WO2003024551A1

WO2003024551A1 - Lottery game

Info

Publication number: WO2003024551A1
Application number: PCT/US2002/028815
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sande Stewart
Original assignee: It's A Whole New Ball Game, Inc.
Priority date: 2001-09-19
Filing date: 2002-09-11
Publication date: 2003-03-27
Also published as: US20030052447A1

Abstract

A lottery jackpot game in which the player obtains first play indicia (10) at least in part from a lottery sponsor, the first play indicia (10) may be matched by second play indicia obtained solely from the lottery sponsor to form key indicia (12) and the determination of a prize in part determined by the arrangement of the thus key indicia (12).

Description

LOTTERY GAME

Field Of The Invention

The present invention is generally directed to a lottery game in which the player obtains a plurality of play indicia at least in part from a lottery sponsor from a first universe of play indicia, and the play indicia is then matched from play indicia from a second universe of play indicia entirely selected by the lottery sponsor, such matches forming key indicia. It is the arrangement of the thus obtained key indicia which at least partially determines whether a prize is won.

Background Of The Invention

Lottery games in which a player selects three, four, five or six numbers from a universe of numbers and then sees if any one or more of those numbers are matched by a drawing conducted by the lottery sponsor is well known in the lottery industry. The player may select all of the numbers or may have a lottery sponsor do so by a random selection through a computer. These so-called lottery jackpot games have been very successful especially those games requiring the picking of five or six numbers from a universe as large as or exceeding fifty numbers. Such lotto jackpot games typically involve the use of numerous remote computer stations, often located in retail stores throughout a state, that communicate with a central computer. The manner in which such games are conducted by the lottery sponsor (e.g. a state lottery commission) is well known in the lottery industry.

While such games have been successful for a number of years, especially when the prize fund is at a relatively high level, they suffer from a significant drawback in that the overall odds of winning a prize are very poor because of the traditional large pay outs for the top prizes (e.g. 6 of 6 or 5 of 6 numbers correct). Because the odds of winning any prize are very poor, player participation has declined in recent years. This is because present lottery game designs do not allow lotteries to offer a game containing a significant jackpot award and good overall odds of winning a prize. This is due in part because, as designed, present jackpot games offer very few possible award outcomes. Further, the award outcomes that are produced are either of award outcomes employing very poor odds (with exclusively relatively large prize awards) or of very good odds with exclusively relatively small prize awards, leaving the lottery with only two options; a) offer a significant jackpot prize and forego using the good odds outcomes creating a game with poor overall odds of winning a prize; or b) offer a small jackpot prize utilizing the good odds outcomes, creating a game with good overall odds of winning a prize.

There is therefore a need in the lottery industry to provide a jackpot type of lottery game in which the odds of winning are improved, significant jackpot prizes may still be won, and the determination of whether a prize has been won depends not only on the number of matching play indicia, but how they are arranged. Summary Of The Invention

The present invention provides a jackpot type of game which offers a significant jackpot prize while the overall odds of winning a prize is dramatically improved over conventional jackpot type of games.

The present invention is generally directed to a lottery game of the jackpot type where a player obtains a plurality of play indicia from a universe of play indicia at least in part selected by the lottery sponsor and then looks to match the selected play indicia from a second group of play indicia which is entirely selected by the lottery sponsor to form key indicia. In accordance with the present invention a prize may be won if the arrangement of the key indicia meets certain criteria as established by the lottery game rules.

In a particular aspect of the present invention, there is provided a jackpot lottery game with improved overall odds of winning a prize comprising:

(a) a game card comprising a play area having a predetermined number of play spaces with at least some of the play spaces arranged in at least one prize determining pattern with each play space having an individual first play indicia associated therewith obtained from a first play indicia selection system;

(b) a first play indicia selection system comprising a predetermined first universe of play indicia for assigning first play indicia from the universe for each play space, the selection of first play indicia from the first universe by the player, the lottery game sponsor or combination thereof to thereby provide each play space with a first play indicia;

(c) a second play indicia selection system for randomly selecting second play indicia from a second universe of play indicia wherein the second play indicia are selected solely by the lottery game sponsor, wherein the matching of a second play indicia to a first play indicia forms a key indicia; and

(d) said play area having the play spaces arranged in a manner in which the formation of key indicia in said at least one prize determining pattern of play spaces may result in the winning of a prize.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

The following drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application.

Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a first embodiment of a lottery game in accordance with the present invention featuring a tic-tac-toe style play area;

Figure 2 is a schematic top view of a second embodiment of a lottery game in accordance with the present invention in which the play area is in the form of a circle; Figure 3 is a schematic top view of a third embodiment of a lottery game in accordance with the present invention in which the play area is arranged in the form of a pyramid; and

Figure 4 is a schematic top view of a fourth embodiment of a lottery game in accordance with the present invention in which the play area is arranged in the form of a face.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

The present invention is generally directed to a lottery ticket and particularly to a lottery game played thereon in which a plurality of first play indicia are assigned to the player which must be first matched with second play indicia randomly selected by the lottery sponsor to form key indicia in which a prize may be won based on the arrangement of the key indicia.

