TriviaShootout, a new online trivia game offering cash prizes of up to $5,000, is the first of its kind, according to the man behind the game, Bruce Kallenberg. Kallenberg, a resident of Aspen, Colorado, has partnered with ESPN.com to produce the game and bring it to sports fans. Sports fans, Kallenberg claims, also tend to be gamblers.

The site offers several contests: a game that ranks top-five performances over a 24-hour period; a “hot streak” game in which the winner answers the most consecutive questions correctly; and a speed game in which the winner correctly answers six questions in the shortest amount of time. TriviaShootout also offers three skill levels so that players don’t have to be experts to play and novice players need not fear playing against experts. Even though all players enter as rookies, major trivia buffs are separated into their own groups.

At this time, the prizes offered range anywhere from $1.00 to $5,000, but this amount is expected to increase as the number of players increase. The game debuted on ESPN’s site in December in spite of US federal law, which prohibits online gambling. Kallenberg has skirted the gambling law, however, because TriviaShootout, despite its cash payout, is classified as predominantly a game of skill.

Since online gambling is all the rage now, the makers of TriviaShootout are hoping to profit from the multi-billion dollar industry too and, to encourage players to try out their site, are offering a free 30-day trial for the next month. The game can be accessed at ESPN.com’s fantasy page.

While there were a few hurdles to overcome initially, Kallenberg is more hopeful this time around and expects to do well during his one year pilot deal with ESPN.