Ticket for instant lottery game and method of playing same

• US 6,250,685 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Tulley, Stephen C., Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fridie, Jr., Willmon
• Application Number:
  US09/001,901
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 283/903, 283/56, 283/72, 283/117, 283/49, 273/139, 273/269
• US Class Current: 283/49
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/0655 Printing of tickets, e.g. lottery tickets
• 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: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/903 Lottery ticket

Abstract

A ticket for an instant lottery game and method for playing the same is disclosed. As described in one aspect of the disclosure, a ticket for an instant lottery game simulates computerized video poker. The ticket comprises an initial hand of cards imprinted on the ticket, wherein the initial hand is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial hand is altered, the initial hand is revealed. The ticket also includes a plurality of strategies for the game each imprinted on the ticket, wherein each strategy is related to the initial hand, wherein the strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game, and wherein each strategy is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed. The ticket also includes a plurality of final hands for the game imprinted on the ticket, wherein each of the plurality of final hands is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies, and wherein each of the plurality of final hands is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area. In this way, when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the final hand for the game is revealed.

Claims

1. A ticket for an instant lottery game, comprising:

an initial configuration section comprising an initial configuration for the game;

a strategy section comprising a plurality of strategies for the game, wherein each strategy is related to the initial configuration, and wherein the strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game; and

an outcome section comprising a plurality of outcomes for the game, wherein each of the plurality of outcomes is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies, and wherein each of the plurality of outcomes is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area

so that when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the outcome for the game is revealed.

2. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a computerized video poker simulation.

3. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the initial configuration comprises a plurality of cards.

4. The ticket of claim 3, wherein the strategies are those with the highest expected values.

5. The ticket of claim 1, wherein each of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcomes comprises a scratch-off material.

6. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the ticket is sold by a vendor to a player in a package that obscures the ticket from the view of the vendor and the player.

7. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the initial configuration is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial configuration is altered, the initial configuration is revealed.

8. The ticket of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.

9. The ticket of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when a selected one of the alterable areas is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.

10. The ticket of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of strategies indicates certain of the plurality of the cards to hold.

11. The ticket of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of outcomes indicates a second plurality of cards.

12. The ticket of claim 1, further comprising a payout section comprising a plurality of payouts for the game, wherein each of the plurality of payouts is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of outcomes.

13. The ticket of claim 12, wherein at least certain of the plurality of payouts comprises a dollar amount that is to be paid to a player of the game.

14. The ticket of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of payouts comprises a machine readable indicia indicative of the payout.

15. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the ticket comprises an electrical circuit associated with each of the plurality of outcomes, and wherein the electrical circuit may be read by a machine to determine a payout for the game.

16. The ticket of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of payouts is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of payouts is altered, the payout corresponding thereto is revealed.

17. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the initial configuration is selected to increase a player'"'"'s interest in the game.

18. The ticket of claim 1, wherein at least certain of the plurality of strategies also indicates a maximum possible payout if the strategy is used.

19. The ticket of claim 1, wherein when more than one of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcomes is altered, the ticket becomes void.

20. A ticket for an instant lottery game that simulates computerized video poker, comprising:

an initial hand of cards imprinted on the ticket, wherein the initial hand is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial hand is altered, the initial hand is revealed;

a plurality of strategies for the game each imprinted on the ticket, wherein each strategy is related to the initial hand, wherein the strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game, and wherein each strategy is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed; and

a plurality of final hands for the game imprinted on the ticket, wherein each of the plurality of final hands is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies, and wherein each of the plurality of final hands is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area

so that when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the final hand for the game is revealed.

41. The ticket of claim 20, wherein the strategies are those with the highest expected values.

42. The ticket of claim 20, wherein each of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcomes comprises a scratch-off material.

43. The ticket of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of strategies indicates certain of the plurality of the cards to hold.

44. The ticket of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of dollar amounts imprinted on the ticket, wherein each dollar amount is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of final hands, and wherein each dollar amount is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to one of the dollar amounts is altered, the dollar amount corresponding thereto is revealed.

21. A ticket for an instant lottery game, wherein the game has game indicia associated therewith, and wherein the ticket comprises:

an initial configuration section comprising an initial configuration for the game, wherein the initial configuration represents a subset of the game indicia;

a strategy section comprising a plurality of strategies for the game, wherein each strategy is related to the initial configuration, and wherein the strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game; and

an outcome section comprising a plurality of outcome areas, wherein each outcome area is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies, and wherein each outcome area comprises a plurality of indicia normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area, and wherein the plurality of indicia represent a complement of the subset with respect to the game indicia

so that when a strategy is selected by a player and a portion of the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered based on the strategy, a predetermined number of the indicia are revealed so that an outcome for the game can be determined.

22. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the game comprises a computerized video poker simulation.

23. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the initial configuration comprises a plurality of cards.

24. The ticket of claim 23, wherein the strategies are those with the highest expected values.

25. The ticket of claim 21, wherein each of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcome areas comprises a scratch-off material.

26. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the ticket is sold by a vendor to a player in a package that obscures the ticket from the view of the vendor and the player.

27. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the initial configuration is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial configuration is altered, the initial configuration is revealed.

28. The ticket of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.

29. The ticket of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when a selected one of the alterable areas is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.

30. The ticket of claim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of strategies indicates certain of the plurality of the cards to hold.

31. The ticket of claim 23, wherein the revealed indicia comprise at least one card.

32. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the outcome for the game is determined based on the initial configuration and the revealed indicia.

33. The ticket of claim 32, further comprising a payout table for determining a payout for the outcome of the game.

34. The ticket of claim 32, wherein the ticket comprises an electrical circuit associated with the outcome areas, and wherein the electrical circuit may be read by a machine to determine a payout for the game.

35. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the initial configuration is selected to increase a player'"'"'s interest in the game.

36. The ticket of claim 21, wherein at least certain of the plurality of strategies also indicates a maximum possible payout if the strategy is used.

37. The ticket of claim 21, wherein when more than one of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcome areas is altered, the ticket becomes void.

38. The ticket of claim 23, wherein the indicia comprise the cards from a standard deck of cards with the exception of the plurality of cards.

39. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the alterable area comprises a plurality of cells.

40. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the alterable area comprises a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows.