Poker style scratch-ticket lottery games

• US 7,410,168 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scientific Games Corporation
• Original Assignee: Scientific Games International Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Gumina, Anthony G.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US11/210,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20060043669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 273/139, 273/138.1, 273/292, 273/274, 273/138.2, 283/901, 283/903, 463/13
• US Class Current: 273/139
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/005 Poker
• 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 lottery instant win game card simulating a Hold'"'"'Em Poker styled card game with multiple chances of winning for a player. The instant game card includes at least two sets of player hands and at least two sets of opponent hands, with at least two sets of community cards, and at least two prizes. The player can combine one set of the player hands with either set of community cards to form a strongest hand for that set of player hands. The strongest player hand is compared against the strongest opponent hand. If the player wins, the player wins the prize associated with that winning player hand.

Claims

1. A method for playing an instant win lottery game, comprising the steps of:

displaying a first set and a second set of community game elements to a player on a scratch-off instant win lottery ticket, each set of community game elements including five game elements;

displaying a first set and a second set of player game elements to the player on the scratch-off instant win lottery ticket, each set of player game elements including two game elements;

displaying a first set and a second set of opponent game elements to the player on the scratch-off instant win lottery ticket, each set of opponent game elements including two game elements;

determining a first highest player winning set for the player based upon the potential combination of the first set of player game elements and the first set and the second set of community game elements;

determining a first highest opponent winning set for an opponent based upon the potential combination of the first set of opponent game elements and the first set and the second set of community game elements;

determining a second highest player winning set for the player based upon the potential combination of the second set of player game elements and the first set and the second set of community game elements;

determining a second highest opponent winning set for an opponent based upon the potential combination of the second set of opponent game elements and the first set and the second set of community game elements;

determining if either the first highest player winning set, the second highest player winning set, or both, are winners with respect to the first highest opponent winning set and the second highest opponent winning set, respectively; and

determining a prize for the player, if either the first highest player winning set, the second highest player winning set, or both, are winners.

2. The method of claim 1, the step of determining a first highest player winning set for the player further comprising the steps of:

combining the first set of player game elements with three game elements selected from the first set of community game elements; and

combining the first set of player game elements with three game elements selected from the second set of community game elements.

3. The method of claim 1, the step of determining a second highest player winning set for the player further comprising the steps of:

combining the second set of player game elements with three game elements selected from the first set of community game elements; and

combining the second set of player game elements with three game elements selected from the second set of community game elements.

4. The method of claim 1, the step of determining a first highest opponent winning set for the player further comprising the steps of:

combining the first set of opponent game elements with three game elements selected from the first set of community game elements; and

combining the first set of opponent game elements with three game elements selected from the second set of community game elements.

5. The method of claim 1, the step of determining a second highest opponent winning set for the player further comprising the steps of:

combining the second set of opponent game elements with three game elements selected from the first set of community game elements; and

combining the second set of opponent game elements with three game elements selected from the second set of community game elements.

6. The method of claim 1, the step of determining if either the first highest player winning set, the second highest player winning set, or both are winners further comprising the steps of:

comparing the first highest player winning set with the first highest opponent winning set; and

comparing the second highest player winning set with the second highest opponent winning set.

7. The method of claim 1, the step of determining a prize for the player further comprising the step of, if both the first highest player winning set and the second highest player winning set are winners, then adding a first prize associated with the first set of player game elements to a second prize associated with the second set of player game elements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of determining winning sets are based upon the rules for a Texas Hold'"'"'em Poker styled card game.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

covering the first set and second set of community game elements prior to the step of displaying the first set and second set of community game elements to a player;

covering the first set and second set of player game elements prior to the step of displaying the first set and second set of player game elements to the player; and

covering the first set and second set of opponent game elements prior to the step of displaying the first set and second set of opponent game elements to the player.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

revealing the first set and the second set of community game elements prior to the step of displaying the first set and the second set of community game elements to a player;

revealing the first set and the second set of player game elements prior to the step of displaying the first set and the second set of player game elements to the player; and

revealing the first set and the second set of opponent game elements prior to the step of displaying the first set and the second set of opponent game elements to the player.