Method and apparatus for conducting a game of chance

• US 20060030388A1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Inventors: Herrmann, Mark E., Kane, Steven N., Sabet, Bijan, Hardy, Dow, LaRocca, Paul, Yanowitz, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/16
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/903 Lottery ticket

Abstract

A system and method are provided for playing a game of chance. The game of chance may include, for example, a lottery-type game using a pull-tab ticket. A result of the game of chance is revealed to a player in another medium. In one example, the result is revealed during multiple game instances of one or more online games.

Claims

1. A method for playing a game of chance comprising acts of:

issuing a pull-tab ticket to a player, the ticket including a code printed on a surface of the ticket and the ticket being associated with the game of chance;

providing for the player to play another game on different medium than the issued ticket; and

providing for the player to obtain a result of the game of chance using the code.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the code printed on a surface of the ticket is initially hidden from the player and the player must perform an action to reveal the code.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the another game is a computer-based game and the different medium is a computer system.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the act of providing for the player to obtain the result of the game of chance includes

providing an interface to the computer system to allow the player to enter the code;

and

permitting access to the result of the game of chance by using the code as a decryption key to obtain the results.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising an act of storing, on a server associated with the computer system, the result of the game of chance.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising storing, in a database associated with the computer system, a portion of the decryption key, the portion being used along with the code by the computer system to obtain the result of the game of chance.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising an act of obtaining, from the database, the portion of the decryption key based on an identifier printed on the ticket that uniquely identifies the ticket.

8. A pull-tab ticket associated with a game of chance, the ticket comprising:

an access code printed on a surface of the ticket; and

at least one ticket combination that determines a result of the game of chance printed in a hidden location on the ticket.

9. The pull-tab ticket according to claim 8, wherein the hidden location is an inside of the pull-tab ticket and wherein the pull-tab ticket includes no obvious means for opening the pull-tab ticket to reveal the ticket combination printed in the hidden location.

10. The pull-tab ticket according to claim 9, wherein the access code is hidden from a player by one of a pull-tab cover and a scratchable surface.

11. A gaming system comprising:

a pull-tab ticket that includes an access code printed on a surface of the ticket, the pull-tab ticket being associated with a game of chance;

a computer system including a storage element and a game program that controls play of a computer-based game; and

an interface that enables a player to play the computer-based game and that is adapted to accept the access code, wherein the computer system is adapted to provide a result of the game of chance to the player when the player enters the access code and plays the computer-based game.

12. The gaming system according to claim 11, wherein the pull-tab ticket further includes the result of the game of chance printed in a hidden location on the pull-tab ticket and wherein the pull-tab ticket includes no obvious indication of a presence of the result of the game of chance.

13. The gaming system according to claim 12, wherein the result of the game of chance is stored on the storage element and wherein the computer system is further adapted to provide the result of the game of chance to the player by using the access code as a decryption key to obtain the result.

14. The gaming system according to claim 13, wherein the game of chance has an associated prize and wherein a prize total for the pull-tab ticket is determined prior to issuing the pull-tab ticket to the player.