Abstract: An interactive apparatus and method allows participants to compete in an interactive game, such as a contest or sporting event, occurring in real time or as a taped broadcast of a real time event. The event with which the participant may interact is broadcast live or previously taped but not aired. At home, participants can play along with the broadcast on a real time basis as a previously taped segment of the television show is aired. Interactive play may be accomplished by access to an on-line version of the game while the corresponding game show airs live or is rebroadcast to the participant for the first time on television.

Abstract: An interactive contest system is provided which permits competition among a plurality of remote participants. The system includes a central controller, storage devices for storing a Contest Roster from which each participant selects a team roster, a plurality of Touch-Tone.TM. telephones linked to the controller, and a publication such as a newspaper distributed to all participants. Each participant's team roster is evaluated on a periodic basis according to a formula for calculating each member's score employing a database of variable performance statistics which reflect the roster members' actual performances. Team roster totals are compared for discrete periods of competition to determine which participants have accumulated the highest score.