SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING LOTTERY MULTIPLIERS

• US 20100261516A1
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Multi-State Lottery Association
• Original Assignee: Multi-State Lottery Association
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Packes, John M. JR., Tulley, Stephen C., Santisi, Steven M., Walker, Jay S., Mik, Magdalena
• Granted Patent: US 8,298,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Some systems, processes, apparatus and articles of manufacture provide for selling lottery entries. In one example, a request is received to purchase a multiplier and a set of play indicia for a lottery game.

Claims

1. A system for processing lottery ticket sales for a lottery game having a multiplier option, comprising:

a plurality of lottery terminals, each lottery terminal comprising;

a first processor; and

a first storage device in communication with the first processor, the first storage device storing a first program for directing the first processor to;

receive a request by a player to purchase a set of play indicia for a lottery game and to purchase eligibility for a multiplier for the lottery game for a price, in which the price to purchase eligibility for the multiplier is based on an expected value that is based on a calculated average size of a predetermined plurality of available magnitudes and at least one potential payout for a partial match of the set of play indicia,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined specific redemption value,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a randomly determined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined range of redemption values,

wherein the predetermined range does not include the predetermined specific redemption value, and

transmit an indication of the request by the player to a lottery server; and

the lottery server in communication via a network with each of the plurality of lottery terminals, the lottery server comprising;

a second processor; and

a second storage device in communication with the second processor, the second storage device storing a second program for directing the second processor to;

receive the indication of the request by the player, and

associate the set of play indicia of the player with the eligibility of the player for the multiplier.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

3. The system of claim 1, in which the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

4. The system of claim 1, the first program for directing the first processor further to record the play indicia on a lottery ticket.

5. The system of claim 4, in which the lottery ticket is in the form of at least one of paper, cardboard, plastic, magnetic, optical, and electronic medium.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the randomly determined magnitude is determined prior to determining a set of drawn indicia for the lottery game.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to direct the processor to;

determine an average size of a predetermined plurality of potential magnitudes of a multiplier for a lottery game;

determine at least one potential redemption value for a partial match of play indicia for the lottery game;

determine an expected value based on the average size of the predetermined plurality of potential magnitudes and the at least one potential redemption value;

determine a price for eligibility for a multiplier based on the expected value;

store an indication of the price for eligibility for a multiplier;

receive a request to purchase eligibility for a multiplier and a set of play indicia,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined specific redemption value,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a randomly determined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined range of redemption values, and

wherein the predetermined range does not include the predetermined specific redemption value; and

provide to a player a lottery ticket including an indication of the eligibility for the multiplier and the set of play indicia.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, in which the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, in which the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, in which the lottery ticket is in the form of at least one of paper, cardboard, plastic, magnetic, optical, and electronic medium.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the randomly determined magnitude is determined prior to determining a set of drawn indicia for the lottery game.

12. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining an average size of a predetermined plurality of potential magnitudes of a multiplier for a lottery game;

determining at least one potential redemption value for a partial match of play indicia for the lottery game;

determining an expected value based on the average size of the predetermined plurality of potential magnitudes and the at least one potential redemption value;

determining a price for eligibility for a multiplier based on the expected value;

storing an indication of the price for eligibility for a multiplier;

receiving a request to purchase eligibility for a multiplier and a set of play indicia,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined specific redemption value,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a randomly determined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined range of redemption values, and

wherein the predetermined range does not include the predetermined specific redemption value; and

providing to a player a lottery ticket including an indication of the eligibility for the multiplier and the set of play indicia.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, in which the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, in which the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, in which the lottery ticket is in the form of at least one of paper, cardboard, plastic, magnetic, optical, and electronic medium.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the randomly determined magnitude is determined prior to determining a set of drawn indicia for the lottery game.

17. A method comprising:

determining an average size of a predetermined plurality of potential magnitudes of a multiplier for a lottery game;

determining at least one potential redemption value for a partial match of play indicia for the lottery game;

determining an expected value based on the average size of the predetermined plurality of potential magnitudes and the at least one potential redemption value;

determining a price for eligibility for a multiplier based on the expected value;

storing an indication of the price for eligibility for a multiplier;

receiving a request to purchase eligibility for a multiplier and a set of play indicia,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined specific redemption value,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a randomly determined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined range of redemption values, and

wherein the predetermined range does not include the predetermined specific redemption value; and

providing to a player a lottery ticket including an indication of the eligibility for the multiplier and the set of play indicia.

18. The method of claim 17, in which the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

19. The method of claim 17, in which the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

20. The method of claim 17, in which the lottery ticket is in the form of at least one of paper, cardboard, plastic, magnetic, optical, and electronic medium.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining the randomly determined magnitude; and

after determining the randomly determined magnitude, determining a set of drawn indicia for the lottery game.

22. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining a price for eligibility for a multiplier for a lottery game,

storing an indication of the price; and

receiving a request to purchase eligibility for a multiplier and a set of play indicia,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined specific redemption value,

in which the multiplier is applied to a winning set of play indicia at a randomly determined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined range of redemption values, and

wherein the predetermined range does not include the predetermined specific redemption value.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, further comprising:

providing to a player a lottery ticket including an indication of the eligibility for the multiplier and the set of play indicia.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 22, in which the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.