Lottery game utilizing nostalgic game themes

• US 20060151943A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games LLC (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Bozeman, Alan Kyle
• Granted Patent: US 7,699,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/138.100
• 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

Abstract

A method for hosting and playing a lottery game using nostalgic game themes. The lottery game, in one embodiment emulating Pac-Man®, comprises a player selecting a path on a grid, and a lottery populating the path with numbers either generated randomly or selected by the player. The lottery also randomly places few ghosts on the same grid. A set of player indicia is determined by the numbers on the path before the path intercept with one or more ghosts. The set of player indicia is then compared with a set of winning indicia and the player receives a prize depending on the number of matches between the player indicia and winning indicia.

Claims

1. A method for hosting a lottery game, comprising the steps of:

selecting for a game player a plurality of game player positions on a predetermined grid, the game player positions defining a pathway on the grid, said pathway being linear and continuous and comprised of the selected game player positions;

randomly selecting at least one position on said grid; and

determining an outcome of the game based on the intersection of the pathway and the at least one randomly selected position on the grid.

2. The method of claim 1, the step of randomly selecting at least one position on the grid further comprising the step of randomly selecting positions from a plurality of separate subsets of positions defined on said grid.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of awarding a game prize to the game player based on the game outcome.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the game prize is based on the number of positions for which the randomly selected at least one position intersects the pathway.

5. The method of claim 3, the step of determining the game outcome further comprising the step of determining player indicia into the lottery game for the player, the player indicia identified by and along the pathway up to a first position on the pathway that intersects the randomly selected at least one position.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of producing lottery indicia and prizes based on comparisons between the lottery indicia and the player indicia.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection of grid positions occurring at the time of game entry and being indicated on a ticket issued to the player.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the lottery'"'"'s selection of grid positions comprises an event that applies to multiple players and is not indicated on a ticket issued to the player.

9. A lottery game, comprising:

a plurality of game player selectable positions on a predetermined grid, the game player selectable positions defining a pathway on the grid, said pathway being linear and continuous, wherein the grid selectively populated with numbers and symbols from a lottery authority; and

the outcome of the lottery game determinable based on the numbers and symbols in the said pathway.

10. The lottery game of claim 9, wherein at least one of the numbers comprises player indicia to be used as an entry into the lottery game.

11. The lottery game of claim 10, wherein prizes are awardable based on matches between the player indicia and indicia selected by the lottery authority.

12. The lottery game of claim 9, wherein the predetermined grid, pathway, numbers and symbols are on a ticket.

13. The lottery game of claim 9, wherein at least one symbol contained in the pathway is a delimiter to the pathway.

14. The lottery game of claim 9, wherein at least one symbol contained in the pathway enhances prizes of the lottery game.

15. The lottery game of claim 9, wherein at least one symbol contained in the said pathway defines characteristics of at least one other symbol.

17. The lottery game of claim 9, wherein at least one symbol defines how another symbol affects prizes to the lottery game.

16. The lottery game of 9, wherein at least one symbol defines whether or not another symbol is a delimiter to the pathway.

18. A method for conducting a lottery game comprising the steps of:

receiving a path from a player, the path being defined on a predetermined grid;

placing a plurality of player indicia on the grid;

placing a plurality of symbols on a plurality of predetermined positions on the predetermined grid;

determining a set of player indicia based on the plurality of player indicia on the path and the plurality of symbols on the grid that intersect the path;

generating a set of winning indicia;

comparing the set of player indicia and the set of winning indicia; and

awarding a prize to the player based on comparison between the set of player indicia and the set of winning indicia.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of receiving the plurality of player indicia from the player.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of generating the plurality of player indicia.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of placing a plurality of symbols on a plurality of predetermined positions on the predetermined grid further comprising the step of placing one symbol on each subset of the predetermined positions.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one symbol in the plurality of symbols being a path delimiter.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a symbol being a path delimiter remover.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein a symbol being a prize multiplier.

25. A method for hosting a lottery game comprising the steps of:

receiving a path from a player, the path being defined on a predetermined grid;

placing a plurality of symbols on a plurality of predetermined positions on the predetermined grid; and

awarding a prize to the player if the path does not intercept with any of symbols placed on the predetermined grid.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of placing a plurality of symbols on a plurality of predetermined positions on the predetermined grid further comprising the step of placing one symbol on each subset of the predetermined positions.

27. A system for hosting a lottery game, comprising:

a communication network;

at least one gaming machine in communication with the communication network; and

a server in communication with the at least one gaming machine through the communication network, wherein the server hosting the lottery game and being capable of

receiving a path from a player, the path being defined on a predetermined grid,

placing a plurality of player indicia on the path,

placing a plurality of symbols on a plurality of predetermined positions on the predetermined grid,

determining a set of player indicia based on the plurality of player indicia on the path and the plurality of symbols on the grid,

generating a set of winning indicia,

comparing the set of player indicia and the set of winning indicia, and

awarding a prize to the player based on comparison between the set of player indicia and the set of winning indicia.