Abstract: A gaming system is described which enables parimutuel wagering with instant payoffs on actual past events. The system, in one embodiment, includes a plurality of wager terminals coupled to a game server through a wide area network, such as the internet. The game server is a computer system configured to manage the entire game system. For example, the server maintains databases, controls and accounts for the transactions with the wagering terminals, controls the flow of data from the video server to the terminals, collates pools from all sources and computes winnings, and provides detailed statistics for the disbursement of fends. The gaming system also includes a video server for providing delivery of selected video images from a historical database. Generally, and in operation, a player attempts to choose the winners of an unknown past event.