement related to a number of the users to which said at least one advertising related presentation is displayed,

(b) a measurement related to a number of times said at least one advertising related presentation is displayed to some of the users,

(c) a measurement related to a number of favorable responses by the users to said at least one advertising related presentation, and

(d) a measurement related to a number of promotionals provided to the users, said promotionals related to at least one product or service of said at least one advertising related presentation.

31. A The method as claimed in of claim 30, further including a step of charging the first advertiser using at least one of said measurement (a) through (d) of claim 30, wherein advertisements for the first advertiser are selected for presentation to the users according to one of: the user's gender, age, financial status, education, marital status, and size of household.

32. A The method as claimed in of claim 27, further including a step of obtaining a first amount of information from the user prior to said step of transmitting.

33. A The method as claimed in of claim 32, wherein said step of obtaining includes one of: receiving registration information at an internet web site, and personal information about the user.

34. A The method as claimed in of claim 27, wherein one of said advertising related presentations includes information related to one of: one or more products, one or more services, and information for influencing the user.

35. A The method as claimed in of claim 27, further including a step of determining a measurement related to a number of times to which the users provide a response to one of said advertising related presentations, wherein said response requests additional information.

36. A The method as claimed in of claim 27, further includes one or more of the following steps:

(a) comparing a first measurement indicative of an interest by the one or more users in one of said advertising related presentations with a second measurement of an interest by the one or more users in a second advertising related presentation of said advertising related presentations for determining an effectiveness of said one advertising related presentation in comparison to at least an effectiveness of said second advertising related presentation; and

(b) determining a characterization of the users that are responsive to said one advertising related presentation; and

(c) determining a measurement for said one advertising related presentation, wherein the measurement relates to a length of time said one advertising related presentation is displayed to the one or more users.

37. The A method as claimed in of claim 27, wherein said one or more responses by the user include an answer to at least one question presented to the user, the answer including one of: the user's gender, age, financial status, education, marital status, and size of household;

wherein the answer is used to select additional advertising to present to the user.

38. The A method as claimed in of claim 27, wherein said step of initiating includes providing the user with an option to play one of: blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, baccarat, and pai gow.

39. The A method as claimed in of claim 27, further including the steps of generating card representations for playing the game;

first requesting, by a first of the one or more users, a first collection of one or more of said card representations when playing a first instance of the game by the first user;

initializing a second instance of the game with a second of the users for playing said second instance of the game;

second requesting, by the second user, a second collection of one or more of said generated card representations, wherein said first and second steps of requesting overlap in time.

40. The A method as claimed in of claim 27, wherein said game includes at least one of the following attributes:

(a) an element of chance;

(b) a total number of possible game plays is capable of being determined before playing the game; and

(c) there is an opponent to at least one of the users.

41. An apparatus as claimed in The method of claim 40, wherein said opponent deals a playing token to the one user.

42. The A method as claimed in of claim 27, wherein said network overlaps with one of an internet network, an interactive cable television network, and a local area network.

43. A method for providing product or service information while playing a game using a communications network, comprising:

performing the following substeps (A1) through (A3) for each of a plurality of users:

(A1) receiving, at a first network site, a communications network request from the user to play a corresponding instance of the game, wherein the corresponding instance includes a plurality of user plays, wherein for each of at least some of game play network transmissions to the user for said plays, said transmission is dependent upon a most recent previous network game play transmission from the user, and at least some of said game play transmissions have different visual displays for different users;

(A2) providing for presentation to the user, at a second network site, one or more presentations for presentation during a playing of the corresponding instance of the game, wherein a network source for at least one response to one of the user plays also transmits presentation data for the presentations, wherein between some two of the user plays there is one of said one or more presentations presented to the user, wherein said presentations are for relating information about one or more purchasable products or services, or for receiving information from the user about purchasable products or services;

wherein during the user playing the instance of the game, instances of combined data are obtained using an advertising selector for determining, for each instance of the combined data, a corresponding one of the presentations is combined with a game play for being subsequently transmitted on the network to the first user node;

wherein each instance of the combined data is (a) transmitted on the network in response to a user interaction by the user, and (b) the advertising and the game play therein are presented concurrently to the user;

wherein said step of providing includes the following substep (A3):

(A3) transmitting, to the second network site, at least one of said presentations having a capability for (i) and (ii) following: (i) receiving data, wherein said data is related to one or more responses by the user to said at least one presentation presented to the user, and (ii) transmitting, in response to an action by the user, said data on the communications network to a predetermined network site, using a network identity for the predetermined network site available at the second network site, wherein said network identity does not identify said first network site as said predetermined network site;

wherein said data is used for selecting a second presentation for presenting for presenting to the user during said corresponding game instance.

44. A The method as claimed in of claim 43, wherein there is a pair of user plays wherein said one or more presentations are not presented.

45. A The method as claimed in of claim 43, wherein said game includes an element of chance.

46. A The method as claimed in of claim 43, wherein said game includes a total number of possible game plays that is capable of being determined before playing the game.

47. A The method as claimed in of claim 43 wherein for said game there is at least one opponent to at least one of the users.

48. A The method as claimed in of claim 47, wherein said at least one opponent deals a playing token to the user.

49. A The method as claimed in of claim 43, wherein said communications network overlaps with one or more of an internet network, an interactive cable television network, and a local area network.

50. A The method as claimed in of claim 43, further including a step of obtaining a first amount of information from the user prior to said step of providing, wherein said step of obtaining includes registering at an internet web site.

51. A The method as claimed in of claim 43, said step of providing includes a step of matching the user with said at least one presentation by comparing user supplied information with information supplied by an advertiser of said at least one presentation, wherein advertisements for the advertiser are selected for presentation to the user according to one of the following of the user supplied information: the user's gender, age, financial status, education, marital status, and size of household.

