U.S. patent application number 11/260053 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-28 for on-line lottery extension game having an instant component and a draw-based component.
Invention is credited to Chantal Jubinville, Richard Mischelof.
Application Number | 20060217181 11/260053 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37035897 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060217181 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jubinville; Chantal ; et
al. |
September 28, 2006 |
On-line lottery extension game having an instant component and a
draw-based component
Abstract
An on-line lottery game method is disclosed. The game method
includes the steps of providing a base lottery game, in known
fashion, and an extension game offered in association with the base
lottery game wherein those lottery game players who selectively
choose to play the extension game are issued lottery game tickets
bearing game indicia selected by the lottery system from a set of
game indicia separate from that of player selected indicia. A
drawing is held in the normal fashion for the base lottery game,
and a drawing is held for the extension game in which game indicia
from the second set of game indicia which match the player selected
game indicia determine winners of the extension game.
Inventors: |
Jubinville; Chantal;
(US) ; Mischelof; Richard; (US) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CARLTON FIELDS, PA
1201 WEST PEACHTREE STREET
3000 ONE ATLANTIC CENTER
ATLANTA
GA
30309
US
|
Family ID: |
37035897 |
Appl. No.: |
11/260053 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60623074 |
Oct 28, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
463/17 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/329 20130101;
G07F 17/3267 20130101; G07F 17/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/017 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Claims
1. A lottery game method, comprising the steps of: a) providing a
base lottery game for sale in which a plurality of lottery game
players individually select game indicia from a first set of game
indicia and submit their respective selections along with a wager
to a lottery system and are thereafter issued a lottery game
ticket; b) offering an extension game in association with said base
lottery game wherein those lottery game players who selectively
choose to play the extension game are issued their respective
lottery game tickets bearing game indicia selected by the lottery
system from a second set of game indicia.
2. The game method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of
holding a drawing in which game indicia from the first set of game
indicia are randomly selected by the lottery system and then
determining whether the lottery game player has won a base game
prize by comparing the player selected game indicia with respect to
the lottery selected game indicia from said first set of
indicia.
3. The game method of claim 2, further comprising the step of
holding a drawing in which game indicia from the second set of game
indicia are randomly selected by the lottery system and then
determining whether the lottery game player has won an extension
game prize by comparing the player selected game indicia of said
first set of indicia with respect to the lottery selected game
indicia of said second set of game indicia.
4. The game method of claim 3, further comprising the step of
awarding extension game prizes to lottery game players based upon
on the number of lottery selected indicia from the second set of
indicia that match the player selected indicia from the first set
of indicia.
5. A lottery game method comprising the steps of: receiving a first
set of game indicia from a player; generating a second set of game
indicia for an extension game; drawing a third set of game indicia;
determining a first multiplier factor for the player if the second
set of game indicia matches at least a predetermined number of game
indicia in the first set; determining a prize for the player if the
first set of game indicia matches at least a predetermined number
of game indicia in the third set; and modifying the prize for the
player according to the first multiplier factor.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of
determining an instant prize for the player if the second set of
game indicia matches at least a predetermined number of game
indicia in the first set.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the instant prize is a cash
prize.
8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: awarding
the instant prize to the player; and issuing a trailer ticket to
the player.
9. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of issuing a
lottery ticket to the player, the lottery ticket listing the first
set of game indicia and the second set of game indicia.
10. The method of claim 5, wherein one game indicia in the third
set is specially designated as a bonus game indicia.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein one game indicia in the second
set is specially marked.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of, if the
specially marked game indicia matches the bonus game indicia,
determining a special cash prize for the player.
13. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of: if the
second set of game indicia does not matches any game indicia in the
first set, determining a second multiplier factor for the player if
the second set of game indicia matches at least a predetermined
number of game indicia in the third set; and modifying the prize
for the player according to the second multiplier factor.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/623,074 filed in the United States Patent and
Trademark Office on Oct. 28, 2005, the provisions of which are
fully incorporated herein by this reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates generally to a lottery game, and more
particularly to a lottery game in which after selecting a plurality
of indicia, the player receives a ticket containing the selected
indicia and plurality of indicia which the player will use twice,
first to match the selected indicia on the ticket and then later to
match indicia selected by the lottery in a draw.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Many governments and/or gaming organizations sponsor
wagering games known as lotteries. A typical lottery game entails
players selecting permutations or combinations of numbers. This is
followed by a "draw," wherein the lottery randomly selects a
combination or permutation of numbered balls. Prizes are awarded
based on the number of matches between a player's selection and the
drawn numbers. The drawn numbers are the well-publicized, and
multi-million-dollar-jackpot lotteries are popular throughout the
world.
