Abstract: A method for implementing an instant lottery ticket game system played by a plurality of jurisdictions includes designating a first set of instant lottery tickets in a primary game that includes a fixed prize structure within each jurisdiction having a top prize and lesser prizes. A total number of supplemental prizes are defined and a set of supplemental lottery tickets is designated for printing with the instant lottery tickets. A subset of the supplemental lottery tickets is assigned to each of the first sets. Each supplemental prize is randomly assigned to one of the supplemental lottery tickets such that the supplemental prizes are randomly distributed throughout the first sets to be distributed to the jurisdictions. The first sets of instant lottery tickets with the supplemental lottery tickets contained therein are printed and distributed to the jurisdictions.

Abstract: An instant lottery ticket game system includes a set of scratch-off lottery ticket blanks, each lottery ticket blank having a front face and a back face and a game play area on the front face with play indicia that presents a pre-determined game outcome, the play indicia covered by a scratch-off coating (SOC). A coating layer is applied over at least the game play area such that an entirety of the front face presents an empty composition area void of lottery ticket indicia. The set of lottery ticket blanks are housed within an automated dispenser. An interface is configured with the dispenser and is in communication with a printer associated with the dispenser and accepts input of composition indicia from a patron for printing on portions of or the entirety of the front face to generate a finished scratch-off lottery ticket prior to dispensing the finished lottery ticket.

Abstract: A lottery ticket dispensing unit includes at least one ticket compartment and a separation module that has a drive roller and an opposed idler roller, with a motor geared to the drive roller. An automatic separator device is provided, wherein the drive roller conveys a leading lottery ticket to a separation position such that a line between the leading ticket and an adjacent ticket is presented to the separator device. The separator device includes a shuttle that travels in a linear path along the line, the shuttle having a head that engages and separates the leading ticket from the adjacent ticket along the line. A bi-directional drive mechanism moves the shuttle back and forth along the linear path.

Abstract: A method and system generate an image of a lottery ticket with a branding mark indicating that the lottery ticket was presented for redemption and is thereafter void, wherein the lottery ticket is presented by a patron at a terminal having a digital image capture device. At the terminal, a digital image of the lottery ticket is generated with the digital image capture device and presented on a display. The image is modified on the display to include a branding mark indicating that the lottery ticket has been presented for redemption and is thereafter void. At the terminal, a copy of the modified digital image of the lottery ticket is printed and presented to the patron.

Abstract: An instant lottery ticket game system includes a set of scratch-off lottery ticket blanks, each lottery ticket blank having a front face and a back face and a game play area on the front face with play indicia that presents a pre-determined game outcome, the play indicia covered by a scratch-off coating (SOC). A coating layer is applied over at least the game play area such that an entirety of the front face presents an empty composition area void of lottery ticket indicia. The set of lottery ticket blanks are housed within an automated dispenser. An interface is configured with the dispenser and is in communication with a printer associated with the dispenser and accepts input of composition indicia from a patron for printing on portions of or the entirety of the front face to generate a finished scratch-off lottery ticket prior to dispensing the finished lottery ticket.

Abstract: A lottery ticket dispensing method provides different types of lottery tickets in a jurisdiction and includes providing first lottery tickets for sale from a dispenser for a first type of lottery game. Upon a player making a selection of one of the first lottery tickets for purchase, a controller in communication with the dispenser determines whether one or more other lottery games are available for play within the jurisdiction. The method assigns one or more companion games from the available other lottery games based on the player's selection of the first lottery ticket and predefined filter values. The companion games are presented to the player as a suggestion or recommendation for an additional lottery ticket purchase. Upon the player selecting one of the companion games for purchase, the additional lottery ticket is provided to the player from the dispenser.

