Method and apparatus for operating lotteries and for generating and processing lottery entries
First Claim
1. A method of operating a lottery, comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a result of a lottery drawing;
(b) comparing said result to a plurality of stored lottery entries;
(c) if said result corresponds to one of said plurality of stored lottery entries, identifying said one entry as a winning lottery entry;
(d) identifying a non-winning lottery entry from said plurality of stored lottery entries;
(e) automatically entering the non-winning lottery entry in a subsequent lottery drawing,in which at least one lottery entry eligible to win the subsequent lottery drawing was not eligible to win the first lottery drawing; and
(f) if the non-winning lottery entry is not a winning entry in the subsequent lottery drawing, entering the non-winning lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the non-winning lottery entry is identified as a winning entry.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with some embodiments, methods, media, and apparatus are described for operating a lottery. One example provides for receiving a result of a lottery drawing and comparing the result to a plurality of stored lottery entries. If the result corresponds to one of said plurality of stored lottery entries, the entry is identified as a winning lottery entry. A non-winning lottery entry is identified from the plurality of stored lottery entries, and automatically entered in a subsequent lottery drawing, in which at least one lottery entry eligible to win the subsequent lottery drawing was not eligible to win the first lottery drawing. If the non-winning lottery entry is not a winning entry in the subsequent lottery drawing, the non-winning lottery entry is entered into further subsequent lottery drawings until the non-winning lottery entry is identified as a winning entry.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of operating a lottery, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a result of a lottery drawing; (b) comparing said result to a plurality of stored lottery entries; (c) if said result corresponds to one of said plurality of stored lottery entries, identifying said one entry as a winning lottery entry; (d) identifying a non-winning lottery entry from said plurality of stored lottery entries; (e) automatically entering the non-winning lottery entry in a subsequent lottery drawing, in which at least one lottery entry eligible to win the subsequent lottery drawing was not eligible to win the first lottery drawing; and (f) if the non-winning lottery entry is not a winning entry in the subsequent lottery drawing, entering the non-winning lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the non-winning lottery entry is identified as a winning entry.
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2. A method comprising:
receiving a request of a customer to purchase a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing, in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing, in which the second lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing, and in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is a winner; and
selling the lottery entry to the customer.- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform steps of:
receiving a request of a customer to purchase a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing, in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing, in which the second lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing, and in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is a winner; and
selling the lottery entry to the customer.
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor; and a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to perform steps of; receiving a request of a customer to purchase a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing, in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing, in which the second lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing, and in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is a winner; and
selling the lottery entry to the customer.
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24. A method comprising:
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selling a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing; if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing; and if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is identified as a winning entry, in which each lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing.
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25. A computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform steps of:
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selling a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing; if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing; and if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is identified as a winning entry, in which each lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing.
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26. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor; and a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to perform steps of; selling a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing; if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing; and if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is identified as a winning entry, in which each lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing.
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Specification