Lottery gaming method and apparatus

• US 20060252488A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Claire Arcand, Danielle Dumouchel, Marie-Claudel Lalonde
• Original Assignee: Claire Arcand, Danielle Dumouchel, Marie-Claudel Lalonde
• Inventors: Arcand, Claire, Dumouchel, Danielle, Lalonde, Marie-Claudel
• Application Number:
  US10/547,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20060252488A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0423 Word games, e.g. scrabble electric A63F3/0421; two-dimensional puzzles with rotating rings or discs A63F9/0811, A63F9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/06 Lottos or bingo games; Systems, apparatus or devices for checking such games small boxes with balls used for generating random numbers A63F7/048; lottery apparatus G07C15/00; lottery gaming stations, online lottery or bingo G07F17/329; printing processes for lottery tickets B41M3/005
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0665 having a message becoming legible after rubbing-off a coating or removing an adhesive layer for educational purposes G09B
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

The present invention provides a lottery type game for play on a game medium wherein the lottery type game comprises a primary game area having therein a plurality of target symbols and a secondary game area having a plurality game symbols therein. The game symbols are positioned in one or more arrangements within the secondary game area. During play of the game, target symbols are used to reveal game symbols within the one or more arrangements through actions including matching of target and game symbols. Prior to play of the lottery type game at least one of the primary game area or the secondary game area is concealed from the view of the player, wherein during play of the game some or all of the concealed symbols are revealed. Prize determining means are associated with the game medium, wherein a predetermined prize is associated with each arrangement of game symbols. A prize associated with a particular arrangement of game symbols is won when all of the game symbols associated with the particular arrangement are revealed during play of the game. The winning of a lottery type game according to the present invention may not be accomplished solely by matching target symbols with game symbols, an additional action or revealed game symbol can typically be required in order to reveal a complete arrangement of game symbols. This additional action or game symbol identification can provide a player with an additional incentive to play the game, since by just revealing the target symbols one is typically unable to determine if a prize is won.

Claims

1. A method of playing a lottery type game comprising the steps of:

a) providing a game medium including;

i) a primary game area on said game medium, said primary game area having a plurality of target symbols therein, said target symbols being concealed from a player prior to play of the lottery type game;

ii) a secondary game area on said game medium, said secondary game area comprising one or more arrangements of game symbols, a predetermined number of the game symbols corresponding to target symbols; and

iii) a prize determining means on said game medium, said prize determining means enabling a player to determine if the player has won a prize after play of the game;

b) revealing said target symbols;

c) matching and revealing game symbols in said secondary game area using said target symbols;

d) determining if an entire arrangement of game symbols in the secondary game area is matched or revealed using the target symbols; and

e) awarding the player the prize associated with a particular arrangement of game symbols if the entire arrangement of game symbols is matched or revealed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more game symbols are a bonus symbol.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein upon revealing the bonus symbol a player wins a predetermined prize.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein upon revealing the bonus symbol a player can perform an additional action during play of the game.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the additional action is revealing an additional game symbol.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a target symbol is a word comprising letters and wherein the step of matching and revealing said game symbols comprises the matching of the letters of the word with individual game symbols representing the letters.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the game symbols matching the letters of the word are consecutively positioned within the secondary game area.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein upon the completion of the matching of the target symbols with game symbols, game symbols remaining unmatched with target symbols are used to form a new word.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein when the new word matches an arrangement associated with a prize determining means the player wins the corresponding prize.

10. A lottery type game apparatus enabling play of a lottery type game, said apparatus having displayed thereon:

a) a primary game area having a plurality of target symbols therein, said primary game area being concealed from a player prior to play of the lottery type game;

b) a secondary game area comprising one or more arrangements of game symbols, a predetermined number of the game symbols corresponding to target symbols,

c) a prize determining means for determining a prize based on matching target symbols with game symbols, the prize corresponding to an arrangement of game symbols being awarded when an entire arrangement of game symbols in the secondary game area is matched or revealed using the target symbols.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the lottery game apparatus is a printed medium.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein one of the primary game area and the secondary game area are concealed by a scratch off layer, wherein said scratch off layer is selected from the group comprising opaque, transparent, coloured transparent.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the lottery game apparatus is an electronic medium.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said electronic medium is independent.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said electronic medium is a slave in a network, wherein a remote computing device controls actions of said electronic medium.

16. A method of playing a lottery type game comprising the steps of:

a) providing a game medium including;

i) a primary game area on said game medium, said primary game area having a plurality of target symbols therein;

ii) a secondary game area on said game medium, said secondary game area comprising one or more arrangements of game symbols, a predetermined number of the game symbols corresponding to target symbols, at least one of the primary game area and the secondary game area being concealed from a player prior to play of the lottery type game; and

iii) a prize determining means on said game medium, said prize determining means enabling a player to determine if the player has won a prize after play of the lottery type game;

b) revealing target symbols and game symbols that are concealed;

c) matching game symbols in said secondary game area using said target symbols;

d) determining if an entire arrangement of game symbols in the secondary game area is matched or revealed using the target symbols; and

e) awarding the player the prize associated with a particular arrangement of game symbols if the entire arrangement of game symbols is matched or revealed.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein one or more game symbols are a bonus symbol.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein upon revealing the bonus symbol a player wins a predetermined prize.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein upon revealing the bonus symbol a player can perform an additional action during play of the game.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the additional action is revealing an additional game symbol.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein a target symbol is a word comprising letters and wherein the step of matching and revealing said game symbols comprises the matching of the letters of the word with individual game symbols representing the letters.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the game symbols matching the letters of the word are consecutively positioned within the secondary game area.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein upon the completion of the matching of the target symbols with game symbols, game symbols remaining unmatched with target symbols are used to form a new word.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein when the new word matches an arrangement associated with a prize determining means the player wins the corresponding prize.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon for performing a method of playing a lottery type game, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a game medium including;

i) a primary game area on said game medium, said primary game area having a plurality of target symbols therein, said target symbols being concealed from a player prior to play of the lottery type game;

ii) a secondary game area on said game medium, said secondary game area comprising one or more arrangements of game symbols, a predetermined number of the game symbols corresponding to target symbols; and

iii) a prize determining means on said game medium, said prize determining means enabling a player to determine if the player has won a prize after play of the game;

b) revealing said target symbols;

c) matching and revealing game symbols in said secondary game area using said target symbols;

d) determining if an entire arrangement of game symbols in the secondary game area is matched or revealed using the target symbols; and

e) awarding the player the prize associated with a particular arrangement of game symbols if the entire arrangement of game symbols is matched or revealed.