Internet gaming system

• US 6,929,544 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Osterer
• Original Assignee: Michael Osterer
• Inventors: Osterer, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/747,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17, 463/25, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/29
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A gaming system and method is provided for purchasing lottery tickets and tracking the results therefor over the Internet. End users can purchase lottery tickets of different states online. The lottery tickets are electronically tracked (win or lose) whose results are forwarded to the purchasers via the Internet, e.g., by electronic mail (e-mail) or posting the results on a designated website. Virtual groups (in the form of chat rooms) are formed online. Members of the virtual groups can access the chat rooms using an Internet service provider to purchase lottery tickets and check the results.

Claims

1. A system for permitting purchasers to purchase lottery tickets over the Internet comprising:

at least one server; and

at least one remote computer connected to the at least one server via the Internet,—

the purchasers entering predefined information into said server via said computer, said predefined information including biographical information about the purchasers, information about at least one lottery whose tickets the purchasers wish to buy, and information about the purchasers'"'"' desires to enter a group;

wherein said at least one server forms at least one virtual group of lottery ticket purchasers based on the predefined information entered by the purchasers, which sets the purchasers for the group, the at least one server storing group information for the at least one virtual group which includes entered choices from the predefined information;

wherein the at least one server stores lottery information about at least one lottery;

wherein the at least one server causes the lottery tickets to be purchased for the virtual group of purchasers according to the group information and the lottery information; and

wherein the at least one server communicates results of the purchase of lottery tickets to the purchasers on the basis of the group information.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the group information comprises biographical information of the purchasers and one or more of the number of purchasers, telephone numbers, fax numbers, cellular telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of the purchasers.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the lottery information comprises one or more of the lottery type, purchase volume, purchase interval, lottery number selection, tracking interval, payment method, distribution and notification method for the virtual group.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a chat room created for the virtual group wherein the purchasers discuss the lottery tickets with each other over the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the group information is changed by accessing the at least one server via the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the lottery information is changed by accessing the at least one server via the Internet.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the chat room comprises an information menu for the purchasers to select for displaying information on one of the lottery tickets.

8. A method for allowing purchasers to purchase lottery tickets over the Internet in a system including at least one server and at least one computer connected to the server via the Internet, said server storing information on at least one lottery, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving predefined information at the server over the Internet from purchasers at the computer, the predefined information including biographical information about the purchasers, information about at least one lottery whose tickets the purchasers wishes to buy, and information about the purchasers'"'"' desire to enter a group,

(b) causing the at least one server to store the predefined information, to form, a virtual group of purchasers of lottery tickets based on the predefined information, and to store group information,

(c) causing the server to electronically purchase the lottery tickets for the virtual group of purchasers according to the group information and the lottery information; and

(d) causing the server to communicate results of the lottery ticket purchases to the purchasers using the group information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the group information includes biographical information of the purchasers and one or more of the purchaser'"'"'s telephone numbers, fax numbers, cellular telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the lottery information includes one or more of the lottery type, purchase volume, purchase interval, lottery number selection, tracking interval, payment method, distribution and notification method for the virtual group.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of creating a chat room for the virtual group where the purchasers discuss the lottery tickets with each other over the Internet.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

(e) determining whether any of the purchasers is online over the Internet;

(f) providing instant messaging if any of the purchasers is online; and

(g) permitting the purchasers to access the chat room.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of authenticating access in step (g).

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

(h) determining whether a change has been requested for the group information;

(i) causing the group information to be changed, if a change has been requested in step (h);

(j) determining whether a change has been requested for the lottery information; and

(k) causing the lottery information to be changed, if a change has been requested in step (j).

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of authenticating change in steps (h) and (j).

16. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of selecting one of the lottery tickets and displaying information corresponding to the selected lottery ticket.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of communicating results communicates information on the purchases and information on whether any of the purchases resulted in a winning ticket.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of communicating is by one of electronic mail or posting results on an Internet website.

19. The method of claim 8 further including the steps of repeating steps (c) and (d) according to the group information and the lottery information, unless any of the group information and the lottery information is changed.

20. The method of claim 8 further including the step of permitting the purchaser to track the results of the selected lottery over the Internet.