Systems and methods for accessing, manipulating and using funds associated with lottery-type games

• US 20060052153A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Tote Co. (Churchill Downs Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Tote Co. (Churchill Downs Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harrison, Victor I., Vlazny, Kenneth A., Burgess, Brendan
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3223 Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, master/slave, wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods of lottery-type wagering are disclosed. One method utilizes a credit instrument associated with an account set up by a patron with a gaming administrator. The credit instrument may be used to place lottery-type wagers at a gaming terminal and, additionally, for the purchase of goods and/or services, accessing additional informational displays, or for other non-wagering purposes areas associated with the gaming administrator or a venue offering lottery-type wagering. The credit instrument acts as a cash substitute wherein the patron'"'"'s account may be automatically updated with all of the patron'"'"'s wins, losses, and purchases via a network system or updated on the credit instrument. In other methods, lottery-type wagers are placed with an anonymous account such that an identity of a player is not known to the gaming administrator.

Claims

1. A method of lottery-type wagering, the method comprising:

providing a gaming terminal configured for placing a lottery-type wager;

providing a player an opportunity to place funds in an anonymous account;

enabling the player to access at least a portion of the funds of the anonymous account for use in placing the lottery-type wager; and

enabling the player to place the lottery-type wager using the at least a portion of the funds of the anonymous account.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the player with an opportunity to associate the anonymous account with a credit instrument.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising using the credit instrument to access an informational display at a venue offering lottery-type gaming.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the player with an opportunity to add additional funds to the anonymous account.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein enabling the player to access the at least a portion of the funds comprises sending a request for allocation of the at least a portion of the funds to a remote computer in communication with the gaming terminal.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein enabling the player to access the at least a portion of the funds further comprises receiving the at least a portion of the funds requested from an authorization sent to the gaming terminal from the remote computer.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising updating the anonymous account with winnings from a result of the lottery-type wager.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the credit instrument is selected from the group consisting of a house card, a credit card, a smart card, a debit card, a bank card, a token card, an anonymous token card, a lottery-type gaming venue issued card, a voucher, an ATM card, a smart card account, a combination house card/credit/debit card, a token/debit card, a stored value card, a pre-owned instrument, a gift card, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and combinations of any thereof.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising selecting the credit instrument to have a predenominated amount of funds.

10. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

wherein enabling the player to access the at least the portion of the funds comprises placing the credit instrument into the gaming terminal; and

removing the credit instrument from the gaming terminal prior to enabling the player to place the lottery-type wager.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein enabling the player to access the at least a portion of the funds for use at the gaming terminal further comprises requesting a specific amount of funds as determined by the player.

12. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

selecting the credit instrument to be associated with a second monetary account associated with a debit card account or a credit card account;

transferring funds from the second monetary account to the anonymous account; and

using the at least a portion of the funds from the monetary account to place the lottery-type wager.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising enabling the player to purchase goods or services with a portion of the funds of the anonymous account.

14. A method of conducting a lottery-type gaming activity, the method comprising:

providing a gaming terminal associated with a device for reading a credit instrument;

providing a player an opportunity to associate an anonymous account having a monetary value with the credit instrument, wherein the credit instrument is readable by the device for reading the credit instrument; and

enabling the player to place a lottery-type wager using the credit instrument.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising enabling the player to access at least a portion of the monetary value with the device for reading the credit instrument of the gaming terminal.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising updating the monetary value with winnings from a result of the lottery-type wager.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

providing the player a second opportunity to place the credit instrument in the device for reading the credit instrument of the gaming terminal to access the monetary value; and

allowing the player to remove the credit instrument from the device for reading the credit instrument prior to enabling the player to place the lottery-type wager.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

selecting the credit instrument to be associated with the monetary value and with a second monetary account associated with a debit card account or a credit card account; and

enabling the player to transfer a portion of funds from the second monetary account to the monetary value.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising enabling the player to purchase goods or services with the monetary value of the credit instrument.

20. A system for conducting a lottery-type gaming activity, comprising:

a gaming terminal associated with a device for reading a credit instrument;

at least one credit instrument associated with a monetary value, wherein the at least one credit instrument is readable by the device for reading the credit instrument;

a network interface apparatus with associated software, wherein the software is operatively configured to enable the gaming terminal to;

enable a player to set up an anonymous account associated with a monetary value; and

enable the player to place a lottery-type wager using the at least one credit instrument and the gaming terminal.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the software is further operatively configured to enable the player to purchase goods or services using the monetary value of the at least one credit instrument.

