System and method for playing a game having online and offline elements

• US 20060172799A1
• Filed: 01/04/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games LLC (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games Holdings Ltd (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Mark E., Kane, Steven N., Sabet, Bijan, Hardy, Dow, LaRocca, Paul, Yanowitz, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,109,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• 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 system and method are provided for playing a game of chance. The game of chance may include, for example, a lottery-type or casino-based game. A partial result of the game of chance is revealed to a player in an offline portion of the game. The remaining portion of the result is revealed to the player in an online portion of the game. In one example, the online/offline game includes a slot machine game. In one example, the online/offline game includes a bingo game. In yet another example, the online/offline game includes a game of roulette. In one example, particular game features are associated with either the online or offline portions of the game. In this way, players are motivated to participate in both portions of the game, enhancing and prolonging the game experience.

Claims

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

issuing a ticket to a player, the ticket including an offline portion of a game including a portion of an outcome associated with the game; and

providing for the player to obtain a remaining portion of the outcome from an online portion of the game.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of issuing a ticket further comprises an act of providing a code printed on a surface of the ticket, wherein the code is used to gain security access to obtain results of the game of chance.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of issuing a ticket includes an act of issuing at least one of a lottery ticket, a scratch ticket, and a pull-tab ticket.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of providing further comprises an act of providing a computer-based game which the player plays to reveal the remaining portion of the outcome of the game.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the act of providing a computer-based game further comprises an act of permitting access to the results of the game of chance by using the code as a decryption key to obtain the results.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of storing, on a server, the outcome of the game of chance.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising an act of storing, in a database of a computer system, a portion of a decryption key, the portion being used along with the code by the computer system to obtain the outcome.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the act of providing includes an act of permitting access to a website to play the game.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the game is at least one of a group comprising a slot machine game, a bingo game and a roulette game.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising an act of obtaining, from the database of the computer system, the portion of the decryption key based on an identifier printed on the ticket.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the identifier is a serial number associated with the ticket.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of presenting, to the player, an interface in which the player is permitted to enter the code to obtain security access to the remaining portion of the outcome.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the online portion of the game is a computer-based game involving a plurality of instances of an online game, and wherein the player plays the plurality of instances of the online game within an interface of the computer-based game.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ticket discloses the number of game instances of the game provided to the player.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the player is permitted to play, with each one of the game instances, a plurality of bingo games.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the player is permitted to play, with each one of the game instances, a plurality of roulette games.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the player is permitted to play, with each one of the game instances, a plurality of slot machine games.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ticket includes a plurality of areas indicating the portion of the outcome of the game.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the plurality of areas is covered by a scratchable coating adapted to be removed by the player.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising an act of removing, by the player, the scratchable coating during the offline portion of the game.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the outcome of the game is predetermined.

22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of providing, in the online portion of the game, one or more reveals associated with the remaining portion of the outcome.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the one or more reveals are predetermined.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the one or more reveals are randomly determined by a client computer.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the one or more reveals are stored in a database of a server.

26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising an act of determining, based on the portion of the outcome and the remaining portion of the outcome, whether the player wins a prize.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein, if it is determined that the player wins a prize, the method further comprises an act of awarding the prize to the player.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the prize awarded to the player is at least one of cash, merchandise, and credit.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein an indication of the prize won by the player is stored in a database of a server, and is downloaded to a computer presenting the computer-based game to the player.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of issuing a ticket includes an act of issuing at least one of a bingo ticket and a keno ticket.

31. A method for playing a game of chance, the method comprising acts of:

issuing a ticket to a player, the ticket including an offline game including an outcome associated with the offline game; and

providing for the player to play an online game having a separate outcome associated with the online game based on the issued ticket.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the offline game is a separate game from the online game.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the online game and offline game have separate respective outcomes.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein the offline game is at least one of a scratch-type, pull-tab, lottery, bingo, and keno games.

35. The method according to claim 31, further comprising an act of associating the online game with the offline game.

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the method further comprises an act of associating the at least one of the scratch-type, pull-tab, lottery, bingo, and keno games with the online game.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the act of associating is performed at a point of sale (POS).

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the act of associating further comprises an act of associating the issued ticket with the online game.