52. A The method as claimed in of claim 51, wherein said step of matching includes comparing information obtained from the user with a demographic profile for determining said second presentation to be provided to the user, wherein the second presentation is transmitted from a network site that does not provide a connection to the network for performing the steps (A1) through (A3), wherein the network is not controlled from any predetermined network site, and wherein the at least one presentation is combined with a game play prior to being transmitted on the network from the first network node to the second network node.

53. A The method as claimed in of claim 43, further including a step of ceasing to transmit a first of said presentations to the user, and ceasing to transmit a particular category of presentations of said presentations to the user.

54. The method of claim 43, further including for each of users, the steps of:

receiving at said first network site transmitted plays of said corresponding game instance played by the user; and

transmitting responses to said received plays, wherein for each of at least most of the users having overlapping corresponding game instances, said responses of each are transmitted free of any game synchronization constrains with at least most of the other users.

55. A method for providing information regarding products or services while playing a game using a network, comprising:

(A1) providing, at a network site on said network, access to a plurality of presentations for presenting to a plurality of users, wherein at least some of said presentations have corresponding network linking information for identifying a corresponding site on the network, and each of said at least some presentations provide: (a) information about one or more purchasable products or services, and (b) a capability for receiving a corresponding response from the user related to the one or more purchasable products or services;

56. A The method as claimed in of claim 55, further including a step of receiving said data at said corresponding site during the instance of the game, and between two plays thereof.

57. A The method as claimed in of claim 55, further including a step of providing, to a first of said users, supplemental information related to a compensation to the first user for providing one or more of said responses.

58. A The method as claimed in of claim 55, wherein said network overlaps with one of an is the internet network, an interactive cable television network, and a local area network.

59. A The method as claimed in of claim 55, wherein at least one of said responses includes obtaining some two or more of the following information related to the user: a name, an address, an e-mail address, an age, a financial status, an educational level, a marital status, a size of household, a number of children, an amount of recreational time, personal tastes, and a sex.

60. A The method as claimed in of claim 55, further including a step of storing information related to one of: whether one of said plurality of presentations has been presented to a first of the one or more users, and a time when said one presentation was presented to the first user.

61. An apparatus for playing a game using the internet, and providing a presentation related to at least one of a product and a service during the game, comprising:

a game playing engine, accessible via a first internet site, said engine capable of playing a game with each of a plurality of users, each of said plurality of users at a corresponding internet accessible station, wherein communications on the internet are used;

a controller for controlling network game play transmissions to the internet accessible stations, wherein between some two plays at a first of the internet stations during a playing of the game with a first of the users, at least one presentation of a plurality of presentations is presented using presentation information transmitted by said controller via the internet, and wherein said presentation information includes: (a) advertising information concerning at least one of: a corresponding product and a corresponding service, (b) internet linking information identifying an additional presentation to be obtained from a second internet site, (c) a capability for allowing said at least one presentation to receive one or more data items related to one or more actions by the first user directed to said at least one presentation, and (d) a capability to transmit, upon activation of said internet linking information by the first user, said one or more data items to said second internet site;

for each user, P, of the users communicating with the first internet site for playing the game, the controller performs (i) and (ii) following:

(i) combining advertising related data and game related information for the game, thereby resulting in combined data;

wherein the advertising related data is for at least one advertiser;

(ii) transmitting on the network, according to programmatic instructions performed at the first internet site, the combined data to the corresponding internet accessible station for the user P for concurrently presenting the advertising related data and game related information;

wherein one or more user response processing modules at the second internet site uses data obtained from said one or more data items for at least one of: evaluating an effectiveness of said at least one presentation, determining another of the presentations for transmitting to the first user, providing a product to the first user, providing a service to the first user, purchasing the corresponding product by the first user, and purchasing the corresponding service by the first user.

62. An The apparatus as claimed to of claim 61, wherein said game is a game of chance.

63. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein a total number of possible game plays of said game is capable of being determined before playing the game.

64. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein said game is a game having an opponent.

65. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 64, wherein said opponent plays the game interactively with the user.

66. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 64, wherein said opponent is another player.

67. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 64, wherein said opponent deals a game playing token to the user.

68. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 64, wherein said game is interactive between the user and said game playing engine.

69. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, further including:

a profile repository for storing one or more demographic profiles, each said demographic profile describing a corresponding group of one or more game playing users, including the first user, for presenting, via the network, one or more presentations used for identifying products or services.

70. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61 69, wherein at least one of said demographic profiles includes data for identifying said corresponding group according to one or more of:

an age, sex, financial status, location of residence, education, marital status, estimated amount of recreation time, personal tastes and habits, size of household, number of children, and user network interaction categorizations.

71. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, further including one or more modules for categorizing the first user according to data indicative of network interactions by the first user, wherein said indicative data includes one of: a characterization of network sites accessed by the first user, one or more types of advertising for which the first user requests additional information and a risk tolerance of the first user.

72. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein, for the first user, said one or more user data items are used to enhance a user profile for the user within a user data repository.

73. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein said network uses one of an internet connection, an interactive cable television connection, and an intranet connection.

74. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein said at least one presentation includes one or more questions for the first user.

75. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein some of said one or more data items are determined using one of:

(a) a detection of an activation of a hyperlink by the first user; and

(b) a determination of a length of time that one of the presentations is visible to the user.

76. An apparatus as claimed in claim 61, further including:

a means for combining said at least one presentation with a game play by the game playing engine into a combined output; and

a means for transmitting through the internet, said combined output to the first internet station.

77. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 76 61, wherein said means for combining includes a means for specifying said combined response data output in a hypertext markup language.

78. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 76 61, wherein said means for transmitting includes the controller includes a World Wide Web server for accessing the internet.

79. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein one or more said data items for the first user includes user information related to one or more of:

an age, sex, financial status, location of residence, education, marital status, estimated amount of recreational time, personal tastes and habits, size of household, and number of children, and user network interaction categorizations.

80. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein said controller includes a selector engine for comparing a desired user profile with data provided by the users via the internet.

81. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein said game playing engine includes a game controller for playing one or more of blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, baccarat and pai gow.

82. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein said game playing engine includes a wager accounting module for determining an acceptability of a user requested wager for increasing amount bet between plays of the game.

83. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein said first internet station includes a network browser for communicating with the internet site for playing the game.

84. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 83, further including:

a presentation receiving module operatively connected to said network browser at the first internet station, said presentation receiving module for receiving an unrequested presentation not combined with any game playing response by the game playing engine.

85. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 84, wherein said presentation receiving module includes a daemon for detecting said unrequested presentation.

86. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 85, further including:

an advertiser repository including data related to a measurement of a preference of the first user for one of said presentations, and an advertised item;

wherein said advertiser repository is accessible for transmitting said at least one presentation to the first internet station.

87. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein:

said at least one presentation provides for conducting a transaction for a purchase of an advertised item presented at the first internet station.

88. An The apparatus as claimed in of claim 61, wherein:

said first internet station accesses the internet via an internet service provider;

wherein said service provider is a casino.

89. A method of presenting at least one of a product and a service while playing one or more games on a network, comprising:

for each of a plurality of users the following steps (A1) through (A3) are performed:

(A1) first determining, in response to a network request by the user, a particular presentation, from a plurality of presentations, to present to the user at a corresponding user node of the network, wherein said presentations are used for presenting information about at least one of a product and a service, and said particular presentation includes addressing information for a destination site of the network for receiving user responses to said particular presentation;

(A2) playing, with the user, a corresponding instance of one of the games, wherein the instance includes one or more user plays and wherein for each of at least most of the users playing the game concurrently, a different display of tokens for the game is presented from that displayed to most other users;

(A3) first presenting to the user during the playing of a portion of the corresponding instance, said particular presentation via the network;

wherein a data item indicative of an action in response to said particular presentation is transmitted to said destination site wherein said data item is used for one of:

evaluating an effectiveness of said particular presentation, selecting another presentation for presenting to the user, providing a product, providing a service to the user, purchasing a product, purchasing a service, and providing information for influencing the user on a predetermined issue.

90. A method as claimed in claim 89, further including:

second determining for the user a different presentation, from the plurality of presentations, to present to the user at the corresponding user node of the network;

second presenting to the user during a different portion of the corresponding instance, said different presentation.

91. A method as claimed in claim 89, wherein the corresponding instance played by the user is played according to a predetermined set of rules indicating how an instance of the game is to be played.

92. A method as claimed in claim 89, wherein the corresponding instance played by the user is an instance of a game of chance.

93. A method as claimed in claim 89, wherein a total number of possible distinct game plays of the corresponding instance played by the user is capable of being determined before playing the game instance.

94. A method as claimed in claim 89, wherein said instance is an instance of a game having an opponent.

95. A method as claimed in claim 94, wherein said opponent plays the instance of the game interactively with the user.

96. A method as claimed in claim 94, wherein said opponent is another user.

97. A method as claimed in claim 94, wherein said opponent deals a playing token to the user.

98. A method of viewing a presentation related to one of a product and a service while playing a game on a network, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining which of the users the advertising is to be presented thereto;

accessing the network by a first user of the users via a first network service provider, and by a second user of the users via a different second network service provider;

communicating by each of the first and second users with a network site that provides network access to one or more games capable of being played using communications on said network, wherein each of said first and second users use a common network address for communicating with said network site;

wherein the first user has registered with the network site;

playing a first instance of one of said games using communications between said first user and said network site;

wherein after each input, of a plurality of inputs by the first user, resulting in a corresponding transmission on the network for playing the first instance, the network site then (1) determines, upon receiving the corresponding transmission, a responsive game play content for the first instance, and (2) the responsive game play content has data for the advertising of one of the advertisers associated therewith for transmission to the first user;

presenting a first presentation to the first user, wherein the network site transmits at least one response to one of the user plays to the first user, and the network site also transmits the first presentation, wherein said first presentation is displayed between some two plays of the first instance and wherein said first presentation provides information about a product or service;

wherein for determining the first presentation, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the first presentation;

replacing said first presentation by a second presentation for display to the first user between a different two plays of the first instance of the game, wherein said second presentation provides information about a product or service;

detecting an action by the first user in response to one of said first presentation and said second presentation;

transmitting one or more data items indicative of said action to a particular network site corresponding to said one presentation;

receiving another presentation for presenting to the first user during a playing of the game first instance, said another presentation responsive to said step of transmitting;

wherein for the first user, (i) and (ii) following hold:

(i) concurrently presenting to the first user: (i-a) information for playing the first instance of the game, and (i-b) the first presentation for an advertiser; and

(ii) at least a portion of data obtained from interactions by the first user with the first instance of the game is used for providing the advertiser with one of: (ii-a) information for an advertising related purpose different from playing the first instance of the game, and (ii-b) information for determining an effectiveness of a presentation for the corresponding advertiser related data.

99. A The method as claimed in of claim 98, wherein said network site is said particular network site.

100. A The method as claimed in of claim 98, wherein a reversing of an ordering of display of said first and second presentations does not affect a playing of said first game instance.

