Lottery game card having a Sudoku-themed game
A lottery game card for playing a Sudoku-themed game is disclosed. The lottery game card includes a plurality of squares arranged in rows and columns, each square having a symbol. Selected squares are covered with a removable material. The lottery game card also includes a plurality of prize indicators, each prize indicator being associated with a predefined pattern of squares. Upon removing of covered squares by a player, if symbols in the plurality of squares match a predefined pattern, the player wins a prize associated with the predefined pattern.
This application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/740,392, “Sudoku-Style Scratch Ticket Games,” filed on Nov. 29, 2005, the specification of which is incorporated herein by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lottery game and, more specifically, relates to a scratch-off lottery game ticket having a Sudoku-theme and method of play.
2. Description of Related Art
In a typical scratch-off lottery game, a player purchases a pre-printed scratch-off lottery game card with some spots covered by a removable material and scratches off the removable material from few selected spots. If these spots reveal some desired pattern or numbers, the player wins one or more prizes. The player does not face any challenge from the simple scratching to reveal a pattern or numbers, and as consequence, it is hard to keep the player's interest on the game.
Therefore, it is desired to have a lottery game method that maintains player's interest by offering some challenge to players, and it is to such method the present application is primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, there is provided a scratch-off lottery game card for a lottery game. The scratch-off lottery game card includes a first plurality of squares in an N×M matrix distributed in a first number of adjacent columns, a second plurality of squares being covered by a removable material, and a plurality of prize indicators. The first plurality of squares is arranged in a second number of adjacent rows and each square contains a digit. The second plurality of is smaller in number than the first plurality of squares, and each prize indicator is associated with a predefined pattern of the first plurality of squares. The digits in the matrix created a Sudoku-themed game. In one embodiment, a correct Sudoku row yields a winning row or column
In another embodiment, there is provided a method for playing a scratch-off lottery game in which a scratch-off game card with a plurality of squares is provided to a player and selected squares of the plurality of squares are filed with numbers. The scratch-off game card further has a plurality of prize indicators and each prize indicator is associated with a sub-group of squares and has a plurality of game indicia that are covered by a removable material. The method includes removing the removable material from the plurality of prize indicators, and if game indicia from at least one prize indicator and numbers in at least one sub-group of square indicated by the prize indicator form a predefined pattern, then awarding a prize associated with the at least one prize indicator to the player.
In yet another embodiment there is provided a scratch-off game card that includes a first plurality of squares arranged in a matrix format and a second plurality of prize indicators. Selected squares in the first plurality of squares are populated with digits. Each prize indicator is associated with a selected set of squares defined by a predefined pattern, and each prize indicator also lists a third plurality of digits that are covered by a removable material.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent after review of the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and the Claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Briefly described, in one embodiment the invention is a lottery game card in which a plurality of squares is distributed in a matrix form, wherein each square containing a digit and some of the squares are covered by a removable material. The lottery game card also includes some prize indicators, wherein each prize indicator is associated with a predefined pattern of squares. A player wins a prize indicated by a prize indicator if, after removing the removable material, the digits in the plurality of squares reveal a predefined pattern.
As illustrated by
The visualization of a predefined pattern may be challenging and difficult, however, this visualization may be assisted by a lottery game machine equipped with a scanner equipped with an optical recognition function. The player may scan the lottery ticket at a lottery game retailer's site and the lottery game machine will be able to scan and identify the winning rows and columns if any. After scanning the lottery game card and identifying the winning patterns, the lottery game machine can display the total wining to the player.
The winning patterns need not to be limited to rows and columns; the winning patterns may also be a sub-matrix or a diagonal line.
In an alternative embodiment shown in
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in the foregoing specification, it is understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to which the invention pertains, having the benefit of the teaching presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, as well as in the claims, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for the purposes of limiting the described invention, nor the claims that follow below.
It should be appreciated that other symbols can be used, to include alpha-numeric symbols and other graphic symbols, emotions, etc., within the matrix. Such symbols may or may not have mathematical connotation in conjunction with the Sudoku theme.
Claims
1. A scratch-off lottery game card comprising:
- a plurality of squares distributed in a M×N matrix comprising columns and rows, wherein each square containing a symbol to thereby create a Sudoku-style puzzle within the matrix, a subset of squares being covered by a removable material; and
- a plurality of prize indicators, wherein each prize indicator being associated with a predefined pattern of symbols within the matrix.
2. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 1, further comprising a bonus indicator placed in one of the plurality of squares.
3. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 1, wherein a prize indicator is associated with each column.
4. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 1, wherein a prize indicator is associated with each row.
5. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 1, wherein a prize indicator is associated a sub-matrix.
6. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 1, wherein the symbol being a numeric digit.
7. A method for playing a scratch-off lottery game in which a scratch-off game card with a plurality of squares arranged in a matrix format is provided to a player, selected squares of the plurality of squares being filed with numbers, the scratch-off game card further having a plurality of prize indicators, each prize indicator being associated with a sub-group of squares, each prize indicator further having a plurality of game indicia that are covered by a removable material, the method comprising the steps of:
- removing the removable material from the plurality of prize indicators; and
- if game indicia from at least one prize indicator and numbers in at least one sub-group of square indicated by the prize indicator form a predefined pattern, awarding a prize associated with the at least one prize indicator to the player.
8. A scratch-off lottery game card comprising:
- a first plurality of squares arranged in a matrix format with selected squares in the first plurality of squares being populated with symbols; and
- a second plurality of prize indicators, each prize indicator being associated with a selected set of squares defined by a predefined pattern, each prize indicator listing a third plurality of symbols that are covered by a removable material.
9. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 8, wherein the predefined pattern being a group of squares arranged in equal number of rows and columns.
10. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 8, wherein the selected set of squares comprises 9 squares and only 6 squares are populated with symbols.
11. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 8, wherein each prize indicator listing 3 symbols.
12. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 8, wherein the symbols being numeric digits.
13. The scratch-off lottery game card of claim 8, wherein the symbols being mathematical symbols.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 29, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 16, 2007
Inventors: Paul Dures (York), Kevin Griffin (Bristol), Keith Laws (West Yorkshire), Jonathan Bedford (West Yorkshire), Diane Green (Bradford), Graham Lee (Halifax), Mark Delahaye (West Yorkshire), Andy Naylor (Leeds), Anthea Fisher (Huddersfield)
Application Number: 11/605,835
International Classification: A63B 71/00 (20060101);