Method and system for online game and interactive marketing

• US 20050091108A1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vegashotspots LLC
• Original Assignee: Vegashotspots LLC
• Inventors: Frost, Scott
• Application Number:
  US10/932,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091108A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3255 Incentive, loyalty and/or promotion schemes, e.g. comps, gaming associated with a purchase, gaming funded by advertisements

Abstract

A method combines the use of an Internet address containing a word or phrase that conveys a known destination to a self-selected online user with an opportunity to play a game and to win valuable prizes. A first: time game player is asked to register and to input at least an e-mail address, and preferably to answer at least one destination-oriented question to have an opportunity to win at least one destination-oriented prize.

Claims

1. An online method for online marketing, comprising:

providing an website having an Internet address accessible to a plurality of standard Internet browsers, the Internet address including a series of characters that conveys a name of a destination;

attracting a player having a possible interest in traveling to the destination to access the website using the Internet address;

displaying to the player a web page offering an opportunity to play an online game for a chance to win prizes;

displaying a list of the prizes;

requesting the player to register by providing at least one piece of player information in order to play the game in response to the player having not registered before; and

permitting the player an opportunity to play the online game and receive a prize in response to the player being a registered player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a website includes providing the website having the Internet address having a single word that in a manner conveys the destination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein permitting the player an opportunity to play the online game includes giving the player an opportunity to win at least one destination-oriented prize.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying to the player a web page offering an opportunity to play an online game includes presenting the player with the opportunity to play the online game on a home page of the website.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a login page to the player in response to the player indicating an interest of playing the online game.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying a list of prizes includes displaying the list of prizes at the login page.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein presenting a login page further includes presenting a registration page to the player requesting the player to register by providing the player'"'"'s e-mail address in response to the player having not registered before.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein presenting a registration page to the player further includes requesting the player to select and confirm a password.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying a list of prizes includes displaying the list of prizes after player has registered.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein presenting a login page further includes requesting the player to enter the player'"'"'s e-mail address and a password in response to the player being a registered player.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying a list of prizes includes displaying the list of prizes after the player'"'"'s e-mail address is entered.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein permitting the player an opportunity to play the online game includes giving the player an opportunity to select one prize from the list of prizes that the player wishes to win.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying a web page for a scratch-off game, in which the player tries to match an icon with one of a plurality of images in response to the player selecting one prize from the list of prizes.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a web page offering the player a destination-oriented consolation prize in response to the player not selecting a matching image.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a web page giving the player an opportunity to proceed to a next game page in response to the player selecting a matching image.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying a web page giving the player an opportunity to proceed to a next game page includes displaying the web page graphically displaying a roulette wheel capable of electronically spinning and resulting in one of a series of numbers that represented a series of chances of winning the prize selected by the player depending on the number at which the wheel comes to rest.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a number of times that the player is given to select a matching image within a period.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting the period to be 24 hours.

19. A system for online marketing, comprising:

means for providing an website having an Internet address accessible to a plurality of standard Internet browsers, the Internet address including a series of characters that conveys a name of a destination;

means for attracting a player having a possible interest in traveling to the destination to access the website using the Internet address;

means for displaying to the player a web page offering an opportunity to play an online game for a chance to win prizes;

means for displaying a list of the prizes;

means for requesting the player to register by providing at least one piece of player information in order to play the game in response to the player having not registered before; and

means for permitting the player an opportunity to play the online game and receive a prize in response to the player being a registered player.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for providing a website includes means for providing the website having the Internet address having a single word that in a manner conveys the destination.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for permitting the player an opportunity to play the online game includes means for giving the player an opportunity to win at least one destination-oriented prize.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for displaying to the player a web page offering an opportunity to play an online game includes means for presenting the player with the opportunity to play the online game on a home page of the website.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for presenting a login page to the player in response to the player indicating an interest of playing the online game.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for displaying a list of prizes includes means for displaying the list of prizes at the login page.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for presenting a login page further includes means for presenting a registration page to the player requesting the player to register by providing the player'"'"'s e-mail address in response to the player having not registered before.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for presenting a registration page to the player further includes means for requesting the player to select and confirm a password.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for displaying a list of prizes includes means for displaying the list of prizes after player has registered.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for presenting a login page further includes means for requesting the player to enter the player'"'"'s e-mail address and a password in response to the player being a registered player.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for displaying a list of prizes includes means for displaying the list of prizes after the player'"'"'s e-mail address is entered.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for permitting the player an opportunity to play the online game includes means for giving the player an opportunity to select one prize from the list of prizes that the player wishes to win.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising means for displaying a web page for a scratch-off game, in which the player tries to match an icon with one of a plurality of images in response to the player selecting one prize from the list of prizes.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for displaying a web page offering the player a destination-oriented consolation prize in response to the player not selecting a matching image.

33. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for displaying a web page giving the player an opportunity to proceed to a next game page in response to the player selecting a matching image.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for displaying a web page giving the player an opportunity to proceed to a next game page includes means for displaying the web page graphically displaying a roulette wheel capable of electronically spinning and resulting in one of a series of numbers that represented a series of chances of winning the prize selected by the player depending on the number at which the wheel comes to rest.

35. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for determining a number of times that the player is given to select a matching image within a period.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising means for selecting the period to be 24 hours.