Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Title: Systems and Methods for Ticket Checking Services
for On-line Lotteries and On-line Games
Field
[01] The present invention relates to on-line lotteries and on-line games.
More particularly it relates to
systems, apparatus and methods that allow a player to obtain information
relating to the player's tickets for
on-line lotteries or on-line games or both.
Background
[02] Many lotteries operated by state lottery or gaming commissions and other
bodies require a player to
select a set of numbers from a larger set of numbers. A player selects a set
of played numbers, typically by
marking the played numbers on a selection slip. The selection slip is
processed using a ticket vending
terminal and a lottery computer system. The player is issued a ticket receipt
setting out the selected played
numbers. These lotteries, some examples of which are described in greater
detail below, are referred to
herein as on-line lotteries.
[03] Typically, on-line lotteries are operated by a lottery operator who
conducts periodic draws of the on-
line lottery. The lottery operator operates the on-line lottery using a
lottery computer system. The lottery
computer system is coupled to one or more ticket vending terminals. A ticket
vending terminal is used to
process paper selection slips marked by a lottery player to select played
numbers. The term "on-line" refers
to the use of the ticket vending terminals and the lottery computer system to
process a selection slip and to
issue a ticket to the player.
[04] The ticket may include a set of played numbers selected by the player or
selected automatically for
the player or both. Many on-line lotteries allow (or require) a player to
request a ticket with played numbers
chosen by the lottery computer system or a ticket vending terminal, either
randomly, pseudo-randomly, using
one or more rotating lists of played numbers or through some other method of
automatically selecting played
numbers. Played numbers selected in this fashion for a player are referred to
herein as automatically
selected numbers or automatically selected played numbers.
[05] The set of numbers chosen by the player or automatically selected for the
player is referred to herein
collectively as a set of played numbers or a played number set. Depending on
the rules of a particular on-
line lottery, a played number set may consist of one or more played numbers.
[06] At the time a ticket is sold to a player, information about the ticket is
recorded in the lottery computer
system. Typically, the lottery computer system includes a lottery database and
creates a ticket record for the
newly sold ticket in the lottery database. The player is given a ticket
receipt setting out some or all of the
information recorded in ticket record. The ticket receipt is the player's
record of the ticket the player has
purchased. The ticket record is the lottery operator's record of the ticket it
has sold. The word "ticket" is often
used in common parlance to refer to the ticket receipt given by a ticket
vendor to a lottery player.
[07] For example, one on-line lottery operated by a lottery operator in this
manner requires a player to
select six different played numbers between 1 and 49, inclusive.
Alternatively, the player may have six
-1-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
numbers automatically selected for the player, as described above. In either
case, the played number set in
this on-line lottery consists of six different played numbers between 1 and
49.
[08] The played number set selected by the player or automatically selected
for the player by a ticket
vending terminal are transmitted from the ticket vending terminal to the
lottery computer system. The lottery
computer system records the played number set in a lottery database and
transmits instructions to the ticket
vending terminal to print a lottery ticket receipt for the player. Typically,
the played numbers are recorded on
the ticket receipt, along with additional information such as the date of a
draw (or draws) of the lottery for
which the ticket is valid.
[09] At the time set for the draw, in this exemplary on-line lottery, a set of
winning numbers consisting of
six different regular numbers and a bonus number (different from all of the
regular numbers), all between 1
and 49, inclusive, is drawn. The set of winning numbers are referred to
collectively as a winning number set.
The winning number set is usually publicized by the lottery operator, often in
newspapers, advertisements
posted by lottery ticket vendors or on world-wide-web sites ("web sites")
using the Internet. For example,
see the web sites operated by the New York Lottery at www.nylottery.com and by
the Ontario Lottery and
Gaming Commission at www.olgc.ca. Various combinations of the regular numbers
and the bonus number
are defined as winning combinations. Some of the winning combinations may be:
all six regular numbers,
any five of the regular numbers and the bonus number, any five of the regular
numbers, any four of the
regular numbers and any three of the regular numbers. If the played number set
includes any of the winning
combinations, the player is awarded a prize.
[10] The process of comparing a played number set to the corresponding winning
number set, which may
be referred to as checking the played numbers or checking the ticket, can be
time consuming and is prone to
errors. A single ticket may contain numerous played number sets. Each played
number set must be
individually compared with the corresponding winning number set. A player may
have numerous tickets for
different draws of the on-line lottery, and accordingly may have many played
number sets to compare to
different winning number sets. When the player has chosen a set of played
numbers that she does not use
often, or has a ticket with automatically selected played number sets, the
task can require even more care
since the player may not be familiar with the played numbers. In some cases, a
single ticket may include
played numbers sets for more than one on-line lottery, requiring the player to
properly compare each played
number set with the correct winning number set. In some cases, a ticket may be
valid for more than one
draw of an on-line lottery, and the player must be careful to ensure that each
played number set is compared
with all of the corresponding winning number sets for all of the draws.
[11] The difficulty in checking a ticket can result in some players reducing
the number of tickets they
purchase and can result in other players failing to purchase any tickets at
all. Even when a player does buy
a ticket, there is a risk that a player may incorrectly check a ticket or may
fail to check the ticket at all,
thereby missing a prize to which the player is entitled, or incorrectly
concluding that a ticket is a winning
ticket.
[12] Some lottery operators and other entities have attempted to provide a
system to allow players to
check their tickets. Some world-wide-web (WWW) sites allow a player to check a
ticket by manually entering
-2-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
a set of played numbers from the ticket receipt into a form on a web page and
have these played numbers
compared to one or more sets of winning numbers from past draws for certain on-
line lotteries. Winning
combinations of the played numbers may be identified and the prize awarded for
the combination may be
displayed. The process must be repeated for each set of played numbers. For
example, see the ticket
checker function at the website www.merseyworld.com, which allows a player to
manually enter one or more
sets of played numbers from a ticket receipt and have the entered numbers
compared to winning numbers
from one or more draws of some on-line lotteries operated by the United
Kingdom National Lottery. These
systems still require a player to accurately enter his played numbers. A
player may have one or more played
number sets to check for one or more draws. Some of these played number sets
may be familiar to the
player (i.e. regularly played number sets) but some of them may be unfamiliar
(i.e. automatically selected
number sets or infrequently played number sets). In either case, the player
must accurately and laboriously
enter all of the played numbers in each played number set. The player must
repeat the process each time
he wishes to check his lottery tickets. These partially automated processes
for checking a ticket remain
laborious and prone to errors.
[13] Some lottery and gaming commissions operate on-line gambling or betting
games in which players
predict the outcome of one or more events, such as sporting events and wagers
or bets some amount of
money that he or she has correctly predicted the outcomes in some or all of
the events. Such games will be
referred to herein as on-line games. A player purchases a ticket for such on-
line games by selecting one or
more events (often a minimum and maximum number of events are specified) and
predicting an outcome for
the events. The predictions made by the player are referred to herein as a set
of predictions or as a
prediction set. The player makes a bet that his predictions will be correct.
The player also selects a wager
amount for the bet. The player marks the prediction set and wager on a
selection slip. The selection slip is
processed using a ticket vending terminal and lottery computer system. The
player is given a ticket receipt
setting out his prediction set at the time he purchases the ticket. If a
player successfully predicts the
outcome of the event or events according to the rules of the on-line game, he
is entitled to a prize. The value
of the prize depends on the wager selected by the player.
[14] In one exemplary version of an on-line game, a game operator (who will be
generally referred to
herein as a lottery operator, since in many cases, on-line lotteries and on-
line games are operated by the
same operator) publishes a list of future sporting events and provides odds on
the likelihood that a home
team will win the event, that a visiting team will win the event and that the
two teams will tie. The definition of
a tie for the listed events is set out by the lottery operator and does not
always coincide with the definition
used in the actual rules of the events. In other on-line games, the lottery
operator may provide odds that one
team will defeat the other by a specified point spread. In other on-line
games, the lottery operator may
specify a total number of goals or points and provide odds that the two teams
(or one of the teams) will score
over or under the specified number of goals or points.
[15] In one such on-line game, a player purchases a ticket by marking a set of
predictions for three to six
events on a selection slip. The player also indicates the amount of his wager
on the selection slip. The
player gives the selection slip to a ticket vendor, as in the on-line lottery
described above. The ticket vendor
-3-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
uses a ticket vending terminal to send the information on the selection slip
to a lottery computer system. The
lottery computer system records details about the player's prediction set in a
lottery database and transmits
instructions to the ticket vending terminal to print a ticket receipt for the
player. The ticket receipt sets out the
amount of the bet made by the player, the selected events and the player's
prediction set.
[16] The ticket receipt also sets out a payout value based on a function of
the odds defined for the set of
predictions made by the player and the player's wager. For example, the odds
may be defined as numbers
greater than one that correspond to likeliness of each outcome, in the
judgment of the lottery operator.
When using this method for setting odds, the lottery operator sets the odds at
a higher number for a less
likely outcome. The odds for all of the predicted outcomes are multiplied
together to give the payout value.
After the selected events have taken place, if the player has correctly
guessed the correct outcomes for each
event, he receives a prize equal to the payout value.
[17] The process of checking a ticket for such an on-line game can also be
time-intensive and subject to
error. A player may misinterpret the results of an event, especially since the
rules for interpreting the results
of the event for the purpose of the on-line game can be different from the
rules in the real event and for
various other reasons. A player who has many tickets to check based on many
different events may make a
mistake and miss a prize to which he is entitled or incorrectly conclude that
the player has won a prize.
[18] Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems, apparatus and methods
for providing information
about tickets for on-line lottery and on-line game to lottery players.
Summary
[19] The present invention allows a lottery player to obtain information about
the player's lottery tickets,
including results information, without manually comparing played numbers on
the player's lottery tickets to
the corresponding winning numbers. The results information for a ticket
indicates whether the ticket is a
winning ticket and may also indicate what prizes the ticket has won.
[20] Similarly, the present invention allows a player to obtain information
about the results for the player's
on-line game tickets, including results information, without manually
comparing the player's predictions for
events in the on-line game to the actual outcome of those events.
[21] A lottery operator uses a lottery computer system to operate one or more
on-line lottery or on-line
game, or both. The lottery computer system includes a lottery database that is
used to store information
relating to the on-line lotteries or on-line game, or both, operated by the
lottery operator. The term "lottery
database" as used herein may include any data recording system suitable for
recording data. The lottery
database is not restricted to any particular type of data structure, system or
mechanism. For example, a
lottery database may be a relational database, a non-relational database, a
data file, a set of data files, a flat
file or any other mechanism, structure or system for recording data.
[22] The present invention allows a player to create a player account and to
associate a plurality of tickets
with the player account. The account is created using a player terminal and
the lottery computer system.
Player account information relating to the player account is recorded in the
lottery database. The player
account information about the account includes an account identification code.
In addition, the player
-4-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
account information may optionally include an account password and personal
information relating to the
player. An account password may optionally be recorded in a modified form,
such as an encrypted or
hashed form.
[23] The player may purchase on-line lottery or on-line game tickets and
associate the tickets with
player's account. When purchasing the tickets, the player identifies the
player's account. The player may
identify the player's account in various ways.
[24] In some embodiments, the player may purchase a ticket by using a player
terminal to log into the
player's account at a website (or other interface, depending on the nature of
the player terminal) operated by
the lottery operator. The player authenticates the player's right to access
the player's account by provide the
account identification code and a password for the player's account. Once the
player has done so, the
player is able to make selections for on-line lottery or on-line game tickets,
or both. The player's selections
for each ticket are transmitted to a ticket server in the lottery computer
system, which issues the ticket. The
tickets purchased while logged into the player's account are associated with
the player's account in the
lottery database.
[25] In some embodiments, the player uses a ticket purchase voucher to
purchase tickets that are
associated with the player's account. The ticket purchase voucher includes
selections for one or more
tickets that the player wishes to purchase and is associated with the player's
account. In some
embodiments, the ticket purchase voucher may have a ticket purchase voucher
record in the lottery
database and the account identification code of the associated player account
may be recorded in the ticket
purchase voucher record. In other embodiments, the ticket purchase voucher may
have the player's account
identification code encoded into the ticket voucher. The ticket purchase
voucher includes a machine
readable version of a ticket purchase voucher code that is unique to the
ticket purchase voucher. The player
presents the ticket purchase voucher to a ticket vendor who scans the ticket
purchase voucher code at a
ticket vending terminal. The ticket vending terminal transmits the ticket
purchase voucher code to the ticket
server. The ticket server issues each of the tickets requested on the ticket
purchase voucher. Each of the
tickets is associated with the player's account in the lottery database.
[26] In some embodiments, the player uses a player account identification
device such as a card with a
magnetic strip or bar code, an RFID tag or another device that can be scanned
and identified by a scanner
coupled to a ticket vending terminal. The player presents the player account
identification device and a
request for a ticket to a ticket vendor. The request for a ticket may be in
the form of a completed selection
slip that is not specific to the player's account or a verbal request for a
ticket with automatically selected
numbers. The ticket vendor scans the player account identification device at
the ticket vending terminal.
The ticket vendor also enters the request for a ticket into the ticket vending
terminal by either scanning the
selection slip or entering the verbal request. The ticket vending terminal
transmits a ticket request to the
ticket server. The ticket request identifies the player account identification
device. The ticket server obtains
the account identification code corresponding to the account identification
device from the lottery database
and issues the ticket. The ticket server associates the ticket with the
player's account in the lottery database.
In some embodiments, the account identification device includes a machine
readable version of the player's
-5-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
account identification code. In such embodiments, the ticket request
identifies the player's account and the
ticket server need not obtain it from the lottery database.
[27] In some embodiments, a player may also be able to identify the player's
account when purchasing a
lottery ticket by marking the player's account identification code on a
selection slip that has an account
identification region. The selection slip is scanned at a ticket vending
terminal, which sends a ticket request
identifying the player's account. The ticket server issues a ticket
corresponding to the player's selections on
the selection slip and associates the ticket with the player's account.
[28] Any particular embodiment may permit a player to use any one or more of
these methods to obtain a
ticket that is associated with the player's account. In embodiments that
provide selection slips that have an
account identification region, the lottery operator may specify rules for the
composition of account
identification codes that correspond to the layout of the account
identification region.
[29] The player may use an account checking service to access the lottery
computer system and to
obtain information about tickets associated with the player's account. The
player accesses the account
checking service using a player terminal. The player terminal communicates
with a player account server
that is part of the lottery computer system. The player identifies the
player's account by entering the account
identification code for the player's account at the player terminal. In an
embodiment in which player
accounts have passwords, the player may be required to authenticate the
attempt to access the account
checking service by also providing the account password for the player
account.
[30] In some embodiments, a player account may have a username in addition to
an account
identification code. A player may be required to provide the username rather
than the account identification
code to access the account checking service. If the player account also has a
password, the player may be
required to provide the username and the password to access the account
checking service.
[31] When a player accesses the account checking service, the player account
server obtains information
about the player's tickets from the lottery database and transmits the
information to the player terminal,
where the information is displayed for the player to view.
[32] The information displayed at the player terminal may include information
about played numbers on
the player's tickets and results for the player's tickets. As lottery draws
are completed, the results for each
ticket that is valid for the draw are determined by comparing each played
number set on the lottery ticket to
the corresponding winning number set. If a player accesses the account
checking service after the draw for
a lottery ticket has been conducted and the tickets for the draw have been
checked, the account checking
service provides the player with the results for the ticket. The player is
able to learn whether a ticket is a
winning ticket, without manually comparing a played number set with the
corresponding winning number set.
[33] In some embodiments, when a ticket is checked by the lottery computer
system after a lottery draw,
ticket results information relating to the results for the ticket is recorded
as part of the ticket information for
the ticket. When a player uses the account checking service to obtain
information about the ticket, the player
account server obtains the ticket results information from the lottery
database and transmits it to the player
terminal.
[34] In other embodiments, ticket results information is not recorded with the
ticket information for a ticket.
-6-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Instead, ticket results information is recorded in a winning tickets file,
which identifies winning tickets and the
prizes won by those tickets. In such an embodiment, the player account server
may provide only the ticket
results information recorded in the winning tickets file for a winning ticket.
Alternatively, or additionally, the
player account server may calculate additional ticket results information for
a ticket and provide the
calculated ticket results information to the player terminal.
[35] In some embodiments the ticket server and the player account server
access the same lottery
database when issuing tickets and when providing the account checking service.
In other embodiments, the
ticket server may access and update a primary lottery database and the player
account server may access
and update a secondary lottery database. The two databases may be periodically
synchronized.
[36] The ticket server typically provides the ticket issuing function
described above and may also provide
a ticket redemption function that is described below. The structures of the
primary and the secondary
databases may be identical or different. For example, the primary database may
be designed to
accommodate and expedite the ticket issuing and redemption functions provided
by the ticket server. The
secondary database may be designed to accommodate and expedite account
checking functions provided
by the player account server.
[37] A player is thus able to use the account checking service to obtain
information about tickets
purchased using a ticket vending terminal as well as tickets purchased through
other means offered by the
lottery operator.
[38] The invention is capable of being adapted for use with many different on-
line lotteries and on-line
game offered by different lottery operators. Various features and embodiments
of the invention are further
described below in the detailed description of several exemplary embodiments
of the invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[39] Several exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be
described in detail with
reference to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the present invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a first selection slip and a corresponding ticket receipt
for an on-line lottery;
Figure 3 illustrates a second selection slip and a corresponding receipt for
an on-line lottery;
Figure 4 illustrates a third selection slip and a corresponding receipt for an
on-line game;
Figure 5 illustrates a fourth selection slip and a corresponding receipt for
an on-line game;
Figures 6a and 6b illustrate a database of system 100;
Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of creating a player account;
Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of selling an on-line lottery or
on-line game ticket to a
player and correspondingly allowing a player to purchase a ticket;
Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for updating draw records for
draws of on on-line lotteries
and for checking on-line lottery tickets;
Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for updating event records for
events in on-line games
and for checking on-line game tickets;
-7-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for redeeming tickets;
Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a lottery player
with information about on-
line lottery and on-line game tickets associated with a player account;
Figure 13 illustrates a welcome web page that is part of a player website of
system 100;
Figure 14 is an example account summary report setting out summary information
about a player
account and tickets associated with the player account;
Figures 15, 16, 17 and 18 are example detailed ticket status reports setting
out detailed information
about tickets associated with a player account;
Figures 19 and 20 illustrate other selection slip according to the invention;
Figure 21 illustrates another selection slip and a corresponding ticket
receipt according to the
invention;
Figure 22 also illustrates another selection slip and a corresponding ticket
receipt according to the
invention;
Figure 23 illustrates another system according to the invention;
Figure 24 illustrates a method used to synchronize a primary lottery database
and a secondary
lottery database of the embodiment of Figure 23;
Figure 25 illustrates another ticket receipt and part of a report according to
the present invention;
Figure 26 illustrates another system illustrating various methods of selling a
ticket that is associated
with a player account;
Figure 27 illustrates an account identification device and a selection slip of
the embodiment of Figure
26;
Figure 28 illustrates a relationship between identification card records and
player records in the
system of Figure 26;
Figure 29 is a method of selling and purchasing a ticket with an account
identification device;
Figure 30 illustrates a player account table, a player characteristics table
and an advertisement table
of another sytem according to the invention;
Figure 31 illustrates a web page on a lottery operator website with an
advertisement region;
Figure 32 is a block diagram of an embodiment in which tickets are sold using
ticket purchase
vouchers;
Figures 33 to 36 illustrate example ticket purchase voucher creation screens
and a ticket purchase
vouchers according to the embodiment of Figure 32;
Figures 37a-c illustrates part of a lottery database according to the
exemplary embodiment of Figure
32;
Figure 38 illustrates a method for creating and printing a ticket purchase
voucher;
Figure 39 illustrates a welcome web page of a player website of the embodiment
of Figure 1;
Figure 40 illustrates a ticket voucher selection page of the player website;
Figure 41 illustrates a method for selling and purchasing a ticket using a
ticket purchase voucher;
and
-8-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Figure 42 illustrates a ticket purchase voucher for purchasing multiple
tickets.
[40] In the following description of exemplary embodiments, reference numerals
in the main body of the
description, preceding Appendix A, refer to Figures 1-31 and reference
numerals in Appendix A refer to
Figures 32-42, unless otherwise stated.
Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments
A first exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described with reference
to several exemplary on-line
lotteries and on-line games. As used herein, the word "exemplary" refers to
examples of various items and
does not denote a preferred or necessary feature of any embodiment or of the
invention.
[41] The first exemplary on-line lottery will be referred to as Lotto 7/47. In
this on-line lottery, a lottery
player selects a set of seven different played numbers between 1 and 47
(inclusive of numbers 1 and 47).
The set of seven played numbers is referred to as a Lotto 7/47 played number
set. Subsequently, a lottery
operator conducts a draw to select a set of winning numbers consisting of
seven different regular numbers
and a bonus number, also between 1 and 47. The bonus number is different from
all of the winning
numbers. The player may win different prizes if his played numbers match the
winning numbers and/or the
bonus number in various winning combinations, as follows:
Winning Combination Prize Won
7/7 regular numbers Grand Prize
6/7 regular numbers and Second Prize
bonus number
6/7 regular numbers Third Prize
5/7 regular numbers Fourth Prize
4/7 regular numbers Fifth Prize
3/7 regular numbers and Sixth Prize
bonus number
3/7 regular numbers Free ticket
[42] Some of the prizes a player may win in this exemplary on-line lottery are
shared prizes. Shared
prizes are calculated by first determining a total prize amount for a
particular winning combination and then
dividing the total prize value by the number of tickets that have the winning
combination to determine what
share of the total prize amount each ticket will win. The Grand Prize is a
shared prize and the total prize
value for the Grand Prize is determined by the lottery operator prior to each
draw of the on-line lottery. For
example, if the total prize value for the Grand Prize is $10 million and 4
tickets have the 7/7 regular numbers
winning combination, then each ticket wins $2.5 million. Some shared prizes
may be pari-mutuel prizes, for
which the total prize amount may be determined as a portion of the ticket
sales revenue for the on-line
lottery. The second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth prizes are pari-mutuel
prizes. One of the prizes is a fixed
prize with the same prize being awarded for each ticket having the specified
winning combination. The free
ticket prize for the 3/7 regular numbers winning combination is a fixed prize.
The present invention may be
-9-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
used with on-line lotteries and games having any type or any combination of
types of prizes.
[43] For the purpose of this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
lottery operator conducts a draw
of the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery each week on Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time.
[44] The second exemplary on-line lottery will be referred to as Tag. In this
on-line lottery, a six digit
played number is automatically selected for the lottery player. The played
number may be referred to as a
Tag played number. The single six digit played number is a played number set
for the Tag on-line lottery
and may also be referred to as a Tag played number set. Subsequently, the
lottery operator selects a six
digit winning number for the Tag on-line lottery. The winning number may be
referred to as a Tag winning
number or a Tag winning number set. The player may win different prizes if
various winning combinations of
digits in his played number match corresponding digits in the winning number,
as follows:
Winning combination Prize Won
All six digits $250,000
Last five digits $1,000
Last four digits $100
Last three digits $25
First digit and last digit $5
First digit Free play of host on-line
lottery with Tag
Last digit Free play of host on-line
lottery with Tag
[45] This exemplary Tag on-line lottery may only be played in conjunction with
another on-line lottery,
such as the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery described above. The Lotto 7/47 on-line
lottery is referred to as a host
on-line lottery and the Tag on-line lottery is referred to as an associated on-
line lottery. A player may request
that one or more Tag played number sets be added to a ticket for the Lotto
7/47 on-line lottery. On draw
dates for the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery, the lottery operator draws a winning
number set for the host Lotto
7/47 and also draws a winning number for the associated Tag on-line lottery.
[46] The prize for matching the first or the last digit of the Tag winning
number is a free play of the host
on-line lottery in the next draw after the ticket is redeemed, including a
free played number for the Tag on-
line lottery draw on the same date. Players who elect to play the Tag on-line
lottery on a ticket may win a
prize in the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery, the Tag on-line lottery or in both on-
line lotteries.
[47] The third exemplary on-line lottery will be referred to as Keno. In this
on-line lottery, a lottery player
is asked to select a play category between two and ten. If the player chooses
play category two, he then
chooses a set of two different played numbers between 1 and 70 (inclusive of
numbers 1 and 70). Similarly,
if the player chooses play category ten, the player chooses a set of ten
different played numbers between 1
and 70. Similarly, if the player chooses any of play categories three to nine,
the player chooses a
corresponding amount of different played numbers between 1 and 70. The
player's set of played numbers is
referred to as a Keno played number set. Subsequently, the lottery operator
conducts a draw to select a
winning number set consisting of 20 different winning numbers between 1 and
70. The player may win a
-10-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
prize depending on the play category chosen and how many of the played numbers
match the winning
numbers. Various winning combinations are defined as follows:
Play Category Winning Wager multiplier
(played numbers in combination
set
2 2 of 20 7
3 3 of 20 25
4 4 of 20 100
5 of 20 250
4 of 20 5
6 6 of 20 1,000
5 of 20 25
7 7 of 20 5,000
6 of 20 50
5 of 20 5
8 8 of 20 25,000
7 of 20 200
6 of 20 10
9 9 of 20 50,000
8 of 20 1,000
7 of 20 100
6 of 20 5
10 of 20 250,000
9 of 20 5,000
8 of 20 200
7 of 20 25
O of 20 2
[48] If the player's played number set includes a winning combination, the
player is awarded a prize equal
to the amount wagered by the player for the set of played numbers multiplied
by the wager multiplier. For
5 example, a player who chooses play category seven will choose a set of seven
different played numbers
between 1 and 70. In this exemplary Keno on-line lottery, the player may wager
from $1, $2, $5 or $10 for
each set of played numbers. If the seven played numbers match seven of the
twenty winning numbers, the
player wins 5,000 times the amount wagered.
[49] For the purpose of this example, the lottery operator conducts a draw of
the Keno on-line lottery
10 every day at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
[50] This exemplary Keno on-line lottery is also a host lottery for the Tag on-
line lottery. When the lottery
operator conducts a draw to select a winning number set for the Keno on-line
lottery, the lottery operator also
conducts a draw to select a winning number for the associated Tag on-line
lottery.
-11-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[51] As described above, the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery is a weekly lottery
with draws on Fridays and the
Keno on-line lottery is a daily lottery. As a result, on Fridays, draws for
both the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery and
the Keno on-line lottery will be conducted. The lottery operator may set the
rules for the on-line lotteries
such that each host lottery will have a separate draw for its associated Tag
on-line lottery, or such that only
one draw will be conducted for the Tag on-line lottery and the drawn Tag
winning number will apply to both
Lotto 7/47 and Keno tickets on which the associated Tag on-line lottery has
also been played. In the present
exemplary embodiment, the lottery conducts separate draws of the associated
Tag on-line lottery for each
host on-line lottery.
[52] A played number set or played number for an on-line lottery that includes
a winning combination may
be referred to as a winning played number set or as a winning played number. A
ticket that includes at least
one winning played number set or winning played number may be referred to as a
winning on-line lottery
ticket, a winning lottery ticket or more generally as a winning ticket.
[53] Two exemplary on-line games used in this description of exemplary
embodiments of the invention
will be referred to as Sports Line and Over/Under. In these exemplary on-line
games, each week the lottery
operator provides an event list of sporting events and various odds
corresponding to various possible
outcomes of the events. For example, part of a list of odds may include the
following events and
corresponding odds for the Sports Line and the Over/Under on-line games:
LIST 4523 (October 23 - October 29, 2003)
Teams Sports Line Over / Under
Event Time Visitor Home V I H 2 U
October 25, 2003
College Football
12 12:OOp Syracuse Pittsburgh 4.0 3.6 1.4 1.6 42.5 1.2
13 3:30p Tennessee Alabama 1.7 3.3 3.0 1.2 45.5 1.6
NHL Hockey
32 8:OOp Washington Toronto 3.0 4.0 1.5 1.7 5.5 1.7
33 8:OOp Colorado Nashville 1.5 4.0 3.0 1.8 5.5 1.6
October 26, 2003
NFL Football
42 1:OOp Denver Baltimore 3.7 3.6 1.5 1.8 38.5 1.6
43 4:OOp Dallas Tampa Bay 2.8 1.2 1.8 1.8 36.5 1.6
[54] The odds for the Sports Line on-line game are set out under the three
columns labeled "V", "T" and
"H" under the heading "Sports Line". For each event, three possible outcomes
may occur: "V" means that
the visiting team wins the event; "T" means that the two teams will tie and
"H" means that the home team will
win the event. The definition of a win or tie is set by the lottery operator
and may not match the rules used in
the actual event. For example, in this exemplary Sports Line on-line game, for
NFL football games the
-12-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
lottery operator has defined a tie as the teams having three or fewer points
separating them in the final
score. For some events, a tie may not be defined - such as for baseball games,
where the rules do not
provide for tie games. The odds indicate the lottery operator's estimate of
how likely each outcome is. A
higher value indicates that the lottery operator believes the outcome is less
likely to occur.
[55] In this exemplary Sports Line on-line game, the lottery operator has
specified that a player may
make a bet by selecting between three and six events and specifying a wager
amount. If the player correctly
predicts the outcome of all of the selected events, the player wins the bet
and wins a prize. The predictions
made by the player are collectively referred to as a Sports Line prediction
set.
[56] A payout value for the Sports Line prediction set is calculated by
multiplying the player's wager by
the odds for all of the predicted outcomes. For example, if a player wagers $5
and predicts that Syracuse
will beat Pittsburgh in event 12, Nashville will beat Colorado in event 33 and
that Dallas will tie Tampa Bay in
event 43, then the payout value is $5 x 4.0 x 3.0 x 1.2 = $72. If the player
successfully predicts the outcome
of all three games, the player receives the payout value as his or her prize.
[57] The odds for the Over/Under on-line game are set out under the three
columns marked "0", "#" and
"U". The value in the "#" column indicates the threshold number of points. A
player may predict that the
combined scores of the teams in each event will be over this threshold number
of points or under it. The
outcome of the event is "Over" if the total points scored by the teams is over
the threshold. The outcome of
the event is "Under" if the total points scored by the teams is under the
threshold. For example, in event 32,
a player who wishes to make a bet using the over/under odds for this event may
bet that Washington and
Toronto will score over or under 5.5 goals in their hockey game. In this
exemplary Over/Under on-line game,
the player makes a bet by selecting between two and six events and predicting
whether the outcome will be
Over or Under the threshold in each event. The player also selects a wager
amount for the bet. The
predictions made by the player are collectively referred to as an Over/Under
prediction set. A payout value
for the Over/Under prediction set is determined by multiplying the player's
wager by the odds of the all of the
predicted outcomes. The player wins the bet and is entitled to receive the
payout value if all of the player's
predictions are correct.
[58] In event list 4523, each event is shown with odds for the Sports Line on-
line game and for the
Over/Under on-line game. In this example, the two on-line games are separate
and a lottery operator may
optionally use different selection slips to allow players to make bets in the
different on-line games.
Alternatively, a single selection slip allowing bets to be made on either or
both of the on-line games may be
used. In another on-line game, players could be permitted to make bets that
have both Sports Line and
Over/Under outcomes selected.
[59] An on-line game ticket on which a player has won his or her bet may be
referred to as a winning on-
line game ticket, a winning game ticket or more generally as a winning ticket.
In both the Sports Line and
Over/Under on-line games described above, all of the predictions made by a
player in the prediction set must
be correct for the player to win the bet. In other embodiments, an on-line
game ticket will be a winning on-
line game ticket as long as the prediction set on the ticket (or at least one
of the prediction sets, if multiple
predictions sets are permitted) matches the appropriate corresponding criteria
set by the lottery operator.
-13-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[60] The present invention allows a player to establish a player account with
the lottery operator and to
associate tickets with the account. In the present embodiment, the lottery
operator operates both on-line
lotteries and on-line games and the tickets associated with the account may be
for on-line lotteries or on-line
games or both. A player may use the present invention to obtain information
about tickets associated with
the player's player account (which will also be referred to as the "player's
account" herein). Such information
may include, for example, the details of the selections (i.e. played numbers
sets for on-line lotteries or
prediction sets for on-line games), the draws for which the ticket is valid
and details of any prizes won by the
player's tickets.
[61] The lottery operator operates a lottery computer system including a
player account server that
players can access to create their player accounts. After creating a player
account, a player can visit a ticket
vendor and purchase tickets for on-line lotteries or on-line games and
associate the tickets with the player
account. Subsequently, the player can use a player terminal to access the
player account server and obtain
information about the tickets associated with the player's account. The player
account server may include
several player interfaces. One of the player interfaces is a world-wide-web
compatible interface which
includes a website that players can visit to access the player account server.
The player account server also
includes other interfaces, in addition to the website, that players can use to
access the player account server
from different types of player terminals.
[62] In this embodiment, the unique account identification code for each
player account is a combination
of 6 to 12 different characters selected from the twenty-six letters (A - Z)
and ten numerals (0 - 9). For
example, a valid account identification code may be SONIA4 or BRIAN237. In
this embodiment, each
character (letter or number) in the account identification code must be unique
or different. The order of the
characters is not relevant. The characters in the account identification code
SONIA4 may be ordered as
SONIA4, 4AINOS, AINOS4 or OIS4NA or any other permutation of these characters.
In each case, the
account identification code remains the same since it consists of the same
characters. The set of characters
from which an account identification code may be selected may be referred to
as an account identification
code character set. In this embodiment, the account identification code
character set consists of thirty six
characters: the twenty-six letters and the ten numerals.
[63] In other embodiments of the invention, an account identification code for
a player account may be
permitted to include multiple instances of the same letter character. In other
embodiments, the order of the
letters in an account identification code may be used to distinguish between
different codes that otherwise
consist of the same characters. Various rules for account identification codes
in different embodiments are
described below.
[64] Figure 1 illustrates a system 100 that includes a lottery computer system
102, ticket vending
terminals 104 and player terminals 106. A system according to the present
embodiment will include at least
one ticket vending terminal 104 and at least one player terminal 106.
[65] The lottery computer system 102 is operated by a lottery operator (not
shown), who may operate
various types of lotteries and games, including the exemplary on-line
lotteries and on-line games described
above and other on-line lotteries or on-line games.
-14-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[66] The ticket vending terminals 104 are operated by ticket vendors (not
shown). Each ticket vending
terminal 104 is coupled, or is capable of being coupled, to the lottery
computer system 102 to permit data
communication between the ticket vending terminal 104 and the lottery computer
system 102. Some of the
ticket vending terminals 104 may be coupled to the lottery computer system 102
through a private
communication network 108. The private communication network 108 may be a wide
area network (WAN), a
private data communication network comprising proprietary (owned, rented or
leased) data lines or any other
type of data network. The private communications network 108 may be a
combination of two or more of
these and other types of data communication networks. Ticket vending terminals
104b and 104c are
coupled to the lottery computer system 102 through private communication
network 108.
[67] Some or all of the ticket vending terminals 104 may be coupled to the
lottery computer system 102
through dial-up telephone connections or another type of point-to-point
connection that permits data
communication between the lottery computer system 102 and the ticket vending
terminal 104. For example,
ticket vending terminal 104a is coupled to the lottery computer system 102
through a dial-up telephone
connection 109, which may be maintained at all times or may be established
when required to allow data
communication between ticket vending terminal 104c and lottery computer system
102.
[68] Some or all of the ticket vending terminals 104 may be coupled to the
lottery computer system 102
through a publicly accessible communications network (a "public network"),
such as the Internet. For
example, ticket vending terminal 104d is coupled to the lottery computer
system 102 through public network
110. Ticket vending terminals 104 coupled to the lottery computer system 102
through the public network
110 may be coupled using a virtual private network or another secure
communications protocol or
methodology.
[69] The connections between the lottery computer system 102 and the various
ticket vending terminals
104 need not be the same. Different connections may be made using different
types of data
communications networks and lines. A ticket vending terminal 104 may be
coupled, or may be capable of
being coupled, to the lottery computer system 102 in more than one way, to
provide an alternative method of
communication if a primary method has failed or is unavailable.
[70] The connection between lottery computer system 102 and any particular
ticket vending terminal 104
may be persistent or it may be intermittently made as required for data
communication between the lottery
computer system 102 and the ticket vending terminal 104. If the coupling
includes a publicly accessible
network, such as the Internet, communications between the lottery computer
system 102 and any of the
ticket vending terminals 104 may be secured using an encryption system or
other security technique. A
security technique or mechanism may optionally be used to secure all
communications between the lottery
computer system 102 and any ticket vending terminal 104, regardless of the
type of connection between the
lottery computer system 102 and the ticket vending terminal 104.
[71] The ticket vending terminals 104 are used by ticket vendors to sell
tickets and provide ticket receipts
to players. As is described more fully below, ticket vendors receive selection
slips 112 from players and use
ticket vending terminals 104 to process the selection slips 112 and to issue
ticket receipts 114 to the players.
[72] Lottery computer system 102 may be coupled to some or all of the player
terminals 106 through
-15-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
public network 110. Some player terminals 106 may also be coupled to the
lottery computer system 102
directly (for example, using a dial-up connection) or through another network.
Each of the player terminals
106 is capable of communicating with lottery computer system 102 and typically
includes one or more output
devices (such as a display screen or printer) and one or more input devices
(such as a keypad, keyboard,
computer mouse or remote control device). A player terminal 106 may be any
type of device that is capable
of being coupled to and communicating with the lottery computer system 102.
For example, different player
terminals 106 may be personal computers, Internet-enabled television sets,
Internet-enabled set-top-boxes
used with cable, satellite or other digital communication systems, portable
wireless communications devices
such as personal data assistant (PDA) devices, cellular phones and wireless
portable computers. Players
use player terminals 106 to access lottery computer system 102 to create and
access their player accounts
and to obtain information about tickets associated with their player accounts.
Optionally, communications
between the lottery computer system 102 and a player terminal 106 may be
secured using an encryption
system or other security technique. A player terminal 106 used by a player may
be referred to as the
player's terminal.
[73] Reference is next made to Figure 2, which illustrates a selection slip
116 according to this first
exemplary embodiment, a corresponding exemplary ticket receipt 118 and ticket
vending terminal 104d.
Selection slip 116 allows a player to participate in the Lotto 7/47 on-line
lottery with up to five Lotto 7/47
played number sets, optionally participate in the Tag on-line lottery with up
to 10 automatically selected Tag
played numbers and to participate in one to 10 draws of each on-line lottery.
[74] The exemplary Lotto 7/47 selection slip 116 has various sections or
regions. Selection slip 116
includes a lottery play region 120 and an account identification region 136.
[75] The player uses the lottery play region 120 to select one or more played
number sets for the Lotto
7/47 on-line lottery, select one or more played numbers for the associated Tag
on-line lottery, and to select
the number of draws the player wishes to purchase a ticket for. Lottery play
region 120 includes five Lotto
7/47 played number selection boards 121, 122, 123, 124, and 125, a tag
selection region 132 and a draw
selection region 134. Each of the Lotto 7/47 played number selection boards
121 - 125 may be used to
selection played number set. A board may also be referred to a played number
selection region or as a
panel.
[76] Each board 121, 122, 123, 124, 125 has a played number selection region
119 containing forty
seven cells numbered from 1 to 47. A player selects a played number set by
marking seven of the forty
seven cells. Each board also has a cell identified as an "Auto Pick" cell 126.
If the player marks the auto
pick cell 126 on a board, then a set of played numbers is automatically
selected for the player. Each board
also has a cell identified as a "Void" cell 127. If the player marks the void
cell 127 on a board, then the board
is ignored. A player may mark the void cell on a board if he has marked an
incorrect played number or has
changed his mind about his selections on the board.
[77] Tag selection region 132 has ten cells numbered from 1 to 10. Tag
selection region 132 allows the
player to select the number of Tag played numbers that the player wishes to
add to a ticket for the
associated Tag on-line lottery. If the player does not wish to participate in
the Tag on-line lottery, the player
-16-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
may leave all the cells in the tag selection region 132 unmarked.
[78] Draw selection region 134 has nine cells numbered from 2 to 10, which
allow the player to select the
number of draws for which the player wishes to buy a ticket. If the player
does not mark any cell in the draw
selection region 134, a ticket will be issued for only the next draw of the
Super 7/47 on-line lottery and, if at
least one Tag played number is selected, the corresponding draw of the Tag on-
line lottery.
[79] On selection slip 116, boards 121 and 122 are marked to select two sets
of played numbers for the
Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery: 2, 7, 9, 11, 22, 43 and 47; and 5, 10, 17, 23, 32,
36 and 47. The Tag selection
region 132 has been marked to select one played number set for the Tag on-line
lottery. As described
above, in the exemplary Tag on-line lottery, the player does not choose his
played number set, but rather a
played number set consisting of a six digit Tag played number is automatically
selected by a ticket vending
terminal 104. Draw selection region 134 has been marked to select 3 draws of
each on-line lottery. In the
present exemplary embodiment, a ticket for an on-line lottery is issued for
the selected number of draws
immediately following the time at which the ticket is issued. In an
alternative embodiment, a lottery operator
may issue tickets for non-consecutive draws or draws selected in any way. For
example, if a lottery has
draws twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the lottery operator may issue
a ticket for only the
Saturday draws. In another alternative embodiment, the lottery operator may
issue a ticket that is valid only
for draws where the largest prize exceeds some specified amount of money.
[80] Account identification region 136 has thirty-six cells containing the
twenty-six letters and ten
numerals that may be used in an account identification code in this
embodiment. The thirty-six cells may be
referred to as a set of primary cells. A player marks an account
identification code in the account
identification region by marking the primary cells corresponding to all of the
letters and numbers in the
player's account identification code.
[81] In Figure 2, account identification region 136 has been marked with an
account identification code
SONIA4 by marking the cells corresponding to each of the letters and the
number in this account
identification code.
[82] Typically, a player will purchase a ticket from a ticket vendor by giving
a selection slip 112 to a ticket
vendor and paying a fee set by the lottery operator for each set of played
numbers. In the present example,
the fee for each Lotto 7/47 played number set is $2 and the fee for each Tag
played number is $1. The total
fee for the exemplary ticket corresponding to selection slip 116 is $15,
calculated as follows: ($2 x 2 Lotto
7/47 played number sets + $1 for one Tag played number) x 3 draws.
[83] The ticket vendor uses a ticket vending terminal 104 to scan the
selection slip 112. The ticket
vending terminal 104 transmits the selections made by the player to lottery
computer system 102 as part of a
Ticket Issue Request 552 (Figure 1). If the player has requested any
automatically selected played number
sets, the ticket vending terminal 104 automatically selects the requested
played number sets and transmits
the automatically selected played number sets to the lottery computer system
102 as part of the Ticket Issue
Request 552.
