Abstract: A lottery ticket is printed on a substrate sheet material having a front surface with lottery game indicia printed thereon and a removable covering material, typically scratch-off material, covering the lottery game indicia which is removable by a player to expose the game indicia for playing the game and other game information printed on the substrate sheet material where at least part of the substrate sheet material is formed of a translucent synthetic material to enable viewing through the part by the player. In order to allow the ticket to be dispensed in a row of the tickets from a dispensing machine with an optical sensor, a patch of an opaque or semi-opaque material is applied onto the substrate at a location to cooperate with the sensor while it is operating to detect ticket location.

Abstract: A lottery apparatus includes a programmed computer acting as a lottery control system which controls operation of the distribution of prizes to the purchasing customers from a lottery pool. The apparatus includes a plurality of typical instant win lottery tickets having a predetermined prize result taken from the pool together with a plurality of lottery cards which do not act as lottery tickets but instead include an activation code containing no information defining a prize and an access code which is used for entry by the customer into a digital experience provided by the lottery control system by which the customer accesses game information. The system, when the code is activated, assigns the result from the pool to the code and displays to the customer on a digital experience when accessed by the access code.

Abstract: A lottery ticket is printed on a substrate sheet material having a front surface with lottery game indicia printed thereon and a removable covering material, typically scratch-off material, covering the lottery game indicia which is removable by a player to expose the game indicia for playing the game and other game information printed on the substrate sheet material where at least part of the substrate sheet material is formed of a translucent synthetic material to enable viewing through the part by the player.

Abstract: A game ticket printed on a ticket substrate includes a first surface portion with a first game play area thereon and a second surface portion of the substrate with a second game play area. Each of said first and second game play areas contains game play symbols printed on the game play area covered by a scratch-off material. The ticket can be modified by folding or by separating portions so as to provide movement of the second game play area relative to said game play information to allow playing by the player of the game symbols on the second play area. The ticket includes a single prize validated by a single bar code and the result of a combination of both the first and second aspects of the play.

Abstract: A method is provided of managing awards to players in a lottery where players purchase lottery access tickets, each of which is assigned a predetermined prize in the lottery and each of which provides access to a selected one of a series of accessible video games on a computer medium. Each game has a plurality of game images in which the player can enter a selected action from a number of options based on different skill levels where the selected action can have a token value different from other options. The system displays a table to the player of an accumulation of the tokens and controls the accumulation of the tokens in order that the final prize matches the predetermined prize but may allow other awards to more skilled players. The prize must be validated using a code from the ticket and from an image in the displayed game.

Abstract: In a row of lottery tickets each ticket has variable image printing game data printed onto a base layer on a substrate and a series of covering layers including at least one sealing layer and at least one scratch-off layer. Simultaneously game information is printed as a multi-color digital image for each ticket using a variable image printing system. The game information graphics can indicate different values for different ones of the tickets. The tickets in the row can be of different series for sale to different retailers. The printing system automatically correlates the game data and game information to ensure no registration errors thus allowing much improved variability and allowing the game to take into account both game data and game information in determining a winning ticket.

Abstract: Apparatus for playing game by a plurality of players includes a set of instant win tickets and a programmed computer system creating a web site associated with the tickets to be accessed by the players. The system provides an app to be downloaded providing access to the site by the remote terminal of those players having the app. A computer controlled validation data base contains the status of each of the set of tickets and the system provides communication with the validation data base. The players can use their terminals to enter information relating to the playing of the game which is communicated to the remote terminals of one or more of others of the players.

Abstract: A game for a plurality of players includes a set of instant win tickets and a programmed computer system creating a web site associated with the tickets to be accessed by the player to play second games. The system provides a ticket validation program for prize redemption at a retailer and provides entry of the player into the second game such that the player who is a winner of prize on the first game can select to accept the prize redemption or to enter the site to use the prize to play said at least one second game. Additional credit can be purchased and applied by a certificate or smart card to the site. The validation data base is maintained separate from the site to prevent access by the players through the site to avoid encryption.

Abstract: A lottery game apparatus includes a set of lottery tickets each printed with an instant win game and information defining a number of points awarded to the player in addition to or as an alternative to a prize for the game together with a programmed computer providing access to a web site associated with the set of tickets. The computer program provides communication through the internet for the player, and program components for registration of details of the player entering the web site and for storing data identifying each player for entry by the registered player of a points entry number from a played ticket so as to define for each player an account of a points total held by that player and a plurality of games to be played by the player using the points.

Abstract: A lottery ticket having a substrate layer with game data printed in a game area and an opaque scratch-off layer applied over game area is modified by the addition of an patterned holographic metallized layer applied over the substrate which has different patterns for a series of the tickets and which is arranged to have an appearance associated with game information printed over the metallized. The printing is carried out by optically analyzing the patterns and longitudinally registering the material printed onto the metallized with the pattern in the metallized.

Abstract: A lottery ticket has printed thereon a matrix of nine rows and nine columns defining eighty one locations some of which are pre-marked with numbers from 1 to 9 and is arranged such that the player can select and enter the numbers in open locations to provide an arrangement of the numbers in which the marked locations and the open locations contain a number selected from the numbers 1 to 9 where all columns and all rows have the nine locations thereof each containing one of the numbers 1 to 9 with each number appearing once only. Prizes are awarded, according to a set of rules relating to the lottery ticket, depending on the appearance of at least one of the numbers in at least one of the locations or depending on the total number of correct rows or columns or other matrix shape of nine locations.

Abstract: A game ticket construction is formed by laminating two substrate sheets by a band of adhesive between the sheets across a center line so as to form an initially flat construction which can be folded into a four page eight surface booklet. A plurality of different games, each defined by game indicia some or all of which are covered by a scratch-off layer are printed, one onto each of the six surfaces except the first and last which carry promotional material.

Abstract: A lottery ticket having a substrate layer with game data printed in a game area and which is arranged to prevent access to the game data from a rear surface of the substrate and has at least one fixing layer applied over the game data in the game area so as to prevent release of the printed game data from the substrate layer and at least one opaque scratch-off layer applied over the sealing layer, the scratch-off layer being arranged such that it separates from the sealing layer and breaks down into fragments when scratched by a player, is modified by the addition of an adhesive layer applied over at least a part of the opaque scratch-off layer and a metal layer attached to the adhesive layer. The metal layer and the adhesive layer are arranged such that they break down into fragments with the scratch-off layer when scratched by the player and may provide both enhanced security and an improved appearance.