Rouleur Derby is almost certainly the best fantasy cycling game in the world.

Predict. Win. Have fun.

Players predict outcomes of cycling races and place bets. Winning bets earn points. Fun ensues.

Rouleur Derby is set up as a parimutuel, a form of betting common to horse racing. Payouts fluctuate based how many points have been collectively bet on that outcome. Payouts are determined when betting closes, not when the bet is made.

The payout is a simple multiplier. If you correctly bet 10 points on an outcome that has a final payout of 2.5, 25 points will be deposited into your account.

Rules are listed here.

Rouleur Derby is better because like cycling itself it rewards guile, patience and taking calculated risks.

We've all done the Tour de France office pool: Everybody picks Contador to win, Cavendish to get the points jersey and Cancellara to win the time trial. Yawn.

In Rouleur Derby, going with the herd will still earn points, but more points are earned by spotting outcomes that are undervalued by the other players.

Other fantasy games end up being lotteries. Rouleur Derby is a dynamic, self-correcting marketplace.

In addition, Rouleur Derby will introduce a variety of fun side propositions, not just race winners. Players can spread their resources across the game, placing more points on the bets they feel strongest about.

Rouleur Derby will follow all major European races, with extra attention on the classics and grand tours. Also included will be major American races, perhaps even the occasional amateur race.

Yes.

Nothing, other than fame and celebration.

Because that would be a felony. Until reliable legal counsel tells me otherwise, I'm afraid there will be no prizes.

I know, it sucks. Illinois appears to be very strict about gaming and betting on sports. I blame Al Capone.

That's how a parimutuel works. The more points that are bet on a given outcome, the less that outcome will yield.

In the early stages of each bet, the payouts may swing wildly. As more players place bets, however, the payouts will reach equilibrium.

Each proposition will show the number of points that have been wagered (the "action"). If there is not yet much action, your wager may have a significant effect on the payouts. Note, however, that the minimum payout is 1.1, meaning you will always earn at least 10 percent on an accurate prediction.

Yes. And you can place multiple bet on the same outcome.

Once you drop below 10 points, you will be shown an option to take out a bailout loan. These loans must be repaid, with 10 percent interest, by the world championships. Furthermore, for the first two weeks after a loan, you will be limited to two-point bets and won't be able to take out further loans.

Once you have accrued enough points to pay back your loan, you will be shown an option to do so.

Absolutely. Use the same strategy that you would if you were at the horse track. That is, bet on the riders with the goofiest names.

Rouleur Derby Report is an occcasional e-mail newsletter with news, upcoming races and other developments. Also be sure to follow Rouleur Derby on Twitter.

A rouleur is a bike racer who is a good all-arounder, as opposed to specialists like sprinters, climbers and time trialists. Likewise, players who thrive in Rouleur Derby will be the ones with a wide breadth of knowledge who can make accurate predictions on a wide range of propositions.

Absolutely not.

Rouleur Derby is primarily an exercise to teach myself Django, a popular web application framework. The exercises in the books were boring, but bike racing is fun!