[84] Lottery computer system 102 processes the Ticket Issue Request 552 and
transmits Ticket Receipt
Data 554 (Figure 1) to ticket vending terminal 104. The Ticket Receipt Data
554 includes data or instructions
-17-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
(or both) for printing a ticket receipt 114 and the ticket vending terminal
104 prints out ticket receipt 114
according to the instructions. These instructions include text or graphics (or
both) to be printed on the ticket
receipt 114. Ticket Issue Requests 552 and Ticket Receipt Data 554 are
described in greater detail below in
relation to method 2200 (Figure 8).
[85] The exemplary ticket receipt 118 includes the name 140 of the on-line
lottery indicating that it is a
ticket for the Lotto 7/47 lottery, a date range 142 indicating that it is
valid for three draws between October
24, 2003 and November 7, 2003. Ticket receipt 118 also sets out the two Lotto
7/47 played number sets
144, 146 chosen by the player. In addition, ticket receipt 118 contains a Tag
played number set 148 for the
Tag on-line lottery and the word "Played" to indicate that the player has
chosen to participate in the
associated Tag on-line lottery. The tag played number set 148 consists of a
single six digit played number
909207 on this exemplary ticket receipt 118.
[86] Ticket receipt 118 also contains a human readable ticket code 150, which
in this example is a
sixteen digit number set out in four sets of four digits: 2131-4556-8878-2902.
A ticket code is assigned by
the lottery computer system 102 to every ticket that is issued. In this
exemplary embodiment, the ticket code
is printed on the ticket receipt 114 in a human-readable form. The ticket code
is also set out in a machine
readable bar code 158, allowing the ticket code to be scanned by a machine,
such as a ticket vending
terminal 104. In alternative embodiments, the ticket code may be set out in
only a human readable form or a
machine readable form. In alternative embodiment, a first ticket code for the
ticket may be set out in human
readable form and a different second ticket code for the ticket may be set out
in machine readable form.
[87] The ticket code allows the ticket to be uniquely identified from all
other tickets issued by the lottery
operator, at least during a selected time period prior to the issuance of the
ticket (for example, one year or
five years). The lottery operator may select various mechanisms for assigning
ticket codes for tickets,
including mechanisms that encode information in the ticket code. Such encoded
information may include the
particular on-line lottery or on-line game that the ticket is issued for, the
draws the ticket is issued for and
check digits that can be used to ensure the validity of the ticket code, the
ticket receipt 118 and the ticket.
[88] A ticket receipt 114 may optionally contain a vendor terminal code 152.
The vendor terminal code
152 identifies the ticket vending terminal 104 used to issue ticket receipt
114. Alternatively, the vendor
terminal code 152 may identify the ticket vendor who operates the ticket
vending terminal, so that tickets
issued at different ticket vending terminals operated by the same ticket
vendor have the same vendor
terminal code. In the present exemplary embodiment, the vendor terminal code
152 uniquely identifies the
specific ticket vending terminal 104 at which the ticket was issued, and
accordingly different ticket vending
terminals operated by the same ticket vendor are identified by different
vendor terminal codes.
[89] A ticket receipt 114 may optionally contain a verification code 154. The
verification code 154 may be
used to verify the integrity of ticket receipt 114. Verification code 154 may
be generated using a formula
based on other components of the ticket and other data (such as the date and
time on which the ticket is
issued) or it may be created for the ticket randomly, pseudo-randomly (i.e.
based on a seed value or other
initial value), using a list of rotating values or verification codes, or
using any other formula or method. The
verification code 154 may be used in the place of, or in addition to, the use
of check digits in the ticket code
-18-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
150.
[90] At reference number 156, the ticket receipt 118 has the account
identification code SONIA4 printed
on it, corresponding to the account identification code marked on selection
slip 116.
[91] In the present embodiment, all of the characters in an account
identification code are marked in a
single set of cells in the account identification region 136 on a selection
slip 112. Since each player account
has a unique account identification code consisting of a different combination
of characters than all other
account identification codes, the order of characters in an account
identification code is not relevant. Any
particular account identification code may be uniquely identified by marking
all of the characters in the
account identification code in a single set of cells.
[92] In alternative embodiments utilizing the present invention, the order of
characters in an account
identification code may be relevant. Such embodiments are discussed below.
[93] If the player had chosen not to play the Tag on-line lottery on this
ticket (by leaving Tag selection
area 132 blank on selection slip 116), the ticket could optionally have not
included a Tag played number, or
could optionally still include the Tag played number but have an indication
that the player had chosen not to
play the Tag on-line lottery on this ticket.
[94] Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary selection slip 216 and ticket receipt
218 for the Keno on-line lottery.
Selection slip 216 has a lottery play region 220 that includes four Keno
played number selection boards 221,
222, 223 and 224. Each of the boards has a played number selection region 219
including seventy cells
numbered from 1 to 70, allowing a lottery player to select up to four sets of
played numbers for the Keno on-
line lottery. In addition, each board has a play category selection region 228
and a wager selection region
229. A player selects a played number set for the Keno on-line lottery by
marking a board as follows. The
player marks a play category between 2 and 10 in play category selection
region 228, marks a wager in
wager selection region 229 and by marking two to ten cells in the played
number selection region 219,
depending on the play category the player has selected for each board. Lottery
play region 220 also has a
Tag selection region 232 and a draw selection region 234. The Keno selection
slip 216 also has an account
identification region 236 that is similar to the account identification region
136 on Lotto 7/47 selection slip 116
(Figure 2).
[95] Keno selection slip 216 has been completed to select three Keno played
number sets 244, 245 and
246 that are set out on Keno ticket receipt 218. Keno played number set 246 is
an automatically selected
played number set, as requested by the player on board 223. No cell in the Tag
selection region 232 has
been selected. The account identification region 236 has been marked to
identify the SONIA4 account
identification code.
[96] Ticket receipt 218 also shows the name of the Keno on-line lottery at
240, the wagers for each of the
played number sets 244, 245 and 246, the SONIA4 account identification code at
256, a ticket code 250, a
verification code 254, a terminal code 252 and a bar code 258. The exemplary
Keno ticket receipt 218 also
includes a Tag played number at 248, along with an indication that the player
chose not to participate in the
associated Tag on-line lottery. Alternatively, the Tag played number could
have been omitted entirely from
the ticket receipt 218.
-19-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[97] Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary selection slip 316 and corresponding
ticket receipt 318 for the
Sports Line on-line game. Selection slip 316 has a game play region 320 and an
account identification
region 336.
[98] Game play region 320 includes six Sports Line event selection boards 321,
322, 323, 324, 325 and
326 and a wager selection region 329. Each board 321-326 has an event number
region (under the heading
"Mark Event Number") in which the number of an event may be marked. Each board
also has a prediction
region (under the heading "Mark Predicted Result") in which a player may mark
a prediction for the selected
event. A player makes a prediction for an event by marking the event number
(as identified in the event list)
in the event number region and by marking a prediction in the prediction
region. In addition, each board has
a void cell 327, which a player may mark if the particular board has been
marked incorrectly and the player
would like the board to be ignored. Wager selection region 329 has a number of
wager amounts and a
player marks one of these amounts to select a wager for the ticket.
[99] The account identification region 336 is similar to the account
identification region 136 on Lotto 7/47
selection slip 116 (Figure 2).
[100] A player sets out a bet in the Sports Line on-line game by making
predictions for between 3 to 6
events and by marking a wager amount on the selection slip 316. Selection slip
316 is marked with three
predictions: in event 12, the home team (Syracuse) is predicted to win; in
event 33, the visiting team
(Nashville) is predicted to win; and in event 43, the teams (Dallas and Tampa
Bay) are predicted to tie. A
wager of $5 has been marked for this ticket. An account identification code
BRIAN237 has been marked in
the account identification region on selection slip 316.
[101] At 340, the ticket receipt 318 indicates the name of the on-line game
and the list number for which
the ticket was issued indicating that it is a ticket receipt for the Sports
Line on-line game and is based on the
events and odds on list 4523. The ticket receipt also contains the date 342 on
which the ticket was
purchased, the three predictions 344, 345, 346 made by the player, a payout
value 349 based on the odds
set for the predicted outcomes and the wager, a ticket code 350, a vendor
terminal code 352, a verification
code 354, an account identification code 356 and a bar code 358 corresponding
to the ticket code 350. The
account identification code is BRIAN237 and corresponds to the cells marked on
the account identification
region 336 on selection slip 316.
[102] Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary selection slip 416 and corresponding
ticket receipt 418 for the
Over/Under on-line game. Selection slip 416 has a game play region 420 and an
account identification
region 436. The game play region 420 has six Over/Under event selection boards
421, 422, 423, 424, 425
and 426 and a wager selection region 429. Each board 421-426 has an event
number region (under the
heading "Mark Event Number") in which the number of an event may be marked.
Each board also has a
prediction region (under the heading "Mark Predicted Result") in which a
player may mark a prediction for the
selected event. A player makes a prediction for an event by marking the event
number (as identified in the
event list) in the event number region and by marking a prediction in the
prediction region. In addition, each
board has a void cell 427, which a player may mark if the player would like
the board to be ignored. Wager
selection region 429 has a number of wager amounts and a player marks one of
these amounts to selection
-20-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
a wager for the ticket. The account identification region 436 is similar to
the account identification region 136
on Lotto 7/47 selection slip 116 (Figure 2).
[103] A player sets out a bet in the Over/Under on-line game by making
predictions for between 2 to 6
events and by marking a wager amount on the selection slip 416. The exemplary
selection slip 416 is
marked with five predictions: in event 12, the two teams are predicted to
score over the threshold of 42.5
points; in event 13, the two teams are predicted to score under the threshold
of 45.5 points; in event 32, the
two teams are predicted score under the threshold of 5.5 goals; in event 33,
the two teams are predicted to
score under the threshold of 5.5 goals; and in event 42, the two teams are
predicted to score over the
threshold of 38.5 points. A wager of $20 has been marked for this ticket. The
account identification code
SONIA4 has been marked in the account identification region on selection slip
316.
[104] At 440, the ticket receipt 418 indicates the name of the on-line game
and the list number based on
which the ticket was issued indicating that it is a ticket receipt for the
Over/Under on-line game based on the
events and odds on list 4523. The ticket receipt also contains the date 442 on
which the ticket was
purchased, the five predictions 444, 445, 446, 447, 448 made by the player, a
payout value 449 based on
the odds set for the predicted outcomes and the wager, a ticket code 450, a
vendor terminal code 452, a
verification code 454, an account identification code 456 and a bar code 458
corresponding to the ticket code
450. The account identification code is SONIA4 and corresponds to the cells
marked on the account
identification region 436 on selection slip 416.
[105] Lotto 7/47 selection slip 116 (Figure 2), Keno selection slip 216
(Figure 3), Sports Line selection slip
316 (Figure 4) and Over/Under selection slip 416 (Figure 5) are examples of
different selection slips that a
lottery operator may make available to players. A lottery operator may make
various types of selection slips
for different on-line lotteries and on-line games available.
[106] Typically, the different types of selection slips used by a lottery
operator will be marked to allow them
to be distinguished by a ticket vending terminal 104. Referring to Figure 2,
Lotto 7/47 selection slip 116 has
a selection slip identification region 130 that contains a set of pre-marked
cells in two columns. The
positioning of the pre-marked cells in the two columns allows a ticket vending
terminal 104 to identify the
selection slip and to interpret the marks made by a player on the selection
slip.
[107] Referring to Figure 3, Keno selection slip 216 also has a selection slip
identification region 230. The
arrangement of pre-marked cells in this selection slip identification region
230 differs from the pre-marked
cells is selection slip identification region 130 (Figure 2) to allow the
Lotto 7/47 selection slip and the Keno
selection slip to be distinguished from each other. Similarly, Sports Line
selection slip 316 (Figure 4) has a
selection slip identification region 330 and Over/Under selection slip 416
(Figure 4) has a selection slip
identification region 430, each with a different arrangement of pre-marked
cells than the other selection slips.
[108] Reference is again made to Figure 2. Each selection slip 112 used by a
lottery operator may contain
markings to allow the position of cells on the selection slip to be detected
and identified. Selection slip 112
has a set of pre-marked alignment cells 131 arranged along one side (in this
case, the bottom side) of the
selection slip. The alignment cells 131 are used by a ticket vending terminal
104 when a selection slip is
scanned to determine the locations of cells on the selection slip and may also
be used to determine whether
-21-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
the selection slip has been inserted into the ticket vending terminal at an
angle. The other selections slips
similarly have pre-marked alignment cells 231, 331 and 431. The use of
alignment cells, on one or more
sides of a selection slip, or other positions on a selection slip to indicate
the positions of other cells on the
selection slip is well understood by skilled persons and is not explained
further here.
[109] Each selection slip 112 has a play region and an account identification
region. The play region on a
selection slip for an on-line lottery (such as lottery play region 120 (Figure
2) or lottery play region 220
(Figure 3)) allows a player to select played number sets for the on-line
lottery. The play region on a selection
slip for an on-line game (such as game play region 320 (Figure 4) or game play
region 420 (Figure 4)) allows
a player to mark a bet for the on-line game. The contents of the play region
on each selection slip are
dictated generally by the rules of the on-line lottery or on-line game that
the selection slip relates to and by
the options given to a player relating to a host or an associated on-line
lottery or an on-line game, the
purchasing of tickets for multiple draws and other options permitted by the
lottery operator.
[110] Optionally, a lottery operator may choose to set out the account
identification region on different
types of selection slips in substantially the same position on the selection
slip and with substantially the same
layout, so that players may develop a familiarity with the position and
layout. In the present exemplary
embodiment, the account identification regions 136, 236, 336 and 436 described
above are positioned in the
same general region of each selection slip (below the play region) and have
substantially the same layout on
each of the respective selection slips. Some of the account identification
regions differ slightly in the
placement of the account identification region on the selection slips and in
the placement of cells within the
account identification region. For example, in account identification region
136 (Figure 2) the cells for the
letters U and V are spaced further apart than the cells for the letters V and
W. The cells in account
identification region 136 are aligned with the alignment cells 131 to allow
their positions to be determined
when the selection slip is scanned by a ticket vending terminal 104 to
determine which cells have been
marked by a player. In account identification region 236 (Figure 3), the cells
for the letters U and V are
spaced apart the same distance as the cells for the letters V and W. The cells
in account identification
region 236 are aligned with alignment cells 231. Such minor differences
between the precise arrangements
of cells in the account identification regions on different selection slips
are not material and do not affect the
substantial similarity of the account identification regions.
[111] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may choose to use two or more
different positions and
layouts for the account identification regions on two different groups of
selections slips. For example, a
lottery operator that offers both on-line lotteries and on-line games may use
one layout and position for
selections slips for on-line lotteries and a different layout and position for
selection slips for the on-line
games.
[112] The present invention may be used with selection slips based on many
different systems. The
selections slips described in this exemplary embodiment are based on "mark-
sense" or "bubble-card"
technology and utilize cells that are marked by players, typically using a pen
or pencil. The marks are
detected by an optical scanning device in a ticket vending terminal to
determine which cells have been
marked. In some cases, the lottery operator may require that the cells be
marked with a special ink that can
-22-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
be detected by the scanning or imaging devices in a ticket vending terminal.
The positions of cells are
determined using pre-marked alignment cells, as described above. Other
selection slips may not have
alignment cells and may rely on specific positioning of cells on a selection
slip. Other selection slips may be
punch cards, on which a hole is formed to mark a cell, or other systems, or a
combination of systems. The
present invention is not restricted to use with any particular system for
marking selection slips or for detecting
marks on selections slips.
[113] A lottery operator may choose to utilize the present invention with some
or all of the on-line lotteries
and/or on-line games offered by the lottery operator. For example, a lottery
operator that operates five
different on-line lotteries may choose to use the present invention only with
one of the on-line lotteries, or
may choose a subset of the on-line lotteries with which the lottery operator
will use the invention. If some of
the on-line lotteries are weekly or bi-weekly and some of the other on-line
lotteries are daily lotteries, the
lottery operator may choose to use the invention with only the weekly or bi-
weekly on-line lotteries or with
only the daily lotteries. The lottery operator will provide at least one type
of selection slip having a play
region and an account identification region for each on-line lottery or on-
line game with which the invention is
used.
[114] Reference is again made to Figure 1. Lottery computer system 102
includes a lottery database 160,
a player account server 162 and a ticket server 164. Player account server 162
includes one or more player
interfaces 166.
[115] Lottery computer system 102 may be a single computer or may include
various interconnected
computers and other devices, including communication and data storage devices.
Lottery database 160,
player account server 162 and ticket server 164 may reside and operate on one
or more of the computers or
related systems that comprise lottery computer system 102.
[116] Lottery database 160 is used to store information about player accounts,
draws of the on-line
lotteries, events in the on-line games and about tickets issued by the lottery
operator. Many different data
structures may be used to store information about player accounts, on-line
lottery draws, on-line game
events and tickets and the present invention is not limited to any particular
data structure or data structures
for doing so. Several exemplary data structures for storing such information
will be described here. Skilled
persons will be able to design different data structures to accommodate
different types of on-line lotteries
and games and to accommodate different computers, other devices, operating
systems and software that
may be used as part of a lottery computer system.
[117] Figures 6a and 6b illustrate a portion of lottery database 160.
Referring to Figure 6a, lottery
database 160 includes a player account table 502, on-line lottery draw tables
504 and on-line lottery ticket
tables 506. Lottery database 160 includes a Lotto 7/47 draw table 516, a Lotto
7/47 ticket table 522, a Keno
draw table 526 and a Keno ticket table 528.
[118] The player account table 502 includes a player account record 514 for
each player account. Each
draw table 504 includes a draw record 518 for each draw of the corresponding
on-line lottery. Each on-line
lottery ticket table 506 includes one or more on-line lottery ticket records
524. Each on-line lottery ticket
record 524 corresponds to one ticket issued for the corresponding on-line
lottery.
-23-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[119] Each player account record 514 contains information about one player
account. Three player
account records 514 are illustrated in Figure 6a. Player account table 502
also contains other player account
records 514. In this exemplary embodiment, each player account record 514
includes the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Account ID Code The account identification code for the player account. In
this
field, the characters in the account identification code are set out
in an alphanumeric order (with letters preceding numbers).
Preferred ID Code The player's preferred order for the characters in the
account
Order identification code.
Account Password A password that the player must provide to access information
about tickets associated with the player account. The password
may optionally be stored in an encrypted form.
Name The player's name.
Address The player's address.
Phone The player's phone number.
Fax The player's fax number.
E-mail The player's e-mail address.
Birth Date The player's birth date.
Sex The player's sex.
Income The player's income range.
Player Ticket List This field contains a link or reference to each of the
tickets
associated with the player account, allowing the tickets to be
identified.
The reference to the tickets may be any mechanism for
identifying tickets. The reference may be direct (such as a list of
ticket codes or ticket record identifiers) or indirect (such as a
pointer to or the name of a list, index or table containing ticket
codes or ticket record identifiers).
A ticket record identifier may identify a ticket table 506 (Figure
6a) or 510 (Figure 6b) and a ticket record 524 or 538 within the
ticket table that relates to a particular ticket associated with the
player account. The structure of on-line lottery ticket records
524 and on-line game ticket records 538 is described below.
-24-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
In this embodiment, this field contains a list of ticket codes for
each ticket associated with the player account. The on-line
lottery or on-line game for each ticket is also identified, to allow
the ticket record for each ticket to be located in the appropriate
ticket table 506 or 510 (Figure 6b). For on-line games, the event
list is also identified.
In another embodiment, the field may contain a list of ticket
codes without grouping the ticket codes by on-line lottery or on-
line game. The specific on-line lottery or on-line game and event
list for which the ticket was issued may be determined by
examining the ticket code (which may be coded to indicate the
on-line lottery or on-line game for which the ticket is valid) or by
searching the various ticket tables.
In other embodiments, this field may be omitted and the lottery
ticket records for tickets associated with a player account may
be identified by searching through lottery ticket records using the
Associated Player Account field in the lottery ticket records.
[120] A player account record is created according to method 2100 (Figure 7).
As part of creating a player
account, a player selects an account identification code. As described above,
in the present exemplary
embodiment of the invention, each account identification code consists of a
unique combination of 6 to 12
different characters selected from the twenty-six letters and the ten
numerals. As a result, SONIA4 and
NAOS41 are different arrangements or permutations of the same combination of
characters in the same
account identification code. A player may have a preferred order for the
characters in his account
identification code. This preferred arrangement is recorded in the Preferred
ID Code Order field. The
account identification code is recorded in the Account ID Code field, with the
characters sorted into
alphanumeric order, with letters preceding numerals. The player account
records 514 in the player account
table 502 may be sorted or indexed in alphanumeric order using the Account ID
Code field to allow an
individual player account record to be accessed more quickly.
[121] Optionally, a player may be permitted to use the characters in an
account identification code more
than once when setting out the player's preferred order for the characters.
For example, a player may have
the account ID code ADEJNY206, but may have a preferred order of JAYDEN2006,
in which the character
"0" appears twice.
[122] Each player account has a password, which is stored in the Password
field in the player account
record 514. The password may optionally be stored in an encrypted form.
-25-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[123] Personal information about a player is stored in the Name, Address,
Phone, Fax, E-mail, Birth Date,
Sex and Income fields of the player account record 514. A player may choose
not to provide some of this
information, and the corresponding field may be left empty or omitted from a
particular player account record
514, depending on the data structure used to store a player account record.
