System and method for operating on-line governmental lottery games

• US 20050143163A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eLottery, Inc. (eLOT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eLOT, Inc.
• Inventors: Yacenda, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,931,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/17
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/00 Generating random numbers; Lottery apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for facilitating governmental lottery games with a screening, a verification, and a subscription play function. A lottery agent system of the present invention includes a plurality of player terminals on which lottery players can play lottery games, including purchasing and receiving lottery tickets, an agent server for facilitating the purchase and screening of players and winning tickets, and a governmental lottery administrator for providing security or serial numbers for verification. The present invention further discloses a method for claiming awards for the winning tickets upon a drawing of winning numbers. Upon receiving information of the winning tickets, the state provides the agent server with claim validation numbers associated with the winning tickets for claims on lottery awards by winning players.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating governmental lottery play over an electronic network, comprising:

an agent server connected via said electronic network for receiving player and ticket information transmitted from a plurality of player terminals, for transmitting said ticket information to a governmental lottery administrator, and for receiving serial numbers issued by said governmental lottery administrator in association with each lottery ticket;

a database in said agent server for storing said player and ticket information and said serial numbers associated with each lottery ticket; and

a screening unit in said agent server, having criteria required by the governmental lottery administrator pre-stored therein, for verifying that each player satisfies said criteria prior to transmitting said ticket information to said governmental lottery administrator.

2. The system according to claim 1, further including a verification unit in said agent server for receiving winning numbers drawn by a governmental entity and for comparing said winning numbers with said ticket information stored in said database to determine if there are any winning lottery tickets of which numbers match said winning numbers.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said verification unit verifies serial numbers of said winning lottery tickets with said serial numbers previously stored in said database.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said ticket information includes subscription play information, said system further including a subscription play unit for monitoring subscription play of the same lottery numbers for a specified number of draws.

5. The system according to claim 1, further including a banking server and a banking database for storing player account information, said banking server for debiting a player'"'"'s account when said player purchases a lottery ticket and for crediting said player'"'"'s account with a winning amount upon a win from said lottery ticket, said banking server for communicating and transmitting debits and credits of money with said governmental lottery administrator.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said banking server communicates with a credit card provider of said player and debits and credits a credit card account of said player upon purchase of a lottery ticket or a win from a lottery ticket purchased by said player.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said criteria includes a minimum age and residency within the border of the governmental entity governing said governmental lottery.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said agent server is configured to transmit to said player terminals lottery game data upon confirmation of purchase of a lottery ticket from said governmental lottery administrator, whereby an image in the form of a lottery ticket including ticket numbers selected by said player and said associated serial numbers is displayed on said player terminal of said player.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said database includes pre-stored serial numbers associated with instant lottery tickets for facilitating play of instant lottery upon verifying that the player satisfies the criteria by the agent server.

10. A method for conducting governmental lottery play over an electronic network, comprising the steps of:

receiving player and ticket information entered by lottery players;

verifying that said lottery players satisfy criteria required by the governmental entity governing said governmental lottery play;

storing said player and ticket information of said verified lottery players;

receiving serial numbers issued by a governmental entity server, each serial number being associated with each lottery ticket;

receiving winning numbers from said governmental entity server;

determining winning tickets by comparing said winning numbers with ticket numbers entered by said verified lottery players; and

verifying said winning tickets with said serial numbers.

11. The method according to claim 10, further including the step of crediting a winning amount of each winning ticket to an account of each corresponding winning player.

12. The method according to claim 10, further including the step of debiting accounts of said verified players for purchases of said lottery tickets.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said criteria includes a minimum age and residency within the border of said governmental entity.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the ticket information includes subscription play information including the subscription lottery number and the number of times to be played.

15. The method according to claim 14, further including the steps of monitoring the number of times to be played and stopping when the number of times to be played reaches zero.

16. The method according to claim 10, further includes the steps of:

transmitting information of said winning tickets to the governmental entity server, said information including said serial numbers associated with said winning tickets; and

receiving claim validation numbers associated with said winning tickets from the governmental entity server, said claim validation numbers being issued by and stored in the governmental entity server.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including the steps of:

providing said claim validation numbers to each winning player;

claiming a predetermined winning amount by submitting said claim validation numbers;

verifying said submitted claim validation numbers with said claim validation numbers stored in the governmental entity server; and

rewarding said winning amount to said each winning player.

18. The method according to claim 10, further including the step of:

pre-storing serial numbers associated with instant lottery tickets for facilitating play of instant lottery upon verifying that the lottery player satisfies the criteria.

19. A system for facilitating governmental lottery play over an electronic network comprising:

an agent server connected via said electronic network for receiving player and ticket information from a plurality of players, for transmitting said ticket information to said governmental lottery administrator, and for receiving serial numbers issued by said governmental lottery administrator in association with each lottery ticket;

a database in said agent server for storing said player and ticket information and said serial numbers associated with each lottery ticket, said ticket information includes lottery numbers for subscription play of the lottery numbers for more than one lottery draw; and

a subscription play unit in said agent server for monitoring the subscription play and putting in play the subscription lottery numbers for a pre-specified number of draws until expiration of a subscription time period.

20. The system of claim 19, further including a screening unit in said agent server, having criteria required by the governmental lottery administrator pre-stored therein, for verifying that each player satisfies said criteria prior to transmitting said ticket information to said governmental lottery administrator.