Wagering system and method

• US 8,708,807 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global TOTE US LLC
• Original Assignee: Sportech Racing LLC (Sportech PLC)
• Inventors: Skelton, Louis Felipe, Watterson, Scott Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/796,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20130281187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 463/25, 463/31
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3218 wherein at least part of the system is portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3239 Tracking of individual players
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3251 involving media of variable value, e.g. programmable cards, programmable tokens

Abstract

A wagering system may include a server, an application server, a client device, and a terminal. The wagering system may issue a voucher or a wagering ticket to a client device. Wagers may be placed against the voucher balance and redeemed at the terminal.

Claims

1. A method of issuing a digital voucher, comprising:

initiating a first link with a client device, the first link including;

displaying a graphical identifier at one of the client device and a terminal and scanning the graphical identifier at the other of the client device and the terminal;

receiving a unique identifier associated with the client device;

querying a transaction database for a balance associated with the unique identifier;

displaying the balance with a graphical user interface at the terminal;

updating the balance at the transaction database upon receipt of an amount of currency at the terminal;

displaying the updated balance with the graphical user interface at the terminal;

generating a digital voucher including a transaction identifier and a value, the digital voucher being associated with the unique identifier; and

transmitting the digital voucher to the client device;

initiating a second link with the client device, the second link including;

receiving a wager on an event-associated outcome, the wager based on a probability of the outcome occurring;

updating the balance associated with the digital voucher based on the received wager; and

issuing a digital ticket and a ticket identifier associated with the digital ticket, wherein the digital ticket is associated with the received wager and the ticket identifier is stored on the client device;

receiving a notification whether the outcome occurred; and

initiating a third link with the client device, the third link including;

when the notification indicates that the outcome occurred, identifying the digital ticket as a winning ticket and updating the balance associated with the digital voucher based on the wager associated with the winning ticket.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second link comprises establishing a wireless connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical identifier comprises a bar code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the client device and the terminal includes an imaging device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the bar code is a visual representation of at least one of the unique identifier and the transaction identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the currency step comprises receiving the currency via a currency management mechanism.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the currency step is selected from the group consisting of:

processing a monetary transaction and processing a credit card transaction.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the digital voucher at the client device with a graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital voucher is designated as locked after initiating the first link such that the digital voucher cannot be accessed at another terminal.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the first link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the digital voucher is designated as unlocked when the link is disconnected such that it may be accessed at another terminal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier comprises at least one of a manufacturer'"'"'s serial number and a rewards number identifying a user.

13. A system for issuing a voucher, comprising:

a display;

a processor;

a memory, the memory including instructions stored thereon causing the processor to perform a method of issuing a digital voucher, the method comprising;

initiating a first link with a client device, the first link including;

displaying a graphical identifier at one of the client device and a terminal and scanning the machine-readable code at the other of the client device and the terminal;

receiving a unique identifier associated with the client device via the first link;

querying a transaction database for a balance associated with the unique identifier;

displaying the balance with a graphical user interface at the terminal;

updating the balance at the transaction database upon receipt of an amount of currency at the terminal;

displaying the updated balance with the graphical user interface at the terminal;

generating a digital voucher including a transaction identifier and a value, the digital voucher being associated with the unique identifier; and

transmitting the digital voucher to the client device;

initiating a second link with the client device, the second link including;

receiving a wager on an event-associated outcome, the wager based on a probability of the outcome occurring;

updating the balance associated with the digital voucher based on the received wager; and

issuing a digital ticket and a ticket identifier associated with the digital ticket, wherein the digital ticket is associated with the received wager and the ticket identifier is stored on the client device;

receiving a notification whether the outcome occurred; and

initiating a third link with the client device, the third link including;

when the notification indicates that the outcome occurred, identifying the digital ticket as a winning ticket and updating the balance associated with the digital voucher based on the wager associated with the winning ticket.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second link comprises establishing a wireless connection.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the graphical identifier comprises a bar code.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the client device and the terminal includes an imaging device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the bar code is a visual representation of at least one of the unique identifier and the transaction identifier.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the receiving the currency step comprises receiving the currency via a currency management mechanism.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiving the currency step is selected from the group consisting of:

processing a monetary transaction and processing a credit card transaction.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising displaying the digital voucher at the client device with a graphical user interface.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the digital voucher is designated as locked after initiating the first link such that the digital voucher cannot be accessed at another terminal.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising disconnecting the first link.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the digital voucher is designated as unlocked when the link is disconnected such that it may be accessed at another terminal.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the unique identifier comprises at least one of a manufacturer'"'"'s serial number and a rewards number identifying a user.