LOTTERY TICKET AND METHOD OF CONDUCTING LOTTERY GAME

Abstract

A method for conducting a lottery draw includes defining a playing area having a plurality of playing area on a lottery ticket and defining a first game and a second game on the lottery ticket playable by a player. Each game corresponds to one of the playing areas. A retailer receives play information as provided by the player and inputs play information as provided by the player. A lottery system defines a winning draw by randomly selecting numbers. The lottery ticket includes a first, second and third playing area. A set of numbers is on each of first, second, and third areas. There are two games that may be played on the lottery ticket. In a first game, a player selects a subset of numbers from said first area and the subset has less numbers than said set of numbers. In a second game, the player selects a subset of numbers from each of the first, second and third areas. The subset has less numbers than the set of numbers.

Description

This claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/417,914, filed Nov. 30, 2010 and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to a method of conducting a lottery draw and a lottery ticket thereof, and more particularly, to a lottery game where a player may select between multiple games by choosing between a variety of indicia.

There are hangman and hangman-based games in the prior art. However, none of these games are related to a game of hangman that involves a player selecting a word followed by a random drawing of letters, the result of the game being determined by a comparison of the letters contained in the player's word to those drawn letters. Furthermore, none of the references a version of a hangman game being implemented in a lottery setting. Finally, none of the references allow a player to submit his entry for a number of drawings, providing him with the opportunity to win multiple prizes for a single entry.

Therefore, there is a need for a hangman or hangman-based game which combines all these desirable features along with other unique features to arrive at an interesting and enjoyable lottery experience for the player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a lottery ticket and method of conducting a lottery game. This invention relates to a lottery ticket and an associated method to be conducted at point-of-sale locations. A player participates in the game by selecting numbers from a variety of options, such as different areas of a lottery ticket as in one embodiment of this invention. The player may select the numbers by visibly indicating such on the lottery ticket or by providing a communicative indication to a retailer as to his or her selections. The player also selects a wager amount and the amount of times in which to enter his or her selections in a draw. There are multiple games that may be played on the lottery ticket. The selections chosen by the player determine which game the player would like to play. The retailer inputs the information into a lottery terminal and issues the player a receipt indicating the player's selections, wager and amount of draw times. The retailer or lottery authority randomly draws a group of numbers or the like to determine if a player has won. There are multiple winning categories. To win, the player's selected numbers must match at least one of the winning categories.

The invention in various aspects is embodied in a method for conducting a lottery game and an associated lottery ticket. The method includes the steps of defining a plurality of playing areas on a lottery ticket, wherein a group of numbers is on each playing area, defining at least two games on the lottery ticket playable by a player. A first game is playable by selecting a first subset of numbers from one of the playing areas and a second game is playable by selecting a second subset of numbers from each of the playing areas. Play information as provided by a player is received by the retailer or lottery authority and the play information includes the player's choice between the first game and the second game, the subsets of numbers chosen by the player and the amount of wager desired by the player. The selection of play information as provided by the player is input into a lottery terminal. A receipt is provided to the player indicating the play information and defining the winning draw from a collection of numbers. When the player plays the first game, the winning group includes three numbers. When the player plays the second game, the winning group includes nine numbers.

A lottery ticket is also provided in one aspect of this invention, which includes a first, second and third playing area, a set of selections or numbers on each of the first area, second area and third area. A first game requires the player to select a subset of numbers from the first area. The subset of numbers is less than the full set of numbers. A second game is available, in which the player selects a subset of numbers from each of the first area, the second area and the third area and the subset of numbers has less numbers than the full set of numbers. In this manner, the invention offers an interesting and enjoyable lottery experience for the player with player selections, wagers, draws and different games all selected by the player from a single ticket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front planar view of an embodiment of a lottery ticket including first, second and third playing areas according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the steps according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a front planar view of an issued receipt including a player's desired play information; and