Traditional lottery games of the jackpot type are constructed so that the overall odds of winning a prize are generally very poor, typically on the order of from about 1 in 20 to 1 in 50. The reason for the poor odds is the combination of the percent of payout given to the lottery sponsor and the type of prizes awarded.

Typically, prizes are awarded if the play matches at least four numbers of a total of six numbers. Thus, prizes are awarded for matching 4 of 6, 5 of 6 and 6 of 6 numbers. While each prize awarded has a relatively high dollar value (e.g. $50 - $60 up to a jackpot winning ticket which can be worth up to several millions of dollars), there are relatively few prizes awarded because the overall odds of winning a prize are very poor (e.g. 20-50 to 1). Thus, in this format, the jackpot game has an outcome that is based on very poor odds of winning a prize to the exclusion of prizes based on relatively good odds of winning a prize.

Each jackpot lottery game is played with the understanding that a certain percentage of the money collected will be available for prizes while the remainder typically at least 50%, is reserved for the lottery sponsor (e.g. a state lottery commission).

By way of example, a state lottery commission offered a jackpot type pick-6 game obtained from a universe of 44 numbers in which the overall odds of winning a prize were 1 in 20 while the state lottery commission retained 50% of the revenue. The prize structure was as follows: a) approximately $1.7 million dollars for matching 6 of 6 numbers; b) $750 for matching 5 of 6 numbers; c) $30 for matching 4 of 6 numbers; and d) free play for matching 3 of 6 numbers. Heretofore there have been no lottery type jackpot games that significantly improve the overall odds of winning a prize while allowing a larger number and greater variety of prizes to be awarded.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a jackpot type lottery game in which the overall odds of winning a prize are improved over conventional jackpot type games while the lottery maintains its customary payout of revenue. The lottery games also provide a larger number and greater variety of prizes due to the employment of predetermined arranged pattern of play spaces which provide additional opportunities to win a prize.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figure 1 , there is shown a lottery ticket 2 having a non-play area 4 and a play area generally shown by the numeral 6. The lottery ticket 2 is constructed in a way well known to those of ordinary skill in the art in the lottery industry. A substrate, typically made out of a paper product such as paper board is coated with a series of materials including layers of ink which enable graphics to be printed thereon. The lottery ticket typically includes means for authenticating the ticket such as a bar code (not shown) to enable the lottery ticket sponsor (e.g. state lottery commission) to determine if the ticket is a valid ticket.

The present invention is principally concerned with the play area 6 and the interaction of play area 6 with the selection of play indicia provided by the lottery sponsor as is customary in a jackpot type of lottery game. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the play area 6 comprises pairs of spaced apart lines which are perpendicular to each other thereby forming a grid 7 containing a total of nine individual spaces 8. Each space 8 has a first play indicia 10 (e.g. a number) associated therewith so that all of the spaces 8 are associated with a first play indicia which is different than the first play indicia of any other space.

It will be understood that in Figure 1 and other figures shown herein the numbers have been exemplified as representative first play indicia. It will be understood that the term "play indicia" whether first or second play indicia as used herein is broad enough to include any symbol, icon, picture, letter, word, number and the like which could be differentiated one space from another.

When all of the first play indicia 8 (e.g. numbers) are filled within the grid 7 comprising the spaces 8, the player has a full compliment of numbers which may be matched by second play indicia selected from the lottery sponsor as described in detail hereinafter.

In accordance with the present invention, the filling of each space 8 with a first play indicia 10 is at least partially provided by the lottery sponsor. In this regard, the player has an opportunity to select some, but not all, of the first play indicia which is to be assigned to the individual play spaces 8. For example, the rules of the game may provide that the player may select five numbers 10 for insertion into individual spaces sponsor and the player will be presented a ticket in which the four numbers that he or she has personally selected and the five random numbers are placed on the grid 7 so that one number is placed in each space 8.

In an alternative embodiment, the player need not select any of the first play indicia 10 but may have the lottery sponsor (through random selection typically by a lottery sponsor computer) select each of the first play indicia 10.

Once the selection process is completed, the player is issued a ticket with the nine selected numbers individually set forth in play spaces 8 within the play area 6. At an appropriate time, the lottery sponsor has a drawing in which second play indicia are selected from a second universe of play indicia corresponding to the first universe. Each occurrence of a match between the second play indicia and the first play indicia results in a key indicia which is represented in Figure 1 by a circle surrounding each key indicia (e.g. 31 in the top right hand corner of the grid). One element of having the opportunity to win a prize is how many key indicia are formed by the matching of the second play indicia selected by the lottery sponsor with the first play indica which appears in the play area of the lottery ticket.

However, unlike conventional jackpot type lottery games, the matching of first play indicia and second play indicia is not solely determinative of whether a prize is won. Instead of or in addition to the matching of first and second play indicia, a further event is available, namely the arrangement of key indicia to meet the requirements of a preselected pattern. It is this further event which provides the opportunity to improve the overall odds of winning a prize while increasing the number and variety of prizes which may be won.