[0004] Lotteries have become an important source of income to
governments as they shoulder much of the financial burden for
education and other programs. However, as governments have grown
more dependent on lotteries it has become a challenge to sustain
public interest therein. One approach to invigorating lottery sales
for on-line drawing games is to offer "extension games," games that
can only be purchased in combination with other lottery games. An
advantage of extension games is that they tap into existing player
bases.
[0005] A special kind of on-line extension game is a so-called
"instant" game where players immediately learn whether or not they
have won a prize. Such a game creates excitement and is appealing
to players since they don't have to wait for a drawing to claim a
prize. However when players lose an on-line instant game, which
happens more often than not, they never experience the sense of
anticipation when they feel they might win a prize. The losing
experience is even more sudden than with a scratch-off ticket,
where players spend at least a small amount of time discovering the
outcome of their wager. Thus, there is need for an instant
extension game with a play mechanism that also allows players to
win an extension game prize in the draw even if they have not won
an instant prize.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] These, and other deficiencies in the art, are overcome by
the present invention, which invention comprises a lottery game in
which the player selects a plurality of indicia from a set of
indicia, after which the player receives a ticket containing the
player-selected indicia as well as another subset of indicia
selected by the lottery from the same set. The player may win
prizes by matching the lottery-selected indicia on the ticket with
the player-selected indicia, by matching the lottery-selected
indicia on the ticket with indicia selected by the lottery in a
drawing, or in the traditional manner, i.e. by matching the
player-selected indicia with indicia selected by the lottery in a
drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a prize table for a base game that is used in
conjunction with a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a first embodiment of a prize table for the
instant portion of the lottery extension game.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a first embodiment of a ticket for the lottery
extension game.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a second embodiment of a ticket for the lottery
extension game.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a prize table for a base game that is used in
conjunction with a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a second embodiment of a prize table for the
instant portion of the lottery extension game.
[0013] FIG. 7 is an embodiment of a prize table for the draw-based
portion of the lottery extension game.
[0014] FIG. 8 is a third embodiment of a ticket for the lottery
extension game.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a fourth embodiment of a ticket for the lottery
extension game.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the invention is an "extension
game," that is, a game offered for sale only in combination with
another lottery game, referred to here as the "base game." It is
assumed that the base game is a lotto-style game, as is well-known
in the art. The base game therefore comprises a player selecting
indicia from a set of indicia and submitting his selections along
with a wager to a lottery system, either through a retailer
operating a lottery terminal or through a self-serve kiosk.
Alternatively, the player may request that the lottery system
select the indicia for him. The assumption made herein, for the
purposes of this description, is that the player has selected their
own indicia. After sales for the game are closed, a drawing is held
in which indicia are selected from the same set. Players may win
prizes based on the number of matches between the indicia they
selected and the indicia selected in the draw.
[0017] The player may initiate a play of the extension game simply
by expressing the desire to do so by either marking the bet slip
where indicated, informing the retailer verbally, or using a
lottery kiosk interface, if applicable, and paying an additional
amount of money. If the player has elected to play the extension
game, the player is issued a ticket that will contain his own
selections and also a set of indicia selected by the lottery for
the extension game, as illustrated.
[0018] The plurality of lottery-selected indicia on the ticket may
be less than, equal to, or greater than the plurality of indicia
selected by the player. The player may be awarded prizes, based on
the number of lottery-selected indicia that match the
player-selected indicia. The prizes may be cash, a multiplier that
may be applied to base game winnings, one or more free plays for
the base game, or any combination thereof. If the player wins a
cash prize at the time the ticket is issued, the ticket may be
redeemed for the cash prize and the player is then issued a
"trailer" ticket, indicating that the cash prize has been redeemed
and listing once again the indicia selected for use in the drawing
portion of the game. The portion of the game described above will
henceforth be referred to as the "instant" portion of the game, as
discussed below.
[0019] After sales for the lottery game have been discontinued, the
lottery holds a drawing, i.e. a selection of indicia from the same
set from which indicia on the ticket were selected. The player may
win a prize based on the number of matches between the indicia he
initially selected and the indicia selected in the drawing. Such a
prize would constitute a base game prize, as it would be available
to all players of the base game whether or not they had elected to
play the extension.
[0020] The player may also win a prize based on the number of
matches between the additional lottery-selected indicia on the
ticket and the indicia selected in the drawing. Alternatively, a
specified subset of the lottery-selected indicia on the ticket may
be compared to a specified subset of the indicia selected in the
drawing. Also, an alternate embodiment may limit prizes in this
portion of the game to players who did not win a prize in the
instant portion of the game. As this portion of the game is
available only to players who elected to play the extension, the
prizes may consist of multiplier values that may be applied to base
game winnings.
