If you’re a fan of fantasy football, the Las Vegas strip, and vintage car auctions, you’re in for a treat. The folks at All In All Win, Inc. have launched an online gaming platform that hybridizes the three in a way that might just be your next downtime addiction.
The result is Classic Car Gaming, which is beehive-busy with facts, figures, and dollar values from live car auctions at big-name houses such as Mecum and Barrett-Jackson. The idea here is that real bidders are bidding somewhere on real cars in real time, and Classic Car Gamers are doing the same—from their vast well-spring of vintage car auction knowledge—in a virtual parallel universe. Ultimately, gamers are trying to guess what the hammer prices will be at the real auctions before they happen. So, say, you’ve got a bead on a 1967 Buick Special in Mecum Auctions’ Kansas City, Missouri, sale from Dec. 2–3. You’ll be able to see its make, model, color, condition, and other factors; and have the chance to place “bets” on what you think its bids will be in the form of exact dollar amounts, spread bets, or over/unders. (Sort of like what you might do at a Vegas sports book.)
We put “bet” in quotes up there, because technically, this isn’t gambling. You can sign up for the site for free and play in a league or as a single player against others—similar to a Yahoo or ESPN fantasy league—and the closer to the hammer price (or dead-on) users are, the better they do. Although winning of actual cold hard cash doesn’t take place on the site, All In All Win does provide users with virtual currency options: “Free Coins” and “Fantasy Dollars.” If you’re just an amateur window shopper, you can just go the free route. League and extended gameplay, however, involves the purchasable Fantasy Dollar, which is worth an actual dollar amount but comes out of your actual bank account ($1 will get you 10 FDs, $50 will buy you 500 FDs, and so on).
“We wanted to bring a fantasy sports experience to classic car lovers,” said Phil Shuyler, co-founder of Classic Car Gaming. “Our site allows fans of everything automotive to create leagues, compete for prizes, and enjoy the live action of classic car auctions. And this is only the beginning.” (Schuyler tells RealClearLife that the company’s business model is currently based on business sponsorships and user purchases of Fantasy Dollars.)
We like this concept for two distinct reasons. One, if you’re just getting into the high-end vintage car auction world, this would be the perfect way to simulate a real-life appearance at a Mecum or RM Sotheby’s—with little to no strings attached. Call it a dry run. Maybe you’ll drop a few real dollars on Classic Car Gaming to try your hand at a simulated bidding run, but it’s great practice for the real thing. Secondly, it will help convert fence-sitters—who really want that McLaren or Aston Martin—into real-deal auction hunters. RealClearLife doesn’t post all of these luxury car auctions for nothing. We want you to make your classic car dreams come true.
If you’re wondering, we signed up for Classic Car Gaming, and immediately got 500 Fantasy Dollars and 100 Free Coins (which we’ll no doubt be putting to good use after work). You can also sign up to be an Elite Player for $19.95 a month, which gives you 100 Fantasy Dollars per week, invites to special members-only events, and other discounts.
To browse Classic Car Gaming, click here. Below, check out an informational video on the company below.
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