Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, a method of electronic commerce is provided that includes: maintaining a plurality of items to be purchased; maintaining a plurality of item identifiers corresponding to the plurality of items; receiving input from a shopper, the input comprising an item identifier associated with at least one of the plurality of items to be purchased by the shopper; maintaining purchase history for the shopper based on the input; and offering to the shopper, new items to be purchased, based on the purchase history.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, a customized method of electronic commerce is provided that includes: maintaining a plurality of items to be purchased; maintaining a plurality of item identifiers corresponding to the plurality of items; receiving input from a shopper, the input comprising an item identifier associated with at least one of the plurality of items to be purchased by the shopper; maintaining purchase history for the shopper based on the input; and offering to the shopper, new items to be purchased, based on the purchase history.

Abstract: An electronically facilitated lottery in which the purchaser of a lottery ticket can selectively direct the beneficiary proceeds portion of their ticket purchase price to at least one lottery beneficiary. A ticketing server hosting a ticket database, in communication with a ticket sales system, allows for the sales of lottery tickets with the selection of at least one lottery beneficiary from a plurality of possible lottery beneficiaries being made at the time of sale of the ticket. Following closure of ticket sales, at least one winning ticket can be chosen and the lottery administration system can calculate the allocation of the total sales proceeds of the lottery between the at least one winning ticket and the selected beneficiaries associated with each of the sold lottery tickets.

Abstract: An electronically facilitated randomized sports pool lottery based on at least one outcome of at least one sporting event. Tickets sold are randomly assigned at least one unique outcome of the at least one sporting event, and winning tickets are selected by matching the actual outcomes of the sporting events with the associated assigned event outcomes. The lottery format does not require the sale of tickets representing all possible outcomes of the event in order for a winner to be chosen and represents an enhancement over raffles requiring same. If a sold ticket does not correspond to at least one of the event outcomes, a winning ticket can be randomly selected from those sold or the prize attributable to the lottery can be pooled with subsequent proceeds of another lottery.

Abstract: In accordance with a method a plurality of subscriber systems are provided, the systems being coupled via a Wide Area Network (WAN) and comprising a first subscriber system. The first subscriber system has processing and non-volatile storage and is suitably programmed for providing a subscriber service to a first subscriber. The first system is disposed in an unsecured location, which is associated with the first subscriber. Subsequently, the subscriber service is provided to the first subscriber. Separately, a task is provided to the first subscriber system via the WAN and is executed on the first subscriber system. An activity record for the execution of the task is logged, based on an amount of at least one of the processing and the non-volatile storage consumed on the first subscriber system during execution of the task.

Abstract: In accordance with a method a plurality of subscriber systems are provided, the systems being coupled via a Wide Area Network (WAN) and comprising a first subscriber system. The first subscriber system has processing and non-volatile storage and is suitably programmed for providing a subscriber service to a first subscriber. The first system is disposed in an unsecured location, which is associated with the first subscriber. Subsequently, the subscriber service is provided to the first subscriber. Separately, a task is provided to the first subscriber system via the WAN and is executed on the first subscriber system. An activity record for the execution of the task is logged, based on an amount of at least one of the processing and the non-volatile storage consumed on the first subscriber system during execution of the task.

Abstract: A system for an electronic raffle based on the final score of at least one sporting event. Tickets are sold which are assigned at least one unique outcome of the at least one sporting event. The winning ticket is dictated by the matching of the scores on the ticket with the actual scores of the sporting event. If a winning ticket is not sold, or there is an anomaly in that a score or scores is outside the range of scores that are in the pool, a winner is chosen from a random drawing of the tickets sold.

Abstract: In accordance with a method a plurality of subscriber systems are provided, the systems being coupled via a Wide Area Network (WAN) and comprising a first subscriber system. The first subscriber system has processing and non-volatile storage and is suitably programmed for providing a subscriber service to a first subscriber. The first system is disposed in an unsecured location, which is associated with the first subscriber. Subsequently, the subscriber service is provided to the first subscriber. Separately, a task is provided to the first subscriber system via the WAN and is executed on the first subscriber system. An activity record for the execution of the task is logged, based on an amount of at least one of the processing and the non-volatile storage consumed on the first subscriber system during execution of the task.

Abstract: In accordance with a method a plurality of subscriber systems are provided, the systems being coupled via a Wide Area Network (WAN) and comprising a first subscriber system. The first subscriber system has processing and non-volatile storage and is suitably programmed for providing a subscriber service to a first subscriber. The first system is disposed in an unsecured location, which is associated with the first subscriber. Subsequently, the subscriber service is provided to the first subscriber. Separately, a task is provided to the first subscriber system via the WAN and is executed on the first subscriber system. An activity record for the execution of the task is logged, based on an amount of at least one of the processing and the non-volatile storage consumed on the first subscriber system during execution of the task.

Abstract: An electronically facilitated lottery in which the purchasor of a lottery ticket can selectively direct the beneficiary proceeds portion of their ticket purchase price to at least one lottery beneficiary. A ticketing server hosting a ticket database, in communication with a ticket sales system, allows for the sales of lottery tickets with the selection of at least one lottery beneficiary from a plurality of possible lottery beneficiaries being made at the time of sale of the ticket. Following closure of ticket sales, at least one winning ticket can be chosen and the lottery administration system can calculate the allocation of the total sales proceeds of the lottery between the at least one winning ticket and the selected beneficiaries associated with each of the sold lottery tickets.

Abstract: A system for an electronic raffle based on the final score of at least one sporting event. Tickets are sold which are assigned at least one unique outcome of the at least one sporting event. The winning ticket is dictated by the matching of the scores on the ticket with the actual scores of the sporting event. If a winning ticket is not sold, or there is an anomaly in that a score or scores is outside the range of scores that are in the pool, a winner is chosen from a random drawing of the tickets sold.

Abstract: An improved ticketing system and method for bearer raffles. Upon sale of a bearer ticket, a purchasor identifier is captured at the raffle sales unit. The purchasor identifier is stored in a central ticket database along with the particulars of the bearer ticket sold. On completion of a raffle, raffle winners can be contacted using the captured purchasor identifier information, or in other cases winners can be looked up or verified if a ticket is lost.

Abstract: In accordance with a method a plurality of subscriber systems are provided, the systems being coupled via a Wide Area Network (WAN) and comprising a first subscriber system. The first subscriber system has processing and non-volatile storage and is suitably programmed for providing a subscriber service to a first subscriber. The first system is disposed in an unsecured location, which is associated with the first subscriber. Subsequently, the subscriber service is provided to the first subscriber. Separately, a task is provided to the first subscriber system via the WAN and is executed on the first subscriber system. An activity record for the execution of the task is logged, based on an amount of at least one of the processing and the non-volatile storage consumed on the first subscriber system during execution of the task.

Abstract: In accordance with a method a plurality of subscriber systems are provided, the systems being coupled via a Wide Area Network (WAN) and comprising a first subscriber system. The first subscriber system has processing and non-volatile storage and is suitably programmed for providing a subscriber service to a first subscriber. The first system is disposed in an unsecured location, which is associated with the first subscriber. Subsequently, the subscriber service is provided to the first subscriber. Separately, a task is provided to the first subscriber system via the WAN and is executed on the first subscriber system. An activity record for the execution of the task is logged, based on an amount of at least one of the processing and the non-volatile storage consumed on the first subscriber system during execution of the task.