[124] An exemplary player account record 514 for the account identification
code SONIA4 may contain the
following information:
Field Information recorded in field
Account ID Code AINOS4
Preferred ID Code SONIA4
Order
Account Password ********
Name Sonia Smith
Address 123 Anystreet Rd
Anytown, Anystate
21342
Phone (123)234-3424
Fax None
E-mail sonia@isp.com
Birthdate January 16, 1963
Sex Female
Income $50,001-$75,000
Player Ticket List Lotto 7/47 Tickets:
2130-2131-4983-2342
2131-4556-8878-2902
2133-2234-9823-4020
Keno Tickets:
4227-0234-9293-7401
4230-3241-0234-8012
Sports Line Tickets (List 4523):
9114-9354-1347-4789
9114-6534-8636-3837
9114-6204-2340-4826
Over/Under Tickets (List 4523):
9227-3486-5972-6578
-26-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Over/Under Tickets (List 4524):
9245-1942-8572-9234
[125] The Player Ticket List field in the player account record 514 for Sonia
Smith's player account
includes a reference to an Over/Under ticket with the ticket code 9245-1942-
8572-9234. This ticket is valid
for the Over/Under on-line game and is based on the events on event list 4524
(not shown). Event list 4524
is similar to event list 4523 in that it sets out events for the Over/Under on-
line game (and for the Sports Line
on-line game), but relates to a different time period and to events that occur
within that time period. In this
example, event list 4524 includes events that occur between October 30, 2003
and November 5, 2003.
Lottery database 160 includes an event table and a ticket table for the
Over/Under on-line game with data
about events and tickets relating to event list 4524. In this embodiment,
event tables and ticket tables
relating to different event lists are stored as separate tables.
[126] An exemplary player account record 514 for the account identification
code BRIAN237 may contain
the following information:
Field Information recorded in field
Account ID Code ABINR237
Preferred ID Code BRIAN237
Order
Account Password
Name Brian Jones
Address 589 Mystreet Rd
Mytown, Mystate
28997
Phone (123)893-0123
Fax (123)893-2349
E-mail brian@workplace.com
Birthdate July 23, 1955
Sex Male
Income $25,001-$50,000
Player Ticket List Lotto 7/47 Tickets:
2130-2485-3245-2352
2132-1789-4345-0283
2133-4635-4879-7889
Keno Tickets:
-27-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
4226-2532-7734-3553
4230-8324-9025-3987
4231-3489-7102-3487
Sports Line Tickets:
9112-1231-2309-1424
9113-4234-2342-3047
9114-4635-4879-7889
Over/Under Tickets:
9229-1678-9453-5498
9230-7358-9512-3589
9231-7854-6521-4589
[127] In the present embodiment, a player may optionally create an anonymous
account, for which
personal information that could identify the player is not recorded. The
Account ID Code, the Preferred ID
Code Order, the Account Password and the Player Ticket List fields are
required for the operation of a player
account and the information stored in these fields is required even for an
anonymous account. However, a
player may optionally not provide some or all of the information for the
personal information fields described
above. A player may choose not to provide his name and address, but could
optionally provide sex and
income information to allow some demographic analysis of lottery players.
Alternatively, the player may not
provide any personal information.
[128] In an alternative embodiment, a lottery operator may designate some
personal or other information
as required information. For example, the lottery operator may require a
lottery player to provide the player's
birth date to allow the lottery operator to ensure that only players of a
certain age access the player account.
Any combination of information may be designated as required information or
optional information by a
lottery operator. The personal information fields described in relation to the
present embodiment are only an
example.
[129] In another alternative embodiment, a lottery operator may choose not to
collect any personal
information and may make all player accounts anonymous accounts. In such an
embodiment, a player
account record 514 may comprise only an Account ID field, a Preferred ID Code
Order field, an Account
Password field and a Player Ticket List field.
[130] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may not require a player to
enter a password when
accessing a player account. In such an embodiment, a player account record
would not include an Account
Password field.
[131] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may not permit a player to
specify a preferred order for the
characters in an account identification code. In such an embodiment, a player
account record would not
-28-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
include a Preferred ID Code Order field.
[132] In the present embodiment, player account records can be indexed or
sorted using the Account ID
Code field, in which the characters in each account identification code are
sorted using a standardized sort
order. This allows the player account records to be searched to determine if a
particular account
identification code has already been assigned to a player account. In
alternative embodiments, the player
account records may not be sorted or indexed or they may be ordered, sorted or
indexed using another field.
[133] Each draw record 518 in the draw tables 504 contains information about a
draw of an on-line lottery,
such as the date of the draw, a draw number, winning numbers for the host on-
line lottery and for any
associated on-line lottery and prize information for the host on-line lottery
and any associated on-line lottery.
[134] Each of the draw records 518 in Lotto 7/47 draw table 516 contains
information about one draw of
the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery and the corresponding draw of the associated
Tag on-line lottery on the same
draw date. In this exemplary embodiment, a single draw record is used to
maintain information about both a
host on-line lottery and its associated on-line lottery, since the two on-line
lotteries share information such as
their draw date and since the tickets valid for the associated on-line lottery
are a subset of those valid for the
host on-line lottery. Alternatively, separate draw tables could be used for
the two on-line lotteries.
[135] Six draw records 518 for draws between October 10, 2003 and November 14,
2003 are illustrated in
Figure 6a. Draw table 516 also includes additional draw records for draws
preceding and following these
draws. In this exemplary embodiment, each draw record 518 in the Lotto 7/47
draw table includes the
following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Draw ID An identifier for the draw. This may be a draw number, or any
other type of identifier for the draw. This field is optional,
especially if the date (or date and time) of the draw, or another
field such as a record number field, can be used to uniquely
identify the draw. In this exemplary embodiment, each draw is
assigned a numerical draw number, in sequential order.
Draw Date The date on which the draw is scheduled to be conducted. In
another embodiment, this field may also include the time of the
draw, particularly if more than one draw for the on-line lottery is
conducted on a particular day.
Lotto 7/47 Winning The winning number set for this draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-
line
Number Set lottery.
Lotto 7/47 Prize Information about prizes for each winning combination for
this
Information draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery.
Tag Winning The winning number for the Tag associated on-line lottery.
Number
Tag Prize Information about prizes for each combination of winning
Information numbers for this draw of the Tag on-line lottery.
-29-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Draw Ticket List This field contains a link or reference to each of the
tickets valid
for the draw, allowing the tickets valid for the draw to be
identified.
The reference to the tickets may be any mechanism for
identifying the tickets valid for the draw. The reference may be
direct or indirect, as is described above in relation to the Player
Ticket List field of the player account records 514.
In the present embodiment, this field is a pointer to an index that
contains a reference to the lottery ticket records for all tickets
that are valid for the draw. In Figure 6a, the link between the
draw record 518 and lottery ticket records 524 for tickets valid for
each draw is illustrated by lines connecting them. Lottery
database 160 includes an index for each draw. The index
includes a reference to each ticket that is valid for the draw.
In another embodiment, this link may be omitted and the lottery
tickets valid for a draw may be identified by searching the Valid
Draw Dates field in lottery ticket records in the appropriate ticket
table.
[136] The Lotto 7/47 Winning Number Set and Tag Winning Number fields in a
draw record 518 will not
contain information about winning numbers until after the draws of the on-line
lottery or lotteries have been
conducted on the draw date and the winning numbers have been determined. If
any of the prizes for the on-
line lottery are determined based on the number of winners, as in the case of
a shared prize, then the prize
values will only be known after the draw. If the prizes are pre-determined, as
in the case of the Tag on-line
lottery, the relevant prize information may be filled in when the draw record
is created by the lottery operator.
Where the prizes for an on-line lottery are the same for each draw (or for a
series of draws), the
corresponding prize information may be stored elsewhere in the lottery
database 160 (for example in a
lottery table (not shown), which may contain rules and other standard
information about each on-line lottery,
including any fixed or standard prizes). The corresponding prize information
field may be omitted, or may
contain a reference to the corresponding information stored elsewhere. In the
present exemplary
embodiment, the Tag Prize Information field is completed after a draw to
record the number of winners of
each prize offered in the Tag on-line lottery. The actual value of the prizes
is recorded separately from the
draw record 518. This information may, for example, be stored in a Tag on-line
lottery information file or
record (not shown) as another part of the lottery database 160 and is
available to the lottery computer
-30-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
system 102.
[137] Records in the draw table for each lottery are created by the lottery
operator to store relevant
information about each draw. An exemplary draw record 518 for the October 24,
2003 draw of the Lotto 7/47
lottery could have the following contents prior to the draw:
Field Information recorded in field
Draw ID 895
Draw Date October 24, 2003
Lotto 7/47 Winning Unknown when the record is created
Number Set
Lotto 7/47 Prize Unknown when the record is created, since most Lotto 7/47
Information prizes are shared prizes. The fixed prize of a free ticket for the
winning combination of 3/7 regular numbers may be recorded
here.
Tag Winning Unknown when the record is created
Number
Tag Prize Link or reference to pre-determined Tag on-line lottery prize
Information information stored elsewhere in the lottery database 160.
Draw Ticket List Link or reference to an index of lottery ticket records for
tickets
valid for this draw. The index includes references to lottery ticket
records for the following ticket codes:
2131-4556-8878-2902
2132-1789-4345-0283
[138] Each on-line lottery ticket record 524 in the on-line lottery ticket
tables 506 contains information
relating to a ticket issued for one or more draws of the on-line lottery and
any associated lottery. Several
ticket records 524 are shown in each of the ticket tables 506. Each ticket
table 506 also contains additional
ticket records (not shown) corresponding to additional tickets for the on-line
lottery. In this exemplary
embodiment, each lottery ticket record 524 includes the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code The ticket code for the ticket.
Issue Date/Time The date and time at which the ticket was issued by the
lottery
operator.
Host On-line Lottery The played number sets selected by the player, or
automatically
Played Number Sets selected for the player, for the host lottery.
-31-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Associated On-line An indication of whether the Tag on-line lottery has been
played
Lottery Information on this ticket, and if so, a list of the Tag played number
sets.
This field may contain one or more Tag played number sets
selected for the ticket, even if the player elected not to play the
Tag on-line lottery.
Valid Draw Dates A reference to the draws for which the ticket is valid.
In the present embodiment, the date or dates of the draws for
which the ticket is valid are set out in this field.
In another embodiment, this field may contain a list of draw
identifiers corresponding the Draw ID field in the draw records
518, the date of a draw or a list or range of dates of draws for
which the ticket is valid.
Vendor Terminal The vendor terminal code described above.
Code
Verification Code The verification code described above.
Associated Player Account identification code for the player account with
which the
Account ticket is associated. If the ticket is not associated with a player
account, this field will be blank or may be omitted.
Prize Data Data relating to prizes won by the ticket. This field is described
in greater detail below.
Ticket Status The current status of the on-line lottery ticket with respect to
the
completion of the draws for which the ticket is valid and with
respect to the redemption of prizes won by the ticket, if any. The
status may be one of the following:
i. Draws Not Complete, indicating that at least one draw for
which ticket is valid has not been conducted;
ii. Not A Winner, indicating that the draws for which the ticket
is valid for have been conducted and the ticket has not won
a prize;
iii. Winner-Not Redeemed, indicating that the draws for which
the ticket is valid for have been conducted, the ticket has
won at least one prize and that the prize has not been
redeemed; or
iv. Winner-Redeemed, indicating that the draws for which the
-32-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
ticket is valid have been conducted, the ticket has won at
least one prize and the prizes have been redeemed.
[139] Information that is displayed on the ticket receipt 114 may be stored in
the format that is used on the
ticket or in another corresponding format. For example, the played numbers in
a played number set for the
Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery may be stored as six different values, or may be
stored as a code representing the
played numbers, or both. The lottery ticket record may contain additional
information, such as the method by
which the player paid for ticket, and other information.
[140] The Prize Data field for the ticket includes information based on a
comparison of the played number
sets with the corresponding winning numbers. The prize data may be recorded in
a summary form, such as
a simple value indicating the total value of any prize or prizes the ticket
has won, or identifying any non-
monetary prize the ticket has won. The prize data may alternatively be very
detailed, including details of the
comparison of each played number to the corresponding winning numbers, the
separate result for each
played number set and a total result for all played number sets. The prize
data may also be in any other
format that relates to or is based on a comparison of the played number sets
and played numbers on a ticket
to the corresponding winning numbers. In the present example, the Prize Data
field is used to identify the
winning combination, if any, for each played number set for each completed
draw that the ticket is valid for.
The Prize Data field in an on-line lottery ticket record 524 is updated in
method 2300, described below.
[141] Lottery ticket records 524 for seven tickets L1-L7 are illustrated in
Lotto 7/47 ticket table 522. The
draw record 518 for the October 24, 2003 draw is linked to the lottery ticket
records 524 for tickets L3 and L4
indicating that they are valid for that draw. Ticket L3 corresponds to ticket
receipt 118 (Figure 2) and is also
valid for the October 31, 2003 and November 7, 2003 draws. Ticket L4 is valid
for the October 24, 2003 and
October 31, 2003 draws. The ticket record 525 for ticket L3 may contain the
following information when it is
first created:
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code 2131-4556-8878-2902
Issue Date/Time October 23, 2003 - 7:18 pm
Host On-line Lottery Set 1: 2, 7, 9, 11, 22, 43, 47
Played Number Sets Set 2: 5, 10, 17, 23, 32, 36
Associated On-line Played
Lottery Information Played Number 1: 909207
Valid Draw Dates October 24, 2003
October 31, 2003
November 7, 2003
Vendor Terminal 19862
Code
-33-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Verification Code 5283
Associated Player AINOS4
Account
Prize Data Unknown (draws not conducted yet)
Ticket Status Draws Not Complete
[142] Keno draw table 526 and Keno ticket table 528 are similar to Lotto 7/47
draw table and Lotto 7/47
ticket table and contain information relating to draws and tickets for the
Keno on-line lottery. Keno draw table
526 contains draw records 518 for daily draws of the Keno on-line lottery.
Lottery ticket records 524 for six
tickets K1-K6 for the Keno on-line lottery are illustrated in the Keno Ticket
table 528 in Figure 6a. If the
lottery operator operates other on-line lotteries, the lottery database 160
will have a draw table and a ticket
table for each other on-line lottery.
[143] Referring to Figure 6b, lottery database 160 also includes on-line game
event tables 508 and on-line
game ticket tables 510. Player account table 502 is also illustrated in Figure
6b. Lottery database 160
includes a Sports Line event table 532, a Sports Line ticket table 536, an
Over/Under event table 540 and an
Over/Under ticket table 542. In the present embodiment, the lottery database
includes a separate event
table 508 and on-line game ticket table 510 for each event list for each on-
line game. The event tables and
on-line game ticket tables in Figure 6b are for the Sports Line and Over/Under
on-line games based on event
list 4523.
[144] Each event table 508 contains one or more event records 538. Each event
record 534 contains
information about an event for an on-line game, such as the date and time of
the event, the teams
participating in the event, the various predicted outcomes that a player may
choose, the odds set by the
lottery operator for those outcomes and other information.
[145] In this exemplary embodiment, each event record 534 in the Sports Line
event table 532 includes the
following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number The event number as indicated on the event list.
Date/Time The date and time of the event. This may be the time after
which a player cannot select the event for a ticket. Typically, the
lottery operator will not allow a player to select an event less
than a selected time (for example, 30 minutes) before the
beginning of an event.
Event Type The name of sport, league or other classification of the event.
Visitor Name The name of the visiting team
Home Name The name of the home team
Visitor Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the visiting team
winning
-34-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
the event according to the rules of the Sports Line on-line game.
Home Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the home team winning
the event according to the rules of the Sports Line on-line game.
Tie Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for a tie in the event
according to the rules of the Sports Line on-line game.
Actual Outcome The actual outcome of the event, according to the rules of the
Sports Line on-line game.
[146] In this exemplary embodiment, each event record 534 in the Over/Under
event table 540 includes
the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number The event number as indicated on the event list.
Date/Time The date and time of the event. As with the event records for
the Sports Line on-line game, this may be time after which a
player cannot select the event for a ticket.
Event Type The name of sport, league or other classification of the event.
Event Name A description of the event. This field identifies the teams
participating in the event.
Threshold The threshold number of points.
Over Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the teams scoring over
the threshold number of points according to the rules of the
Over/Under on-line game.
Under Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the teams scoring under
the threshold number of points according to the rules of the
Over/Under on-line game.
Actual Outcome The actual outcome of the event, according to the rules of the
Over/Under on-line game.
[147] The Actual Outcome field in an event record 534 will be blank until the
event has been completed
and the outcome is known. In the Sports Line event table 532, the event record
534 for event 43 on list 4523
has the following contents when it is first created:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number 43
Date/Time October 26, 2003 - 4:00 pm
Event Type NFL Football
Visitor Name Dallas
Home Name Tampa Bay
-35-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Visitor Odds 2.8
Home Odds 1.8
Tie Odds 1.2
Actual Outcome Unknown
[148] In the Over/Under event table 532, the event record 534 for event 33 on
list 4523 has the following
contents when it is first created:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number 33
Date/Time October 25, 2003 - 8:00 pm
Event Type NHL Hockey
Event Name Colorado at Nashville
Threshold 5.5
Over Odds 1.8
Under Odds 1.6
Actual Outcome Unknown
[149] Each on-line game ticket table 510 contains on-line game ticket records
538. Each on-line game
ticket record 538 contains information relating to a ticket sold for an on-
line game. In this exemplary
embodiment, the ticket records 538 in the Sports Line ticket table 536 include
the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code The ticket code for the ticket.
Issue Date/Time The date and time at which the ticket was issued by the
lottery
operator.
Predicted Outcomes A list of the events for which the player has made a
prediction
and the player's prediction for each event.
Vendor Terminal The vendor terminal code described above.
Code
Verification Code The verification code described above.
Associated Player Account ID code for the player account with which the ticket
is
Account associated. If the ticket is not associated with a player account,
this field will be blank or may be omitted.
Wager The amount that the player wagered on this ticket.
Maturation Event The event following which the on-line game ticket "matures".
An
on-line game ticket matures when the results for the wager
made on the ticket can be determined.
-36-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
In the present embodiment, this is possible when all of the
events on which the wager is based are complete. The
maturation event for each ticket is the chronologically latest
event that the wager is based on.
In other embodiments, this information may be set out as a fixed
date or fixed date and time, after the expected completion of the
maturation event for which the player has made a predicted.
In another embodiment, this field may be omitted. The lottery
operator may periodically (i.e. daily) or occasionally search the
Predicted Outcomes field of each on-line game ticket record and
determine the Ticket Status for tickets that are based on events
that have been completed.
In another embodiment, the lottery operator may configure the
ticket server to wait until a player attempts to check or redeem
an on-line game ticket before determining whether the ticket is a
winning on-line game ticket. If the events on which the on-line
game ticket is based have been completed, the ticket server can
calculate and report the Prize Data. Otherwise, the ticket server
reports that the Prize Data cannot be calculated yet.
Payout Value The amount the player will be paid if his predictions meet the
requirement for the particular game. In some games, several
payout values might be recorded and one or more of them might
be paid to the player if different criteria are met.
This field is optional. The payout value may be calculated when
it is required using the odds for the outcomes predicted by the
player and the wager chosen by the player.
Ticket Status The current status of the on-line game ticket with respect to
the
completion of the draws for which the ticket is valid and with
respect to the redemption of prizes won by the ticket, if any. The
status may be one of the following:
i. Events Not Complete, indicating that the ticket has not
matured because the actual outcome of at least one event
on which the ticket is based is not known;
ii. Not A Winner, indicating that the ticket has matured and
-37-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
that the player has lost the wager on the ticket;
iii. Winner-Not Redeemed, indicating that the player has won
the wager on the ticket, but has not yet redeemed the ticket
to receive the payout value; or
iv. Winner-Redeemed, indicating that the player has won the
wager on the ticket and has redeemed the ticket to receive
the payout value.
[150] Each on-line game ticket table 510 has a Maturation Event Index (not
shown) that provides an index
of the ticket records 538 in the ticket table ordered by the event identified
in the Maturation Event field in
each of the ticket records. The Maturation Event Index may be used to identify
ticket records 538 that
correspond to tickets which mature after a particular event. The Sports Line
ticket table 536 has a Sports
Line Maturation Event Index (not shown). The Over/Under ticket table 542 has
an Over/Under Maturation
Event Index (not shown). In another embodiment, ticket records that have a
specific maturation event may
be identified by searching through each ticket record in a ticket table.
[151] Sports Line ticket table 536 contains seven on-line game ticket records
538 corresponding to seven
Sports Line on-line game tickets SL1-SL7. Ticket SL3 corresponds to ticket
receipt 318 (Figure 4). The
ticket record 539 for ticket SL3, when it is first created has the following
contents:
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code 9113-4234-2342-3047
Issue Date/Time October 24, 2003 - 3:45 pm
Predicted Outcomes Event 12 - Visitor win
Event 33 - Home win
Event 43 - Tie
Vendor Terminal 85462
Code
Verification Code 6546
Associated Player ABINR237
Account
Wager $5.00
Maturation Event Event 43
Payout Value $72
Ticket Status Events Not Complete
[152] Over/Under ticket table 542 contains six on-line game ticket records 538
corresponding to six
Over/Under on-line game ticket OU1-OU6. Ticket OU2 corresponds to ticket
receipt 418 (Figure 5). The
ticket record 541 for ticket OU2, when it is first created has the following
contents:
-38-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code 9227-3486-5972-6578
Issue Date/Time October 25, 2003 - 9:18 am
Predicted Outcomes Event 12 - Over
Event 13 - Under
Event 32 - Under
Event 33 - Under
Event 42 - Over
Vendor Terminal 78254
Code
Verification Code 3287
Associated Player AINOS4
Account
Wager $20
Maturation Event Event 42
Payout Value $250.60
Ticket Status Events Not Complete
[153] Player account server 162 manages the creation of player accounts and
enables players to access
their player accounts using a player terminal 106. Each player interface 166
facilitates communications
between the player account server 162 and one or more of the player terminals
106. In the present
embodiment, player interface 166a includes a player website 167a, which
players may access by using a
web browser operating on a player terminal 106, such as a personal computer or
any other web-enable
computing device. Player interface 166a communicates with web browsers to
receive information from the
player terminals 106 and to transmit information to the player terminals 106.