Referring specifically to Figure 1 , the key indicia shown by the numeral 12 are circled. There are five such key indicia 12. In accordance with the rules of the game, each arrangement of three key indicia in a row constitutes an event which may result in the winning of a prize. In the specific example of Figure 1 , the five key indicia 12 form two diagonal lines of three key indicia per line. If the rules of the game provide that two lines of three key indicia per line is a game winning ticket, then the player will have won a prize. As is apparent from Figure 1 , the lottery game depicted therein has a format similar to tic-tac-toe.

It will be noted that if the play indicia located in the center of the grid 7 (i.e. the number "9") was not a key indicia (e.g. the number 9 was not selected by the lottery sponsor from a second universe) then, despite the presence of four key indicia, there would be no lines of three key indicia per line and if the rules of the lottery game so dictate, no prize would be won.

The lottery game of the type shown in Figure 1 provides the opportunity to play a jackpot type game by matching a second play indicia to a first play indicia to form key indicia, but also provides improved odds and a greater variety of prizes by having other prize winning elements in the game to determine if a prize has been won (i.e. to satisfy the requirement that the key indicia be arranged in a predetermined pattern).

It will be understood in accordance with the present invention that prizes may be awarded not only for having key indicia arranged in a preselected pattern but also for having a minimum number of key indicia.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a second embodiment of the present invention in which the play area 6 contains, for example, twelve play indicia in the form of a circle. A prize may be won in accordance with the rules of the game, for example, by at having at least three key indicia 12 in a row along the circle. It will be understood that prizes could be awarded for a greater number of key indicia in a row and may also be awarded if a minimum number of key indicia are present regardless of whether they are arranged consecutively in a row.

In the specific embodiment shown in Figure 2, the player may have the opportunity to personally select, for example, six first play indicia (e.g. numbers) from the first universe and then have the remaining six numbers selected randomly by the lottery sponsor. The arrangement of the first play indicia in the play area 6 will in part determine whether a prize is won if there is the necessary key indicia 12 formed by the matching of the first play indicia on the ticket and the second play indicia selected from the second universe of play indicia by the lottery sponsor. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , six key indicia 12 are formed as indicated by the circles surrounding the same. As shown specifically in Figure 2, the key indicia are all arranged in a row which may be indicative of a prize if the presence of six numbers in a row is a prize winning event.

A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 3 in which the play area 6 is in the form of a pyramid containing nine play spaces 8. Each of the play spaces 8 is provided with one first play indicia by having the player select, for example, five play indicia directly and having the lottery sponsor select four play indicia. A prize may be won, for example, by forming key indicia as explained in connection with the embodiments of Figure 1 and 2. If the key indicia fill the spaces 8 in a preselected pattern (e.g. matching any five numbers along the side of the pyramid, or by matching three numbers that form the middle row of the pyramid or any other such combinations including the formation of a minimum number of key indicia), then a prize may be won. As with the other embodiments herein, an additional prize winning event may occur by having a minimum number of key indicia.

In a further embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 4 there is provided a "happy face" game format comprised of a game area 6 having individual play spaces 8 each capable of having a single first indicia 10 therein. Six of the play spaces 6 form a "smile", two of the play spaces comprise the "ears", two of the play spaces comprise the "eyes" and one of the play spaces is the nose. In conducting the game, the player may pick up to all of the first indicia from the universe of play indicia provided by the lottery sponsor. By way of example, the player may select 6 of the first play indicia while the lottery sponsor may pick 5 of the first play indicia. Prizes may be awarded for completing the play spaces comprising the smile, combinations of eyes, ears and nose, or one or more of the eyes, ears and nose or a minimum number of first play indicia (e.g. 4) in any location.

Thus, it will be apparent that the number and type of prizes is significantly increased, there still remains the opportunity to win a significant prize, and the overall odds of winning a prize are significantly improved as compared with conventional jackpot lottery games as previously described in which there may be only three different monetary prizes awarded.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. A jackpot lottery game with improved odds of winning a prize comprising: a) a game card comprising a play area having a predetermined number of play spaces arranged in at least one prize determining pattern with each play space having an individual first play indicia associated therewith obtained from a first play indicia selection system; b) a first play indicia selection system comprising a predetermined first universe of play indicia, for assigning first play indicia from the first universe for each play space, the selection of first play indicia from the first universe by the player, the lottery game sponsor or combination thereof to thereby provide each play space with a first play indicia; c) a second play indicia selection system for randomly selecting second play indicia from a second universe of play indicia wherein the second play indicia are selected solely by the lottery game sponsor, wherein the matching of a second indicia to a first play indicia forms a key indicia; and d) said play area having the play spaces arranged in a manner in which the formation of key indicia in at least one prize determining pattern may result in the winning of a prize.

2. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein the play area is in the form of a tic- tac-toe board.

3. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein the play area is in the form of a circle.

4. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein the play area is in the form of a pyramid.

5. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein the play area is in the form of a face.

6. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein the first play indicia is selected at least in part by the lottery game sponsor.

7. The lottery game of claim 1 wherein a prize is won if there is a minimum number of key indicia present.