LOTTERY GAME BASED ON COMBINING PLAYER SELECTIONS WITH LOTTERY DRAWS TO SELECT OBJECTS FROM A THIRD SET OF INDICIA

LOTTERY GAME BASED ON COMBINING PLAYER SELECTIONS WITH LOTTERY DRAWS TO SELECT OBJECTS FROM A THIRD SET OF INDICIA

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application No. 60/617,824, filed October 11 , 2004, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] In general, the present invention relates to systems and methods that implement lottery games. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel on¬ line lottery game in which a player's game indicia and the lottery's game indicia are mapped to a third set of game indicia to determine the outcome of the game. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Computerized gambling, lottery games and instant games, whether run by governmental or private entities, have proven to be quite popular. Participation in a game gives a person a chance to win a substantial amount of money while also allowing private parties and lottery authorities to collect monies, some of them for public or charitable purposes. When taxed, the sales from games also provide additional revenue to state and city governments.

[0006] As technology advances, many games are ported from a paper-ticket based environment to a computer-based environment. Implementing games in a computer- based environment, either at a gambling location or on-line, makes administration of games easier. Casino owners and/or government authorities can obtain almost instantaneously sales information from the gaming machines. However, implementing a traditional game in the computer-based environment is typically not a straightforward process. Many difficulties have to be overcome to preserve a game's characteristics that attract players in the first instance, and yet use the computer environment to make the game more player-friendly.

[0007] As known, a typical lottery game correlates a player's game indicia to the lottery's game indicia to determine the number of "matches" for determining game winners. This simple matching is difficult to implement in electronic media given the faster pace of electronic game play, and a greater need of interaction to keep a player interested in the game. The need to increase player interest is counterbalanced,

-1- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT however, against increasing game complexity and player confusion, which could actually cause player disinterest.

[0008] Accordingly, it is desirous to have lottery-type game with different strategic elements present available on a computer-based environment, where players can experience the excitement of this game yet not be overwhelmed by the complexity of the game. Such game should be familiar to players of existing lottery games, yet the game should be advantageously implemented in a computer based environment. It is thus to such a game that the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Briefly described in one embodiment thereof, the present invention is a lottery game correlates a player's game indicia to the lottery's game indicia to determine the number of "matches" for determining game winners. In the inventive lottery game, the player's indicia and the lottery's indicia are combined to produce a set of ordered pairs of indicia. These ordered pairs are then mapped to a third set of game indicia by a function that may be universal or assigned per play. The subsequent mapping determines the outcome upon which prizes in the lottery game are based. [0010] In one embodiment, the lottery game method includes the steps of a game player selecting a wager amount for a game, providing the player a first set, second set and third set of game objects, with each set capable of being sequenced. Then the method continues with determining a first sequence from the first set of objects, such determination made by the player, drawing a second sequence from the second set of objects; providing a third sequence from the third set of objects, and mapping the first sequence of objects and the second sequence of objects to the third sequence. Then the method concludes with awarding prizes based on the mapping to the third sequence of objects. A series of rounds of play can be combined with various sets of mutual objects in the first, second, and third set.

[0011] In one embodiment, the system for implementing a lottery game to one or more players includes at least one game terminal that allows a game player to enter one or more rounds of a lottery game, with the terminal further allowing the player to select a wager amount and enter a round of game play. The system also includes at least one gaming server that provides to the at least one game terminal a first set, second set and third set of game objects, each set capable of being sequenced, wherein a first sequence from the first set of objects is determined by the player. The server further draws a second sequence from the second set of objects, and provides a third

-2- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT sequence from the third set of objects, then the server maps the first sequence of objects and the second sequence of objects to the third sequence and awards prizes based on the mapping to the third sequence of objects.

[0012] The present system and method therefore advantageously provide a gaming entity the ability to host a lottery-type game at remote computer locations with different strategic elements for the game, other than simple indicia draws and comparisons in each round of play. The implementation of the game is not complex such that players can easily participate in the rounds of game play at the remote locations. Such game is familiar to players of existing lottery games so that the players should fine the additional strategic elements maintaining their interest.

[0013] Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent after the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and Claims appended herewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Fig. 1 is an illustration of a first embodiment of a lottery game playslip bearing exemplary player selections thereon.

[0015] Fig. 2 is an illustration of a first embodiment of a lottery game ticket correlating to the playslip selections of Fig. 1.

[0016] Fig. 3 is an illustration of a first embodiment of a prize table for use with the lottery game.

[0017] Fig. 4 is an illustration of a second embodiment of a lottery game playslip bearing exemplary player selections thereon.

[0018] Fig. 5 is an illustration of a second embodiment of a lottery game ticket correlating to the playslip selections of Fig. 4.

[0019] Fig. 6 is an illustration of a second embodiment of a prize table for use with the lottery game.

