Lottery Ticket Game with Multiple Sequential Predetermined Outcomes
A LOTTERY ticket game providing the player multiple sequential predetermined outcomes in which the player may choose to continue or terminate game play at a plurality of continuation points whereas the redemption value of the ticket at each continuation point is determined at the time in which the ticket is printed or activated. The Lottery game represented by the lottery ticket includes a game-ending termination point in which a) the redemption value of the ticket is zero, b) the redemption value of the ticket exceeds a predefined jackpot amount, or c) the number of continuation points exceeds a value predetermined for the game.
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The present invention relates generally to lottery games in which a lottery ticket is used and more particularly to a lottery ticket game in which the outcome of the game is determined when the ticket is printed or activated.
Governmental lotteries typically include ticket based games in which the outcome of the game is determined when the ticket is printed. These tickets may include a covering that is scratched or removed to inform the player whether or not they won a prize playing the game. The lottery ticket may also provide the player with access to an electronic game that informs the player if they are a winner using an entertaining graphical display. Most governmental lotteries typically provide a large number of predetermined ticket based games.
Competition for players with other forms of gaming such as casinos and horse racing is tight and lotteries are often looking for ways to attract and keep players. One method is to provide lottery tickets which are make it more convenient for the player to continue playing when their lottery ticket provides a winning outcome. The creation of a more convenient lottery ticket is beneficial to governmental lotteries because it improves efficiency and increases lottery revenue.
Prior to the present invention, there is no mechanism for providing lottery players with a way to continue playing a predetermined, ticket based, lottery game if the outcome of the game contains a winning outcome. For example, when a consumer purchases a winning lottery ticket at a lottery retail store, the player must return to the store, redeem the ticket, and purchase another lottery ticket to continue playing the game.
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- Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an invention allowing lotteries to offer a lottery ticket game that provides the player with the opportunity to continue playing a winning ticket while also providing the governmental lottery with a lottery ticket game in which all of the potential outcomes from continued play are determined at the time ticket is printed.
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In view of the deficiencies described above, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a novel lottery ticket game where the player may participate in the game until, 1) the value of the lottery ticket is zero, or 2) the value of the lottery ticket reaches a value above a predetermined amount, or 3) the number of times the player is allowed to continue play reaches a predetermined value.
Each lottery ticket game has a purchase price which defines the amount the player must pay in order to play the game. The initial outcome of the game is the redemption value of the ticket after the initial game is played. This value may be less than the purchase price of the ticket, the same as the purchase price of the ticket, or higher than the purchase price of the ticket. Once the player is informed of the initial outcome, they have the opportunity to continue play as long as the initial outcome of the ticket is greater than zero and less than the game ending jackpot amount. If the value of the initial outcome of the ticket is less than the purchase price of the ticket, the total prize amount available to the player is reduced to the percentage of the purchase price left on the ticket. For example, if the initial purchase price of the ticket is twenty dollars and the initial outcome of the ticket is ten dollars, the player has the opportunity to win 50% of the total prize amount available when play is continued. If the value of the initial outcome is the same or greater than the purchase price of the ticket, the redemption value of the ticket may be reduced by an amount up to the purchase price of the ticket if the player continues to play. The amount over the purchase price of the ticket remains in reserve to be either redeemed later or used to continue game play at a later time.
If the player is eligible and chooses to continue play after the initial outcome of the game is revealed, the redemption value of the ticket is changed to represent the new redemption value of the ticket. The new redemption value and each subsequent redemption value is determined when the ticket was printed or activated. If the value of the initial outcome was the same or less than the purchase price of the ticket, the outcome revealed to the player becomes the redemption value of the lottery ticket otherwise the new redemption value of the ticket is the outcome revealed to the player plus the amount held in reserve from the initial outcome.
Once the outcome of the continued game play and new redemption value of the ticket is revealed to the player, the player again has the option to continue play as long as the ticket is eligible to continue play. This process may be repeated as long as the ticket is eligible for continued play or until the player chooses to terminate play.
Once the player either chooses to no longer play the game or the ticket is no longer eligible to be continued, the ticket may be redeemed by the player as long as the value of the ticket is greater than zero.
Claims
1. A lottery ticket comprising a substrate having printed thereon: a unique identifier representing the lottery ticket; that defines the game, represents an initial prize won, and represents a plurality of optional subsequent prizes and redemption values available to the player.
2. The lottery ticket according to claim 1 wherein the number of subsequent prizes and redemption values is variable.
3. The lottery ticket according to claim 1 and claim 2 wherein the redemption value of the ticket varies depending on the number of optional subsequent prizes and redemption values the player chooses to reveal.
4. The lottery ticket according to claim 1 and claim 2 wherein the number of subsequent prizes is defined prior to the ticket being printed.
5. The lottery ticket according to claim 1 and claim 2 wherein the redemption value of the ticket for the initial prize and each subsequent prize is defined prior to the ticket being printed.
6. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 and 2 wherein the number of subsequent prizes and redemption values is defined when a ticket is activated at a point of sale device.
7. The lottery ticket according to claim 1 wherein the unique identifier representing the lottery ticket is represented by a machine readable bar code.
8. The lottery ticket according to claim 1 wherein the unique identifier representing the lottery ticket may be entered into a computer or other machine by entering a sequence of numbers, letters, or symbols.
9. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 through 6 wherein the previous redemption value of the ticket is no longer available as soon as the player chooses to reveal a new redemption value.
9. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 through 6 wherein the player reveals the initial and each subsequent redemption value of the lottery ticket using a computer or other electronic device.
10. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 through 6 wherein the player reveals the initial and each subsequent redemption value of the lottery ticket by removing scratch-off coating covering the substrate.
11. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 through 6 wherein the redemption value of the ticket may be reduced by an amount up to the price of the ticket each time the player chooses to reveal a subsequent redemption amount.
12. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 through 6 wherein the number of subsequent prizes and redemption values is limited to a number less than a predetermined number.
13. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 through 6 wherein the number of subsequent prizes and redemption values is limited because a redemption value exceeds a predetermined jackpot amount.
14. A lottery ticket according to claims 1 through 6 wherein the redemption value of the ticket may be less than the purchase price of the ticket.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 7, 2009
Publication Date: Oct 8, 2009
Applicant: MULTIPLAYER GAMING TECHNOLOGIES LLC (Elk Grove Village, IL)
Inventor: Edward S. Honour (Schaumburg, IL)
Application Number: 12/399,933
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101);