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the steps according to one embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A lottery ticket 10 is shown in FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of this invention. The lottery ticket 10 includes a first playing area 12, a second playing area 14 and a third playing area 16. Each playing area 12, 14, 16 is in the shape of a triangle. First, second and third sets of numbers 18, 20, 22 are disposed on each playing area 12, 14 16, with the first set of numbers 18 on the first playing area 12, the second set of numbers 20 on the second playing area 14 and the third set of numbers 22 on the third playing area 16. In one embodiment, each set of numbers 18, 20, 22 includes the numbers one through nine (1-9). While numbers are shown in this embodiment, other selections could be utilized within the scope of this invention. A stake selection area 24 and a draw selection area 26 are included on the lottery ticket 10 in an upside down triangle formed among the three triangles that form the three playing areas 12, 14, 16, thereby forming a full triangle including four smaller triangles. The playing boards 12, 14, 16 could alternatively, however, include differently sized triangles or different shapes.

The draw selection area 26 allows the player to select the number of consecutive draws in which to enter his or her chosen selections or numbers. The draw selection area 26 includes a fourth set of numbers 28. In one embodiment, the fourth set of numbers 28 includes the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, and “multipliers,” 34 and 36, indicated similarly to the multipliers 32 from the stake selection area 24 (i.e., “×2” and “×3”). Multiple selections of numbers from the sets of numbers 18, 20, 22 may be permitted. To determine the amount of consecutive draws, the numbers and multipliers chosen by the player are multiplied together. The resulting number is the amount of consecutive draws into which the player's chosen numbers and stake will be entered. The default number of draws when no indication made is one, meaning that the numbers selected from the lottery ticket 10 are only entered in the very next game. In this specification, one draw or game means three “sub-draws,” as to be discussed later in this specification. The player, as previously discussed, may either make a communicative indication to the retailer or visibly indicate on the lottery ticket 10 as to their draw selection.

The stake selection area 24 allows the player to select the wager he or she would like to bet or the stake at which he or she would like to play. The stake selection area 24 on the lottery ticket 10 has a fifth set of numbers 30. In one embodiment, the fifth set of numbers 30 includes the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10, as well as “multipliers” 32 represented by a multiplication symbol followed by a number (i.e. “×2” and “×5”). The player uses the numbers 30 and multipliers 32 on the stake selection area 24 to determine the amount he or she would like to wager on each game. The selection of multiple numbers 30 and multipliers 32 is allowed. When multiple selections are made, the numbers 30 and multipliers 32 chosen by the player are multiplied together. The resulting number is the stake which the player wishes to bet for a specific number of draws, as indicated in the draw selection area 26. The player may either make a communicative indication to the retailer or visibly indicate on the lottery ticket or play slip 10 as to the amount of the desired stake.

A player participates either by using a lottery ticket or play slip 10 to indicate his choices or by indicating his choices verbally to the retailer. “Lottery ticket” and “play slip” are used interchangeably in this specification. In one embodiment the ticket 10 includes the three playing areas, the first playing area 12, the second playing area 14, and the third playing area 16. “Playing area” and “playing board” are used interchangeably in this specification and refer to the same portion of the ticket (i.e., first playing area is identical to first playing board). Each playing board 12, 14, 16 may be triangularly shaped and contain nine numbers, one through nine. It may be possible, however, in other embodiments to have differently shaped playing boards, more selections or numbers on each playing board and/or a different set of selections or numbers than the numbers one through nine.

To play the lottery game, the player selects between playing a first game and a second game. The player plays the first game by selecting three numbers from the first board 12. To play the second game, the player selects three numbers from each of the first board 12, second board 14 and third board 16. The player also indicates an amount of consecutive times he or she would like to enter the selected numbers in the draw and the stake at which the player would like to play. The lottery ticket 10 also includes areas 24 and 26 in which the player may indicate both his or her desired amount of stake and consecutive draws. Throughout this specification, “play information” at a minimum is used and meant to refer to the selections from the playing boards which the player selects and the player's desired amount of consecutive draws and stake, among other things. The player may make indications regarding the play information by a communicative indication to the retailer, verbal or otherwise, by “filling out” the lottery ticket 10 using a writing utensil or by an electronic means.