22. A method of conducting a lottery-type gaming activity, the method comprising:

enabling a player to associate a credit instrument with an account of a financial institution and with an account of a lottery-type gaming system;

enabling the player to transfer funds between the account of the financial institution and the account of the lottery-type gaming system; and

subsequent to a transfer of such funds, enabling the player to place a lottery-type wager with funds associated with the account of the lottery-type gaming system.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein enabling the player to transfer funds comprises providing an input device operatively connected to the lottery-type gaming system, wherein the input device is configured to read the credit instrument.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising, responsive to the player making a purchase with the account of the financial institution, adding funds to the account of the lottery-type gaming system.

25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising selecting the credit instrument from the group consisting of a house card, a credit card, a smart card, a debit card, a bank card, a token card, an anonymous token card, a lottery-type gaming venue issued card, a voucher, an ATM card, a smart card account, a combination house card/credit/debit card, a token/debit card, a stored value card, a pre-owned instrument, a gift card, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and combinations of any thereof.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising associating the credit instrument with a marketing program such that, upon participation in the marketing program by the player, funds are credited to the account of the lottery-type gaming system.

27. The method according to claim 22, further comprising enabling the player to purchase goods or services with the funds associated with the account of the lottery-type gaming system.

28. A system for conducting a lottery-type gaming activity, comprising:

at least one gaming terminal having a credit instrument reader associated therewith;

at least one credit instrument configured for both association with an account of a financial institution and an account of a lottery-type gaming system, wherein the at least one credit instrument is readable by the credit instrument reader;

a network interface apparatus with associated software, wherein the software is operatively configured to enable the at least one gaming terminal to;

enable a player to transfer funds between the account of the financial institution and the account of the lottery-type gaming system; and

enable the player to place a lottery-type wager on the at least one gaming terminal with funds from the account of the lottery-type gaming system.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one credit instrument is selected from the group consisting of a house card, a credit card, a smart card, a debit card, a bank card, a token card, an anonymous token card, a lottery-type gaming venue issued card, a voucher, an ATM card, a smart card account, a combination house card/credit/debit card, a token/debit card, a stored value card, a pre-owned instrument, a gift card, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and combinations of any thereof.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the software is further configured to associate the at least one credit instrument with a marketing program such that funds may be credited to the account of the lottery-type gaming system.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the software is configured to add funds to the account of the lottery-type gaming system in response to the player making a purchase with funds of the account of the financial institution.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the software is further configured to enable the player to purchase goods or services with the at least one credit instrument.

33. A cashless method of lottery-type wagering comprising:

providing a gaming terminal configured for a player to place a lottery-type wager;

enabling the player to present a credit instrument associated with a monetary account to a card reader in communication with the gaming terminal;

enabling the player to access at least a portion of funds of the monetary account for use at the gaming terminal; and

enabling the player to place a lottery-type wager at the gaming terminal using the at least a portion of the funds.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising enabling the player to make a purchase using the credit instrument and at least another portion of the funds.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein making the purchase using the credit instrument is effected before placing the lottery-type wager.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein making the purchase using the credit instrument is effected after placing the lottery-type wager.

37. The method according to claim 33, further comprising enabling the player to use the credit instrument to access a restricted-access area at a venue housing the gaming terminal.

38. The method according to claim 33, further comprising providing the player an opportunity to use the credit instrument to access an informational display associated with the gaming terminal.

39. The method according to claim 33, further comprising providing the player an opportunity to add additional funds to the monetary account.

40. The method according to claim 33, wherein enabling the player to access the at least a portion of funds comprises sending a request for allocation of the at least a portion of funds to a remote computer in communication with the card reader.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein enabling the patron to access the at least a portion of funds further comprises receiving the at least a portion of funds requested from an authorization sent to the gaming terminal from the remote computer.

42. The method according to claim 33, further comprising updating the monetary account with winnings from the result of the lottery-type wager.

43. The method according to claim 33, wherein the credit instrument is selected from the group consisting of a house card, a credit card, a smart card, a debit card, a bank card, a token card, an anonymous token card, a lottery-type gaming venue issued card, a voucher, an ATM card, a smart card account, a combination house card/credit/debit card, a token/debit card, a stored value card, a pre-owned instrument, a gift card, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and combinations of any thereof.

