Method for the conduct of lotteries

• US 5,772,511 A
• Filed: 05/08/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pollard Banknote Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Webcraft Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Smeltzer, Walter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US08/647,400
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/18, 463/19, 463/20, 463/21, 379/88, 379/92, 379/95, 379/97
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/081 electric

Abstract

A method for conducting lotteries which combines instant games and on-line games by beginning with the purchase of a single instant game ticket by a player. The instant game is played and, win or lose, the instant game ticket is presented for verification. The transmission of the results of the verification directs payment as to winning tickets and directs continuing play of an on-line game for all tickets. The on-line game is played through the selection of numbers by the player or by random number selection and a on-line game ticket is printed for use in playing the on-line game.

Claims

1. A method for conducting lotteries which combines an instant game and an on-line game so that the purchase of a single game ticket by a player will provide for active player participation in the instant game and active player participation in the number selection at the direction of the player in the on-line game.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein the active player participation in the instant game includes the making of chosen selections by the player from available game playing selections which are preprinted on the instant game ticket.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein all number selections for playing the on-line game are picked by the player.

4. A method of claim 1 wherein the number selections for playing the on-line game are randomly selected by a computer pursuant to player direction to so randomly select.

5. A method for conducting lotteries which combines an instant game and an on-line game, including the following steps:

(a) the purchase of an instant game ticket by a player which presents preprinted available game playing selections and verification information thereon;

(b) selection by the player, from the available game playing selections presented on the instant game ticket, of certain chosen selections;

(c) presentation of the instant game ticket for verification;

(d) verification of the information on the instant game ticket by a computer;

(e) transmissions of the results of the verification;

(f) immediate access by the player to the on-line game;

(g) selection by the player of numbers for playing the on-line game and on-line presentation of the selected numbers; and

(h) generation by the computer of an on-line game ticket imprinted with the selected numbers for use in playing the on-line game.

6. A method of claim 5 wherein the verification information on the instant game ticket includes game identification information and unique ticket identification information.

7. A method of claim 6 wherein the verification information is presented in a form that is readable by a computer.

8. A method of claim 7 wherein the verification information is in the form of a bar code.

9. A method of claim 5 wherein the chosen selections result in a winning ticket.

10. A method of claim 9 wherein the verification of the information on the instant ticket confirms the chosen selections and identifies the instant ticket as a winning ticket with an associated prize.

11. A method of claim 10 wherein the transmission of the results of the verification includes a direction to pay the associated prize.

12. A method of claim 5 wherein the immediate access by the player to an on-line game permits the input into the computer of the player'"'"'s selected numbers for playing the on-line game.

13. A method of claim 12 wherein the player'"'"'s selected numbers are provided by the player.

14. A method of claim 12 wherein the player'"'"'s selected numbers are provided by computer-generated random number selection.

15. A method of claim 5 wherein the preprinted available game playing selections are obscured by a removal coating.

16. A method of claim 5 wherein all instant games tickets presented for verification are disposed of.