101. A method of viewing a presentation related to one of a product and a service while playing a game on a network, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining which of the users the advertising is to be presented thereto;

providing access to the network via a first user node;

communicating with a second network node that provides network access to one or more games capable of being played using communications on said network;

transmitting game plays, via the network, between said first user node and said second network node for one of said games;

presenting a first advertising presentation to said first user node, wherein said first advertising presentation is presented during a first instance of the game and wherein said first advertising presentation is capable of being replaced by a different second advertising presentation, and wherein the first advertising presentation is provided by the second network node;

wherein for determining the first advertising related presentation, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the first advertising related presentation;

wherein in playing the first instance of the game, instances of combined data are obtained using an advertising selector for determining, for each instance of the combined data, corresponding advertising for combining with a game play, the instance of combined data subsequently transmitted on a network to the first user node;

wherein each instance of the combined data is (a) transmitted on the network in response to a user interaction at the first user node, and (b) the advertising and the game play therein are presented concurrently at the first user node;

detecting an action in response to said first advertising presentation by said first user node during the first instance of the game;

first transmitting a data item indicative of said action on said network; and

second transmitting to said first user node, another advertising presentation, wherein said another advertising presentation is determined using said data item.

102. A The method as claimed in of claim 101, wherein said first presentation is capable of being replaced by said second presentation in the game instance and the game instance is capable of being played in an identical manner regardless of which of said first and second presentations is presented.

103. The method as claimed in of claim 101, wherein one or more of (a), (b) and (c) following:

(a) said step of presenting includes presenting said second advertising presentation in a different game instance from said first instance, wherein an outcome of said first instance of the game is substantially unrelated to which advertising presentation of a plurality of advertising presentations is presented as said first advertising presentation in said step of presenting;

(b) said step of second transmitting includes selecting said another advertising presentation by at least one of (i) and (ii) following:

(i) accessing stored data indicative of network communications by the first user prior to said step of first transmitting; and

(ii) determining whether the first user qualifies to receive a particular advertising presentation as said another advertising presentation;

(c) said step of first transmitting includes transmitting said data items to one of: said second network node, and another network node for determining said another advertising presentation.

104. A method of viewing a presentation related to one of a product and a service while playing a game on a network with a server network node, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining whether the advertising is to be presented to the users;

subsequently performing, for each user of the users, the following steps (1) through (6) following;

(1) communicating with a the server network node that provides network access to one or more games capable of being played using communications on said network with the user via a first user node;

(2) playing one of said games using communications between a the first user node and said server network node;

(3) presenting a first presentation at said first user node, wherein said first presentation is presented between two plays of the game in response to a transmission from the server network node, and wherein said first presentation is capable of being replaced, without being in response to an immediately previous user input, by a different second presentation without changing a play of the game;

wherein for determining the first presentation, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the first presentation;

(4) detecting an action in response to said first presentation;

(5) transmitting a data item indicative of said action to a second network node;

(6) providing, in response to said data item, information related to the purchase of at least one of a product and a service;

wherein for the user at the first user node, (i) and (ii) following hold:

(i) concurrently presenting to the user: (i-a) information for playing the game, and (i-b) the first presentation for an advertiser; and

(ii) at least a portion of data obtained from interactions by the user with the game is used for providing the advertiser with one of: (ii-a) information for an advertising related purpose different from playing the game, and (ii-b) information for determining an effectiveness of a presentation for the corresponding advertiser related data.

105. A method of presenting an internet presentation, comprising:

providing a first presentation, via the internet, to a user internet accessible node;

activating, in response to an internet request by the user via an internet connection to the user internet accessible node, an instance of a first internet service, wherein said first presentation is presented at least during an interval between internet transmissions for two user inputs to the instance of the first internet service, and said first presentation is not initially presented in response to an immediately previous internet input by the user, during said internet connection, and wherein said first presentation provides information relating to at least one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service;

wherein the instance of the first internet service presents on the user internet accessible node a same informational content regardless of, but concurrently with, a first instance of the first presentation and a subsequent instance of the first presentation presented at the user internet accessible node;

wherein a same internet node provides the user internet accessible node with at least a portion of the instance of the first internet service, and information related to both the first instance and the subsequent instance of the first presentation;

receiving data, via a communication on the internet, indicative of an action by the user in response to said first presentation being presented to the user, wherein said communication uses an internet address, available at the user internet accessible node, for determining a destination of said data;

determining a second presentation for presenting to the user, wherein said second presentation is determined using said data, said second presentation also providing information relating to one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service;

transmitting to the user, via the internet, said second presentation for presenting to the user during said internet connection.

106. A The method as claimed in of claim 105, wherein said first internet service includes the capability of playing one or more games on the internet, and said activation is an instance of playing one of the games interactively with the first user internet accessible node, wherein a step of combining said first presentation with data for displaying a play of said one game is performed prior to transmitting a result of the combining step to the user internet accessible node, the play being responsive to a user game play for the one game.

107. A The method as claimed in of claim 106, wherein said game has predetermined rules of how the game is played and at least one of the following attributes:

(a) an element of chance;

(b) a total number of game plays is capable of being determined before playing the game; and

(c) there is an opponent to at least one player of said game.

108. A The method as claimed in of claim 105, further including a step of determining one of: a number of times the first presentation is presented, a number of positive responses to the first presentation, and a number of purchasable products or purchasable services sold using the first presentation.

109. A The method as claimed in of claim 105, wherein the communication between the first internet accessible node and the second internet accessible node uses a TCP/IP protocol.

110. A The method as claimed in of claim 105, further including a step of generating a value from said data, wherein said value is provided to a party requesting said first presentation be presented to users accessing the internet.

111. A The method as claimed in of claim 110, wherein said step of generating includes determining one of: a number of times the first presentation is presented, a number of positive responses to the first presentation, and a number of purchasable products or purchasable services sold via the first presentation.