[0020] Fig. 7 is an illustration of a third embodiment of a lottery game playslip bearing exemplary player selections thereon.

[0021] Fig. 8 is an illustration of a third embodiment of a lottery game ticket correlating to the playslip selections of Fig. 7.

[0022] Fig. 9 is an illustration of a third embodiment of a prize table for use with the lottery game.

[0023] Fig. 10 is an illustrative embodiment of a database entry for a lottery game ticket.

-3- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT [0024] Fig. 11 is an illustrative embodiment of a trailer lottery game ticket.

[0025] Fig. 12 is an illustration of a fourth embodiment of a lottery game playslip bearing exemplary player selections thereon.

[0026] Fig. 13 is an illustration of a fourth embodiment of a lottery game ticket correlating to the playslip selections of Fig. 12.

[0027] Fig. 14 is an illustration of the lottery game ticket of Fig. 13 bearing player markings thereon.

[0028] Fig. 15 is an illustration of fourth embodiment of a prize table for use with the lottery game.

[0029] Fig. 16 is an illustration of fifth embodiment of a prize table for use with the lottery game.

[0030] Fig. 17 is a diagram of one embodiment of the system to implement the inventive lottery gaming method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a system and method of implementing a lottery game having the following components: (1) three finite sets of objects: S-i, S₂, S₃, (2) a sequence of objects from Si provided by or assigned to the player, (3) a sequence of objects from S₂ produced by the lottery, (4) a process or rule that maps these two sequences to a sequence in Si x S₂, and (5) a process or function f that maps Si x S₂ into S₃. During game play the player selects or is assigned a sequence from Si and the lottery draws a sequence from S₂. These sequences are combined, through the game process, to produce a sequence in S₁ x S₂. This sequence in Si x S₂ is then mapped by f to a sequence in a third set, S₃. [0032] The general scenario is that there exist three finite sets of objects known to the player, such as those shown in the playslip 10 of Fig. 1. A player selects a sequence from a first set of objects S₁ and is issued a ticket indicating that selection. Alternatively, this selection could be quick-picked, and the possibility also exists that the player selection must be quick-picked. The lottery draws a sequence from a second set of objects S₂. This draw may be produced instantly when the player purchases their ticket, or be a scheduled event and applied to all players, for example a televised lottery drawing. The player's sequence from S₁ and the sequence in S₂ drawn by the lottery are then mapped to a sequence in S-i x S₂ by a predetermined process or rule. A straightforward example of such a process or rule would be that each term in the player's sequence is identified with the term in the same position in S₂. For example, if

-4- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT aia₂...a_n is the sequence in Si and bib₂...b_n is the sequence in S₂ the resulting sequence in Si x S₂ would be bi) (a₂, b₂) ... (a_n, b_π).

[0033] Also, there is a process or a function f that maps Si x S₂ into a third set of objects S₃. This function may be general knowledge or it may be disclosed to the player on their ticket and vary per play. The function may be defined by a matrix displayed on the ticket for which the entries are elements of S₃, and where each element in Si is identified with a row and each element in S₂ is identified with a column. The function assigns an ordered pair the entry in the position being referenced by that ordered pair. For example, the matrix may be a "Latin square," for which each row and column have exactly one instance of each element of S₃.

[0034] As the function f maps Si x S₂ into S₃, it also maps the sequence in S₁ x S₂ (obtained by applying the rule to the two sequences in Si and S₂) to a sequence in S₃. The outcome is the sequence on which prizes are based. Prizes may be based on which and how many times elements from S₃ occur in the outcome. Prizes could also be determined by the order in which objects appear in the outcome. [0035] This invention is also suitable for play with other lottery games for a composite game, and is illustrated in the following examples. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, let Si = {A, B, C, D} (Column 22), S₂ = {1 , 2, 3, 4} (Row 24), and S₃ = {*, ♦, v, *} (grid 26). The player selects a sequence of six terms from Si using a playslip 10 as illustrated in Fig. 1. The sequence that the player selected is B-B-D-A-C-A. The player pays $1 , submits their playslip 1- to a retailer, and receives a ticket 20 indicating their selection as illustrated in Fig. 2. If so desired, rather than filling out a playslip 10, the player could communicate their game selections verbally to a sales clerk, for example. The lottery authority of organization then randomly draws a sequence of objects from S₂. For this example, assume the lottery drew the sequence 2-4-4-1-2-1. The rule by which the player's selection of letters and the lottery's draw is mapped to a sequence in Si x S₂ is that the terms in the player's sequence are paired with the corresponding terms in the lottery's draw to get (B, 2) (B, 4) (D, 4) (A, 1) (C, 2) (A, 1).