For example, player interface
166a receives information about new player accounts and creates a
corresponding player account record
514 in the lottery database 160. This is further described below in relation
to method 2100. Player interface
166a obtains information relating to tickets associated with a player account
from the lottery database 160
and transmits it to a player terminal 106. The information is displayed on the
player terminal 106. This is
further described below in relation to method 2600.
[154] Other player interfaces 166 may be configured to allow other types of
player terminals 106 to access
the player account server to create player accounts or to obtain information
relating to tickets associated with
a player account. For example, other player interfaces 166 may be adapted to
communicate with portable
communication devices with small display screens such as portable digital
assistant (PDA) devices or
portable telephone devices. Other player interfaces 166 may be adapted to
communicate with computer
programs executing on a player terminal 106 and to control the display of
information by such computer
programs.
[155] Figure 7 illustrates a method 2100 for creating a player account. Method
2100 begins in step 2102
-39-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
in which a player accesses player account server 162 by accessing a player
interface 166. Method 2100 will
be explained by way of example with reference to player interface 166a, which
includes player website 167a.
[156] Referring to Figure 13, the player website 167a (Figure 1) includes a
welcome web page 602 that
includes a "Create Account" button 604, which allows the player to initiate a
player account creation service.
The player account creation service operates under the control of the player
account server 162.
[157] Reference is again made to Figure 7. In step 2102, the player uses a
player terminal 106 to access
the welcome page 602 and initiates the player account creation service by
clicking on the Create Account
button. In other embodiments of the invention, a player account creation
service may be initiated through the
use of any other type of control or option that a player may select or
interact with.
[158] Method 2100 next proceeds to step 2104. In step 2104, the player selects
a player account
identification code and provides other information for her player account. In
this step, the player is presented
with an account creation form. The account creation form is transmitted from
the player website 167a to the
player terminal 106 and is displayed on the player terminal 106. The account
creation form has a number of
fields to allow the player to enter information relating to a player account
that the player wishes to create.
The account creation form allows the player to propose an account
identification code and account password
for the player account. The account creation form also allows the player to
enter the personal information
described above: the player's name, address, phone number, fax number, e-mail
address, birth date, sex
and income range. When the player has completed the form, the information
entered by the player is
transmitted to the player account server. Method 2100 proceeds to step 2106.
[159] In step 2106, the player account server 162 determines whether the
proposed account identification
code may be assigned to the player's account. In the present embodiment, the
player account server 162
checks whether:
(i) each of the characters in the proposed account identification code is in
the account
identification code character set;
(ii) the proposed account identification code is between 6 and 12 characters
long;
(iii) all of the characters in the proposed account identification code are
different from one
another; and
(iv) the proposed account identification code has already been assigned to an
existing player
account.
[160] To determine if the proposed account identification code has already
been assigned to an existing
player account, the player account server 162 compares the proposed account
identification code with the
account identification codes that have already been assigned to existing
player accounts (and which are
recorded in the Account ID Code fields in the player account records 514
(Figure 6a)). As described above,
the characters in an account identification code are recorded in the Account
ID Code field in each player
account record 514 in an alphanumeric order with letter preceding numbers. The
player account server 162
may sort the characters in the proposed account identification code in a
corresponding order before
comparing the proposed account identification code to the existing account
identification codes. If the
proposed identification code has not been assigned any of the existing player
accounts and meets other
-40-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
requirements specified by the lottery operator for account identification
codes, then it may be assigned to the
new player account.
[161] The player account server 162 also checks the account password proposed
by the player to ensure
that it complies with any rules set by the lottery operator. The lottery
operator may specify rules for account
passwords relating to minimum and maximum numbers of characters, use of
different cases of letters (i.e.
uppercase, lowercase or mixed case), use of numerals in the password and other
requirements.
[162] The player account server 162 also checks the remaining information
provided by the player to
ensure that it meets any criteria set by the lottery operator. For example,
the lottery operator may check to
ensure that any required fields are completed. In the present example, the
lottery operator allows players to
create anonymous accounts without entering any personal information. In other
embodiments, the lottery
operator may require players to provide some or all of the personal
information described here, as well as
other personal information.
[163] If the proposed identification code may be assigned to the new player
account, and if the password
and personal information meet any criteria imposed by the lottery operator,
method 2100 proceeds to step
2108. Otherwise, method 2100 returns to step 2104.
[164] In step 2108, a new player account record 514 is created in the player
account table 502 for the new
player account code. The proposed identification code is recorded in the
Preferred ID Code Order field with
the characters in the order in which the player entered them in step 2104. The
proposed identification code
is recorded in the Account ID Code field with the characters sorted in
alphanumeric order. The proposed
password is recorded in the Password field and any personal information
provided by the player is recorded
in the appropriate fields.
[165] The Player Ticket List field does not contain a reference to any tickets
at this point, since the player
account is newly created and no tickets have been associated with the account.
[166] Referring to Figure 6a, three player account records 514 are
illustrated. The player account record
514 with player account code ERW2489 is newly created using method 2100 and
has not yet been
associated with any tickets. During step 2104, a player entered the proposed
identification code R82EW94
with the characters in the order preferred by the player, as well as a
proposed password and personal
information. In step 2106, the player account server 162 sorted the characters
in the proposed identification
code into alphanumeric order, ERW2489, and compared the proposed
identification code with the account
identification code for the existing player accounts. Since none of the
existing player account identification
codes (ABINR237 and AINOS4) are the same, player account server 162 created
the player account record
for the new player account in step 2108.
[167] Method 2100 proceeds to step 2110. In step 2110, the player account
server 162 confirms the
creation of the new player account. The player account server 162 transmits a
confirmation message to the
player terminal 106 where the confirmation message is displayed.
[168] Method 2100 ends when step 2110 is completed.
[169] In another embodiment, in step 2110, the player account server 162 may
also generate an image of
the account identification region of a selection slip, or a whole selection
slip, with the cells corresponding to
-41-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
the player's account identification code marked. The image of the account
identification region is also sent to
the player terminal 106 where it is displayed. The player may review the image
to learn how to properly
mark an account identification region to identify the player's account on a
selection slip. Optionally, the
image of the account identification region may be provided in a printable
format (such as an image format or
a document format such as PDF), allowing the player to print the image and to
refer to it when completing a
selection slip.
[170] Typically, a lottery operator will allow a player to change some of the
information recorded about the
player and the player account in a player account record 514. For example, the
player may be permitted to
change the password associated with the player account or the personal
information about the player. The
lottery operator will provide an account modification service for this
purpose. A skilled person will be able to
provide an appropriate account modification service and the account
modification is not further described
here.
[171] Referring to Figure 1, the ticket server 164 communicates with ticket
vending terminals 104 to issue
on-line lottery tickets and on-line game tickets. The ticket server 164
receives requests from the ticket
vending terminals 104 in the form of Ticket Issue Requests 552. If the ticket
server 164 determines that a
ticket may be issued based on a Ticket Issue Request, it instructs the ticket
vending terminal 104 to print a
ticket receipt by sending Ticket Receipt Data 554. The operation of the ticket
server 164 to issue tickets and
the contents and use of a Ticket Issue Request 552 and Ticket Receipt Data 554
are further described below
with reference to method 2200 (Figure 8).
[172] The ticket server 164 also communicates with ticket vending terminals
104 to allow on-line lottery
tickets and on-line game tickets to be redeemed. The operation of ticket
server 164 to facilitate the
redemption of tickets is further described below in relation to method 2500
(Figure 11).
[173] Figure 8 illustrates method 2200. Method 2200 allows the lottery
operator to sell a ticket to a player
and correspondingly allows a player to purchase a ticket. The steps in method
2200 are explained with
reference to two examples. The first example is based on the Lotto 7/47 on-
line lottery, selection slip 116
and ticket receipt 118 (Figure 2). The second example is based on the Sports
Line on-line game, selection
slip 316 and ticket receipt 318 (Figure 4).
[174] Method 2200 starts in step 2202 in which the player selects and
completes a selection slip 112. As
described above, a lottery operator may make various types of selection slips
112 available for players to
choose from. In this exemplary embodiment, each selection slip 112 is related
to at least one on-line lottery
or on-line game. The player's choice of selection slip 112 determines the on-
line lottery (or fotteries) or on-
line game for which the player will purchase a ticket. The player completes
both the play region (either a
lottery play region on a selection slip for an on-line lottery or a game play
region on a selection slip on a
selection slip for an on-line game) and the account identification region on
the selection slip. After
completing the selection slip 112, the player gives it to a ticket vendor.
[175] In the present Lotto 7/47 based example, a lottery player, Sonia Smith,
selects selection slip 116 and
completes the loftery play region 120 by marking it as shown in Figure 2 to
select two sets of Lotto 7/47
played number sets, one Tag played number and three draws. She also completes
the account identification
-42-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
region 136 by marking the cells corresponding to the characters in her account
identification code SONIA4
(or AINOS4 in alphanumeric order). She then gives the completed selection slip
116 to the ticket vendor
who operates ticket vending terminal 104d. For the purpose of this example,
Sonia Smith completes step
2202 on Thursday October 23, 2003 at 7:18 pm. The next scheduled draw for the
Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery
after this time is on Friday October 24, 2003.
[176] In the present Sports Line based example, a player, Brian Jones, selects
selection slip 318 and
completes the game play region 320 to make predictions for three events as
shown in Figure 4. He also
completes the account identification region 336 by marking the cells
corresponding to the characters in his
account identification code, BRIAN237 (or ABINR237 in alphanumeric order). He
then gives the completed
selection slip 316 to the ticket vendor who operates ticket vending terminal
104c. For the purpose of this
example, Brian Jones completes step 2202 on October 24, 2003 at 3:45 pm.
[177] Method 2200 proceeds to step 2204, in which the ticket vendor inserts
the completed selection slip
112 into a ticket vending terminal 104. Ticket vending terminal 104 scans the
selection slip 112 to determine
which cells the player has marked and transmits a Ticket Issue Request 552 to
the ticket server 164. The
contents of a Ticket Issue Request 552 will differ depending on whether the
player is purchasing a ticket for
an on-line lottery or an on-line game. The ticket vending terminal 104 is
configured to determine which type
of selection slip the player chose in step 2202 by scanning the selection slip
identification region on the
selection slip 112. The ticket vending terminal 104 interprets the cells
marked by the player on the selection
slip 112 based on the type of selection slip.
[178] In this embodiment, a Ticket Issue Request 552 for an on-line lottery or
lotteries includes the
following information:
(a) the identity of each lottery for which the player has requested a ticket,
and for each lottery:
i. any played number sets the player has selected; and
ii. any played number sets automatically selected by the ticket vending
terminal 104
based on the player's selections on the selection slip;
(b) the number of draws for which the player has requested a ticket;
(c) the account identification code marked by the player on the selection
slip;
(d) the ticket vending terminal code.
[179] In this embodiment, a Ticket Issue Request 552 for an on-line game
includes the following
information:
(a) the identity of the on-line game for which the player has requested a
ticket;
(b) the event number and predicted outcome for each prediction made by the
player;
(c) the player's wager for the ticket;
(d) the account identification code marked by the player on the selection
slip;
(e) the ticket vending terminal code.
[180] The account identification code marked on a selection slip is set out in
the Ticket Issue Request 552
in the alphanumeric order used in the present embodiment. In this embodiment,
a ticket vending terminal
104 cannot determine which permutation of the characters marked in the account
identification region on a
-43-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
selection corresponds to the player's preferred order for the account
identification code.
[181] In the present Lotto 7/47 based example, the Ticket Issue Request 552
contains the following
information, which is based on the cells marked by player Sonia Smith on
selection slip 116:
(a) Host on-line lottery: Lotto 7/47
Lotto 7/47 played number set 1: 2 7 9 11 22 43 47
Lotto 7/47 played number set 2: 5 10 17 23 32 36 47
Associated on-line lottery: Tag
Tag played number set 1: 909207
(b) Number of draws: 3 draws
(c) Account ID Code: AINOS4
(d) Ticket vending terminal code: 19862.
[182] In the present Sports Line based example, the Ticket Issue Request 552
contains the following
information which is based on the cells marked by player Brian Jones on
selection slip 316:
(a) On-line game: Sports Line
(b) Events and Predictions: Event 12 - Visitor Win
Event 33 - Home Win
Event 43 - Tie
(c) Wager: $5
(d) Account ID Code: ABINR237
(e) Ticket vending terminal code: 85462.
[183] Method 2200 next proceeds to decision step 2206. In step 2206, the
ticket server 164 determines
whether a ticket may be issued based on the Ticket Issue Request 552 received
from the ticket vending
terminal 104 in step 2204. The ticket server 164 ensures that the player's
selections comply with the rules of
the on-line lottery or lotteries or on-line game or games for which the player
has requested a ticket. For
example, the ticket server 164 checks to ensure that the player has selected
the correct number of played
numbers for each played number set. The ticket server 164 may also check to
ensure that any other
requirements set by the lottery operator are complied with. For example, the
lottery operator may set a rule
that tickets for a particular on-line lottery may not be purchased with 15
minutes before or after a draw of the
on-line lottery. For an on-line game, the lottery operator may specify that a
ticket will only be issued if the
Ticket Issue Request is received prior to the time of the earliest event that
the bet is based on.
[184] In addition, the ticket server 164 determines if a player account with
account identification code
specified by the player exists in the player account table 502 (Figures 6a and
6b). If all of the rules of the on-
line lottery or lotteries or on-line game are complied with, any other
requirements set by the lottery operator
are also complied with and if a player account with the specified account
identification code exists, then a
ticket may be issued based on the Ticket Issue Request 552 and method 2200
proceeds to step 2210.
Otherwise, the ticket requested by the player cannot be issued. If the ticket
cannot be issued, method 2200
proceeds to step 2208.
-44-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[185] In the present Lotto 7/47 example, the selections made by Sonia Smith on
selection slip 116 comply
with the rules of Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery and a player account with the
account identification code AINOS4
does exist. Method 2200 can proceed to step 2210.
[186] Similarly, in the present Sports Line example, the selections made by
Brian Jones on selection slip
316 comply with the rules of the Sports Line on-line game and a player account
with the account
identification code ABINR237 does exist. In this example, method 2200 can also
proceed to step 2210.
[187] In step 2208, the ticket server 164 transmits an Error Message to the
ticket vending terminal from
which the Ticket Issue Request 552 was received in step 2204. The Error
Message indicates that a ticket
cannot be issued based on the Ticket Issue Request 552 and may optionally also
identify the reason why the
ticket cannot be issued. Method 2200 ends after step 2208.
[188] In step 2210, the ticket server 164 creates a new ticket record in the
appropriate ticket table, based
on the information in the Ticket Issue Request 552 and data generated by the
ticket server. The ticket server
164 stores data in the fields of the ticket record based on the Ticket Issue
Request and by generating
additional data (such as the ticket code, the data and time at which method
2200 is being performed and a
verification code). The ticket server 164 updates the draw records 518 (Figure
6a) for which the new ticket is
valid in the appropriate draw table 504 (Figure 6a), if the ticket is for an
on-line lottery, by adding the new
ticket to the Draw Ticket List.
[189] The ticket server 164 also updates the player account record 514
(Figures 6a and 6b) for the player
account identified in the Ticket Issue Request by adding a reference to the
new ticket to the Player Ticket
List field. This associates the ticket with the player account.
[190] If the Ticket Issue Request 552 identifies an on-line lottery, the
ticket server 164 generates or
determines the following information:
(a) a ticket code, which is generated by the ticket server 164;
(b) the date and time at which method 2200 is being performed;
(c) the identity of the on-line lottery or lotteries for which the ticket is
to be issued and the played
number sets for each of the lotteries, as indicated in the Ticket Issue
Request 552;
(d) the dates of the draws for which the ticket will be issued, based on the
number of draws
indicated in the Ticket Issue Request 552 and based on the date and time at
which the
method 2200 is being performed;
(e) the vendor terminal code identified in the Ticket Issue Request 552;
(f) a verification code, which is generated by the ticket server 164; and
(g) the account identification code with which the ticket will be associated,
as indicated in the
Ticket Issue Request 552.
[191] In the present embodiment, the lottery operator issues a ticket for
consecutive draws, starting with
the next draw after the time at which method 2200 is performed. If the Ticket
Issue Request 552 is for only
one draw, then a ticket for the next draw of the on-line lottery is issued. In
other embodiments, the lottery
operator may determine the draws for which a ticket will be issued according
to any set of rules. For
example, if a lottery has twice weekly draws (i.e. on Wednesday and Saturday),
the lottery operator may
-45-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
issue a ticket for the next three Saturday draws.
[192] The ticket server 164 creates a new ticket record 524 (Figure 6a) in the
ticket table 506 for the
indicated on-line lottery and completes the fields in the new ticket record
524. Since the record is newly
created, and since the ticket is issued prior to the draw of the on-line
lottery, the prize data for the ticket is
unknown and the Prize Data field of the ticket record 524 cannot be completed.
The Ticket Status field is set
to "Draws Not Complete".
[193] In the present Lotto 7/47 example, the ticket server 164 determines or
generates the following
information:
(a) ticket code: 2131-4556-8878-2902;
(b) date and time: October 23, 2003 7:19 p.m.;
(c) Lotto 7/47: Lotto 7/47 played number set 1: 2 7 9 11 22 43 47
Lotto 7/47 played number set 2: 5 10 17 23 32 36 47
Tag: Tag played number set 1: 909207;
(d) draw dates: October 24, 2003
October 21, 2003
November 7, 2003;
(e) ticket vending terminal code: 19862;
(f) verification code: 5283; and
(g) account identification code: AINOS4.
[194] As described above, ticket receipt 118 corresponds to ticket L3 (Figure
6a). The ticket server 164
creates the ticket record 525 for ticket L3 and records the assembled data in
it. The ticket record 525 for
ticket L3 when it is first created is set out above. The ticket server 164
updates the draw records 518 for the
October 24, 2003, October 31, 2003 and November 7, 2003 draws of the Lotto
7/47 on-line lottery by linking
the Draw Ticket List field in each record to the new ticket record 524. The
ticket server 164 updates the
player account record 514 for Sonia Smith's player account by adding a
reference to the new ticket in Player
Ticket List field.
[195] If the Ticket Issue Request 552 identifies an on-line game, the ticket
server 164 generates or
determines the following information:
(a) a ticket code, which is generated by the ticket server 164;
(b) the date and time at which method 2200 is being performed;
(c) the identity of the on-line game for which the ticket is to be issued and
the prediction set, as
indicated in the Ticket Issue Request 552;
(d) the wager made by the player for the ticket;
(e) the vendor terminal code identified in the Ticket Issue Request 552;
(f) a verification code, which is generated by the ticket server 164;
(g) the account identification code with which the ticket will be associated,
as indicated in the
Ticket Issue Request 552;
(h) the maturation event for the ticket; and
-46-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
(i) the payout value for the ticket.
[196] In the present embodiment, when a Ticket Issue Request is for an on-line
game, the date and time at
which method 2200 is performed determines which event list a ticket will be
issued for. The lottery operator
will issue a ticket for the event list that is current when the ticket is
issued (if a ticket may be issued as
described above in relation to step 2206).
[197] The ticket server 164 creates a new ticket record 538 (Figure 6b) in the
ticket table 510 for the
indicated on-line game and completes the fields in the new ticket record 538.
Since the new ticket is issued
prior to any of the events for which the player has made a prediction taking
place, the Ticket Status field is
set to "Events Not Completed".
[198] In the present Sports Line Example, the ticket server 164 generates or
determines the following
information:
(a) ticket code: 9113-4234-2342-3047;
(b) date and time: October 24, 2004 3:45 p.m.;
(c) on-line game: Sports Line;
(d) wager: $5;
(e) ticket vending terminal code: 85462;
(f) verification code: 6456;
(g) account identification code: ABINR237;
(h) maturation event: event 43; and
(i) payout value: 72.
Since method 2200 is being processed on October 24 at 3:45 p.m., the current
event list for the Sports Line
on-line game is event list 4523. As described above, ticket receipt 318
(Figure 4) corresponds to ticket SL3
(Figure 6b). The ticket server 164 creates a new ticket record 538 in the
ticket table 536 for the Sports Line
Ticket Table for event list 4523 and records the assembled data in the new
ticket record 538. The ticket
record 538 for ticket SL3 when it is first created is set out above. The
ticket server 164 also updates the
player record 514 for Brian Jones' player account by adding a reference to the
ticket code for the new ticket
in the Player Ticket List field.
[199] Method 2200 proceeds to step 2212. In step 2212, the ticket server 164
transmits Ticket Receipt
Data 554 to the ticket vending terminal 104 from which the Ticket Issue
Request 552 was received in step
2204. The Ticket Receipt Data 554 includes ticket information printed by the
ticket vending terminal 104 on
the ticket receipt 114 for the ticket. The ticket information includes the
account identification code marked by
the player in the account identification region on the selection slip 112 in
step 2202. In the present
embodiment, the ticket information includes the account identification code,
as it is stored in the Preferred ID
Code Order in the player account record 514, so that the player's account
identification code can be printed
on the ticket receipt 114 with the characters in the order preferred by the
player. The Ticket Receipt Data 554
may also include additional information, such as formatting information to
indicate how the information
printed on the ticket receipt 114 should be laid out. The ticket vending
terminal 104 prints a ticket receipt 114
setting out the ticket information. The account identification code is printed
on the ticket, indicating that the
-47-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
ticket issued in this method 2200 has been associated with the player's
account in the lottery database 160.