112. A method of providing a presentation to each of one or more users of a communications network, comprising:

performing for each of the one or more users, steps (A1) through (A3) following:

(A1) providing access to a network server node for allowing network access to a network service, wherein said network server node presents one or more interactive service presentations to each user: (a) during an activation of the network service from a network client node via the network, and (b) substantially asynchronously from most other users, said interactive service presentations providing interactive communications between the user and said network server node via the network;

(A2) presenting concurrently with the interactive service presentations at the network client node, a first advertising presentation for providing information related to one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service, wherein said first advertising presentation is transmitted during the activation of the network service, and said first advertising presentation is capable of being replaced by a different, second advertising presentation for presenting during the activation of the network service, and wherein at least one of said service presentations for presenting on the network client node is determined without regard to which one of said first and second advertising presentations are also transmitted to the user for concurrent presentation with the at least one service presentation;

(A3) receiving data, via a communication on the network, indicative of an action by the user in response to said step of presenting; and

evaluating, using said data, an effectiveness of at least one of said first and second advertising presentations;

wherein the step of evaluating includes one or more: measurement related to negative responses to said first advertising presentation, a comparison of a measurement of an effectiveness of said first advertising presentation with measurement of an effectiveness of another advertising presentation, a measurement related to a number of a saleable product of saleable service sold to the users interacting with the network service.

113. A The method as claimed in of claim 112, wherein the activation includes playing an instance of a game, wherein a step of combining said first advertising presentation with data for displaying a play of said game is performed prior to transmitting a result of the combining step to the network client node, the play being responsive to a user game play for the game.

114. A The method as claimed in of claim 113, wherein at least some of said service presentations concurrently presented with said first advertising presentation include data indicative of a game play for said instance of the game.

115. A method as claimed in claim 112, wherein said step of evaluating includes determining one of: a measurement related to positive responses to said first advertising presentation by the one or more users, a measurement related to negative responses to said first advertising presentation, a comparison of a measurement of an effectiveness of said first advertising presentation with measurement of an effectiveness of another advertising presentation, a measurement related to a number of a saleable product or saleable service sold to the users interacting with the network service, and a measurement related to a number of promotionals of a saleable product or saleable service requested by the users interacting with the network service.

116. A method of providing a presentation one or more service presentations with advertising presentations on a network, comprising:

activating, in response to a request by a user, a service accessible from a first node of the network, wherein one or more interactive service presentations are presented to the user during an activation of the service by a network user node from which the user accesses the network, at least some of said interactive service presentations transmits communications on the network between said first node and said user node;

presenting concurrently with the service presentations at the user node, a first advertising presentation for providing information related to one of a product and a service, wherein said first advertising presentation is transmitted on the network for display during the activation of the service, and a display of said first advertising presentation is capable of being replaced by a display of a different, second advertising presentation during the activation of said service, wherein at least one of said service presentations, for presenting on the user node, is determined without regard to which one of said first and second advertising presentations is presented concurrently to the user with the at least one service presentation;

wherein a determination of said at least one service presentation does not select the first advertising presentation;

wherein said first advertising presentation includes network link data that includes a network identifier identifying another presentation at a second node of the network different from said first node, and wherein said first advertising presentation is activated for requesting said another presentation by the user providing an input related to a position of a display of said first advertising presentation.

117. A The method as claimed in of claim 116, wherein said second network node is said network server node.

118. A The method as claimed in of claim 116, wherein said step of presenting includes transmitting on one of: the internet, a cable network and a local area network.

119. A method as claimed in claim 115, wherein said step of activating includes providing access to a game playing engine during the activation of the network service.

120. A method of providing a presentation one or more service presentations with presentations for a product or service on a network, comprising:

activating a network service accessible from a first network node via the network, wherein one or more interactive service presentations are presented to a user during an activation of the network service by a network user node from which the user accesses the network;

inputting, by the user, service related information during a presentation of the service presentations for transmitting said information, via the network, to said first network node during the activation of the network service;

presenting concurrently with the service presentations at the network user node, a first presentation for providing information related to one of a product and a service, wherein said first presentation is transmitted for display during the activation of the network service, and a display of said first presentation is replaced by a different, second presentation during the activation of said network service substantially independently of any user input, wherein at least one of said service presentations for presenting on the network user node is determined without regard to which one of said first and second presentations is presented concurrently with the at least one service presentation to the user;

wherein said first advertising presentation includes network link data that includes a network identifier identifying another presentation;

activating, by the user, said first presentation for requesting said another presentation, wherein the user provides an input related to a position of a display of said first advertising presentation;

presenting said another presentation at the network user node;

providing product or service purchasing data to said another presentation; and

receiving the product or service in response to said step of providing.

121. A method of providing information regarding products or services on the internet, comprising:

obtaining, at a first internet accessible node, an internet transmission from a second internet accessible node having an internet browser operably installed thereon from which a user thereof provides input resulting in the internet transmission;

subsequently, transmitting, via the internet, from a the first internet accessible node, first information for storing at a the second internet accessible node, wherein said first information is capable of being utilized in subsequent internet communications between the first internet accessible node and the second internet accessible node;

wherein for each of a plurality of subsequent different internet connections by the second internet accessible node, the following steps (a) and (b) are performed during the subsequent different internet connection:

(a) receiving, via the internet, at the first internet accessible node, second information from said second internet accessible node, said second information indicative of at least a presence of said first information;

(b) causing, via one or more internet transmissions from said first internet accessible node, one or more of a plurality of presentations to be transmitted to said second internet accessible node when a presence of said first information is detected on said second internet accessible node, wherein said presentations are transmitted to the second internet accessible node unrequestedly;

wherein the following (i) through (iii) occur during at least one of said subsequent different internet connections:

