Linked promotional bingo game

• US 20030171986A1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fortunet Incorporated (Yuri Itkis Gaming Trust 1993)
• Original Assignee: Fortunet Incorporated (Yuri Itkis Gaming Trust 1993)
• Inventors: Itkis, Yuri, Itkis, Boris
• Application Number:
  US10/093,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

A bingo pack printed by a printer responsive to a computer consisting of a plurality of bingo pages imprinted with at least one bingo card and a reference corresponding to a bingo game, including but not limited to, a game name, a game number and/or a bingo pattern. A bingo pack is dispensed to a player from a self-service computer-controlled printing kiosk. The kiosk displays a menu of available bingo packs on a touchscreen display and accepts currency, credit cards and refund vouchers. Bingo packs dispensed from the kiosk may be printed on paper of various colors, indicating a prize level. Each bingo page comprising a printed bingo pack may be imprinted with a pack identification number, date, bingo hall name, advertisement, coupon, sweepstakes identification, player'"'"'s name and/or player identification number. In addition to paper bingo cards, kiosks may transmit electronic bingo cards to electronic bingo player units.

Claims

1. A method of conducting free sweepstakes based on a game of chance, said method including steps of:

(a) forming and distributing a plurality of free sweepstakes tickets bearing information related to said game of chance;

(b) designating at least one of said sweepstakes tickets as a winning ticket of said game of chance;

(c) determining a sequence of events assuring a winning of said game of chance by said designated winning ticket in accordance with rules of said game of chance; and

(d) revealing said sequence of events.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said game of chance is one of a series of games of chance.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said game of chance is bingo, said sequence of events is a sequence of called bingo numbers, said sweepstakes tickets include a depicted bingo card and said winning ticket includes a winning bingo card of said bingo game.

4. The method according to claim 1 further including a step of revealing said winning ticket.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said free sweepstakes tickets are printed and distributed on-demand and in real-time.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said free sweepstakes tickets are printed and issued at a plurality of point-of-sale terminals.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said designation of at least one of said free sweepstakes tickets as said winning ticket includes utilization of a pseudo-random number generator.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein events forming said sequence of events are revealed one after another with a pause between each revealed event.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein said free sweepstakes tickets are distributed to a plurality of participating establishments.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein a holder of said winning ticket is awarded a prize.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said prize is randomly selected from a predetermined pool of prizes.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein said winning prize is at least partially funded from proceeds generated by one or more activities included in a group consisting of:

(a) charging said participating establishments a fee for participating in said free sweepstakes;

(b) advertising at said participating establishments; and

(c) commercially exploiting player-tracking information accumulated in the process of conducting said free sweepstakes.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein said player-tracking information includes identification of patrons of said establishments.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein said advertising includes means for displaying one or more commercials to patrons of said establishments.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein said advertising includes printing an advertisement on one or more of said free sweepstakes tickets.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein said free sweepstakes tickets include identification information of patrons of said establishments.

17. The method according to claim 9 wherein said free sweepstakes tickets distributed at said participating establishments are registered on a central file server.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein said central file server communicates with a plurality of point-of-sale terminals located at said participating establishments.

19. The method according to claim 3 further including a step of assuring said sequence of called bingo numbers results in only one winning bingo card.

20. A method of managing a free linked-game conducted simultaneously in a plurality of participating establishments including the following steps:

(a) issuing and distributing a plurality of free game tickets at said plurality of participating establishments;

(b) awarding a winning prize to a holder of at least one winning free game ticket;

(c) at least partially funding said winning prize from proceeds derived from one or more activities of the group consisting of;

(i) charging said participating establishments a fee for participating in said free sweepstakes;

(ii) advertising at said participating establishments; and

(iii) commercially exploiting player-tracking information accumulated in the process of conducting said free sweepstakes.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein said linked-game is a game of bingo.

22. The method according to claim 20 further including means for limiting the issuance of said free tickets to one per patron of said establishments.

23. The method according to claim 20 wherein said advertising includes means for displaying one or more commercials to patrons of said establishments.

24. The method according to claim 20 wherein said advertising includes printing an advertisement on one or more of said free sweepstakes tickets.

25. The method according to claim 20 wherein said free sweepstakes tickets include identification information of patrons of said establishments.

26. The method according to claim 20 wherein said designation of at least one of said free sweepstakes tickets as said winning ticket includes utilization of a pseudo-random number generator.

27. The method according to claim 20 wherein said free game ticket winning said winning prize is determined in advance of determining a sequence of events resulting in said winning of said prize in accordance with rules of said linked-game.

28. The method according to claim 20 further including means for displaying a status of said linked-game.

29. The method according to claim 20 wherein said free sweepstakes tickets are issued and distributed at a plurality of point-of-sale terminals.