[200] In the present Lotto 7/47 example, ticket vending terminal 104d (Figure
2) prints out ticket receipt
118. In the Sports Line example, ticket vending terminal 104c (Figure 4)
prints out ticket receipt 318.
[201] In another embodiment, the ticket vending terminal 104 may transmit a
Ticket Receipt Issued
message (not shown) to the ticket server 164 as part of step 2212 after the
ticket receipt 114 has been
printed. The ticket server 164 may use the Ticket Receipt Issued message to as
a confirmation that the
ticket purchase transaction has been successfully completed.
[202] Method 2200 proceeds to step 2214, in which the ticket vendor gives the
printed ticket receipt 114 to
the player. The ticket vendor will also obtain payment from the player for the
ticket.
[203] Method 2200 then ends.
[204] Method 2200 allows a player to identify the player's account when
purchasing a ticket for an on-line
lottery or on-line game. A player may participate in an on-line lottery by
using a lottery play region on a
selection slip to select played number sets, request automatically selected
numbers, participate in an
associated lottery or select a number of draws to participate in, depending on
the selections permitted by the
lottery operator. The player may participate in an on-line game by using a
game play region of selection slip
to make predictions and wagers, depending on the selections permitted by the
lottery operator. The present
invention allows the player to identify the player's account using an account
identification region on a
selection slip. The ticket server issues a ticket to the player and associates
the ticket with the player's
account in step 2210. The player receives a ticket receipt setting out the
player's played number set or sets
(for an on-line lottery) or his predictions (for an on-line game) and the
player's account identification code,
indicating that the ticket is associated with the player's account.
[205] In method 2200, the ticket server 164 audits a Ticket Issue Request 552
to determine whether a
ticket may be issued in step 2206. In another embodiment, a ticket vending
terminal 104 may audit some or
all of the selections marked by a player on a selection slip prior. The rules
for the various on-line lotteries
and on-line games that the lottery operator offers may be programmed into the
ticket vending terminal 104.
In step 2204, the ticket vending terminal 104 may be programmed to determine
if the player has properly
marked the play region in accordance with the rules of the on-line lottery or
on-line game to which the
selection slip relates. Similarly, a list of valid account identification
codes may be stored in the ticket vending
terminal 104. The ticket vending terminal 104 may compare an account
identification code marked on a
selection slip to the list of valid account identification codes. If the play
region is not marked correctly, or if
the marked account identification code is not found in the list of valid
account identification code, the ticket
vending terminal 104 may display an error message and will not send a Ticket
Issue Request. To facilitate
up-to-date checking of account identification codes, when a new player account
is created according to
method 2100, the new account identification code may be transmitted to all
ticket vending terminals to be
added to the list of valid account identification codes. Alternatively, the
list of valid account identification
codes could be updated periodically and a player who creates a new account may
be unable to use the
account until the player's account identification code has been stored in the
ticket vending terminals 104.
For example, the list of valid account identification codes may be updated in
each ticket vending terminal 104
-48-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
each night. A player can use a player account the day after it is created. If
the ticket vending terminal 104
determines that the play region is marked correctly and a valid account
identification code has been marked
in the account identification region on a selection slip, the ticket vending
terminal 104 will send a Ticket Issue
Request to the ticket server 164. The ticket server may repeat some of the
checks performed by the ticket
vending terminal 104 and may perform additional audits as well. In different
embodiments, the ticket vending
terminal 104 may perform some or all of the audits. For example, in another
embodiment, the ticket vending
terminal 104 may audit the information marked in the play region while the
ticket server 164 audits both the
play region and the account identification code marked in the account
identification region.
[206] In other embodiments, a ticket may be issued even if an invalid account
identification code is marked
on a selection slip. Optionally, the invalid account identification code may
be ignored and a ticket may be
issued as if no account identification code had been marked on the selection
slip. Alternatively, the ticket
receipt 114 may include a notice to the effect that an invalid account
identification code had been marked on
the selection slip and was ignored.
[207] On the ticket receipts 114 illustrated in Figures 2 - 5, an account
identification code is set out in full.
Alternatively, only part of an account identification code may be set out on a
ticket receipt. For example, the
first and last characters may be set out with one or more spacer characters
between them. The account
identification code SONIA4 may be set out as S---4. This allows a player to
confirm that the ticket has been
associated with the player's account, but does not reveal the player's account
identification code to other
persons who may see the player's ticket. In another embodiment, a player's
account identification code may
not be printed on a ticket receipt 114. Instead, a confirmation phrase such as
"Player Account Entered" may
be printed on the ticket receipt 114 to inform the player that the ticket has
been associated with a player
account. This alternative does not allow a player to confirm that the player
properly marked the player's own
account identification code on a selection slip.
[208] In system 100, if a player requests that a played number set be
automatically selected for the player,
the ticket vending terminal 104 automatically selects the requested played
numbers and includes the
selected numbers in a Ticket Issue Request. Similarly, a ticket vending
terminal 104 automatically selects
played numbers for an on-line lottery in which all played numbers are
automatically selected (such as the
Tag on-line lottery). In another embodiment, the ticket vending terminal 104
may include the player's request
for an automatically selected played number set or to participate in an on-
line lottery for which all played
numbers are automatically selected to the ticket server 164. The ticket server
may automatically select the
requested played numbers and include them in a Ticket Receipt Data message.
[209] Reference is next made to Figure 9. For each on-line lottery, the
lottery operator conducts a draw of
the on-line lottery at the appointed date and time. In the case of a host on-
line lottery with an associated on-
line lottery, the lottery operator typically conducts a draw of both the host
and associated on-line lotteries,
depending on the rules for the on-line lotteries. In the present embodiment,
the lottery operator then checks
each ticket that is valid for the draw by comparing the played number sets for
each ticket valid for the draw
with the corresponding winning number sets to determine if the ticket has won
any prizes and to determine
the value of any shared prizes. Figure 9 illustrates a method 2300 that a
lottery operator may use to do so.
-49-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Method 2300 will be explained using an example based on the October 31, 2003
draw date for the host Lotto
7/47 on-line lottery and associated Tag on-line lottery and with reference to
Lotto 7/47 ticket L3 (Figure 6a),
which corresponds to ticket receipt 118 (Figure 2).
[210] Method 2300 begins in step 2302 in which the lottery operator conducts
the draw of the on-line
lottery or lotteries.
[211] In the present example based on the October 31, 2003 draw of the Lotto
7/47 on-line lottery, the
lottery operator draws a winning number set for the host Lotto 7/47 on-line
lottery and a winning number for
the associated Tag on-line lottery. The winning number set for the Lotto 7/47
on-line lottery consists of the
winning numbers 2, 7, 11, 17, 22, 36, 43 and bonus number 23. The winning
number for the associated Tag
on-line lottery is 258952.
[212] Method 2300 then proceeds to step 2304, in which the lottery operator
updates the winning number
field or fields in the appropriate draw record 518 for the draws conducted in
step 2302 in the appropriate
draw table 504. In the present example, the lottery operator updates the draw
record 518 for the October 31,
2003 draw in the Lotto 7/47 draw table 516. The lottery operator records the
Lotto 7/47 winning number set
in the Lotto 7/47 Winning Number Set field and records the Tag winning number
in the Tag Winning Number
field as follows:
Lotto 7/47 Winning 2, 7, 11, 17, 22, 36, 43 Bonus Number 23
Number Set
Tag Winning 258952
Number
[213] Method 2300 then proceeds to step 2306, in which an on-line lottery
ticket checking program (not
shown) is executed by the lottery operator. The on-line lottery ticket
checking program is executed on the
lottery computer system 102 and has access to the lottery database 160. The on-
line lottery ticket checking
program uses the Draw Ticket List field in the draw record 518 for the draw
conducted in step 2302 to obtain
the ticket record 524 (Figure 6a) for each ticket valid for the draw. The on-
line lottery ticket checking
program compares the played number sets on each ticket to the corresponding
winning number sets for the
draw and updates the Prize Data field in the ticket record for the ticket
based on the comparison. The on-line
lottery ticket checking program counts the number of winning played number
sets for each different winning
combination for each lottery to allow the lottery operator to determine the
value of any shared prizes and for
information purposes. In other embodiments, the on-line lottery ticket
checking program may count only the
number of winning number sets for winning combinations that have shared
prizes.
[214] If a ticket is valid for more than one draw, the played number sets on
the ticket are compared to the
corresponding winning numbers sets after each draw and the Prize Data field in
the ticket record 524 is
updated to reflect the results for the ticket as of the most recent draw. If
all of the draws for which the ticket
is valid have been conducted, the on-line lottery ticket checking program also
updates the Ticket Status field
in the ticket record 524. If the ticket has won a prize (in the draw conducted
during the current performance
of method 2300 or in a previous draw) the ticket status is changed to "Winner-
Not Redeemed". If the ticket
-50-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
has not won any prize in any draw, the Ticket Status is changed to "Not A
Winner". If the ticket is still valid
for future draws, the Ticket Status remains "Draws Not Complete".
[215] Typically, the on-line lottery ticket checking program will check each
ticket valid for the draw
conducted in step 2302 in turn. Referring to Figure 6a, tickets L3, L4 and L5
will be checked for the October
31, 2003 draw. Tickets L4 and L5 are not valid for any subsequent draws and
the Ticket Status field will be
set to "Not a Winner" or "Winner-Not Redeemed".
[216] When each ticket valid for the draw conducted in step 2302 has been
checked to determine the
results for the ticket in the draw, the lottery ticket checking program
records the number of played number
sets that have won prizes for each of the winning combinations for each draw
conducted in step 2302.
Method 2300 then proceeds to step 2308.
[217] In the present example, in step 2306, the result of comparing the played
number sets to the
corresponding winning numbers for the October 31, 2003 draw gives the
following results:
Lotto 7/47 played number set 1: 5/7 regular winning numbers
Lotto 7/47 played number set 2: No winning combination
Tag played number 1: No winning combination.
[218] Based on these results, the on-line lottery ticket checking program
increments the count of the
number of played number sets that have won the fifth prize in the October 31,
2003 Lotto 7/47 draw and also
updates the Prize Data field in ticket record 525. The Prize Data field has
the following information in it after
it is updated:
Prize Data October 24, 2003
Lotto 7/47 played number set 1: Not a winner
Lotto 7/47 played number set 2: 4/7 regular numbers
Tag played number 1: Last three digits
October 31, 2003
Lotto 7/47 played number set 1: 5/7 regular numbers
Lotto 7/47 played number set 2: Not a winner
Tag played number 1: Not a winner
[219] The data relating to the October 23, 2003 draw was recorded in the Prize
Data field earlier when
method 2300 was performed in relation to that draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-line
lottery and its associated Tag
on-line lottery, based on the winning number sets for the Lotto 7/47 and Tag
draws on that draw date. Ticket
L3 is still valid for another draw on November 7, 2003 and accordingly, the
Ticket Status for the ticket
remains Draws Not Complete.
[220] In step 2308, the lottery operator determines the value of any shared
prizes based on the number of
winners for each winning combination, according to the rules of each on-line
lottery. The lottery operator
then updates the prize information fields in the draw records for the
completed draws.
[221] In the present example, the lottery operator calculates the value of
each prize for the October 31,
2004 draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery and updates the Lotto 7/47 Prize
Information field in the draw
-51-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
record 518 for the draw. The Free Ticket Prize and all of the prizes for the
Tag on-line lottery are fixed prizes
and no calculation is required. These fixed prizes are also recorded in the
draw record 518 for the draws.
[222] This information is stored in the draw record 518 for the October 31,
2004 draw in the following
fields:
Lotto 7/47 Prize Winninp Combination Prize Value Winners
Information 7/7 regular numbers $2,500,000 1
6/7 reg. numbers + bonus $342,849 5
6/7 regular numbers $6,293 203
5/7 regular numbers $146 2,839
4/7 regular numbers $28 10,020
3/7 reg. numbers + bonus $32 7,324
3/7 regular numbers Free Ticket 784,893
Tag Prize Prize Winners
Information All six digits 2
Last five digits 34
Last four digits 239
Last three digits 2894
First and last digits 34,230
First digit 333,902
Last digit 273,294
[223] After step 2308, method 2300 ends.
[224] Steps 2304, 2306 and 2308 may be automated using a computer program,
which would include the
on-line lottery ticket checking program described above in relation to step
2306. The lottery operator may
input the winning number set into the computer program and the total value of
the shared prizes (if any), or
the information required to calculate the total value of the shared prizes.
The computer program can then
carry out all three steps. Alternatively, the lottery operator may carry out
step 2304 or 2308 or both
separately from the on-line lottery ticket checking program of step 2306. The
lottery operator may provide
the winning number set to the lottery ticket checking program to allow it to
carry out the necessary
comparisons. The on-line lottery ticket checking program of step 2306 may
process a host on-line lottery
and any associated on-line lottery or separate programs may be used to
determine the results for each ticket
for the different on-line lotteries. A skilled person will be capable of
providing one or more computer
programs to carry out the comparisons and data operations required depending
on the particular structure of
any particular on-line lottery or lotteries and data storage techniques with
which the invention is used.
[225] Method 2300 allows a lottery operator to conduct a draw for an on-line
lottery and to determine the
results for each played number set on each ticket that is valid for the draw.
The lottery operator can
determine the number of winning played number sets for each winning
combination for the draw. If the
lottery operator has conducted a draw for a host on-line lottery and an
associated on-line lottery, the lottery
-52-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
operator may use method 2300 to calculate the number of winning played number
sets for each on-line
lottery. In addition, the lottery operator may calculate the value of any
shared prizes based on the total prize
value allotted for a particular winning combination and the number of winners
for that winning combination.
The lottery operator may update the ticket record for each ticket to record
the results for the ticket. The
lottery operator may also update the draw record for the completed draw to
record the number of winning
played number sets for each winning combination, and the value of some or all
of the prizes for each on-line
lottery, depending on the information stored in the draw records in any
particular embodiment of the
invention.
[226] Reference is next made to Figure 10. For each on-line game, the lottery
operator updates the event
table 508 for the on-line game after each is completed. Method 2400
illustrates a method used by the lottery
operator in the present exemplary embodiment to update the event tables 508
for on-line games, to check
on-line game tickets and to update on-line game ticket records 538. Method
2400 will be explained with
reference to the Sports Line on-line game, event 43 in that on-line game and
ticket SL3 (Figure 6b), which
corresponds to ticket receipt 318 (Figure 4).
[227] Method 2400 is performed by the lottery operator for each event in an on-
line game. Method 2400
begins in step 2400, in which the lottery operator waits for the event to be
completed.
[228] In the present example, the lottery operator waits until the NFL
football game between Dallas and
Tampa Bay on October 26, 2003 is completed.
[229] After the event has been completed, method 2400 proceeds to step 2404.
In step 2404, the lottery
operator updates the Actual Outcome field in the event record 534 for the
event that has been completed.
[230] For the purposes of the present example, the NFL football game is
assumed to have ended with
Dallas winning the game 21-18, according to the standards rules for NFL
football. However, according to the
rules set by the lottery operator for the Sports Line on-line game, the game
is deemed to be a tie, since the
teams are separated by three or fewer in the final score. The lottery operator
updates the Actual Outcome
field of the event record 534 for event 43 in Sports Line Event Table 532 as
follows:
I Actual Outcome Tie
[231] Method 2400 then proceeds to step 2406, in which the lottery operator
executes an on-line game
ticket checking program (not shown). The on-line game ticket checking program
is executed on the lottery
computer system 102 and has access to the lottery database 160. The on-line
game ticket checking
program checks each on-line game ticket that matured with completion of the
completed event, based on the
Maturation Event field in the ticket record 538 for the ticket. In the present
embodiment, the Maturation
Event Index for the on-line game ticket able 510 (Figure 6b) is used to
identify each ticket record that
identifies the newly completed event in the Maturation Record field.
[232] For each ticket that matured with the completed event, the game ticket
checking program compares
the player's prediction set (set out in the Predicted Outcomes field in the
ticket record 538) with the actual
outcomes of the corresponding events and determines if the player has won the
bet made on the ticket. If,
according to the rules for the on-line game, the player has won the bet, the
Ticket Status field in the ticket
-53-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
record 538 is updated by changing the ticket status to "Winner-Not Redeemed".
If the player has lost the
bet, then the Ticket Status field in the ticket record 538 is updated by
changing the ticket status to "Not a
Winner". If a ticket record 538 identifies the completed event in its
Maturation Event field, but some of the
other events have not been completed when on-line game checking program is
executed, then one of the
Maturation Event field is changed to identify one of the uncompleted events.
If the expected ending time of
the uncompleted events can be estimated, then the event with the latest
expected ending time is identified in
the Maturation Event field. The ticket status for tickets that do not mature
with the completion of the
completed event is not changed.
[233] The on-line game ticket checking program will check each ticket that
matured with the completion of
the completed event in turn. Referring to Figure 6b, four tickets in the
Sports Line Ticket Table for List 4523
become mature with the completion of event 43: tickets SL2, SL3, SL4 and SL6.
[234] In the present example, the bet made by the player (Brian Jones) on
ticket SL3 is based on three
events: event 12, event 33 and event 43 set out for the Sports Line on-line
game in List 4523. The actual
outcome for event 43 is a tie, according to the rules for the Sports Line on-
line game, as described above at
step 2404. For the purposes of the present example, it is assumed that the
actual outcomes of the other
events are as follows: Event 12 - Visitor Win; and Event 33 - Home Win. After
events 12 and 33, method
2400 would have been carried out, however, ticket SL3 would not be checked in
step 2406, since the ticket
did not mature with the completion of either of those events. In both cases,
the ticket status would have
been left as "Events Not Complete".
[235] With the completion of event 43, ticket SL3 matures and the on-line game
ticket checking program
checks ticket SL3 during step 2406. The on-line game ticket checking program
compares the prediction set
for the on-line game ticket with the actual outcomes of the corresponding
events, with the result that the
player correctly predicted the outcome of each event. The player has won the
bet on ticket SL3. The ticket
checking program changes the Ticket Status field to "Winner-Not Redeemed". The
player is entitled to
redeem the on-line game ticket for the Payout Value of $72.
[236] Similarly, the ticket checking program checks tickets SL2, SL4 and SL6
and changes their Ticket
Status fields to "Winner-Not Redeemed" or "Not a Winner'. When all the tickets
maturing with the completion
of event 43 has been checked by the on-line game ticket checking program,
method 2400 ends.
[237] Event 43 in the Sports Line on-line game, the NFL Football game between
Dallas and Tampa Bay on
October 26, 2003 is also an event in the Over/Under on-line game. In the
present exemplary embodiment,
method 2400 is carried out separately in relation to the Over/Under on-line
game after the completion of
each event for that on-line game. In an alternative embodiment, a lottery
operator may combine the
processes of checking tickets for different on-line games, particularly if the
on-line games are based on the
same events.
[238] Method 2400 allows a lottery operator to update an event record 534 for
a completed event and to
update the ticket record 538 for each ticket that matures with the completion
of the event. In the present
embodiment, a lottery operator may choose to perform method 2400 after the
completion of each event,
without regard for the completion of other events.
-54-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[239] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may choose to perform steps
2402 and 2404 in respect of
two or more events, and then perform method 2406 in respect of each of the
events. For example, a lottery
operator may allow a group of events (such a group of sports events held on a
particular day) to be
completed and update the event record for each of the events based on the
outcome of each event. After
the group of events is complete, the lottery operator may perform step 2406 in
respect of all of the events by
configuring the ticket checking program to check any ticket that matures with
any event in the set. This
allows the lottery operator to determine the results for all tickets that
matured with the completion of one or
more the events in the group (i.e. all tickets that matured on a particular
day) and to update the ticket records
for each of the tickets.
[240] In another system, on-line game ticket records may have a Maturation
Date field rather than a
Maturation Event field. The lottery operator waits until all events on a
particular day are complete and
updates the event records for each such event, effectively performing steps
2402 and 2404 in respect of
each event. Subsequently, the lottery operator performs step 2406 and
configures the on-line game ticket
checking program to check each ticket that matures on the particular day.
[241] Reference is next made to Figure 11, which illustrates a method 2500 for
redeeming a winning on-
line lottery or on-line game ticket. The ticket server 164 communicates with a
ticket vending terminal 104 to
facilitate the redemption of tickets in method 2500 and updates the status of
the ticket in a ticket record 524
or 538 if a winning ticket is redeemed.
[242] Method 2500 begins in step 2500. In this step, a player presents a
ticket receipt for a ticket to a
ticket vendor. In the present embodiment, the ticket vendor enters the ticket
code for the ticket into a ticket
vending terminal 104. Ticket receipts in the present embodiment have a machine
readable bar code (for
example, bar code 158 on Figure 2) printed on them to allow the ticket vendor
to scan the ticket code using a
bar code scanning device coupled to the ticket vending terminal 104. The
ticket vending terminal 104
transmits a Ticket Redemption Request message to the ticket server 164
indicating that a player has
requested to redeem the ticket identified in the message.
[243] Method 2500 then proceeds to decision step 2504. The ticket server
accesses the ticket record 524
or 538 for the ticket in the lottery database 160. If the status in the Ticket
Status field of the ticket record 524
is "Winner-Not Redeemed", method 2500 proceeds to decision step 2506.
