The Bookie

Put your money where your mouth is — play money. A social prediction game where the odds are set by an AI game master.

Why I built it

I wanted a game the group could play without anyone having to run it. Running a league means setting odds, keeping score and resolving arguments, which is exactly the kind of bookkeeping a machine should do.

The problem

Prediction games need a fair bookmaker. If a player sets the odds the game becomes a negotiation; if nobody does, there is no game. And the whole thing dies in admin — tracking bets and payouts by hand lasts about two weeks.

What I was using before

Nothing. This one is not replacing a product; it is a game that only exists because I could build it.

What it does

• Real-world events presented with odds, chosen by the game master
• Players bet play credits on the outcome they expect
• Bets resolved automatically once reality settles the question
• A three-month season structure with a final leaderboard
• Played entirely in a group chat — no app to install, no account to create

Where it is now

Running in seasons, among family and friends. Deliberately small: play money only, so it stays a game about being right rather than a gambling product.

Who it might interest

Any group who enjoys arguing about the future. It is a good example of building for an audience of eight people, where a commercial product could never make sense.