[0036] The ticket also displays a grid 26 of objects from S₃. The rows of the grid are indexed by A, B, C, and D, the elements of Si, and the columns are indexed by 1, 2, 3, and 4, the elements of S₂. This grid defines a function f from Si x S₂ into S₃. That is, f assigns an ordered pair in Si x S₂ which is the object that occupies the position referenced by that ordered pair. For example, f((C, 3)) is the object in row C-column 3, which is *. The grid in this example is what is referred to as a "Latin Square," which

-5- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT means that every row and column has exactly one element from S₃. The outcome is the corresponding sequence in S3 as determined by the function defined by the grid on the ticket: * v * * A *. Prizes are awarded based on the prize table in Fig. 3 The prize table indicates outcomes for which prizes are awarded, along with the corresponding inverse probabilities, and the returns based on a $1 wager. Those skilled in the art of Mathematics can verify this table. The prize for 4 of a kind is $2. As there are four *'s in the outcome the player wins the prize for 4 of a kind, which is $2. [0037] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, let Si = {A, B, C, D} (Column 42), S₂ = {1 , 2, 3, 4} (Row 44), and S₃ = {*, ♦, v, *} (Grid 46), as in example 1. The player chooses two distinct elements from Si using a playslip 30 as illustrated in Fig. 4. The player has selected the combination B-D. The "sequence" is understood to be the combination in alphabetical order. The player pays $1, submits their playslip to a retailer and receives a ticket 40 as illustrated in Fig. 5. The ticket displays the player's selection. The lottery draws two distinct elements from S₂, say 3-4. The "sequence" is the lottery's draw in numerical order. The rule by which the player's letters and the lottery's numbers are mapped to a sequence in S₁ x S₂ is the cross product of the terms, i.e. all ordered pairs, such that the first coordinate is either B or D and the second coordinate is either 3 or 4: (B, 3) (B, 4) (D, 3) (D, 4). The cross product is ordered by the "dictionary" order. There is also a function f defined by a grid of objects from S₃ displayed on the ticket. The outcome produced by mapping the sequence (B, 3) (B, 4) (D, 3) (D, 4) into S₃ by f is ♦ ¥ A*. The prize table based on a $1 wager is illustrated in Fig. 6. The player wins if and only if their outcome contains two v's for which there is a 1 in 6 probability. As the outcome contains only one ¥, the player does not win.

[0038] The current invention can be combined with other lottery games. An example where this invention is incorporated in a raffle is disclosed in Figs. 7-11. This embodiment coincides with a sports tournament in which there are thirty-two teams competing over several weeks, for example, as is done in the soccer World Cup Soccer tournament held every four years, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. We let Si = {A, B, C, D}, S₂ = {1 , 2, 3, 4}, as in examples 1 and 2. However, in this embodiment the player can choose the elements of S₃ (elements 52). The player uses a playslip 50 as in Fig. 7 to pick four out of thirty-two teams, and has selected Brazil, Egypt, Germany, and USA. These four teams will comprise S₃. The player pays $2, submits their playslip and receives a ticket 60 as in Fig. 8. On this ticket, a sequence of six terms from Si has randomly been assigned to him, in this case, B B D A C A. Also displayed on the ticket

-6- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT is an ID number 62 unique to that ticket 60. The lottery conducts a draw for this game and produces 4-3-1-2-3-3. A draw is conducted every day of the tournament. The rule by which the player's selection and the lottery's draw are mapped to a sequence in Si x S₂ is that each term is the player's letters is paired with the corresponding number in the lottery's draw: (B, 4)(B,3)(D,1)(A,2)(C,3)(A,3). Also displayed on the ticket is a grid of flags representing the teams the player selected. This, once again, is a "Latin square." Each row and column contains exactly one of each of the elements in S₃. [0039] As the rows on the square are indexed by A, B, C, and D and the columns are indexed by 1 , 2, 3, and 4, this square defines a function f that maps Si x S₂ into S₃ This function f maps the sequence (B, 4)(B,3)(D,1)(A,2)(C,3)(A,3) to BRAZIL USA BRAZIL BRAZIL BRAZIL EGYPT. This is the outcome. The prize table is indicated in Fig. 9 and is based on a $2 wager. The player thus has won $4 for 4 of a Kind. In addition to this prize, the player may be eligible for a raffle, depending on the outcome of the tournament. If the player wins, it is necessarily the case that there is a predominate element of S₃ in the outcome, in this case it is BRAZIL. The lottery has on record in a database the ticket's identification number, the fact that the ticket has won, and the predominate country, as illustrated in Fig. 10. Also, for the players' convenience, they may receive a trailer ticket 70 as illustrated in Fig. 11 indicating that their winnings, the predominate team, and a raffle number, which is the same as the identification number. [0040] At the end of the tournament all tickets whose predominate team placed in the tournament are entered into the raffle. More precisely, the lottery filters out all records for winning tickets whose predominate team placed 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd. These records are entered into a raffle in which one or more prizes are awarded Either physical tickets are produced or the raffle is conducted electronically as with a random number generator. The fact that the player was able to select the four teams represented on their ticket (i.e. S₃) involved strategy: the more likely one of their teams were to place in the tournament, the more likely he will be included in the raffle. [0041] Another example of this invention is incorporated with a digits game shown in Figs. 12-14. For this embodiment, Si = {A, B, C, D, E} (Column 92), S₂ = {0, 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9} (Row 94), and S₃ = {$10, $15, $20, $25, $50} (Grid 96). A player selects 6 digits, each ranging from 0 to 9, using a playslip 80 as shown in Fig. 12. The player pays $5, submits a playslip 80, and receives a ticket 90 as illustrated in Fig. 13. Alternatively, the player could verbally communicate their six selected play numbers or digits to a sales clerk, for example. The ticket displays the digits they selected: 8 04 2