Otherwise, method 2500
proceeds to step 2512.
[244] In decision step 2506, the ticket server 164 determines if the prize won
by ticket may be redeemed
by the ticket vendor. A lottery operator may limit the value of cash prizes
that may be redeemed by a ticket
vendor. Cash prizes exceed the limit must be redeemed at an office operated by
the lottery operator. Ticket
vendors are also typically permitted to redeem free ticket prizes. However,
ticket vendors may not be able to
redeem merchandise prizes. In the present embodiment, the lottery operator
permits ticket vendors to
redeem free ticket prizes and cash prizes with a value of less than $1000. If
the ticket may be redeemed by
the ticket vendor, method 2500 proceeds to step 2508. Otherwise method 2500
proceeds to step 2510.
[245] In step 2508, the ticket server 164 transmits a "Redeem Ticket" message
to the ticket vending
terminal 104. The ticket server 164 sets the Ticket Status field in the ticket
record 525 to "Winner-
-55-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Redeemed". The Redeem Ticket message contains instructions for redeeming the
ticket, including the prize
or prizes won by the ticket. The instructions may include information that is
displayed or printed at the ticket
vending terminal. The ticket vendor follows the instructions and redeems the
prize or prizes. After step
2508, method 2500 ends.
[246] In step 2510, the ticket server 164 transmits a"Ticket Redemption
Information" message to the ticket
vending terminal 104 containing instructions as to how the player may redeem
the ticket. The ticket vendor
provides these instructions to the player. The ticket server 164 does not
change the setting of the Ticket
Status field in the ticket record 524. After step 2510, method 2500 ends. In
the present embodiment, the
instructions advise the player to visit a prize claim office operated by the
lottery operator to redeem the prize.
A player may redeem any prize, including prizes that cannot be redeemed by a
ticket vendor, by visiting a
prize claim office operated by the lottery operator. When the player redeems a
prize in this way, the status
for the ticket is also set to "Winner-Redeemed".
[247] Step 2512 is reached if a player may attempts to redeem an on-line
lottery ticket that is not a winning
ticket or a ticket that has already been redeemed. The Ticket Status field for
such a ticket will be set to
"Draws Not Complete", "Events Not Complete", "Not a Winner" or "Winner-
Redeemed". The ticket server
164 transmits a "Non-Redeemable Ticket" message to the ticket vending terminal
104. The Non-
Redeemable Ticket message instructs the ticket vendor not to give any prize to
the player and may optionally
include details as to the status of the ticket. The Non-Redeemable Ticket
message may optionally contain
instructions for printing a report that may be given to the player indicating
that the ticket cannot be redeemed
and may also indicate the reason. The ticket server 164 does not change the
setting of the Ticket Status
field in the ticket record 524. After step 2512, method 2500 ends.
[248] Reference is next made to Figure 12, which illustrates method 2600.
Method 2600 allows a player to
access the lottery computer system 102 to obtain information about tickets
associated with the player's
account.
[249] Method 2600 begins in step 2602 in which a player uses a player terminal
106 to access the player
account server 162 and to request access to an account checking service. The
player terminal 106 to
communicate with a player interface 166 to allow the player to obtain
information stored in the lottery
database 160. Method 2600 will be described by way of example with reference
to the exemplary player
account for Sonia Smith. Sonia Smith uses player terminal 106c to access the
player account server 162.
Player terminal 106c is a personal computer coupled to public network 110 and
is configured with a web
browser capable of displaying web pages, including web pages provided by
player website 167a (Figure 1).
[250] Reference is made to Figure 13. A player may access player account
server 162 by accessing the
player website 167a and accessing the welcome web page 602. Welcome web page
602 includes player
account identification code field 612, an account password field 614 and an
"Enter" button 616. To request
access to the account checking service, the player enters his account
identification code in the account
identification code field 612, his account password in the account password
field 614 and then clicks on the
Enter button 616. The account identification code and account password entered
by the player are
transmitted to the player account server 162. Optionally, the account password
may be encrypted before it is
-56-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
transmitted to the player account server 162. The account identification code
may also optionally be
encrypted before it is transmitted to the player account server 162.
[251] In the present example, Sonia Smith accesses player website 167a using
her player terminal 106c.
The welcome web page 602 is displayed on her player terminal 106c. Sonia Smith
enters her account
identification code SONIA4 in the account identification code field 612, with
the characters in the order
recorded in the Preferred ID Code Order field in the corresponding player
account record 514. She also
enters her account password in the account password field 612 and clicks on
the Enter button 616.
[252] Method 2600 then proceeds to decision step 2604. In step 2604, the
player account server 162
attempts to authenticate the account identification code and account password
entered by the player in step
2602. If a player account record 514 matching the entered account
identification code and account
password exists in the player account table 512 (Figures 6a and 6b), then the
account identification code and
password are authentic and method 2600 proceeds to step 2608. Otherwise,
method 2600 proceeds to
step 2606.
[253] In the present embodiment, a player must enter an account identification
code with its characters
ordered in the same order or permutation that is recorded in the Preferred ID
Order field in the player
account record 514 for that player account record. If the player enters the
characters in a different order in
step 2602, then account identification code will not be authenticated in step
2604 and method 2600 proceeds
to step 2606. This reduces the likelihood that a player (or any other person)
will accidentally (or intentionally)
obtain access another player's account, since the player must enter not only
the correct characters in the
other player's account identification code, but must also enter them in the
correct order. In the present
embodiment, changing the order of characters in an account identification code
does not change the account
identification code. As a result, the lottery operator could alternatively
allow a player to access the player's
account regardless of the order in which the characters in the account
identification code are entered in step
2602.
[254] In step 2606, an error message is displayed on the player terminal 106
indicating that the player has
entered an invalid account identification code or an invalid password (or
both). Method 2600 then ends.
[255] In step 2608, the player is provided access to the account checking
service, which allows the player
to obtain information relating to the player's tickets. The player account
server 162 obtains information about
the player's tickets from the lottery database 160. The player account server
162 transmits information about
the player's tickets to the player terminal 106 using the player interface
with which the player terminal 106 is
communicating. The information transmitted to the player terminal 106 is
displayed for the player to view.
[256] In the present exemplary embodiment, the player interface 166 provides
several types of reports to a
player about tickets associated with the player's account. Each report is
based on information recorded in
the lottery database 160. The different report information about the player's
account and the player's tickets
in varying levels of detail. The player account server 162 extracts detailed
information about individual
tickets from the lottery database 160 and provides detailed ticket status
reports. The player account server
also provides an account summary report which includes summary information
about the player's tickets and
summary information about individual tickets. Some of the information provided
by the player account server
-57-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
162 may be calculated based on information recorded in the lottery database
160.
[257] In the present example, the player interface 166a formats the reports so
that they are suitable for
display in a web browser operating on Sonia Smith's player terminal 106c. The
player interface then
transmits the formatted report to the player terminal where it is displayed.
[258] Reference is next made to Figure 14, which illustrates an account
summary report 700 for the
exemplary player account for Sonia Smith, which has account identification
code AINOS4. Account
summary report 700 is displayed by the web browser on the player's terminal
after she accesses the player
account server as described above in steps 2602 and 2604.
[259] Player interface 166a generates account summary report 700 as a web page
based on the contents
of the lottery database 160 at the time account summary report 700 is
displayed. The formatted account
summary report 700 is transmitted to Sonia Smith's player computer 106c where
it is displayed for her to
view. On the account summary report 700, the date and time that account
summary report 700 was
generated is set out at 702. The player's account identification code is set
out at 704, in the player's
preferred order for the characters. The account information page 700 includes
an account summary section
706 and a ticket summary section 708.
[260] In the account summary section 706, various information relating to the
player's account and to
tickets associated with the player's account is set out. In the present
exemplary account information page
700, the prizes won by the player in on-line lotteries and on-line games are
summarized. The summary
indicates that the player has unredeemed prizes and has won prizes on tickets
with draws remaining. The
summary also provides information about on-line game tickets.
[261] The information presented on the account summary report 700 is
calculated based on information
about the player's account and the player's tickets extracted from the lottery
database 160. The Player
Ticket List field in the player account record 514 for the player's account is
used to identify the player's
tickets. The corresponding on-line lottery ticket records 524 (Figure 6a) and
on-line game ticket records 538
(Figure 6b) are reviewed to determine what prizes, if any, the player's
tickets have won, if any draws or
events are remaining for the tickets and which, if any, prizes have been
redeemed. The player interface
166a calculates the summary values presented in the account summary section
706 based on the extracted
data.
[262] In the ticket summary section 708, information about each of the tickets
associated with the player's
account is set out. The information for each ticket is obtained from the
corresponding on-line lottery ticket
record 524 or on-line game ticket record 538.
[263] In the present embodiment, the lottery operator allows winning tickets
to be redeemed within one
year of the on-line lottery draw or on-line game events that the ticket
relates to. After the one year period, a
ticket becomes expired and invalid. The account summary section 706 and the
ticket summary section 708
include information relating to the valid tickets associated with the player's
account.
[264] The player may obtain detailed information about any of the listed
tickets by clicking on the ticket
code for the ticket in the ticket summary section 708. When the player does
so, a detailed ticket status
report for the corresponding ticket is generated by the player interface 166a
in the form of a web page. The
-58-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
detailed ticket status report is transmitted to the player's terminal 106
where it is displayed.
[265] The use of the ticket code for a ticket as a link to the detailed ticket
status report is only an example.
Additionally, or alternatively, any part of the information displayed about a
ticket could be used as the link.
Additionally, or alternatively, a button may be provided for some or all of
the tickets listed in the ticket
summary section 708 as a link to the detailed ticket status report for that
ticket.
[266] Reference is made to Figure 15, which illustrates a detailed ticket
status report 720a for ticket L1
(Figure 6a). Detailed ticket status report 720a is generated by lottery
interface 166a as a web page and is
transmitted to Sonia Smith's player terminal 106c when she requests detailed
information for ticket L1 by
clicking on the ticket code 2130-2485-3245-2352 on the account summary report
700. Detailed ticket status
report 720a is displayed on player terminal 106c by the web browser operating
on the player terminal.
[267] On the detailed ticket status report 720a, the date and time at which
the detailed ticket status report
720a was generated is displayed at 722. The ticket code for the ticket is set
out in a ticket code section 724.
The draws and lottery for which the on-line lottery ticket is valid are set
out in a validity information section
726.
[268] The played number sets for the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery and the
associated Tag on-line lottery are
set out in a played number section 728. In the present embodiment, even if a
player chooses not to
purchase a Tag played number when purchasing a Lotto 7/47 played number set, a
Tag played number is
still printed on the ticket receipt 114 for the Lotto 7/47 played number set.
In this case, the words "Not
Played" are printed beside the Tag played number in the played number section
728 to indicate that the
player chose not to purchase the Tag played number. A summary of prizes won
and the redemption status
for the ticket is set out in a prize summary section 730.
[269] For every draw for which the ticket is valid, the played number sets on
the ticket are compared to the
corresponding winning numbers. In the present embodiment, this comparison is
performed for each lottery
ticket following each draw for which the ticket is valid during step 2306 of
method 2300 (Figure 9). However,
the results of the comparison are not recorded, other than to update the Prize
Data and the Ticket Status
fields in the corresponding ticket records. The player interface 166a performs
this comparison again. To do
so, the player interface 166a obtains the winning numbers from the draw record
518 for each draw. The
results of the comparison are shown in a detailed results section 732. The
results indicate that one of the
played number sets on the ticket is a winning played number set and has won a
prize of $82. The ticket is a
winning lottery ticket. The results also indicate that the player would have
won a prize had the player chosen
to purchase the Tag played number set.
[270] The detailed ticket status report includes a "Return to Account Summary"
button 732. The player
may click on this button 732 to display the account summary report 700 (Figure
14) on the player terminal
106.
[271] The detailed ticket status report 720a provides the player with detailed
information about the results
for the ticket, allowing the player to learn the result of comparing the
played numbers on the ticket with the
corresponding winning numbers, without having to do so manually.
[272] A detailed ticket status report 720b is shown in Figure 16 for Lotto
7/47 ticket L3. Detailed ticket
-59-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
status report 720b is generated by lottery interface 166a when Sonia Smith
click on the ticket code 2131-
4556-8878-2902 for ticket L3 on the account summary report 700 (Figure 14).
Lottery interface 166a
generates detailed ticket status report 720b based on information in the
lottery database 160 and the player
website 167a transmits it to player terminal 106c, where it is displayed for
Sonia Smith to view. Ticket L3 is
valid for the Tag on-line lottery and this is set out at in the validity
information section 726 and is also
indicated in the played number section 728 by the omission of the words "Not
Played" beside the Tag played
number.
[273] The played numbers for this ticket are compared to the corresponding
winning numbers for each
draw that the ticket is valid for. In the number comparison section 732, the
results of the comparison for the
October 24, 2003 and the October 31, 2003 Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery and Tag
on-line lottery draws are
shown. Ticket L3 is also valid for the November 7, 2003 draw, which had not
been conducted when the
detailed ticket status report 720b was generated at 2:00 p.m. on November 2,
2003.
[274] Figure 17 illustrates a detailed ticket status report 740a for on-line
game ticket OU2 (Figure 6b).
Detailed ticket status report 740a is generated by player interface 166a when
Sonia Smith clicks on the ticket
code 9227-3486-5972-6578 for the ticket on account summary report 700 (Figure
14). The detailed ticket
status report 740a is generated as a web page and is transmitted by the player
website 167a to player
terminal 106b where it is displayed for Sonia Smith to view.
[275] On detailed ticket status report 740a, the date and time at which the
report was generated is set out
at 742. The ticket code for the ticket is set out in a ticket code section
744. The on-line game and event list
for which the ticket is valid is set out in a validity information section
746. A summary of the results for the
ticket and the prize redemption status for the ticket is set out in a prize
summary section 748.
[276] A comparison of the player's prediction for each event in the prediction
set to the actual outcome for
the event is set out in a detailed results section 750. The detailed results
section 750 indicates that all five
predictions in the prediction set are correct and as a result, the ticket is a
winning game ticket. At the bottom
of the detailed results section, the web page include a link to instructions
(not shown) explaining how the
player may redeem her prize.
[277] The detailed ticket status report includes a "Return to Account Summary"
button 752, which the
player may click on to display the account summary report 700 (Figure 14) on
her player terminal 106c.
[278] Detailed ticket status report 740a provides Sonia Smith with detailed
information about the ticket,
allowing her to learn the results for the ticket without manually comparing
the predictions in her prediction set
with the corresponding actual event outcomes.
[279] Figure 18 illustrates a detailed ticket status report 740b for on-line
game ticket SL3 (Figure 6b).
Detailed ticket status report 740b is generated by player interface 166a when
Sonia Smith clicks on the ticket
code 9113-4234-2342-3047 on account summary report 700 (Figure 14). The
detailed ticket status report
740b is generated as a web page and is transmitted by the player website 167a
to player terminal 106b
where it is displayed for Sonia Smith to view.
[280] The sections and layout of detailed ticket status report 740b are
similar to those of detailed ticket
status report 740b. The detailed ticket results section 750 indicates that one
of the predictions in the players
-60-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
prediction set, that Nashville would defeat Colorado in event 33 was wrong. In
fact, Colorado won the
hockey game and as a result, ticket SL3 is a losing ticket.
[281] Detailed ticket status report 740a allows Sonia Smith to learn that
ticket SL3 is not a winning ticket
and to learn which prediction in the prediction set was incorrect without
having to manually find out the actual
outcome of each event and comparing the actual outcome with her predictions.
[282] While using the account checking service, a player may view information
about the player's account
as permitted by the lottery operator. The player may navigate between
different reports, depending on the
options provided by the lottery operator. When the player has finished
accessing the player's account,
method 2600 ends.
[283] System 100 allows a player to create a player account, associate tickets
with the player account and
obtain information about tickets associated with the player account. The
player can obtain information about
the results for on-line lottery tickets without manually comparing played
numbers on on-line lottery tickets to
corresponding winning numbers. The player can obtain information about the
results for on-line game tickets
without comparing the player's predictions on the ticket with the actual
outcomes of events.
[284] An exemplary system 100 that implements aspects of the present invention
has been described. In
addition, various other embodiments of the invention have been described.
Other systems made according
to the invention are described below. These systems are also examples. The
invention may be
implemented in different aspects based on the requirements of a particular
lottery operator including the on-
line lotteries or on-line game (or both) offered by the lottery operator and
the amount of information that the
lottery operator wishes to provide a player about tickets associated with the
player's account. All such
systems are within the scope of the present invention.
[285] The account checking service of system 100 provides three levels of
details about a player's account
and the player's tickets, as described above in relation to step 2608 of
method 2600
[286] Referring to Figure 14, the account summary report 700 includes an
account summary section 706
which provides general information about the player's valid tickets. The
account summary report 700 also
includes ticket summary section which provides summary information about the
player's tickets. Referring to
Figures 15 to 18, the account checking service also provides detailed ticket
status reports for the player's
tickets.
[287] The reports illustrated in Figures 14-18 are examples of the types of
reports that can be provided by
a system using the present invention. The present invention provides for the
presentation of any information
about tickets associated with a player account. Other systems made according
to the invention may provide
different information in different levels of detail.
[288] For example, in another embodiment, a lottery operator may choose to
display information only
about winning tickets. In another embodiment, a lottery operator may choose to
simply inform a lottery
player that the player has won a prize on at least one of the player's
tickets. The lottery operator may simply
identify the winning tickets without providing a detailed ticket report for
any of the player's tickets.
[289] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may choose to provide detailed
ticket reports only for
tickets valid for draws that took place during an immediately preceding time
period, such as the last 30 days.
-61-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Information for tickets valid for earlier draws may only be provided in
summary form or may not be provided
at all.
[290] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may provide information about
all tickets valid for draws
that took place during an immediately preceding time period and only for
winning tickets that were valid for
earlier draws. For example, the lottery operator may provide information about
all tickets valid for a draw in
the preceding 15 days and only for winning tickets valid for draws that took
place between 16 and 90 days
ago. The lottery operator may not provide any information, through the account
checking service of method
2600, for older tickets, even if some of those tickets are still valid winning
tickets and could be redeemed for
a prize.
[291] A lottery operator may also choose to provide additional information
about a player's account and
tickets. For example, a lottery operator may calculate and provide a player
with the cost of tickets purchased
by a player over a time period. Such information may be organized by on-line
lottery and by on-line game to
allow a player to learn about his ticket purchasing history. The lottery
operator may also provide information
about a player's winnings by on-line lottery or on-line game.
[292] The reports illustrated in Figures 14-18 are formatted by player
interface 166a as web pages and are
transmitted to a player terminal 104 as part of a player website 167a. The web
pages are displayed by a
web browser operating on player terminal 106c, which is a personal computer.
[293] Referring to Figure 1, other player interfaces 166 are configured to
communicate with other types of
player terminals. For example, a lottery operator may provide player account
software that may be installed
and executed locally on a player terminal 106 to communicate directly with a
player interface 166. For
example, the player account software may operate within the operating system
of a player terminal and may
communicate directly with a player interface 166 through public network 110.
The player account server
extracts information from the lottery database 160 and, through the player
interface, transmits it to the player
account software for display on the player terminal. Either the player
interface or the player account
software, or both, may format the information for display. Different player
account software may be provided
for installation on different types of player terminals. For example, player
account software for use on a
cable or satellite television set-top-box may be different from player account
software used on a handheld
wireless personal digital assistant or on a typical personal computer. The
player account software in each
case will be configured to work with the operating system and other software
installed on the player terminal
and to use a display integrated into or coupled to the player terminal.
[294] In system 100, information about a player's account and a player's
tickets are presented to the
player on a display screen at the player terminal. Information about the
player's account and tickets may
also be provided in other forms. A lottery operator may limit the number of
tickets or the date range for
tickets that will be displayed to a player on a display at the player
terminal. The lottery operator may make
the same or additional information available to the player in a downloadable
file that the player may print at
the player terminal. For example, the lottery operator may allow a player to
download a report in a standard
format, such as PDF, which contains detailed information about the player's
tickets. The player may be
allowed to select the information provided in the downloadable report. In such
an embodiment, a player
-62-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
interface will allow a player to configure and download the report.
[295] As described above, a selection slip according to the present invention
will have a play region and an
account identification region. In any particular on-line lottery or on-line
game system using the present
invention, the account identification region on a selection slip is configured
to allow a player to mark an
account identification code according to the rules set by the lottery operator
of that system. In system 100,
the lottery operator requires that each account identification code is a
combination of six to twelve different
characters selected from the account identification code character set
consisting of twenty-six letters (A - Z)
and ten numerals (0 - 9). The account identification region 136 has thirty-six
cells, each of which
corresponds to one of the characters in the account identification code
character set.
[296] In another embodiment of the present invention, the lottery operator may
allow players to have an
account identification code with any number of characters. For example, a
lottery operator may allow players
to have an account identification code with as few as one character. A lottery
operator may allow one player
account in the system to have an account identification code consisting of all
of the characters allowed in an
account identification code.
[297] Also, a lottery operator may choose any account identification code
character set that a player may
use to select an account identification code. For example, a lottery operator
may allow account identification
codes to include a spade (#), a heart (,*), a diamond (+) and a club (+) in
addition to the letters and numerals.
An account identification code character set with a larger number of
characters allows more unique account
identification codes to be formed. Using an account identification code
character set with fewer characters
will reduce the number of unique account identification codes that can be
formed.