The retailer may input the play information manually into a lottery terminal after the communicative indication from the player. Alternatively, the retailer may input the play information into a lottery terminal by scanning the lottery ticket 10 using technology well known in the art. After receiving the play information and inputting the play information, the retailer may issue a receipt 38 as seen in FIG. 3 to the player. The receipt 38 contains play information such as the player's selected numbers 40, draw selection 42 and stake selection 44. The issued receipt 38 also may contain ancillary information 46 such as bar codes, time/date of sale, retailer, and other information necessary for conducting a lottery game.

The draw for the winning numbers of the game is determined by three consecutive sub-draws. In each sub-draw according to one embodiment of this invention, three numbers will be randomly chosen from a group of nine numbers. The group of nine numbers may include the numbers one through nine, but it may also include a different set of numbers or selections. Further, alternatively, the group of numbers may also include more than nine numbers. The first draw will determine the winning numbers for the first game. The numbers drawn in the first, second and the third draws will serve as the winning numbers for the second game.

If chosen in the draw, the player's selection of numbers may fit into multiple winning categories. “Winning categories” as used in this specification is meant to refer to subsets of selections chosen in the draw which meet certain characteristics, as shown in Table 1 and Table 2 below (i.e. three numbers comprising each number seven from each playing area). Table 1 is a table of winning categories for the first game with corresponding odds of and prize amount associated with meeting certain winning categories according to one embodiment. Table 2 is a table of winning categories for the second game with corresponding odds of and prize amount associated with meeting certain winning categories according to one embodiment. The prize amount is meant to indicate the number by which the chosen stake is multiplied to determine the actual winning amount by the player (i.e. if stake selection=$10 and prize amount=40, then winning amount=$400). If the player's numbers match multiple winning categories, the player may only receive the highest winning amount. The odds and prize amount are associated with the amount of numbers on each playing area and the amount of numbers selected by the user, as well as the draw procedure from the preferred embodiment. Changing any of the aforementioned characteristics of the game would change the make-up, the odds and the prize amounts of the winning categories.

TABLE 1
Matched numbers	Odds	Prize amount
3 numbers in any order	1:84	40
3 numbers in any order (two same)	1:168	85

TABLE 2
	Matched	Criteria of		Prize
	Numbers	Matched Numbers	Odds	Amount
	9 numbers	3 from each playing area	1:592,704	100,000
	8 numbers	Any combination	1:10,976	500
	7 numbers	Any combination	1:535	25
	6 numbers	3 from two playing area	1:9,878	500
		2 from each playing area	1:102	2.5
	3 numbers	Any combination	1:7	1
	3 numbers	The number 7 from	1:37	7
		each playing area
	0 numbers	No number	1:74	2.5

From the above disclosure of the general principles of this invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible. Therefore, we desire to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A method for playing a lottery game, comprising the steps of:

selecting between a first lottery game and a second lottery game each on a lottery ticket;

selecting a wager amount;

selecting a desired amount of draws in which to participate;

indicating desired draw information to a retailer; and

after the retailer inputs the desired draw information into a lottery terminal, receiving a confirmation receipt from the lottery terminal.

2. A method for conducting a lottery game, comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of playing areas on a lottery ticket, wherein a group of selections is on each playing area;

defining at least two games on the lottery ticket playable by a player, wherein a first game is playable by selecting a first subset of selections from one of the playing areas and a second game is playable by selecting a second subset of selections from each of the playing areas;

receiving play information as provided by a player, wherein the play information includes the player's choice between the first game and the second game, the subsets of selections chosen by the player and the amount of wager desired by the player;

inputting play information as provided by the player into a lottery terminal;

providing a receipt to the player indicating the play information; and

defining the winning draw from a collection of selections wherein when the player plays the first game, the winning group comprises three selections, wherein when the player plays the second game, the winning group comprises nine selections.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving and inputting play information further comprises:

manually inputting the play information into a lottery terminal after the player provides a verbal indication of the play information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving and inputting play information further comprises:

allowing the player to visibly indicate on the lottery ticket the player's desired play information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving play information further comprises:

receiving the amount of draws to be played using the subset of selections chosen by the player.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a lottery ticket to a player.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein each group of selections comprises the numbers one through nine.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the first subset of selections and the second subset of selections each comprise three numbers.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

defining a draw selection area on the lottery ticket wherein the player may indicate the desired amount of consecutive drawings into which to enter the first or second subsets of selections.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein when the player plays the first game, the winning group of selections comprises three numbers, wherein when the player plays the second game, the winning group of selections comprises nine numbers.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the lottery ticket has three playing areas.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

scanning the lottery ticket to input the play information into the lottery terminal.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

manually inputting the play information into lottery terminal after the player provides a verbal indication of the play information.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the collection of selections comprises twenty-seven numbers comprising three of each of the numbers one through nine, wherein each individual number may be selected to be part of the winning group up to three times.

15. A method for conducting a lottery game, comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of playing areas on a lottery ticket;

defining a first game and a second game on the lottery ticket playable by a player, each game corresponding to one of the playing areas;

inputting play information as provided by the player; and

defining a winning draw.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the playing area has three playing areas as defined on the lottery ticket.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each playing area has a group of numbers, wherein each group of numbers is identical and comprises nine different numbers.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing the player with the lottery ticket;

allowing the player to visibly indicate on the lottery ticket the player's desired play information; and

scanning the lottery ticket to input the desired play information.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the inputting play information step further comprises:

receiving the amount of draws to be played using the subset of numbers as chosen by the player.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first game is playable by the player by selecting a first subset of numbers from one of the three playing areas and the second game is playable by the player by selecting a second subset of numbers from each of the three playing areas, wherein each subset of numbers has less numbers than each group of numbers.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each subset of numbers comprises three numbers.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the winning draw is selected from a collection of numbers, wherein the collection comprises all of the individual numbers from each group of numbers.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the collection comprises three of each of the numbers one through nine.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein when the player plays the first game, the winning draw comprises three numbers, wherein when the player plays the second game, the winning draw comprises nine numbers.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the inputting play information step further comprises:

manually inputting desired play information into a lottery terminal after the player provides an indication of desired play information.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the inputting play information step further comprises:

visibly indicating on the lottery ticket the player's desired play information; and

scanning the lottery ticket to input the desired play information.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving play information step further comprises:

receiving the amount of draws to be played using the subset of numbers as desired by the player.

28. A lottery ticket for a lottery draw game, comprising:

a first, a second and a third playing area;

a set of selections on each of said first area, said second area and said third area;

a first game, in which a player selects a first subset of selections from said first area, said first subset having less numbers than said set of numbers; and

a second game, in which the player selects the first subset of selections said first area, a second subset of selections from said second area and a third subset of selections from said third area, each said subset having less selections than each said set of selections.

29. The lottery ticket of claim 28, further comprising:

a lottery criteria selection area, having at least one portion wherein the player indicates a wager amount and the player's desired amount of times to enter the player's selected subsets of selections in a lottery drawing.

30. The lottery ticket of claim 29, wherein each said set of selections comprises the numbers one through nine.

31. A lottery ticket for a lottery draw game, comprising:

a first, a second and a third playing area;

a first set of numbers on said first playing area;

a second set of numbers on said second playing area;

a third set of numbers on said third playing area;

wherein each of said first set, said second set and said third set comprises the numbers one through nine;

a fourth set of numbers on the lottery ticket;

a fifth set of numbers on the lottery ticket;

a draw selection area including said fourth set of numbers to indicate the desired amount of consecutive drawings into which to enter said subsets of numbers;

a stake selection area including said fifth set of numbers to indicate the desired wager amount;

a first game in which a player selects a first subset of numbers from said first area, said subset comprising three numbers; and

a second game in which the player selects a first subset of selections said first area, a second subset of selections from said second area and a third subset of selections from said third area, each subset comprising three numbers, wherein the player selects a total of nine numbers.