(i) an instance of each of said one or more of the presentations are is transmitted during an activation of a desired internet service accessible via said first internet accessible node, wherein said activation is activated by a user providing input to the browser at the second internet accessible node for substantially immediate interaction with the activation for communicating therewith via a plurality of user inputs to the browser,

(ii) a display of at least a an unrequested first of said instance presentations is replaced by a display of a different unrequested second of said instance presentations during the activation, and

(iii) substantially all outputs from the activation of the desired internet service, in response to internet transmissions from the second internet accessible node related to the activation, are determined without regard to which of said instance presentations is displayed at the second internet accessible node;

wherein a selector for determining the instances of the presentations determines the instances of the presentations after the desired internet service is activated, wherein the selector is remote from the second internet accessible node;

wherein during the activation, instances of combined data are obtained wherein for each instance of the combined data, corresponding advertising for combining with content for the desired internet service, the instance of combined data subsequently transmitted on the network to the second internet accessible node;

wherein each instance of the combined data is (a) transmitted on the network in response to a user interaction by the user with the activation, and (b) the advertising and the content therein are presented concurrently at the second internet accessible node.

122. A The method as claimed in of claim 121, wherein the activation includes a playing of a game at the second internet accessible node, wherein said game is played according to a predetermined set of rules, and said game is at least one of: a game of chance, a game having an opponent, and a game having a total number of possible distinct game plays that is capable of being determined before playing the game, wherein a step of combining said first instance presentation with data for displaying a play of said game is performed prior to transmitting a result of the combining step to the second internet accessible node, the play being responsive to a user game play for the game.

123. A The method as claimed in of claim 121, wherein:

(a) the first internet accessible node is one of (i) and (ii) following: (i) an internet service provider for the user, and (ii) a website contacted by an internet service provider for the user when the internet service provider is used by the user for connecting to the internet,

(b) the second internet accessible node is used by a user in accessing the internet, and

(c) said presentations include advertisements of products and services.

124. A The method as claimed in of claim 123, further including a step of registering, via the internet, the user at the first internet accessible node, wherein user identification data for identifying the user is stored in a data storage that is accessible, on demand, by a process that services internet requests via the first internet accessible node.

125. A The method as claimed in of claim 124, wherein when the user accesses the desired internet service via the first internet accessible node, said step of causing includes presenting at least a first of said presentations concurrently with a an interactive display for the desired internet service, wherein said first presentation advertises a product or service, wherein determination of a contents defining the display for the desired internet service is independent of selecting the first presentation.

126. A The method as claimed in of claim 121, wherein said first information includes an encoding of a program for receiving unrequested transmissions of said one or more presentations at the second internet accessible node.

127. A The method as claimed in of claim 126, wherein said second information includes a status indicative of an activation of said program for presenting the one or more presentations at the second internet accessible node.

128. A The method as claimed in of claim 121, wherein said step of receiving includes verifying, using said second information at the first internet accessible node, that said first information has a predetermined configuration.

129. A method for providing product or service information while playing a game, comprising:

performing the following substeps (A1) through (A4) for each of one or more users:

(A1) initiating an instance of the game for playing by the user, wherein the instance includes a plurality of user plays, wherein said instance uses transmissions on a communications network from a network site identified by the user wherein the user is registered with the network site;

(A2) presenting, one after another over time, a plurality of presentations to the user during a playing of the instance of the game, wherein each of said presentations are is presented independently of without being in response to an immediately previous user input, and wherein said presentations are for relating information about one or more purchasable products or services, or for receiving information from the user about purchasable products or services;

wherein the step (A2) includes transmitting data for the plurality of presentations from the network site;

(A3) transmitting data by the communications network from the user to a the network site on the communications network, wherein said data is related to one or more responses by the user to at least one of said presentations presented to the user; and

(A4) receiving from said network site, a second of said presentations for presenting to the user, wherein said second presentation is determined using said data;

wherein a selector determines the presentations after the instance of the game is activated, wherein the selector is remote from an internet accessible node from which the user plays the instance of the game;

wherein during the instance of the game, instances of combined data are obtained wherein for each instance of the combined data, corresponding advertising for combining with content for the instance of the game, the instance of combined data subsequently transmitted on the communications network to the internet accessible node;

wherein each instance of the combined data is (a) transmitted on the communications network in response to a user interaction by the user with the instance of the game, and (b) the advertising and the content therein are presented concurrently at the internet accessible node.

130. A method for providing information regarding products or services while playing a game using a network, comprising:

performing the following substeps (A1) through (A3) for each of one or more users:

(A1) providing, at a network site on said network, access to a plurality of presentations for presenting to the user, wherein said presentations provide at least one of: (a) information about one or more purchasable products or services and (b) a capability for receiving a response from the user related to one or more purchasable products or services;

(A2) initiating an instance of the game for playing by the user using the network;

(A3) causing a display, using transmissions via the network, of one or more of said presentations to the user during a playing of the game instance, wherein there is at least one corresponding presentation of said presentations displayed to the user to which the user is able to enter a response, said response including an input by the user for activating a hyperlink on a display of said corresponding presentation, wherein said hyperlink, when identified by user input, activates a display of an additional presentation;

receiving, via said network, data related to one or more of the responses by the users to said hyperlinked additional presentations; and

using said data from said one or more users for one of: evaluating an effectiveness of at least one of said presentations, determining another of said presentations for transmitting to the user, providing a product to the user, providing a service to the user, and charging an advertiser of one of said presentations.