44. The method according to claim 33, further comprising selecting the credit instrument to have a predenominated amount of funds.

45. The method according to claim 33, further comprising removing the credit instrument prior to placing the lottery-type wager.

46. The method according to claim 33, further comprising verifying the identity of the player prior to the player obtaining the funds.

47. The method according to claim 46, further comprising using a-personal identification number, a key, a smart card, an electronic button for entering a personal identification number in a user interface of the gaming terminal, a finger print imaging device, or a retinal scan to verify the identity of the player.

48. The method according to claim 33, wherein enabling the player to access the at least a portion of funds of the monetary account for use at the gaming terminal further comprises requesting a specific amount of funds as determined by the player.

49. The method according to claim 33, further comprising forwarding information regarding the outcome of the lottery-type wager over a communication link.

50. The method according to claim 49, wherein forwarding information comprises sending the information using text messaging or email.

51. The method according to claim 33, further comprising selecting the credit instrument to be associated with a first monetary account and with a second monetary account associated with a debit card account or credit card account, and using at least a portion of the funds from the first monetary account to place the lottery-type wager.

52. The method according to claim 51, further comprising crediting the first monetary account when a purchase is placed using funds from the second monetary account.

53. The method according to claim 51, further comprising selecting the funds from the first monetary account to be available for use at a venue at which the gaming terminal is located.

54. The method according to claim 50, further comprising transferring funds between the first monetary account and the second monetary account.

55. A cashless method of lottery-type wagering comprising:

enabling a player to input a unique identifier associated with a monetary account over a communication link with a remote computer;

enabling the player to access at least a portion of funds from the monetary account; and

allowing the player to place a lottery-type wager over the communication link on an event using the at least a portion of the funds.

56. The method according to claim 55, further comprising enabling the player to purchase goods or services offered by an administrator of the lottery-type wagering over the communication link using another portion of the funds.

57. The method according to claim 55, wherein enabling the player to input the unique identifier comprises inputting an account number using a touch tone telephone.

58. The method according to claim 56, further comprising enabling the player to input a unique secondary identifier number using the touchtone telephone.

59. The method according to claim 55, wherein enabling the player to place the lottery-type wager over the communication link comprises inputting the lottery-type wager using a touch tone telephone.

60. The method according to claim 55, wherein enabling the player to place the lottery-type wager over the communication link comprises inputting a code corresponding to a specific lottery-type gaming administrator.

61. The method according to claim 55, wherein enabling the player to input the unique identifier comprises inputting an account number into a user interface of a website that communicates with the remote computer.

62. The method according to claim 61 further comprising enabling the player to input a unique secondary identifier into the user interface of the website that communicates with the remote computer.

63. The method according to claim 55, further comprising enabling the player to purchase at least one item not associated with the lottery-type wagering.

64. The method according to claim 55, further comprising enabling the player to select the monetary account to be associated with a credit instrument.

65. The method according to claim 64, further comprising enabling the player to add funds to the monetary account associated with the credit instrument.

66. The method according to claim 64, further comprising selecting the credit instrument to have a predenominated amount of funds.

67. The method according to claim 55, further comprising updating the monetary account with winnings from the result of the lottery-type wager.

68. The method according to claim 55, further comprising verifying the identity of the player prior to the player obtaining the funds.

69. The method according to claim 64 further comprising selecting the credit instrument from the group consisting of a house card, a credit card, a smart card, a debit card, a bank card, a token card, an anonymous token card, a lottery-type gaming venue issued card, a voucher, an ATM card, a smart card account, a combination house card/credit/debit card, a token/debit card, a stored value card, a pre-owned instrument, a gift card, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and combinations of any thereof.

70. The method according to claim 64, further comprising enabling the player to select the credit instrument to be associated with a first monetary account and a second monetary account associated with a debit card account or credit card account and using at least a portion of the funds from the first monetary account to place the lottery-type wager.

71. The method according to claim 70, further comprising crediting the first monetary account when a purchase is placed using funds from the second monetary account.

72. The method according to claim 70, further comprising selecting the funds from the first monetary account to be only available for use in placing a lottery-type wager.

73. The method according to claim 70, further comprising transferring funds between the first monetary account and the second monetary account.