Lottery game and system

Abstract

A lottery game that may be played as a printed ticket or on a display device which employs a first game area having a preselected number of first game spaces each containing play indicia and a second game area in which the player attempts to match the play indicia from the first play area with play indicia from the second play area and preselected patterns wherein the completion of at least one pattern may result in a prize being won.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is generally directed to a lottery game and system in which a first game area has a preselected number of game spaces with play indicia covered by a removable layer. A second game area has the same play indicia arranged in at least one pattern. The player is required to select less than all of the game spaces in the first game area and thereby uncover less than all of the available play indicia. If the uncovered play indicia match with and complete at least one pattern of play indicia in the second game area, a prize may be won. The game may be played as a printed lottery ticket or may be accessed on a video terminal directly in control of a lottery sponsor or may be accessed on the global communications network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Lottery games in which the player has freedom of choice, otherwise known as probability games, have gained increasing attention in the lottery industry. The general purpose behind probability games is to enable the player to choose less than all of the possible plays from a universe of such plays in order to win a prize. One of the main attributes of a probability game is that each game has no predetermined outcome, hence the player is in a control position and may dictate the eventual outcome of the game. The attraction of probability games is that the player gets caught up in playing the game and thereby receives an additional entertainment value for the purchase of a lottery ticket.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to therefore provide a probability type lottery game which is particularly adapted to be employed and played on a computer screen or related visual display device for games which are directly sponsored by a lottery sponsor such as a state lottery commission or through a global communications network such as the Internet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] There is generally provided a lottery game and system employing a first and second game area where the first game area contains a universe of game spaces each containing a single play indicia covered by a removable layer. The player is instructed to play less than all of the game spaces. The object of the game is to provide a match in a second game area containing the same play indicia wherein the second game area has game spaces with the play indicia therein arranged in at least one pattern. The completion of at least one pattern of matched play indicia may result in the winning of a prize.

[0005] In a particular aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lottery game comprising:

[0006] a) a first game area having a preselected number of first game spaces, each first game space having a first play indicia covered by a removable layer;

[0007] b) a second game area comprising second game spaces with the number of the second game spaces comprising up to all of the preselected game spaces in the first game area, each second game space including one of said first play indicia therein, said second game spaces arranged in at least one pattern; and

[0008] c) instructions for selecting less than the preselected number of first game spaces to reveal less than all of the first play indicia, wherein if the revealed first play indicia in the first game area match with and complete at least one pattern in the second game area, a prize may be won.

[0009] In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the first and second game area appear on a computer screen and access to the game is through a video terminal of a lottery sponsor or through the global communications network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The following drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a graphic view of a first embodiment of a lottery game in accordance with the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a graphic view of a second embodiment of a lottery game in accordance with the present invention; and

[0013] FIG. 3 is a graphic view of a third embodiment of a lottery game in accordance with the present invention.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a lottery ticket 2 comprising a first game area 4 and a second game area 6, and an instructional area 8 which provides instructions for the lottery player and is described hereinafter. Optionally, there is provided a prize designation area 10 which contains information about the prizes that may be won.

[0015] As shown specifically in FIG. 1, the lottery ticket 2 appears on a screen 12 to facilitate playing the game in a electronic manner such as on a video terminal owned by a lottery sponsor such as a state lottery commission or on the screen of a computer which has access to the global communications network (i.e. Internet).

[0016] The first game area 4 is comprised of a universe of game spaces 14. Each game space 14 has play indicia 16 covered by a removable layer 18 which may, but need not, have imprinted thereover a graphic printing which may be in the form of a type of indicia (e.g. the letters of the alphabet) which is different than the play indicia.

[0017] As shown specifically in FIG. 1, there are 24 game spaces in the first game area 4. Three of the game spaces 14 have had the removable layer 18 removed to reveal play indicia (i.e. 5, 8 and 24).

[0018] The second game area 6 is comprised of at least one pattern of second game spaces 20 with each game space having therein play indicia 22 which may or may not appear in the first game area 4. As shown specifically in FIG. 1, there are three patterns of second game spaces 20. It will be understood that the number of patterns may vary depending in part on the number of play indicia available, the number of second game spaces 20 and the arrangement of the second game spaces 20.

[0019] The player marks the play indicia uncovered in the first game area 4 which finds correspondence in the second game area 6. If the player completes all of the matching requirements for the second game area 6, for at least one pattern, then a prize may be won.

[0020] In the specific example shown in FIG. 1, it will be noted that the numerals 5, 8 and 24 have been uncovered in the first game area 4 and have been so marked in the second game area 6. If the player is able to complete any one or more patterns in the second game area 6, then a prize may be won.

[0021] If the lottery ticket is a printed lottery ticket (i.e. the so-called paper ticket) then instructions will be provided on the lottery ticket designating the number of picks or game spaces that may be uncovered in the first game area 4. The player can then choose which of the game spaces 14 he or she wishes to play to reveal play indicia 16 so long as he or she does not exceed the number of game spaces 14 that may be uncovered.

[0022] In the electronic version of the game, there is provided an instructional area 8 which can automatically tell the player how many picks he or she has to start the game and how many picks are left as individual games spaces 14 are selected to reveal play indicia 16.

[0023] In the electronic version of the lottery game shown in FIG. 1, one possible method is for a player to purchase an on-line ticket at a lottery retailer. The ticket may contain a registration number and be good for a preselected number of lottery games. The player thereafter accesses the appropriate site of the Internet and enters a registration number. Once verified, the player would have access to the lottery games and credit equal to the value of the on-line ticket. By way of example, a $5 on-line ticket would entitle the player to play 5 $1 lottery games.

[0024] The player then receives a menu of games and then selects a game to play. The lottery system associated with the server displays a randomly created version of the game selected and enables the game to be played while keeping track of winnings which may be credited to an account directly associated with an on-line ticket registration number. The player may then redeem the on-line ticket for whatever its value at any retailer after playing the allotted number of games.

[0025] One such system for playing the lottery game and for debiting and crediting accounts is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,466.

[0026] An alternate approach to having a player purchase a ticket at a retailer would be to have the player register at a site and open an account which could be debited and credited. Players may access the site using a password or other conventional means of player verification and select and play games as they choose.

[0027] The type of games that may be played are varied and the patterns which must be completed in order to have the possibility of winning a game may be varied as well. In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 2 in which there is provided a lottery game containing several patterns which object is to surround a “Robber” by being able to match all six play indicia per robber in the second game area that appear in the first game area.

[0028] In a third embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3, the second game area may be arranged so that prizes are won for completing patterns which have a different total number of play indicia necessary to complete the pattern. In particular, the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 shows six patterns, two of which require four play indicia, two require two play indicia and two require six play indicia, respectively.

Claims

1. A lottery game and system comprising:

a) a first game area having a preselected number of first game spaces, each first game space having a first play indicia covered by a removable layer;

b) a second game area comprising second game spaces with the number of the second game spaces comprising up to all of said preselected game spaces in the first game area, each second game space including one of said first play indicia therein, said second game spaces arranged in at least one pattern; and

c) instructions for selecting less than the preselected number of first game spaces to reveal less than all of the first play indicia;

wherein if the revealed first play indica in the first game area match with and complete in at least one pattern in the second area, a prize may be won.

2. The lottery game and system of claim 1 wherein the lottery game is accessed through the Internet.

3. The lottery game and system of claim 1 wherein the game is displayed on a video terminal.

4. The lottery game and system of claim 1 wherein the second game area is arranged in at least two patterns.