-7- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT 7 4. For each digit the player selected, a letter is randomly selected from Si and displayed under it one space to the left. These letters comprise a sequence in Si_. There is also a 5 by 5 grid on the ticket that defines a function f that maps Si x S₂ into S₃. The rows are indexed by A, B, C, D, and E, the elements of Si. Each element in S₂ is identified with a column as the columns are labeled 1 , 2, 3, 4, and 5 on the top and 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 on the bottom. For an ordered pair (si,s₂) e S₁ x S₂, f((si,S₂)) is defined to be the element of S3 occupying the position in the grid referenced by (si,S₂). For example, f((B, 8)) = $25. Furthermore, the grid has the property that every row and column contains exactly one instance of each dollar value: $10, $15, $20, $25, and $50. This guarantees that for any of these dollar amounts, e.g. $10, if a letter Sie S_I is randomly paired with a digit S₂ e S₂, the probability that f((Si,S2)) = $10 is 1/5. [0042] At a scheduled time, such as a daily event if so desired, the lottery draws a sequence of six terms from S₂. For this example, suppose the sequence is 8 3 6 2 94. On the ticket 90 in Fig. 13, there is a underlined space 98 beside each letter and beneath each of the player's selected digits. These are provided so that the player may write the drawn digits thereon. In Fig. 14, the player has written the drawn sequence (drawn digits 100) in the provided underlined spaces. The player then proceeds as follows: The player circles the matches (circles 102) between their selected digits and those chosen by the lottery. In this case, the player has matched digits in positions 8, 2, 4. He scores 3 matches. Next, the player combines each of their letters with the corresponding drawn digit to determine a dollar value as determined by the grid. For example, B8 is assigned $25 by the grid. He marks 25 under B8 since f((B,8)) = $25. More precisely, the sequence in Si and the sequence in S₂ are mapped to a sequence in Si x S₂ : B8 B3 E6 C2 A9 D4. This function f maps this sequence to the outcome: $25 $25 $25 $25 $10 $25.

[0043] Prizes are as described in the prize tables in Figs. 15 and 16. In this example, the player matched 3 of their digits with those drawn by the lottery, he wins $10 as indicated in Fig. 15. Also, as the outcome from the grid contained 5 instances of $25, the player wins that dollar value multiplied by 2 = $50, as described in Fig. 16. The player takes the total from these two prize tables: $70. Those skilled in the art of Mathematics can verify that the return to the player is 72.1% based on a $5 wager. [0044] Fig. 17 is a diagram of one embodiment of the system 110 to implement the inventive lottery gaming method across a network 116. The system 110 includes at least one game terminal 114 that allows a game player to enter one or more rounds of

-8- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT a lottery game, the terminal 114 further allowing the player to select a wager amount and enter a round of game play. At least one gaming server 112 provides to the at least one game terminal 114 a first set (Column 22 in Fig. 2), second set (Row 24) and third set (Grid 26) of game objects, each set capable of being sequenced, wherein a first sequence from the first set of objects is determined by the player, with the server 112 further drawing a second sequence from the second set of objects, and providing a third sequence from the third set of objects. Then the server 112 mapping the first sequence of objects and the second sequence of objects to the third sequence and awarding prizes based on the mapping to the third sequence of objects. [0045] The foregoing descriptions present only exemplary embodiments. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the invention may be applied to a wide range of sports tournament structures and that even within a given tournament structure many variations are possible by adjusting the assignment of points to participants, for example by awarding more points for matches won in the later rounds of the tournament. Moreover, the invention may be applied to any reality-based event, sporting or otherwise, that results in the partition of a plurality of participants into a plurality of categories, where the plurality of participants within each category is known in advance. These applications and variations thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention.

[0046] While there has been shown a preferred and alternate embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that changes can be made in the form and numbering of the elements without departing from the underlying scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. Further, elements are assumed to include the plural unless otherwise explicitly defined.

-9- Attorney Docket No. 49673.24896PCT