131. A method of providing a presentation on a network, comprising:

activating a network service accessible at a first network node, via the network, wherein one or more interactive service presentations are presented to a user during an activation of the network service by a network user node from which the user accesses the network, and an interactive content is provided by at least one of said service presentations, said content concerning the service;

receiving, at the first network node and during the activation of the network service, network transmissions from the user node for one or more interactions between the user and said interactive service presentations concerning said interactive content; responding, by the first network node, to at least one of said network transmissions prior to receiving some next one of said network transmissions from the user;

determining a particular one of a plurality of advertising presentations wherein said advertising presentations are used for presenting to the user information about at least one of a product and a service, and wherein said particular presentation includes network link data for identifying another presentation related to said particular presentation, said network link data associated with a corresponding one or more positions on a display of said particular presentation;

providing, for display concurrently with a display of at least some said interactive content of the service presentations at the network user node, said particular advertising presentation, wherein a display of said particular advertising presentation is activated for providing said another presentation to the user when the user provides an input identifying one of said one or more positions on a display of said particular presentation, and wherein said interactive content is substantially unaffected by which of said advertising presentations is identified in said step of determining as said particular presentation.

132. A The method as claimed in of claim 131 140, wherein said step of activating includes one of:

(a) activating an instance of a game as at least a portion of the network service, and

(b) accessing a first internet site as said first network node, wherein a second internet site different from said first internet site performs said step of providing.

133. An apparatus for providing product or service information to one or more users while each user is playing a game on a communications network, comprising:

a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining which of the users the advertising is to be presented thereto;

means for playing, with each user, a corresponding instance of the game, wherein the corresponding instance includes a plurality of user plays transmitted on the communications network;

means for determining one or more presentations to present to each user during a playing of the corresponding instance of the game, wherein between some two of the user plays by the user there is one of said one or more presentations presented to the user, wherein said presentations are transmitted to the user via the communications network, and wherein said presentations are for relating information about one or more purchasable products or services, or for receiving information from the user about purchasable products or services;

a combiner for obtaining combined data, wherein said combined data is a result of combining at least one of the presentations with data for displaying at least a portion of one of said corresponding instances, the at least one presentation including at least one network link for identifying another presentation related to said at least one presentation, said network link associated with a corresponding one or more locations on a display of the at least one presentation, wherein a user input indicative of at least one of said locations activates said network link for presenting said another presentation;

wherein for at least one of the users, for determining the at least one presentation, a comparison is performed, after the instance of the game is activated, between the predetermined personal information for the at least one user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the at least one presentation;

wherein the combined data is (a) transmitted on the communications network in response to a user interaction by the at least one user with the instance of the game, and (b) the advertising and the at least one portion therein are presented concurrently at an internet accessible node from which the at least one user plays the instance of the game;

means for receiving data transmitted by the communications network by at least one of the users, wherein said data transmitted by the at least one user is related to one or more responses by the user to at least one of said presentations presented to the user; and

means for selecting a second of said presentations for transmitting to the at least one user, wherein said means for selecting uses said data for determining said second presentation.

134. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selection engine uses a representation of a geographical location of the user for determining the corresponding advertising presentation.

135. A method of advertising on the internet, comprising:

communicating with an internet accessible user node by a first internet accessible node having computational equipment operably connected to the internet to communicate data for advertising to the internet accessible user node;

wherein for the step of communicating the following are performed:

(a) an activation of an interactive service available at the first internet accessible node via a first internet connection for communication with the internet accessible user node;

(b) a presentation of a first presentation, via the internet, at said internet accessible user node for displaying to a user during internet interactions between the user and the service, wherein said first presentation corresponds to a portion of the data for advertising, and said first presentation identifies at least one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service; and wherein there is no user input for purposefully displaying the first presentation to the user;

wherein the first presentation is substantially unrelated to a performance of the service by the user;

wherein there are periodic changes of advertising displayed on the user node, the periodic changes are not in response to a user purposefully requesting the periodic changes, and wherein the advertising displayed corresponds to the data for advertising, and wherein for each user input, UI, for communicating with the service such that the UI is provided prior to at least one of the periodic changes, the at least one periodic change is provided at a different time from a display change at the user node resulting from the user input UI;

wherein each change of the periodic changes is displayed independently of a state of the user's interactions with the interactive service;

(c) a transmission of data, via an internet communication, indicative of an action by the user in response to said first presentation;

(d) a receipt of, via the internet, a second presentation for presenting to the user, wherein said second presentation is determined using said data from the transmission, said second presentation also identifying one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service; and

(e) a presentation to the user of said second presentation during the first internet connection.

136. The method of claim 135, wherein the activation of the service includes providing an internet transmission to a second internet accessible node, wherein said second internet accessible node performs at least said first presentation; and said second internet accessible node includes an internet website that at least one of:

(a) provides said first internet connection;

(b) provides an offer to subsidize said first internet connection;

(c) stores information on said first internet accessible node for use in a second internet connection different from said first internet connection; and

(d) stores information related to the user for selecting an advertising presentation for presenting to the user.

137. The method of claim 135 further including steps of:

downloading, on the first internet connection, data to the user node for use in a second internet connection different from said first internet connection, wherein an internet transmission, obtained from the first internet accessible user node, results from the downloaded data being effective for providing access to the interactive service;

transmitting advertising to the first internet accessible user node, the advertising selected according to user input transmitted, via the internet, to the interactive service.

138. The method of claim 135, wherein the presentation of the first presentation includes providing a change to a display for the user node, the change occurring without there being a user input to the user node for communicating with the first internet accessible node.

