Toronto, Canada-based Moola has been operating an invite-only beta for a little over 18 months and will on Friday open their site to the public (they'll be officially launching at the TechCrunch Meetup in Boston). Moola has created a multiplayer online game network in which people compete head-to-head for real money. That's nothing new, but Moola's hook is that the site is completely free. You can't deposit money into Moola, instead you earn your starting funds by looking at ads before playing games. Moola is calling their creation a Massively Multiplayer Rewards Game (MMRG).
Here's how it works: Moola fronts users a penny to start, which puts you at the bottom rung of a thirty step ladder. Every time you win a game, you double your money, every time you lose, you fall all the way to the bottom and start over with a penny. If you win 30 times in a row, you walk away with $10.7 million (though you can cash out at any time, so risking a few thousand in an online head-to-head game at the middle levels is probably not that smart).
Moola has grown to 175,000 users since it launched the invite-only beta in 2006. Moola CEO Arlen Ritchie told me that recently the site has been getting a lot more traffic to their home page than they have registered users, which indicated that there is interest from people who don't have invites. So, now seemed like the perfect time to open the doors to the site.
Ritchie acknowledged that it is unlikely anyone will ever win the $10 million prize because most people wouldn't be crazy enough to risk $5 million to try for it -- in fact, two people would have to be that crazy. Of course, you don't have to wager it all on each game. You can play in any bracket below your account balance, and Ritchie told me that most people keep a positive balance rather than wagering all their cash at once. And even if winning the big one may never happen, a lot of real money is being made on Moola. The top player right now has over $8,000 and the highest cash out was in the $5,500 range. Users on the site have exchanged over $4 million so far (though that figure may count the same money being traded back and forth between users multiple times and doesn't represent the amount paid out).
Because it is unlikely anyone will make big money from the games, most users will either stay in a low game bracket (a few cents), which the ads will cover for Moola, or they will make money via Moola's other options -- at which Moola always makes money.
In addition to games, Moola enables users to make money by searching on their Moola Search page. Powered by Google Custom Search, Moola employs an algorithm that measures how much people search, weeds out illegitimate searches and clicks, and then shares ad revenue with searchers. You might only make a few pennies per day, but that money can be used to play Moola games and bump you into a higher playing bracket.
Moola also lets people make cash via what they call "Boosters" -- or, a cash back program based on affiliate marketing. Shopping at any of Booster's affiliated online stores results in cash deposited in your account. Moola supports a lot of major online retailers including Hotels.com, Buy.com, Travelocity, Skype, Old Navy, and NewEgg.
The final way Moola enables users to make money, is via a 4-level referral program. Refer friends, and take a cut of anything they do on the site, whether that's search payouts, Booster Zone payouts, or game winnings.
Along with opening the site to the public, Moola will be announcing a toolbar that is really centered around their shopping and search revenue streams. They've built the Moola search into the bar, which makes it more convenient for people. It is the slick shopping integration, however, that will garner more interest. Any site you visit on the Internet that is a Moola affiliate will register on the bar and allow you to log into your account so your shopping is eligible for cash back. That lets people shop on the web as normal, rather than have to first page through the site's directory of affiliates -- something Moola expects most people aren't keen on doing.
If an ecommerce site is not a Moola partner, the BoosterBar will suggest an alternative that is in their affiliate network. Ritchie tells me that initial feedback from partners on this feature is tremendous. They love being able to steal visitors away from competition right at the point of sale.
Eventually, the game playing side of Moola will be integrated into the toolbar, allowing users to set up games and then surf the web while waiting for an opponent -- which can take longer at the higher levels where competition is more thin. Ritchie told me that the plan down the line is to add social features, such as chat or messaging, to the toolbar to augment the community that has grown up around Moola. Apparently, some users have taken to organizing their own tournaments based around Moola's games (you can set up one-on-one matches with specific players on the site).
For the cornerstone of the site, the games are rather weak. Moola has created three proprietary games for the site, with a fourth currently in development. Moola's line up includes a rock, paper, scissors game (*yawn*), Hi-Lo (*yawn*), and a bidding game where you try to out smart your opponent (not the most thrilling experience, but it held my attention longer than the others). But, Moola is in the planning stages of an API that would allow third-party developers to add games to Moola. They're currently in talks with two unnamed developers to create additional content prior to the release of a public API. (And they are soliciting queries from other interested game developers at gamedev@moola.com.)