Abstract: A method and system encourage continued play of scratch-off lottery tickets remaining in a game after award of the seeded top prizes in the game. A total set of scratch-off lottery tickets for the game are subject to a single multi-tier prize structure that includes a top tier prize and a plurality of lower tier prize levels. Subsets of the total set of tickets each have a predetermined winning outcome at one of the lower tier prize levels. A first one of the subsets is divided into qualifying tickets and non-qualifying tickets, the qualifying tickets eligible for play in an additional game having a game prize at least equal to the top tier prize. The qualifying and/or non-qualifying tickets are provided with a printed mark that distinguishes the qualifying tickets from the non-qualifying tickets within the first subset. At redemption, the qualifying tickets are identified and entered into the additional game.

Abstract: A lottery ticket dispensing unit includes at least one ticket compartment and a separation module that has a drive roller and an opposed idler roller. A motor is geared to the drive roller and is switchable between a convey mode wherein the drive roller engages and conveys a leading ticket to a separation position and a brake mode wherein the motor provides a reverse retarding force to the drive roller to brake the drive roller against an attempted reeling of the lottery tickets. from the dispensing unit. A controller switches the motor between the convey and brakes modes such that in the brake mode, power to the motor is interrupted and windings in the motor are short-circuited.

Abstract: A lottery ticket dispensing system includes a cabinet housing and a lottery ticket array insertable into the cabinet housing. The array includes a plurality of individual bins in a stacked configuration. A dispensing unit is inserted into each of the bins and includes a ticket compartment in which a continuous strip of lottery tickets is contained and an automatic separation module in which a leading ticket of the continuous strip of lottery tickets is automatically separated and dispensed from the bin. The bins are connected together in the stacked configuration such that the lottery ticket array is insertable into and removable from the cabinet housing as a single unit. The stacked configuration has opposite sides defined by the sides of the bins.

Abstract: A lottery ticket dispensing method provides an inventory of lottery tickets in an automated dispenser, the inventory comprising lottery tickets for a plurality of different lottery games. Upon a player making a selection of a lottery ticket from the dispenser, with a controller in communication with the dispenser, one or more companion lottery games for the lottery ticket selected by the player are assigned from the different lottery games in the inventory based on predefined filter values. The method verifies that the designated companion lottery games have lottery tickets available in the inventory and then presents one or more of the verified designated companion lottery games to the player as a suggestion or recommendation for an additional lottery ticket purchase.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method for the application of filtering in the collection and application of facial biometrics to a number of problems common to the vending and gaming environments. A succession of video frames of a scene are analyzed to determine if one or more faces are present. If so, the face most relevant to the application based in its position in the scene is selected. The selected face in each of the succession of video frames is then quality rated according to certain criteria to select the best frame for computing a biometric value of the selected face. One the biometric value has been computed, the value may be compared against a database to determine if a biometric value for a matching face was previously stored. If so, the quality rating of the new image and a quality rating previously stored with the stored biometric are compared.

Abstract: A pack of lottery tickets includes a plurality of inter-connected lottery tickets fan-folded into a stack, wherein each lottery ticket comprises a first side edge. A code on each lottery ticket identifies the pack and an order or position of the lottery ticket in the pack. A marking pattern is printed along the first side edge of each of the lottery tickets and includes at least one mark. The pack has a side face defined by the stacked first side edges of the tickets in the stack, wherein the marking pattern on the lottery ticket side edges align so as to form a unique identification image on the side face of the pack. The marking pattern on each lottery ticket is unique to the respective ticket such that each lottery ticket in the pack can be separately authenticated at a later time by comparing its marking pattern to a retrieved or replicated image of the marking pattern based on the pack identification and order of the lottery ticket in the pack provided by the ticket code.

Abstract: A lottery ticket bin for use in multi-bin dispenser array includes a housing having an open top and a drawer that slides into and out of the housing, the drawer also having an open top and a ticket compartment for receipt of a supply of interconnected lottery tickets through the open top. A component section adjacent a front of the drawer includes a first cable connection port, and a second cable connection port is fixed to the housing adjacent the component section in a closed position of the drawer, the second cable connection port in communication with a circuit board fixed to an exterior of the housing. A cable is connected between the first and second cable connection ports and a length so as to accommodate a fully open position of the drawer relative to the housing. The cable folds into a cable storage section configured with the drawer.