139. The method of claim 137, wherein during the internet interactions between the user and the instance of the interactive service, further performing a step of:

providing, via the internet, the user node with the data for presenting a first display to the user at the user node, wherein said first display identifies at least one of a purchasable product and a purchasable service; and wherein the data for presenting the first display is combined with data for displaying at least a portion of the instance of the interactive service for presenting at a same time;

wherein the data for presenting the first display includes link data associated with the first display, wherein upon user activation of the link data by user input to the user node, additional information is presented to the user on a display for the user node.

140. A method of providing a presentation on a network, comprising:

providing access to a persistent user data repository having predetermined personal information for each of a plurality of users;

providing access to a persistent advertising data repository having, for each advertiser of a plurality of advertisers, predetermined user selection data for selecting users to present thereto advertising for the advertiser, said predetermined user selection data including data defining one or more characteristics of users for determining whether the advertising is to be presented to the users;

subsequently performing, for each user of the users, the following steps (1) through (6) following;

(1) providing, via a first network node, a user node with a connection to the network;

wherein the network is accessible via the connection for allowing the user to navigate to a plurality of nodes of the network using the user node;

(2) activating a network service accessible at the first network node, via the network, wherein one or more interactive service presentations are presented to the user during an activation of the network service by the user node from which the user accesses the network, and an interactive content is provided by at least one of said service presentations, said content provided by the service;

(3) receiving, at the first network node and during the activation of the network service, network transmissions from the user node for one or more interactions between the user and said interactive service presentations in response to said interactive content;

(4) responding, by the first network node, with a response to at least one of said network transmissions prior to receiving at least one subsequent one of said network transmissions from the user, wherein the response includes combined data, the combined data is a result of combining data for the interactive content, and data for an advertising content of at least one advertising presentation;

(5) determining, prior to the step of responding, the at least one advertising presentation from a plurality of advertising presentations wherein said advertising presentations are used for presenting to the user information about at least one of a product and a service, and wherein said at least one advertising presentation includes network link data for identifying another presentation related to said at least one advertising presentation, said network link data associated with a corresponding one or more positions on a display of said at least one advertising presentation;

wherein for determining the at least one advertising presentation, a comparison is performed between the predetermined personal information for the user in the user data repository and the predetermined user selection data for the advertiser corresponding to the at least one advertising presentation;

wherein the at least one advertising presentation is determined by determining a correspondence between user input transmitted, via the network, to the first network node, and advertiser associated information for identifying users to which advertising is to be presented;

(6) providing, for display concurrently with a display of at least some said interactive content of the service presentations at the user node, said at least one advertising presentation, wherein a display of said at least one advertising presentation is activated for providing said another presentation to the user when the user provides an input identifying one of said one or more positions on a display of said at least one advertising presentation, and wherein said interactive content is unaffected by which of said advertising presentations is identified in said step of determining as said at least one advertising presentation;

wherein one or more of the advertising presentations are at least intermittently displayed on the user node.

141. The apparatus of claim 1, further including, for the first user, user profile data accessed by the advertising selector for determining the corresponding advertising presentation, the user profile data including user specific information obtained from user input to the corresponding user network node, the user specific information including identification of a physical characteristic of the first user which is not a physical characteristic of advertisers used for determining the advertising presentations;

wherein the user profile data is stored in a persistent user data repository for accessing by a plurality of activations of the advertising selector.

142. The apparatus of claim 141, further including a data repository for advertiser information for selecting the user based on a correspondence between the advertiser information for at least one advertiser, and the user profile data, the data repository including data for selecting users based on geographical locations of the users.

143. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein for one or more presentations of the at least some presentations, the one or more presentations are presented to at least some of the plurality of users, and wherein data indicative of a number of advertised items sold to said at least some of the plurality of users via the one or more presentations is retained by the apparatus, such that said advertised items are available for purchase by the at least some of the users accessing corresponding network link for the one or more presentations.

144. The apparatus of claim 1, further including user related data accessed by the advertising selector for determining the corresponding advertising presentation, the user related data including user information obtained from user input to the network.

145. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a data repository for advertiser information for a plurality of advertisers, wherein for at least one of the advertisers, the advertiser information therefor is used for determining the corresponding advertising presentation based, at least in part, upon a correspondence between a representation of a geographical location of the user and geographical location data in the data repository.

146. The method of claim 135 further including steps of:

transmitting internet communication information, from the first internet accessible node, for storing on the internet accessible user node;

wherein the internet communication information is provided on the internet accessible user node in a manner so that the internet communication information can be used in a second internet connection different from said first internet connection, wherein the internet communication information is transmitted in the step of transmitting subsequently to the user registering with the interactive service, and wherein an internet transmission indicative of the internet communication information being provided on the internet accessible user node is transmitted back to the first internet accessible node for use by the first internet accessible node in providing access to the interactive service;

transmitting advertising to the internet accessible user node, the advertising selected according to user input transmitted, via the internet, to the interactive service.

147. The apparatus of claim 1, further including, for the first user, user profile data accessed by the advertising selector for determining the corresponding advertising presentation, the user profile data including user specific information obtained from user input to the corresponding user network node, the user specific information including identification of a physical characteristic of the first user which is not a physical characteristic of advertisers used for determining the advertising presentations.

148. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the advertising selector determines the corresponding advertising presentation based on a comparison between information for the advertiser, and information related to a geographical location for the first user.

149. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein for one or more presentations of the at least some presentations, the one or more presentations are presented to at least some of the plurality of users, wherein data indicative of advertised items sold thereto is transmitted to an internet website providing the informational service.

150. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a data storage for storing persistent user related data, the data storage accessed by the advertising selector for determining the corresponding advertising presentation, the user related data including user information obtained from user input to the network, the user related data, including user identification information provided in an another instance of the informational service occurring prior to the corresponding instance, including data related to a result obtained from both the corresponding instance and the another instance is associated with the user.