Moola developers would be able to make money from both the advertising on the games, as well as take a cut of the money that changes hands between players. Ritchie also told me that the plan is to allow developers to "Moola-ize" their games outside of the site. So, for example, Microsoft could add Moola functionality to Halo 3 on XBox Live and then Moola members could organize Halo matches and play each other for cash.
Nothing at Moola is very revolutionary. Cash back shopping? Seen it. Competitive gaming? Seen it. Revenue share on search? Seen it. Multilevel referral program? Seen it. But they appear to have packaged everything up in a tidy manner, and the coming API for games is exciting. Winning money playing online games without putting any of your own cash up makes it a lot more fun (I'm up to $0.22 -- time to retire!), and the prospect of less snooze-worthy games from third-party developers sounds great.
It took Moola members 10 months to play for the first $1 million. The last million took about 4 months. The next million is on track to cross through Moola in just 55 days. Once the site opens up, those millions will probably be flying about at a more rapid rate.
Comments
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Join Moola before it goes PUBLIC!
http://www.moola.com:80/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d5449744e4449324d6a633d-2
Posted by: Charlie | November 15, 2007 9:52 PM
I have been a member of Moola for 6 months, and it's been great to me. Since joining I have made about $220, and the best part is there is no fees at all. I am practically playing with Moola's money and Moola rewards me for it.
If you would like an invite to join Moola click my URL link.
Posted by: Final Groundz | November 15, 2007 9:54 PM
I have been with moola for over a year and it is great and alot of fun and i have cashed out several times. If you want and invite just click on the link below to get your invite. Thanks and good luck.
http://www.moola.com/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d5449744d6a417a4f44453d-2
Posted by: wiggles | November 15, 2007 10:03 PM
I joined Moola in April and it has been great! The games are fun and the people in the forums are friendly and helpful. If you would like to join please click the link below. Thanks and I hope you win a lot of MOOLA!
http://www.moola.com/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d5449744e5451774d6a493d-2
Posted by: shineymom | November 15, 2007 10:13 PM
I've been using moola since, April. The site is truly fun and addictive, I have cashed out $75 to date.
http://www.moola.com/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d544d744e6a55314f54453d-2
Posted by: moolafan | November 16, 2007 12:03 AM
i just want to be the first person not to spam an affiliate link in this post
*rolls eyes*
Posted by: livejamie | November 16, 2007 3:03 AM
click here for an invite to the site to join now!
http://www.moola.com:80/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d544d744d6a6b784f546b3d-2
Posted by: Julie | November 16, 2007 3:56 AM
I have been invited by Moola; and checked it but unfortunately there service is limited to USA and Canada only. But overall concept is quit great and good.
Posted by: seoz87 | November 16, 2007 4:03 AM
It will be good to see them tonight at TechCrunch
Posted by: Dan Schawbel | November 16, 2007 5:34 AM
livejamie, actually I was. I put the link as my URL for that specific purpose. That is also why they give the option to make your name a link. Besides, why would you give a invite link to the site they are blogging about, especially if that's the only way you can join the site?
Spamming would be, posting a referral link with out even giving your own personal testimony about your experience with that specific site the article is referring to, or posting a referral link to a site that has nothing to do with the article.
Posted by: Final Groundz | November 16, 2007 6:01 AM
So funny. People posting referral links....
Anyway, moola is definitely a fun place to be. Not only is free money a grand idea, but the whole community of moola is just as good. Check out the forums once in a while. You might meet some really nice people.
Posted by: mariomaster777 | November 16, 2007 7:24 AM
Wow! Just Wow! I have never seen the spammers come out en masse here at RRW. WTF!!!! I wish I could de-louse you ppl. THis is truly incredible and completely erased the respect I had for moola's vision in creating a system that makes sense in so many ways.
Posted by: Sam | November 16, 2007 7:25 AM
Sam-
I am new to forums and such and did not realize this was spamming until this morning. I, unfortunately, posted last night. I went and tried to delete my previous post and have not found a way how.
