System and method for applying lottery multipliers

• US 8,864,565 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Multi-State Lottery Association
• Original Assignee: Multi-State Lottery Association
• Inventors: Packes, John M., Tulley, Stephen C., Jorasch, James A., Tedesco, Daniel E., Mik, Magdalena, Walker, Jay S., Santisi, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US13/626,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20130023323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 463/16, 463/17
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• 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 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards

Abstract

Some systems, processes, apparatus and articles of manufacture provide for selling lottery entries. In one example, a request is received to purchase a multiplier and a set of play indicia for a lottery game.

Claims

1. A lottery game system, comprising:

a plurality of lottery terminals, each lottery terminal comprising;

a first processor; and

a first storage device in communication with the first processor, the first storage device storing a first program for directing the first processor to;

receive an indication of a set of play indicia for a lottery game, wherein the set of play indicia is associated with eligibility for a multiplier for the lottery game, and

transmit an indication of the set of play indicia for the lottery game to a lottery server;

and

the lottery server in communication via a network with each of the plurality of lottery terminals, the lottery server comprising;

a second processor; and

a second storage device in communication with the second processor, the second storage device storing a second program for directing the second processor to;

receive from a lottery terminal the indication of the set of play indicia for the lottery game,

determine that the set of play indicia for the lottery game is associated with eligibility for the multiplier for the lottery game,

wherein the multiplier for the lottery game is to be applied at a first predetermined magnitude to a first predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game if the set of play indicia corresponds to a first predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game,

wherein the multiplier for the lottery game is to be applied at a second predetermined magnitude to a second predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game, wherein the second predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude,

wherein the multiplier for the lottery game is to be applied at a third predetermined magnitude to a predetermined range of redemption values for the lottery game, wherein the predetermined range of redemption values for the lottery game does not include the first or second predetermined specific redemption values for the lottery game,

wherein each of the first predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game, the second predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game and the predetermined range of redemption values for the lottery game is greater than zero, and

wherein each of the first predetermined magnitude, the second predetermined magnitude and the third predetermined magnitude is greater than zero,

determine that the set of play indicia is a winning set of play indicia,

determine a payout for the winning set of play indicia based on a redemption value of the winning set of play indicia and the multiplier, and

transmit to at least one of the plurality of lottery terminals an indication of the payout.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiplier is to be applied to a winning set of play indicia at a fourth predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a fourth predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game and is different than the second predetermined specific redemption value for the lottery game, wherein the fourth predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude and is different than the second predetermined magnitude.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the third predetermined magnitude is equal to the first predetermined magnitude.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the third predetermined magnitude is different than the second predetermined magnitude and is different than the fourth predetermined magnitude.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the set of play indicia comprises receiving indicia recorded on a lottery ticket for the lottery game.

8. A lottery game system, comprising:

a lottery terminal comprising;

a first processor; and

a first storage device in communication with the first processor, the first storage device storing a first program for directing the first processor to;

receive an indication of a set of play indicia for a lottery game; and

transmit an indication of the set of play indicia for the lottery game to a lottery server;

and

the lottery server in communication via a network with the lottery terminal, the lottery server comprising;

a second processor; and

a second storage device in communication with the second processor, the second storage device storing a second program for directing the second processor to;

receive from the lottery terminal the indication of the set of play indicia;

determine that the set of play indicia is associated with eligibility for a multiplier for the lottery game;

determine that the set of play indicia is a winning set of play indicia;

determine a payout for the winning set of play indicia based on a redemption value of the winning set of play indicia and the multiplier,

by applying the multiplier to the winning set of play indicia at a first predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a first predetermined specific redemption value,

by applying the multiplier to the winning set of play indicia at a second predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a second predetermined specific redemption value that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value, wherein the second predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude, or

by applying the multiplier to the winning set of play indicia at a third predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a predetermined range of redemption values, wherein the predetermined range does not include the first or second predetermined specific redemption values; and

transmit an indication of the payout to the lottery terminal.