[0021] Two sample embodiments will be discussed. The first is an
extension game for Tri State Megabucks.RTM. selected by way of
example only as any desired lottery game sponsored by a lottery
organization may suffice as the base game. In the Tri State
Megabucks.RTM. game, players select six numbers from the set of
integers 1 to 42. The lottery selects seven numbers from the of
integers 1 to 42, the last one being designated as the "bonus
ball." Players win prizes based on how many of their selections
match the lottery's first six selections and whether one of their
selections matches the bonus ball. The prize table for Tri State
Megabucks.RTM. is shown in FIG. 1.
[0022] In the first sample embodiment, the extension player's
ticket contains three lottery-selected numbers, one of which is
underlined. The significance of the underlined number is that the
player will win $13 if this number matches the bonus ball from the
drawing. The prizes for the instant portion of the game are shown
in the prize table in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the multipliers
apply only to base game winnings other than the jackpot.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a sample ticket in which the player selected,
3, 7, 12, 17, 28, and 40. The lottery-selected numbers on the
ticket are 5, 7, and 12, with the 5 underlined. The 7 and the 12
match two of the numbers being played in the base game, so
according to the prize table the player wins a 4.times. multiplier.
Suppose the lottery draw is 3, 11, 12, 15, 28, and 33, with bonus
ball 40. Then the player's base game outcome is 3 matches plus the
bonus ball. Since the base game prize for this level of matching is
$5, the player has won $20.
[0024] A second sample ticket for this lottery game is shown in
FIG. 4. The player has made the same selections as in the previous
sample ticket, but the lottery-selected numbers in this example are
6, 11, and 40, with the 40 underlined. The 40 matches one of the
player selections, so the ticket wins a 3.times. multiplier.
Assuming the lottery again draws 3, 11, 12, 15, 28, and 33, with
bonus ball 40, the player wins $5 in the base game. He also wins
$13 since his underlined number matches the bonus ball. His total
winnings are (3.times.$5)+$13=$28.
[0025] In a second exemplary embodiment, the base game is comprised
of the player and the lottery each selecting 6 numbers from the set
of integers 1 to 42. The base game prizes, which depend on the
number of matches, are shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment,
extension players receive three lottery-selected numbers on their
ticket. None of these numbers has any special designation. Prizes
for the instant portion of the game are shown in FIG. 6. Note that
some of the instant prizes include cash as well as a multiplier.
The multipliers do not apply to the instant cash prizes, but only
to base game prizes, exclusive of the jackpot. Note also that a
player who has 0 matches in the instant portion of the game wins a
"second chance," meaning that he may use the lottery selected
numbers on his ticket to match the numbers in the draw to win a
multiplier prize. Once again the multipliers apply only to base
game prizes, exclusive of the jackpot. The multiplier prizes
available to players who did not win have any instant matches is
shown in FIG. 7.
[0026] FIG. 8 shows a sample ticket in which the player selected,
3, 7, 12, 17, 28, and
[0027] 40. The lottery-selected numbers are 3, 12, and 28. All
three of these numbers match the player's selection so the player
wins $50 and a 5 multiplier. Suppose the lottery draws 3, 8, 11,
12, 15, and 28. Then the player has 3 base game matches, and
therefore wins a base game prize of $2. His total winnings are
(5.times.$2)+$50=$60.
[0028] FIG. 9 shows a sample ticket in which the player selected,
3, 7, 12, 17, 28, and
[0029] 40. The lottery-selected numbers are 6, 11, and 22. None of
these numbers match the player's selection so the player does not
win an instant prize but is eligible for a second chance at a
multiplier. Suppose the lottery draws 3, 8, 11, 12, 15, and 28.
Then the player has 3 base game matches, and therefore wins a base
game prize of $2. He also has one match between the
lottery-selected numbers on his ticket and the drawing numbers, so
he wins a 3 multiplier. His total winnings are 3.times.$2=$6.
[0030] The foregoing descriptions present only exemplary
embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will
readily recognize that the invention may be embodied in a variety
of ways by varying the plurality of lottery-selected indicia on the
ticket, the prize tables, the criteria for determining whether the
player may match lottery-selected indicia on the ticket with
indicia selected in the drawing, and the subsets of
lottery-selected indicia on the ticket and drawing indicia that may
be matched against each other. These, and other variations of the
gamer, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present
invention.
* * * * *