Moola is a great site! And I am sorry to be a part of what has made you lose your respect for the site. In hope you consider that Moola had nothing to do with the decisions that any one of the posters made and it would be sad to see their reputations tarnished by what others did.
Posted by: shineymom | November 16, 2007 7:45 AM
This is a great website i have just started playing on it about a week ago and love it. Its great because it is free! check it out
Posted by: mike | November 16, 2007 10:49 AM
"If an ecommerce site is not a Moola partner, the BoosterBar will suggest an alternative that is in their affiliate network. Ritchie tells me that initial feedback from partners on this feature is tremendous. They love being able to steal visitors away from competition right at the point of sale."
I should show that to my MIS professor. That is an excellent use of Web Technologies in the business world. I bet Moola's partners love this new Booster Bar!
Posted by: mariomaster777 | November 16, 2007 11:38 AM
hey everyone,
i have been a member of moola.com since april of 2006 and i absoulutely LOVE it there! i have cashed out $30.00 so far, so it is definately legit. it's not like one of those scam money-making websites that you would normally find online these days. moola.com is very REAL.. far from FAKE. so either join up under a referal link posted above or below me, or on their main site.
thank you.. and enjoy!!
tiffany
kinkypunkchick
moola member
Posted by: kinkypunkchick | November 16, 2007 1:02 PM
http://www.moola.com:80/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d5449744e6a55314e44673d-2
get your invites while they last!
Posted by: sik | November 16, 2007 1:29 PM
What the hell?! I've never seen so much comment spam at RW/W. I can imagine what the forums must be like: "Hey you need an invite? How about an invite? Want one? Huh? Huh? Come on, everybody's doing it! You know you want to! The first hit's free!"
Posted by: Bob | November 16, 2007 2:28 PM
i love you all. moola is a great place - i suggest playing. want an invite? too bad im not giving you one.
Posted by: saybrook | November 16, 2007 3:26 PM
Moola is a great concept, though there is a lot of work to be done in the games department. I'm hoping for a strategy wargame in the near future.
Posted by: David Mackey | November 16, 2007 4:56 PM
still more invites... http://www.moola.com/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d544d744d5441774e544577-2
Posted by: johnny5 | November 16, 2007 5:39 PM
need an invite click on the link below.
http://www.moola.com:80/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d5449744e7a67334d7a453d-2
Posted by: Madison | November 17, 2007 8:00 AM
actually..
in the forums, members are not allowed to post invites.
Posted by: kinkypunkchick | November 17, 2007 1:29 PM
Bob, the forums are only accessible to members so they don't get spammed at all. The mods there do a super job at keeping everyone in line.
The site itself is growing and getting better every day. If anyone wants to join they can use any of the many links above or just go to Moola.com since the site is now a Public Beta.
Posted by: MoolaMember37053 | November 17, 2007 10:33 PM
Sam,
I am also sorry i posted my link here. I also did not realize it was spamming. I just want you to know it is a great site to have fun. I have really enjoyed it for over an year now.
Posted by: Wiggles | November 23, 2007 3:17 PM
Moola sucks. ALl the people here liars. You NEVER win a lot. I made my money by Spinning the stupid MOOLA WHEEL everyday and got at most 10 cents. I am now a proud owner OF $3.00. woohoo!!!! You can play the game but when you are about to make REAL money, somehow the other guy gets the LUCKIEST cards. Happens all the time ( Some guy I played got 4 aces in a row!!!!! How the hell does that happen? THis was when i bet real money, you know not 2 cents). PLUS you cannot win the 10 million its impossible. ALso the wheel never gives the $9000. The most I heard it give was $5, thats it..... Then they kept getting 2 cents again. NO really 2 cents. I mean if you wanna become rich in this, i suggest you keep spinning hte damn wheel everyday. Then when ur like 80 u may have some real money saved up.
James, SuperHero
Posted by: Chris | November 24, 2007 1:39 AM
I have plenty of invites for anyone who wants them. http://www.moola.com:80/moopubs/b2b/exc/join.jsp?sid=4d544d744d5441774e6a4935-2
Posted by: michael | November 24, 2007 7:29 PM
I am a member of Moola and I love it, I just bet $20 today and won $40, I now have almost $50 in my account. I may not become rich but I am happy with what I have. It's a great site!
Posted by: suann weller | November 27, 2007 1:32 PM