1. A method of an investment management machine for assisting in conducting demand-based trading, comprising: establishing a plurality of states, each state corresponding to at least one possible outcome of an event of economic significance; storing, by a processor of the investment management machine and in a storage device of the investment management machine, the plurality of states; receiving, by the investment management machine and via a user interface, an indication of a desired payout and an indication of a selected outcome; storing, by the processor and in the storage device, the indication of the desired payout and the indication of the selected outcome; associating, by the processor, the selected outcome with at least one of the plurality of states; determining, by the processor and substantially in real time, an investment amount as a function of the selected outcome, the desired payout and a total amount invested in the plurality of states; and outputting the investment amount; wherein the investment amount is pledged to be paid, such pledge occurring prior to occurrence of the event of economic significance, and the desired payout is payable after and conditional upon occurrence of the selected outcome of the event of economic significance.