9. The system of claim 8, the second program including instructions that when executed by the second processor direct the second processor further to:

determine the payout for the winning set of play indicia based on a redemption value of the winning set of play indicia and the multiplier by applying the multiplier at a fourth predetermined magnitude if the winning set of play indicia corresponds to a fourth predetermined specific redemption value that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value and is different than the second predetermined specific redemption value, wherein the fourth predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude and is different than the second predetermined magnitude.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the third predetermined magnitude is equal to the first predetermined magnitude.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the third predetermined magnitude is different than the second predetermined magnitude and is different than the fourth predetermined magnitude.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein receiving the indication of the set of play indicia comprises receiving indicia recorded on a lottery ticket for the lottery game.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a lottery server, an indication of a set of play indicia for a lottery game;

determining, by the lottery server, that the set of play indicia is associated with eligibility for a multiplier for the lottery game;

determining, by the lottery server, that the set of play indicia is a winning set of play indicia;

determining, by the lottery server, a payout for the winning set of play indicia based on a redemption value of the winning set of play indicia and the multiplier,

by applying the multiplier at a first predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is a first predetermined specific redemption value,

by applying the multiplier at a second predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is a second predetermined specific redemption value that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value, wherein the second predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude,

by applying the multiplier at a third predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is a third predetermined specific redemption value that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value and is different than the second predetermined specific value, wherein the third predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude and is different than the second predetermined magnitude, or

by applying the multiplier at a fourth predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is in a predetermined range of specific redemption values, wherein the predetermined range of specific redemption values does not include the first, second or third predetermined specific redemption values; and

outputting, by the lottery server, an indication of the payout for the winning set of play indicia to a lottery terminal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the fourth predetermined magnitude is equal to the first predetermined magnitude.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the fourth predetermined magnitude is different than the second predetermined magnitude and is different than the third predetermined magnitude.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the lottery server, that the set of play indicia for the lottery game was not previously redeemed.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

21. A method comprising:

receiving, via a lottery terminal, an indication of a request to redeem a set of play indicia for a lottery game;

determining, by the lottery terminal, that the set of play indicia is associated with eligibility for a multiplier for the lottery game;

determining, by the lottery terminal, that the set of play indicia is a winning set of play indicia;

determining, by the lottery terminal, a payout for the winning set of play indicia that is based on a redemption value of the winning set of play indicia and the multiplier, the payout being determined

by applying the multiplier at a first predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is a first predetermined specific redemption value,

by applying the multiplier at a second predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is a second predetermined specific redemption value that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value, wherein the second predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude,

by applying the multiplier at a third predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is a third predetermined specific redemption value that is different than the first predetermined specific redemption value and is different than the second predetermined specific value, wherein the third predetermined magnitude is different than the first predetermined magnitude and is different than the second predetermined magnitude, or

by applying the multiplier at a fourth predetermined magnitude to the redemption value if the redemption value is in a predetermined range of specific redemption values, wherein the predetermined range of specific redemption values does not include the first, second or third predetermined specific redemption values; and

outputting, by the lottery terminal, an indication of the payout for the winning set of play indicia.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the fourth predetermined magnitude is equal to the first predetermined magnitude.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the fourth predetermined magnitude is different than the second predetermined magnitude and is different than the third predetermined magnitude.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining, by the lottery server, that the set of play indicia for the lottery game was not previously redeemed.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the lottery game is a drawing-type lottery game.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the lottery game is an instant-type lottery game.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein determining that the set of play indicia is associated with eligibility for the multiplier for the lottery game comprises:

receiving, from a lottery server, an indication that the set of play indicia is associated with eligibility for the multiplier for the lottery game.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein determining that the set of play indicia is a winning set of play indicia comprises:

receiving, from a lottery server, an indication that the set of play indicia is a winning set of play indicia.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the payout for the winning set of play indicia comprises:

receiving, from a lottery server, an indication of the payout for the winning set of play indicia.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the payout for the winning set of play indicia comprises:

applying the multiplier at the first predetermined magnitude to the redemption value.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the payout for the winning set of play indicia comprises:

applying the multiplier at the second predetermined magnitude to the redemption value.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the payout for the winning set of play indicia comprises:

applying the multiplier at the third predetermined magnitude to the redemption value.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein determining the payout for the winning set of play indicia comprises:

applying the multiplier at the fourth predetermined magnitude to the redemption value.