WO2003009103A2

WO2003009103A2 - A method of conducting a game of chance

Info

Publication number: WO2003009103A2
Application number: PCT/US2002/022982
Authority: WO
Inventors: Phillip Chadwick Hill; Martin Gregory Hill; Nicholas Alexander
Original assignee: Trifekta Group, Llc
Priority date: 2001-07-19
Filing date: 2002-07-19
Publication date: 2003-01-30

Abstract

The present invention involves a method of conducting a lottery. First, a lottery entry is distributed which contains a code fixed in a supporting medium. Next, the code shown in the lottery entry is compared to a winning code. Finally, an experience prize is awarded to the owner of any lottery entry containing the winning code. Sales of the lottery entries is promoted in relation to the subject matter of the experience prize. The term 'experience prize' relates to a prize that includes at least a component which is generally unavailable to the public. The 'experience prize' connotes situations in which special permission or dispensation are required before an individual may enjoy those advantages. The lottery entries may be printed cards, including the selection indicia and depictions of the experience prize. Also, such lottery entries may be provided electronically. The experience prize and lottery game may further be associated with a racing team.

Description

A METHOD OF CONDUCTING A GAME OF CHANCE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention.

The present invention relates to a method of conducting a game of chance, and, more particularly, to a method of conducting a lottery involving both the promotion of the lottery and the awarding of a prize.

Description of the Related Art

Well known in the art are lotteries or other games of chance conducted by governmental entities or private organizations. Conventional lotteries allow individuals to purchase or receive an entry or chance to win a monetary prize to be awarded by the lottery. Conventional lotteries can be classified into two basic types: drawing-type lotteries and instant lotteries.

In a drawing-type lottery, participants may purchase one or more entries during a finite temporal purchasing period. Entries conventionally are manifested in the form of a number or series of numbers printed upon a ticket. After the close of the purchasing period, one or more winning numbers are subsequently determined by means of a randomized process, such as a random draw of numbered ping pong balls which are agitated in a wind chamber. The random nature of the selection of the entry numbers on the ticket and the winning numbers may result in the number of winning tickets ranging from zero to several. Any individual possessing a ticket bearing the winning number(s) may then claim and receive a monetary prize. In one type of the drawing-type lottery, a progressive drawing-type lottery, a portion of monies not awarded in any given drawing are added to the total of monies to be awarded in a subsequent drawing.

In an instant lottery, a predetermined number of entries are created by the entity conducting the lottery. Entries are subsequently purchased or obtained by participants. Entries conventionally are manifested in the form of tickets including a play area containing outcome indicia typically obscured by a removable material, such as latex. Participants in the lottery undertake a process to reveal the obscured outcome mdicia, typically by scratching off the latex. In one type of an instant lottery, a standard instant lottery, it is predetermined whether each individual ticket is a winning ticket or a loosing ticket, although the result is not ascertainable without removing the obscuring material. Participants purchase a ticket randomly selected from the total pool of tickets and then determine if the ticket is a winning ticket or a loosing ticket. If the ticket is a winning ticket, the participant can claim a monetary prize.

In another type of instant lottery, the probability instant lottery, each ticket is potentially a winning ticket. A ticket in such a probability instant lottery includes a plurality of play areas each obscured by a removable material. Participants remove the obscuring material from less than all of the play areas. If the revealed outcome mdicia matches a predetermined combination, the ticket is considered a winning ticket and the participant may claim a monetary prize. If the revealed outcome indicia does not match the predetermined combination, or if the obscuring material is removed from more than the permitted number of play areas, the ticket is considered a loosing ticket.

A great number of particular varieties of the any of the above lottery types exists in the art. Lottery games are often coupled with a theme or motif. For example, a lottery ticket in an instant lottery may include artwork or decorative elements suggestive of a slot machine. The same ticket may also include outcome indicia designed to resemble the characters typically shown on the wheels of a slot machine, such as fruit or a "bar," so that removal of the obscuring material covering the play areas will reveal the slot machine characters and simulate the game play of a slot machine.

Governmental entities conducting lotteries often offer lottery games in multiple variations in an effort to maintain participation in lottery games from a maximum number of individuals. To sustain the vitality of the lottery games, further improvements to the lottery games are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves a lottery game which provides an experience prize, that is a prize of specific services or opportunities which cannot be easily obtained by the general public, as part of the potential winnings of the game. Such an experience prize may be linked with the theme or promotional campaign of the lottery to enhance the attractiveness of the game. The ticket itself may include a depiction of a famous event or location, and the associated experience prize would involve the ability to participate in the associated event or have access to the associated location.

The invention provides for conducting a lottery that will allow lottery organizations to attract a large number of lottery participants from a wide variety of interest groups. In particular, the invention distinguishes itself from the multitude of themed lottery games and other games of chance already existing in the art and attract the attention and continued interest of potential lottery participants with the addition of the experience prize. One problem with the existing art is that the prize offered in the lottery or game of chance is typically a monetary prize. While the method of lottery play and the theme of the lottery game and tickets may add diversity to the lottery games offered, prizes generally vary only in the amount of money awarded or the cash value of the prize item. Therefore, participation in any lottery game only generally increases when a new theme is introduced or when the amount of a cash prize in a progressive lottery grows to an unusually large amount.

The present invention provides a method of conducting a lottery game in which winning participants receive an experience prize. An experience prize is a prize that provides the winning participant with an opportunity to engage in an activity or activities not typically available to the general public. For example, one experience prize might include status as "owner for a day" at a motor sports racing track. The recipient of this experience prize would receive his or her name placed on a race car, a picture with the car driver and team, a ride around the track in a racing car, passes to an owner's suite at the race venue, as well as travel to and from the event and accommodations in the city in which the racing event is held.

Another variation of the invention combines lottery promotions and lotteries with a lottery race team. The lottery organization becomes an entrant within a race series, e:g., the Indy Racing League (IRL), Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), NASCAR, Formula One, Winston Cup, and Busch Series. The status of the lottery car becomes a factor in determining whether the ticket wins.

One advantage of the present invention is that the lottery organizations conducting lotteries can maintain a high level of interest in lottery games by offering one or more unusual experience prizes. Such experience prizes, because of their unusual character and themed nature are highly memorable by participants and will allow lottery organizations to differentiate games involving an experience prize from the multitude of other games of chance available to potential participants.

Another advantage of the present invention is that because an experience prize is difficult for an individual to procure. Thus, even if such individual has appreciable sums of disposable income, a lottery game offering an experience prize is more alluring to potential lottery participants than many lotteries featuring a monetary prize only.

A further advantage of the present invention is that experience prizes can be based upon a variety of themes allowing the lottery game to be targeted to various and diverse potential lottery participants. For example, a musical award ceremony experience prize may be marketed through record stores or at concert halls to those having an interest in music. Similarly, a basketball-themed prize might be marketed during basketball programming, at basketball events, or in sporting goods stores. This themed diversification allows a governmental entity to target marketing of the lottery game to potential lottery participants most likely to be attracted to the given experience prize. A further advantage of the present invention is that experience prizes have an intangible worth to lottery participants. A governmental entity is therefore able to procure experience prizes at a lesser expense than monetary prizes, while nevertheless motivating lottery participation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above mentioned and other features and objects 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:

Figure 1 is a flow chart depicting a method for conducting a lottery in which an experience prize is awarded to winning participants;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram depicting a printed lottery ticket of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram depicting a printed lottery ticket with the playing areas exposed.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present invention. The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the invention, in several forms, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings.

Figure 1 depicts the method of the invention. Multiple preferred embodiments exist for the invention, as an object of the invention is to provide a method of conducting a lottery that allows for a wide number of game themes, prizes, and other permutations so as to attract maximum participation in the game and maximum continued interest in the game. The process begins by a player obtaining an entry ticket in step 10, typically by purchasing the entry ticket at a retail establishment. Independent of the purchase of individual tickets, the sponsoring organization (typically a governmental entity) determines the winning entry by a random process in step 18. After both steps 10 and 18, each entry ticket may be evaluated to determine if the entry ticket matches the number or numbers (or other random event) that is printed on the ticket in step 12. The game number or numbers or other random event is made available to the player, and typically to the public at large, in step 14. Finally, an experience prize, possibly with a cash prize, is awarded to the player or players possessing a winning entry ticket in step 16.

In one embodiment, the experience prize awarded to game winners in step 16 is of a motor sports theme, for example a race car theme, such formula car, stock car, or drag car racing. In this embodiment, winners of the lottery game are awarded an experience prize termed as "Owner for a Day." The recipient of the "Owner for a Day" experience prize receives goods, services, and access to events and experiences intended to simulate the privileges and experiences typically available to the owner of a motor sports team. For example, the "Owner for a Day" may visit with the pit crew, meet the driver, and watch the race from the owner's box seats, all of which are typically unavailable to the public.

In another embodiment, the experience prize in step 16 is of a team sports theme, for example a football, basketball, baseball, soccer, or hockey game. The "Owner for a Day" in this embodiment may visit with the players and coaches of the team in the locker room and on the playing field, and watch the game from the owner's box seats, all of which are typically unavailable to the public.

A further embodiment involves an experience prize relating to a special event, such as an awards ceremony for movies, recordings, television, and the like, or an official function such as a governmental executive or legislative meeting. In this embodiment, the winner is termed "VIP for a Day" and is provided with the rights and privileges pertaining to the organizer of the event. This may include the opportunity to meet celebrities, perform with famous artists, or obtain access to the governmental meeting in way normally unavailable to the public (e.g., attend with legislative staffers, ride in an executive's vehicle, etc.). Variations on this type of experience prize include participating in a television show, playing golf or other recreation with celebrities, preparing a boxer for a prize fight, or riding in a noncommercial vehicle (e.g., a fighter aircraft, submarine, space shuttle, etc.

The organization conducting the lottery game distributes tickets as shown in

FIG 2. FIG 2. shows entry ticket 20 as it is sold to a player. Ticket 20 has a face 26 with experience prize indicia 22. Also on face 26, in this embodiment shown on the lower section of ticket 20, a series of selection indicia 24 are printed with an opaque covering, e.g. latex. Selection indicia may be numbers, letters, or other symbols that may be associated with a random (or at least pseudo-random) event. FIG. 3 shows entry ticket 30 having face 36 with experience prize mdicia 32. In this depiction, no opaque covering obscures selection indicia 34, so that several of selection mdicia 34 are apparent. This may be achieved by the player removing only certain opaque coverings (as in an instant lottery), or may be printed on ticket 30 at the time the entry is purchased (as in a drawing-type lottery) with such selection mdicia being selected randomly or specified by the player.

Alternatively, instead of entry ticket 20 or 30, similar functionality may be achieved through an electronic version entry ticket (e.g. an e-mail, a web page, or a dynamically generated display on a video slot machine). In this alternative embodiment, numbers, letters, or other symbols would either be selected by the player electronically or specified by the issuing organization. The selection of indicia is confirmed by suitable electronic means, such as public key encryption keys or the like, and stored by both the player and the issuing organization. The process described in conjunction with FIG. 1 is performed similarly, with the additional steps of electronically verifying, storing, and comparing winning entries.

Another aspect of the invention involves promotion of the lottery having the experience prize. Sports themed lotteries may be effectively sold or near the sporting event which is associated with the experience prize. Also, related retail establishments also provide effective sales locations, such as a basketball themed lottery being sold through retail basketball shoe stores, or a music awards themed lottery being sold through retail record stores. In the on-line embodiments, websites related to the experience prize may be equipped with electronic links to a website capable of issuing an electronic entry ticket.

In an alternative embodiment, the lottery organization operates a race team in

IRL, NASCAR, CART, or other racing league under the same identity or "Team Lotto", "Team Lottery," "Lotto/Lottery Racing," etc. The identity of the race teams would be "TEAM LOTTO" or "TEAM LOTTERY" or derivation thereof. The lottery organization, or its licensor, acts as Owners/Operator/Managers of "Team Lotto", and secures all gaming rights through individual State Lotteries and/or through other lottery vendors. This would allow lottery organizations to design games around the "Team Lotto" car. Games to pick the qualifying position of the car, how many laps the "Team Lotto" led in a race, what position the car would finish, etc.

The "Team Lotto" would also facilitate existing lottery games and promotions

(i.e., a Powerball-type game). This creates additional promotion and cross marketing opportunities, include but not limited to: utilizing race team and driver to promote prize packaging based upon outcome-based and non-outcome-based promotions. Also pari-mutual and non-pari-mutual based/styled games and promotions between race teams(s) and lottery(ies). The lottery organizations and vendors would also be able to distribute and promote lottery tickets at /through all racing series (IRL, NASCAR, CART). The revenue from tickets and merchandising would be shared by the parties and would secure the future of each car in their particular series.

In the foregoing description, the term "lottery organization" and the like is intended to mean a lottery which operates similarly to the various state and provincial lotteries which operate in North America. However, the term "lottery organization" may also encompass private companies or associations, such as casinos and charitable organizations. The term "experience prize" and the like is intended to mean a prize that includes at least a component which is generally unavailable to the public. In addition, "experience prize" connotes situations in which special permission or dispensation are required before an individual may enjoy those advantages. For example, a casino may offer as an experience prize the opportunity to have dinner with a famous celebrity that is performing at the casino. As another example, a charitable organization such as an art museum may offer as an experience prize the ability to paint with a famous artist in residence, or to display a famous sculpture in one's own home for a period of time. These examples are meant to more fully illustrate the general meaning of these terms, and not to constrain the invention to these limited number of examples.

While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of conducting a lottery, comprising the steps of: a) distributing a lottery entry containing a code fixed in a supporting medium; b) comparing the code shown in the lottery entry to a winning code; c) awarding an experience prize to the owner of any lottery entry containing the winning code.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of promoting sales of the lottery entry in relation to the subject matter of the experience prize.