GB2417430A

GB2417430A - Lottery System

Info

Publication number: GB2417430A
Application number: GB0419205A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael John Crotaz; Ruth Baker; John Baker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-27
Filing date: 2004-08-27
Publication date: 2006-03-01
Also published as: GB0419205D0

Abstract

A lottery system and game for a lottery game with a jackpot prize in which the system includes a lottery draw terminal including a number input device, a ticket generator and a ticket reader. The ticket reader is arranged to generate lottery draw entry details including details of previously entered draws. The system also includes a server connectable to the lottery draw entry terminal to receive lottery draw entry details including details of previously entered draws. This leads to the ability to distribute rolled over lottery jackpots only to entrants of the lottery draw from which the jackpot was rolled over, and also permits the jackpot to be distributed amongst winners of a subsequent draw depending on the outcome of a rollover draw.

Description

24 1 7430 P513043GB Lottery System The present application relates to a

lottery system and game.

Lotteries are a popular form of entertainment in most countries in which a large number of participants each buy a ticket for a small sum of money, and a small number of those participants win a prize when the lottery is drawn, some of the prizes being very substantial. One of the prizes is normally much larger than all of the others and constitutes a jackpot which may be won by a single participant, or divided between a number of them.

When no one wins the jackpot, something must be done with that prize. It is common to roll that tin-won jackpot over to the jackpot of the subsequent draw so that the total jackpot of the subsequent draw is substantially increased.

In the United Kingdom, there is a National Lottery, now called "Lotto", in which there are two main lottery draws each week, on Saturdays and on Wednesdays. In order to enter one of these draws, a person fills in a play sheet on which two fields are present, a draw identification field and a number field. A person who wishes to enter marks which of the two draws he is entering in the draw identification field or both draws, if he is entering both of them. He also marks six of the forty nine available numbers in the number field. He then gives his play sheet to a cashier together with his payment, currently one pound for each line (set of six numbers) entered, and the cashier feeds the play sheet into an electronic lottery terminal which automatically reads the markings on the draw identification field and the number field. The terminal then prints a ticket bearing the details of the draws which have been entered, the six numbers which have been chosen in each line, and a unique ticket number. Other information is also included, such as information on how to make a claim. The ticket is passed to the person who must keep it safe until the draw or draws that have been entered. The entry can also be made by direct debit of the person's bank account, in which case it is not necessary or possible to keep a ticket, and also through the Internet.

The terminal that prints the tickets is in electronic contact with a server run by, or on behalf of, the lottery operator. The server receives the details marked on the play sheet which have been read by the terminal, records the selection, and allocates the unique ticket number. The server then sends this ticket number to the terminal which prints it on the ticket for use in the event of a claim. Thus, the terminal must be connected to a telephone line, to a data line, to a wireless connection or the like. The line or connection need not be permanent, although a permanent connection may be cost effective if a lot of tickets are sold via the terminal each day.

Each draw takes place with forty nine numbered balls being rotated in a drum in order to jumble them. Six balls emerge from the drum at random, and the numbers on those balls are the winning numbers. A seventh ball emerges, and is the 'Bonus Ball'. Each entrant who has picked three or more correct numbers is entitled to a prize. Each entrant who picks three correct numbers wins 10, and each entrant who picks four or five correct numbers or five numbers and the bonus ball number, wins successively larger prizes. An entrant who has picked all six balls wins the jackpot or a share in the jackpot, which is a very substantial sum of money.

When no one wins the jackpot, the jackpot prize is rolled over into the jackpot of the following draw. The jackpot winner (or winners) of the following draw wins both prizes, so the total jackpot of the following draw is very substantially increased. This seems inherently inequitable where a winner has not entered the previous lottery. Our aim is to put a fairer jackpot arrangement into place, and to make full use of the rollover jackpot: (a) to increase interest at all levels of prize winning, by widening the spread of the substantial winnings.

(b) to prolong the excitement by introducing a mini-draw of the winners to decide who benefits from the rollover.

(c) to foster a consistent habit of entering the two main Lotto draws each week, where at present many people enter only one draw each week and some have an occasional flutter.

So we expect that as more people win larger prizes and more people enter regularly the increase in sales will benefit substantially the good causes.

The principle of the present invention is that a jackpot, for which there were no winners, is not rolled over to the jackpot of the subsequent draw, but into a rollover game played by all the winners of the prizes in that subsequent draw provided that,they had bought a ticket for the previous draw in which there was no jackpot winner. Thus, the rollover lottery game is played in conjunction with that subsequent basic lottery draw and it is these winners of the subsequent basic lottery draw who are entered into the rollover lottery game. In the preferred embodiment, the rollover lottery game selects which class of winner of the subsequent basic draw will receive a distribution of the rollover jackpot. In the rollover jackpot game, the class of winner is selected at random in a "mini draw" which represents each of the different classes of winner.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a system for operating a lottery game having a jackpot prize comprises: a lottery draw terminal including: 1. a number input device by which the numbers selected by a player are entered; 2. a ticket generator; and 3. a ticket reader where the terminal is arranged to generate lottery draw entry details, including details of previously entered draws; and a server, connectable to the lottery draw entry terminal to receive lottery draw entry details including details of previously entered draws.

It is preferred that the server receives lottery draw entry details including details of previously entered draws, the server including a processor for validating entries, and a memory for storing the entry details, wherein, if the jackpot prize is not won in a lottery game, it is distributed in a subsequent rollover lottery game amongst players who entered the game in which the jackpot prize was not won and the rollover game, entry into the rollover game requiring the ticket for the earlier game to be read by the ticket reader of the terminal.

It is preferred that the number input device is a scanner for scanning play sheets. This is an important feature since it means that the selections made by the player are recorded accurately and quickly.

It is also preferred that the ticket generator is arranged to indicate that a ticket is eligible for the rollover lottery game on any such tickets. This is important because otherwise the person entering the draw does not know whether or not he is entered in the rollover lottery game.

It is further preferred that the ticket reader is a barcode reader arranged for reading a barcode from tickets. Again, this has an advantage that it is quick and easy to use.

In one embodiment, the terminal is arranged such that, instead of validating a ticket as being eligible for the rollover lottery game by the insertion of a ticket from an earlier lottery draw, the person entering the draw ticks or marks a box indicating that he wishes to be entered in to any rollover jackpot game, and pays an extra entry fee in respect of the rollover jackpot game.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a lottery server is connectable to a lottery draw entry terminal to receive lottery draw entry details, including details of previously entered draws, the server including a processor for validating entries, and a memory for storing the entry details, whereby, if the jackpot is not won in a lottery draw, it is distributed in a jackpot rollover lottery game amongst a class of winners in the subsequent basic draw, provided that those winners had entered the draw in which the jackpot prize was not won. Entry into the jackpot rollover game requires that the ticket for the earlier draw, in which the jackpot was not won, is produced at the time of entry into the subsequent basic draw so that the ticket for the earlier (no jackpot winner) draw is read by the ticket reader of the terminal. Thus entry into the jackpot rollover game requires entry to have been made into both the earlier draw and the subsequent basic draw: into the earlier draw because the jackpot was engendered by those participants, and the subsequent basic draw because it is among a class of those winners that the jackpot rollover game decides the distribution of the rollover jackpot.

According to one embodiment, it is possible to enter the rollover jackpot game at the same time as entering a subsequent draw upon payment of an entry fee. This means the people who did not enter the earlier lottery draw in which the jackpot was rolled over still have an opportunity of entering the rollover jackpot game upon payment of a fee, instead of getting a free entry. In addition, it is preferred to include the option of entering the lottery draw, and any rollover jackpot game by standing instruction, and with payment normally made by direct debit. Such an arrangement might be effected over the Internet, by telephone, or by mailing a written instruction to the lottery operator.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a lottery game for distributing a jackpot prize which is not won in a first lottery game comprises entry into a jackpot rollover draw, that entry requiring the supplying of evidence of having participated in the draw in which the jackpot was rolled over, or payment of an entry fee.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only in conjunction with the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a flow diagram showing the way in which the lottery game is played incorporating a mini draw to allocate a jackpot which has not been won in an earlier draw; and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a system via which entries into a lottery are made and recorded.

This new lottery game requires there to be a jackpot which can be rolled over to a subsequent lottery game if not won. For example, lotteries may be weekly, or more or less frequent than that. In this embodiment, the draws occur twice each week, on Saturdays and on Wednesdays. To enter one of these draws, a person fills in a play sheet on which three fields are present, a draw identification field, a number field, and a rollover field. To enter, in the draw identification field a person marks which of the two draws he is entering, or both draws if he entering both draws. He also marks six of the forty nine available numbers in the number field. He then hands his play sheet, together with the previous draw's ticket, to the cashier. The cashier feeds the play sheet and the previous draw's ticket into an electronic lottery terminal which automatically reads the markings on the draw identification field, the number field and the rollover field. The terminal then prints a ticket bearing the details of the draws which have been entered, the six numbers which have been chosen, a ticket number, and stamps the rollover field to show that the rollover validation has been made. At the same time, the previous draw's ticket is cancelled. Other information is also included, such as information on how to make a claim. The ticket is passed to the person who must keep it safe until the draw or draws that have been entered.

The terminal that prints the tickets is in electronic contact with a server run by, or on behalf of, the lottery operator. The server receives the details marked on the play sheet that have been read by the terminal, records the selections, and allocates a unique ticket number. The server then sends this unique number to the terminal which prints it on the ticket for use in the event of a claim. Thus, the terminal is connected to a telephone line, to a data line, to a wireless connection or the like. The line or connection need not be permanent, although a permanent connection may be cost effective if a lot of tickets are sold via a terminal each day.

As usual the basic draw takes place with forty nine numbered balls being rotated in a drum in order to jumble them. Six balls emerge at random, and the numbers on those balls are the winning numbers. A seventh ball emerges and is the bonus ball. The bonus ball is used in conjunction with five of the winning numbers in lieu of a sixth winning ball. Each entrant who has picked three or more winning numbers is entitled to a prize in the current draw and also enter the mini draw; each entrant who picks lO three correct numbers wins 10 and each entrant who picks four or five correct numbers or five numbers and the number on the bonus ball, wins successively larger prizes. An entrant who has picked six balls wins the jackpot, or a share in the jackpot, which is also a very substantial sum of money.

If a player does not win, and the jackpot has been won, then the ticket may be discarded. If, however, the person does not win, but the jackpot has not been won, then the player should keep the ticket in order to buy a ticket for the subsequent draw in conjunction with which the rollover lottery game is played and the rolled over jackpot is distributed. If the player wins a prize in the current draw, then he can produce the ticket in order to claim his prize in the current draw.

If the current draw has not had its jackpot won, then the jackpot will be rolled over as will be explained below with reference to Figure 1. In order to qualify for the rollover, it is necessary to enter the subsequent lottery draw, and if a player wishes to be eligible for the rolled over jackpot of the previous draw 1, then he must fill in the usual playsheet for the subsequent draw and at the same time as he buys his ticket, supply the ticket from the previous draw in which the jackpot has been rolled over 2. This acts as proof that the player also entered the draw in which the jackpot was rolled over, and is entered into the machine along with his play sheet. The ticket for the subsequent draw will be validated for the rollover.

Where there has been a rollover, the subsequent draw takes place, and, as is usual, many entrants will win prizes. As explained above in respect of the earlier draw, there are prizes for entrants who have picked three correct numbers, four correct numbers, five correct numbers, five correct numbers plus a bonus ball, and all six numbers.

Thus, there are five classes of winner, and all of the winners within any particular class will receive an equal share of the prize money available for that class of winner. If a person wins a prize in the subsequent draw 3, that person might also win a share in the rolled over jackpot if he took part in the draw in which the jackpot was rolled over. To prove this, his ticket for the previous draw must be presented at the time a ticket for the l O subsequent draw is bought 4. If a person does not win a prize in the subsequent draw 5, he will also not win any prize in the rollover jackpot. Provided there is a jackpot winner in the subsequent draw, a person can throw away his ticket, but if there is no jackpot winner again, then he will need that ticket when he buys a ticket for the second rollover draw, if he is to be entitled to a possible share in that jackpot 6.

Whenever there has been a draw in which there has been no jackpot winner, the subsequent draw is followed immediately by a rollover game, the mini draw in which five groups of balls are entered 7. Each group of the balls represents one of the five classes of winners, the three number winners, four number winners, five number winners, five plus the bonus ball winners, and the jackpot winners. Each group of balls is represented by one or more balls. Thus, each of the five classes of winners might be represented by a single ball, or by more than one ball. It might be appropriate to weight the rollover in favour of the lesser prizes. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, two balls represent three number winners, two balls represent four number winners, two balls represent five number winners, two balls represent five plus the bonus ball winners, and only one ball represents the jackpot winner. Of course, other weightings might be desirable, or no weighting at all. In the rollover draw, the balls are jumbled, and a single ball emerges, and whatever group of winners that ball represents in the current draw wins the jackpot, rolled over from the previous draw. All of the winners in that group who have a ticket stamped as valid for the rollover game can claim a share of the previous draw's rolled over jackpot in addition to the prize of the current draw.

For example, if the rollover jackpot includes 4 million in prizes, the distribution of the additional money might be arranged to increase each prize by the following amounts: Number of3 numbers4 Numbers5 Numbers5+ Bonus6 Numbers numbers (Jackpot) matched Approx. No.400,00020,00040082 Winners Of Winners (current draw) Extra prize1020010,000500,0002M money from Jackpot () This distribution assumes that substantially all eligible people enter the rollover draw.

As can be seen above, if the draw in the rollover jackpot game selects the winners 8, who have matched three numbers in the main draw, since one would expect about 400,000 winners, the rollover jackpot of 4million would be expected to add a further 10 to the prize money of each of those winners. This assumes that almost all of the winners qualify for the rollover by virtue of having entered the previous draw.

If the draw in the rollover jackpot game selects winners who have obtained four numbers in the main draw, since there are likely to be about 20,000 winners, each winner is likely to be entitled to an extra prize of 200. Of course, if many of the entrants to the earlier draw have not entered the subsequent draw, then the rollover jackpot would be divided amongst fewer people, making the rollover prizes even greater.

Similarly, for five and five-plus-bonus-ball winners, if the draw in the rollover jackpot game selected their class of winners, they could receive an extra 10,000 or 1/2 million respectively.

As a result, not only will the rollover jackpot be distributed more evenly, such that more players are likely to win significant prizes, but there is also likely to be an increased number of players who enter both draws rather than just the draws on a Wednesday or just the draws on a Saturday. Consequently, the prizes will be larger because the number of entries will be greater, and more money will be available for the good causes. This encourages a regular habit of entering the Lotto twice a week at least.

Figure 2 shows the terminal and server system in block diagram form. The system includes a terminal 1 and a server 2 which are connected by a data link 3, which may be a telephone line, a data line, a wireless connection or the like. The server is run by, or on behalf of the lottery operator, and is maintained by him. The server 2 and terminal 1 are unlikely to be constantly connected by the data link 3. A large number of terminals will connect to the server 2. The terminals are operated by retailers such as newsagents.

Each terminal 1 includes a processor to which are connected a modem 5 which connects the terminal I to the data link 3, a play sheet reader 6 which scans the play sheet in order to identify what markings appear in the draw identification field, the number field and the rollover field. These details are passed to the processor 4 which communicates them to the server 2 in order to record an entry into a draw. The terminal 1 also includes a printer 7 for printing tickets once an entry has been made, and the server 2 has allocated a ticket number. The terminal 1 includes a ticket reader 8 which is used firstly when a claim is being made for a prize and a winning ticket can be inserted into the ticket reader 8 in order to identify whether a prize has been won, and what prize has been won. The ticket reader 8 can also be used to read the ticket entering a person into a draw in which a rollover takes place in order to act as evidence for entry in that earlier draw when entering a rollover draw.

The server 2 includes a processor 9 to which are connected a modem 10 for connection to the data link 3, and a memory 11 for storing all draw entries.

In use, when a play sheet is inserted into the play sheet reader 6, the markings are read and passed to the processor 4 which then sends the details of the entry to the server 2 via the modem 5. If a rollover draw is also taking place, then the ticket for the previous draw is read by the ticket reader 8 in order that an entry for the next draw is validated for the rollover draw. The server 2 receives this information via modem 10, and if the entry is valid, the processor 9 will allocate the entry a ticket number which is sent back via the data link 3 to the terminal 1 where a ticket can be printed which includes the ticket number and the details of the entry, including entry into the rollover draw, if appropriate. The processor 9 in the server 2 also records the details of the entry in the memory 11.

When a claim for a prize is made, the ticket is fed into the ticket reader 8 which identifies the ticket number to the processor 4. The ticket number is then sent via modem 5, data link 3 and modem 10 to the processor 9 within the server 2. The processor 9 compares the entry held in its memory in respect of that ticket number with the results of the lottery draw which has taken place. If a prize is to be allocated, the processor 9 validates the claim and indicates this to the processor 4 within the terminal l. The processor 9 will record in the memory that the prize in respect of that ticket has been paid.

In addition to the above arrangement, it is possible to allow those people who did not enter the draw in which the jackpot was engendered to enter the rollover jackpot game.

Instead of producing a ticket for the previous draw, the player pays an entry fee of, say, 1.00, to enter the rollover jackpot game in addition to paying 1.00 per line for each entry on his play sheet to the subsequent draw. On the play sheet, the player will mark the "rollover" field. Of course, if a player has entered the draw in which the rollover jackpot was engendered, he will get a free entry into the rollover jackpot game, provided that he enters the subsequent draw, but if he did not enter the earlier lottery draw, he can still enter the rollover jackpot game upon making an additional payment.

There are alternative ways in which lottery games, including the rollover jackpot game can be entered besides the use of a play sheet which is fed through a terminal in a shop.

It is possible to enter such games on-line, either one game at a time, or to set up a standing entry into all games. Payment of the lottery entry fee can be made by direct debit. Entry by direct debit in this way can be arranged such that, in any rollover jackpot game, the person is automatically entered by virtue of having entered the previous draw, also paid for by direct debit. Thus, entry to any rollover jackpot game will be automatic. ll

Claims

) 13 Claims I. A system for operating a lottery game having a jackpot

prize comprising: a lottery draw terminal including: i) a number input device by which the numbers selected by a player are entered; ii) a ticket generator; and iii) a ticket reader where the terminal is arranged to generate lottery draw entry details, including details of previously entered draws; and a server, connectable to the lottery draw entry terminal to receive lottery draw entry details including details of previously entered draws.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the server is arranged to receive lottery draw entry details including details of previously entered draws.
3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the server includes a processor arranged to validate entries, and a memory arranged to store the entry details such that, if the jackpot prize is not won in a lottery game, it is distributed in a subsequent rollover lottery game amongst players who entered the game in which the jackpot prize was not won and the rollover game.
4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the ticket reader is arranged to read the ticket for the earlier game in which the jackpot prize was not won in order to validate it for entry into the rollover lottery game.
5. A system according to claims 3 or 4, wherein the ticket generator is arranged to indicate that a generated ticket is eligible for the rollover lottery game.
6. A system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the terminal is arranged such that the person entering the draw ticks or marks a box indicating that he wishes to be entered in to any rollover jackpot game.
7. A system according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the processor is such as to validate entries in a subsequent rollover lottery game from a player who did not enter said lottery game, upon payment of an entry fee.
8. A system as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the processor is such as to validate entries into a lottery game or a rollover lottery game by standing instruction, direct debit, telephone, over the Internet, or by mailing a written instruction.
9. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the input device is a scanner for scanning play sheets.
10. A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ticket reader is a barcode reader arranged for reading a barcode from tickets.
11. A lottery server connectable to a lottery draw entry terminal to receive lottery draw entry details, including details of previously entered draws, the server including a processor for validating entries, and a memory for storing the entry details, whereby, if the jackpot is not won in a lottery draw, it is distributed in a jackpot rollover lottery game amongst a class of winners in the subsequent basic draw, provided that those winners had entered the draw in which the jackpot prize was not won.
12. A lottery game for distributing a jackpot prize which is not won in a first lottery game comprising entry into a jackpot rollover draw, that entry requiring the supplying of evidence of having participated in the draw in which the jackpot was rolled over, or payment of an entry fee.
13. A lottery play sheet including: a draw identification field for entry of an indication of the draw or draws into which entry is being made; a number field for entry of an indication of the numbers to be entered into the indicated draw or draws; and a rollover field for entry of an indication that a rollover draw is being entered or that the entry is eligible for a rollover jackpot.