[298] The rules for the account identification code for system 100 allow for
similar account identification
codes such as HENRICK and HENDRICK. If the player with the account
identification code HENDRICK
forgets to mark the "D" cell in the account identification region of a
selection during step 2202 of method
2200 (Figure 8), the ticket purchased by the player may be associated with the
player account corresponding
to the account identification code HENRICK.
[299] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may use check characters to
reduce the likelihood of such
errors. For example, a lottery operator may assign a pair of two digit codes
to each player account when the
account is created. For example, in such an embodiment the lottery operator
may assign a first check code
26 and a second check code 38 to a player account that has the account
identification code HENDRICK (set
out in the preferred order for the account identification code).
[300] Figure 19 illustrates a selection slip 816 with a play region 820 and an
account identification region
836. Play region 820 is not illustrated in detail, since the play region may
be adapted for use with any on-line
lottery or on-line game, without affecting the account identification code
836.
[301] Account identification region 836 includes thirty-six primary cells
containing the twenty-six letters and
the ten numerals, as described above in relation to selection slip 116. In
addition, account identification code
region 836 includes two sets of check codes cells 870 and 872. Each set of
check code cells includes ten
cell numbered from 0 to 9. To properly mark an account identification code in
the account identification
region 136, a player must mark the player's account identification code in the
thirty-six primary cells and also
-63-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
mark the first check code assigned to the player's account in the first set of
check code cells and also mark
the second check code assigned to the player's account in the second set of
check code cells.
[302] In Figure 19, the player with the account identification code HENDRICK
has marked the cells
corresponding to the characters C, D, E, H, I, K, N and R in the primary set
of thirty-six cells. The player has
marked the 2 and 6 cells in the first set of check code cells 870. The player
has also marked the 3 and 8
cells in the second set of check code cells 872. The account identification
code region 836 is properly
marked and the player may complete the play region 820 and purchase a ticket.
[303] In this embodiment of the invention, the lottery operator will also
assign a pair of two digit check
codes for a player account with the account identification code HENRICK. For
example, the lottery operator
may assign a first check code 49 and a second check 23. If the player with the
account identification code
HENDRICK forgets to mark the cell corresponding to the character D in account
identification code region
836, the account identification code region will not be properly marked for
the player's own player account
(since the cell for the character D is not marked) and will also not be
properly marked to identify the account
identification code HENRICK (since the first and second check codes are
incorrect for that player account).
If the player attempts to purchase a ticket with an improperly marked account
identification code or without
the corresponding the check codes, the lottery operator may choose to issue
the ticket without associating
the ticket with any player account, or may choose to reject the selection slip
and optionally provide an
explanation indicating that the account identification code is not properly
marked. The explanation may be
displayed on a ticket vending terminal 104 and a ticket vendor may advise the
player that the account
identification code is not properly marked.
[304] To assign check codes to an account identification code, the player
account server 162 may analyze
a proposed account identification code during step 2106 of method 2100 (Figure
7) to determine if it is similar
to any existing account identification code. If so, the lottery operator can
ensure that the check codes
selected for the proposed account identification code are different from those
for the existing similar account
identification codes. The check codes may be provided to the player along with
a confirmation that a player
account record for the player's account has been created as part of or
following step 2108 of method 2100.
[305] In another embodiment, the lottery operator may allow a player to select
the check codes for his own
proposed account identification code during step 2104 of method 2100. In step
2106, the player account
server may analyze existing account identification codes and their check codes
to ensure that any existing
account identification codes that are similar to the proposed account
identification code have different check
codes (or at least one different check code).
[306] In another embodiment, the lottery operator may integrate check codes
into an account identification
code, by assigning a check code consisting of one or more characters. The
assigned check code must be
marked as part of an account identification code for the account
identification code to be properly marked in
the account identification code region of a selection slip 112. For example,
if an existing account
identification code is SONIA4 and a player proposes a new account
identification code SONIA, the player
account server may add the check characters 59 to the new proposed account
identification code, making
the account identification code SONIA59 and thereby making it different from
the existing account
-64-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
identification code SONIA4 by two characters.
[307] In another embodiment, the lottery operator may assign one or more check
codes based by
calculating one or more values based on the characters chosen by a player for
the player's account
identification code. Such a check code may act as a checksum for verifying the
integrity of the account
identification code.
[308] In another embodiment, the lottery operator may not permit two account
identification codes to differ
by only one character, to reduce the likelihood that if a player marks his own
account identification code
incorrectly by missing a character, accidentally marking an extra character or
marking one character
incorrectly, the player might mark another valid account identification code.
An account identification code
differs from another account identification code if the two account
identification codes differ only by the
addition or deletion of one character or by the substitution of only one
character. For example, in step 2106
the player account server 162 may not allow the account identification code
FRANK37 to be used if the
account identification code KAREN73 is already in use, since the two codes
share six out of seven
characters. The rules for account identification codes may require a
difference of two, three or any other
number of characters.
[309] In another embodiment, the player account server may allow account
identification codes to be used
even if they differ by only one character, so long as the differing characters
are at spaced apart by at least
three cells on a selection slip. Under this rule, the account identification
codes FRANK37 and KAREN73
could not both be used if selection slip 116 (Figure 2) is in use, since they
differ only in the characters F and
E, which are adjacent to one another on the selection slip. In another
embodiment, the differing characters
may be required to be two, four or another number of cells apart from one
another.
[310] In an embodiment of the invention where a check code or codes are used,
the check code or codes
may consist of one or more characters and may be integrated with an account
identification code or may be
specified separately from the account identification code. The account
identification code region on
selections slips for the embodiment will be configured to permit the account
identification code and the check
code or codes to be marked. The player account records will include a field or
fields to records the check
codes. If the check code or codes are integrated with account identification
code, they may be recorded as
part of the account identification code.
[311] In system 100, the rules specified by the lottery operator for account
identification codes allow each
character in the account identification code character set to appear only once
in an account identification
code. This allows an account identification code to be marked in an account
identification code region that
has only one cell corresponding to each character. In another embodiment of a
system according to the
present invention, the lottery operator may allow account identification codes
that are different permutations
of the same combination of characters to be assigned to different player
accounts. For example, a lottery
operator may specify that each account identification code use in the lottery
operator's lottery system must
consist of three letters and three numerals. The three letters need not be
different from one another and the
three numerals need not be different from one another.
[312] Reference is next made to Figure 20, which illustrates a selection slip
916 with a play region 920 and
-65-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
an account identification code region 936 that permits an account
identification code according to this rule to
be marked. The account identification code region has three sets of twenty-six
cells marked 15t 2"d and 3d
containing the twenty-six letters and three sets of ten cells marked 15' 2"d
and 3rd containing the ten
numerals. The account identification code B0B227 has been marked in the
account identification code
region 936. Since a different set of twenty-six cells is provided to mark each
letter in the account
identification code, the same letter may be used more than once. Similarly,
the same numeral may be used
more than once in the account identification code since a different set of ten
cells is provided to mark each
numeral in the account identification code. The account identification code
BB0272 is distinct from the
account identification code B0B227 and each of them will be marked differently
in the account identification
code region 936. Account identification code 936 allows different permutations
of the same letters to be
distinguished from one another and allow duplicate characters in an account
identification code. A lottery
operator may provide as many or as few different sets of cells to mark
different characters as the lottery
operator requires in an account identification code. The lottery operator may
require that each set of cells be
marked with a character or may permit an account identification code to
include less characters than the
maximum number of sets of cells. An account identification code region in
which each character is marked
in a different set of cells, such as account identification code region 936,
may occupy a larger space on a
selection slip than an account identification code region in which all
characters are marked in one set of cells,
such as account identification code region 136 (Figure 2).
[313] The rules described here for the selection of characters in an account
identification code are only
examples. A lottery operator may set other rules for the characters in an
account identification code. Before
issuing a ticket based on a Ticket Issue Request, the ticket server ensures
that the account identification
code and any check code or check codes marked by a player on a selection
properly identify a player
account. In the exemplary system 100, the ticket server does so in step 2206
of method 2200.
[314] Reference is made to Figure 2. System 100 described above includes an
associated on-line lottery,
the Tag on-line lottery, which operates in association with a host on-line
lottery. Many lottery operators
operate one or more on-line lotteries that do not have any associated lottery.
For example, a lottery operator
may operate an on-line lottery similar to the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery
without any associated on-line lottery.
In such an embodiment, ticket records would not include fields relating to an
associated lottery. Figure 21
illustrates a selection slip 1016 for the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery but
without a Tag selection region. The
corresponding ticket receipt 1018 does not include any reference to an
associated lottery.
[315] Figure 22 illustrates another selection slip 1116 for use with an on-
line lottery called Mega Lotto.
The Mega Lotto on-line lottery does not have any associated on-line lottery.
In the Mega Lotto on-line
lottery, each played number set consists of five different regular played
numbers between 1 and 53 and a
single played mega number between 1 and 42. Each week on Tuesday, the lottery
operator draws five
winning regular numbers and a winning mega number. Various winning
combinations are eligible for
different cash prizes. A grand prize is awarded to players holding tickets
with a winning combination of all
five regular numbers and the mega numbers. The grand prize is a shared prize.
Players winning the grand
prize may choose between 26 annual payments that add up to the player's share
of the grand prize or a cash
-66-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
value equivalent to the series of 26 annual payments.
[316] Selection slip 1116 has a grand prize payment selection region 1117,
five boards 1121 - 1125 for
selecting played number sets, an additional automatic played number selection
region 1133, a draw
selection region 1134 and an account identification region 1136.
[317] A player may choose between the 26 annual payment option and the cash
value option for payment
of the grand prize by marking a cell in the grand prize payment selection
region 1117.
[318] Played number selection board 1121 has a played regular number selection
region 1121 r and a
played mega number selection region 1121m. A player may manually choose the
played regular numbers or
may have them automatically chosen by marking the "QP" cell in the played
regular number selection region
1121r. A player may manually choose the player mega number of may have it
automatically chosen by
marking the "QP" cell in the played mega number selection region 1121m. The
other played number
selections boards 1122 - 1125 may be marked in the same way.
[319] The player may add up to eight additional automatically chosen played
number sets to his ticket by
marking a cell in the additional automatic played number selection region
1133. A player may purchase a
ticket for up to ten consecutive draws by marking a cell in the draw selection
region 1134.
[320] The lottery operator for the Mega Lotto on-line lottery uses the same
account identification code
rules as were described above in relation to system 100. Account
identification code region contains thirty-
six cells containing the twenty-six letter and 10 numerals.
[321] The Mega Lotto selection slip 1116 also includes alignment cells 1131.
The Mega Lotto selection
slip 1116 also includes a selection slip identification region 1130 that
contains five pre-marked cells in a
single row.
[322] A player with an account identification code EJOY259 has marked the
account identification code in
the account identification region 1136. The player's preferred order for the
characters in the account
identification code is 5JOEY29.
[323] The player has requested that the grand prize be paid in a single cash
payment in the grand prize
selection region 1117. The players has marked two played number sets on boards
1121 and 1122 and has
requested three additional automatically selected played number sets in the
automatic played number region
1133. The player has requested that his ticket be issued for five draws in the
draw selection region 1134.
[324] A ticket receipt 1118 shows the details of the player's ticket. The name
of on-line lottery is set out at
1140. The dates of the draws for which the ticket is valid is set out at 1142.
The player's choice to receive
the cash value of the grand prize is set out at 1143. The five set of played
numbers are set out at 1144 -
1148. The three automatically selected played number sets are not identified
as such. The player's account
identification code is set out at 1156. A ticket code for the ticket is set
out at 1156. A verification code is set
out at 1154 and a terminal code for the vendor terminal 104 at which the
ticket was purchased is set out at
1152. A machine readable bar code, which encodes the ticket code, is set out
at 1158.
[325] Figures 2 - 5 and 19 - 22 illustrate different selection slips with
different play regions and account
identification regions.
[326] The play region on a selection slip used with the present invention will
be configured based on the
-67-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
rules of the on-line lottery or on-line game with which the selection slip is
used. The invention may be used
with any type of on-line lottery or on-line game in which a selection slip is
used to select a played number set
or a prediction set.
[327] The account identification region on a selection slip is configured
according to the rules set by a
lottery operator for account identification codes. The account identification
region may include cells for
marking one or more check codes. The account identification regions may
include one set of cells for
marking all of the characters in an account identification code (as
illustrated in Figure 2) or it may include
different sets of cells for marking different characters in an account
identification code (as illustrated in Figure
20).
[328] Optionally, a lottery operator may provide a "Void" cell in the account
identification region of a
selection slip. A player may mark the Void cell to have the account
identification region marked on a
selection slip ignored. A player may do so if the player has incorrectly
marked an account identification code
and does not wish to complete a new selection. A player may also do so if the
player has correctly marked
an account identification code in the account identification region but then
prefers not to associate the ticket
with a player account.
[329] The present invention does not require a player to mark an account
identification code in the account
identification region to purchase a ticket. Players who do not have a player
account or who prefer not to use
a player account for a particular ticket may leave the account identification
region blank to purchase a ticket
that is not associated with a player account.
[330] In system 100, each player account has a single password that a player
uses to access the player
account server and to obtain information about the player's tickets. In
another embodiment of the invention,
a player account may have multiple passwords for use by different players. For
example, a player account
may be used by two or more players who participate in group ticket purchases.
The player account may
have a group leader password and a group member password. The group of players
may appoint a group
leader who uses the group leader password to access the player account. The
group leader may manage
the player account. For example, the group leader may change personal
information related to the player
account. Other members of the group use the group member password to access
the player account and
can only view information about the player account and tickets associated with
the account. Group members
can access the player account to ensure that the group's tickets have been
purchased properly and to obtain
ticket results for the group's tickets. By assigning group leader and group
member passwords to the same
player account, the present invention provides a convenient and simple method
for groups that purchase
tickets together, whether for on-line lotteries or on-line games, to manage
and obtain information about their
account and tickets.
[331] Reference is made to Figures 6a and 6b. The illustrated structure of the
lottery database 160 is an
example of a data storage system that may be used with the present invention.
A skilled person will be
capable of storing information relating to draws and tickets for on-line
lotteries in many different ways, using
various data structures and data storage techniques. The present invention is
not limited to any particular
system or method for storing data or to any data structure. For example, a
skilled person may use a simple
-68-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
set of linked or unlinked tables, a relational database, flat files or any
other type of data storage or system to
store player, draw, event and ticket information.
[332] In system 100, the lottery database 160 includes separate draw tables
and ticket tables for each on-
line lottery. In another embodiment, a single ticket table may be used for two
or more on-line lottery tickets.
The single ticket table will contain ticket records for each of the lotteries
and the tickets may be associated
with draws as described above in relation to the Draw Ticket List field of the
draw records 518. Similarly,
tickets for different on-line games may be recorded in a single ticket list
rather than in separate ticket lists for
each on-line game.
[333] In another embodiment, information about a draw may be stored in several
different tables, lists, files
or other data structures. For example, winning number information may be
stored in one table while prize
information may be stored in a different table and information about tickets
valid for the draw is listed in a
data file. In each case, a draw identifier or some other information about the
draw may be used to look up
the different data related to the draw. Similarly, information about tickets,
player accounts, events may be
stored in several different data structures.
[334] Another embodiment of the invention will now be described. This
embodiment will be referred to
below as the single database winning tickets file based embodiment. This
embodiment is similar to system
100. In this embodiment, the lottery database includes a winning tickets file,
which is used to record
information about winning on-line lottery tickets. The information recorded
for each winning ticket includes
the ticket code and the prize (or prizes) won by the ticket. If a ticket has
won more than one cash prize, the
total value of the prizes may be recorded.
[335] Each on-line lottery ticket is checked after the draws for which the
ticket is valid have been
conducted by comparing the played number sets on the on-line lottery ticket to
the appropriate winning
numbers. If the on-line lottery ticket is a winning lottery ticket, then the
ticket code and the prizes or prizes
won by the ticket are recorded in a winning tickets file. If the ticket is not
a winning ticket, then information
about the ticket is not recorded in the winning tickets file. (If the on-line
lottery has any winning combinations
that have shared prizes, then each played number set on each ticket may be
checked after each draw for
which the ticket is valid, even if the ticket is valid for future draws. This
allows the value of any shared prizes
to be calculated based on the total number of winning tickets for each such
winning combination. However,
a winning ticket is not added to the winning tickets file until all draws for
which the ticket is valid have taken
place.)
[336] If the lottery operator who uses this embodiment operates any on-line
games, each on-line game
ticket will also be checked when the on-line game ticket matures and
information about winning on-line game
ticket will be added to the winning tickets file. The information for each
winning on-line game ticket will
include the ticket code for the on-line game ticket and the prize won by the
on-line game ticket.
[337] If a winning ticket expires before the prize won by the ticket is
claimed, the ticket is deleted from the
winning tickets file.
[338] The winning tickets file is used by the ticket server to determine
whether a ticket is a winning ticket
when it receives a Redeem Ticket Request (as described in relation to step
2502 of method 2500 (Figure
-69-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
11)). The ticket server accesses the winning tickets file. If the ticket code
for the ticket is listed in the
winning tickets file, the ticket is a winner and the prize for the ticket is
redeemed (as described above in
relation to step 2508) or the player is provided with information about how
the prize may be redeemed (as
described in relation to step 2510). If the prize is redeemed, the record for
the ticket is deleted from the
winning tickets file. If the ticket code is not found in the winning tickets
file, then the ticket cannot be
redeemed for a prize at that time.
[339] In this embodiment, the ticket records do not include a Prize Data field
or a Ticket Status field and
accordingly, these fields are not set or updated during operation of the
system. As a result, detailed status
and prize information about each ticket and its results is not recorded in the
ticket records 524 and 538. In
system 100, during method 2500, the player account server 162 is able to
obtain this detailed information
from the Prize Data and Ticket Status fields in the ticket records to produce
the account summary report 700
(Figure 14) and detailed ticket status reports 720 and 740 (Figures 15 - 18).
[340] In this embodiment, when a player accesses a player account to obtain
information about tickets
associated with a player account, the player account server may provide a
simplified report based on the
data stored in the winning tickets file. The player account server may look up
each ticket associated with the
player account in the winning ticket file. If an entry for a ticket is found
in the file, then the player account
server lists it in the report and indicates what prize or prizes the ticket
has won. If an entry for the ticket is
not found in the winning tickets file, then the player account server
indicates that no prize can be redeemed
for the ticket. In this simplified report, the player is not informed as to
why a ticket cannot be redeemed. The
ticket may have draws or events remaining, it may not be a winner, it may have
already been redeemed or it
may have expired, but this detail is not recorded in the winning tickets file
and is therefore not provided to the
player.
[341] Although such a report provides less information than the account
summary report 700 (Figure 14)
and the detailed ticket status report 720 (Figure 15) provided in system 100,
the simplified report still allows a
player to leam whether a ticket associated with his account has won a prize
without manually checking the
played numbers on the ticket with the corresponding winning numbers.
[342] Optionally, the player account server in the present embodiment may
calculate additional information
about the tickets associated with a player account and provide this
information for display on a player
terminal. For example, the player account server may calculate the current
status for an on-line lottery ticket
that is valid for several draws, some of which have taken place and some of
which are in the future. The
player account server may produce an account summary report or a detailed
ticket status report using
information in the lottery database and, using a player interface, transmit
the generated report to a player
terminal.
[343] In any particular embodiment according to the invention, when a player
accesses the player account
server to obtain information about the player's tickets, the player account
server may provide information that
is stored in the lottery database or information that the player account
server has calculated based on data
recorded in the lottery database to a player terminal, or the player account
server may transmit both types of
information. For example, in system 100, the account summary section 706
includes summary information
-70-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
about a player's winnings on multiple tickets. This information is calculated
by the player account server 162
based on the Prize Data and Ticket Status fields for the ticket records 524
and 538 for the player's tickets.
The ticket summary section 708 includes information extracted directly from
the lottery database, including
the ticket code, purchase date and status for each ticket.
[344] In system 100, method 2300 (Figure 9) is used to check on-line lottery
tickets after an on-line lottery
draw. Method 2400 (Figure 10) is used to check on-line game tickets after an
on-line game event is
completed.
[345] A lottery operator may choose to carry out method 2300 shortly after
each on-line lottery draw. For
example, if the lottery operator conducts a draw for one on-line lottery at 2
pm and for another on-line lottery
at 9 pm, the lottery operator may choose to perform method 2300 in respect of
each draw shortly after the
draw.
[346] Alternatively, the lottery operator may choose to perform method 2300
periodically during a selected
time for several draws. For example, the lottery operator may choose to
conduct method 2300 in respect of
all draws that take place on a particular day between 2 am and 4 am the
following day (i.e. during the night
following the draws).
[347] A lottery operator may choose to make the lottery computer system 102
unavailable for a time
period, which may be referred to as a shutdown period. The lottery computer
system 102 may be
unavailable to the ticket vending terminals 104, the player terminals 106 or
both. During this time, the lottery
operator may perform methods 2300 in respect of all on-line lottery draws that
have been completed since
the last shutdown period. For example, the lottery operator may make the
lottery computer system 102
unavailable to the ticket vending terminals 104 and the player terminals 106
between 2 am and 4 am each
day. During this daily shutdown period, the lottery operator performs methods
2300 and 2400 in respect of
all on-line lottery draws that were completed since the last shutdown period
began. The lottery operator may
also perform other maintenance, configuration and programming operations on
the lottery computer system
102 during the shutdown period. After the shutdown period, ticket vending
terminals and player terminals
are again permitted to access the lottery computer system 102.
[348] A lottery operator may perform method 2300 in respect of some draws
shortly after the draws is
completed, but may wait to perform method 2300 in respect of other on-line
lottery draws at a particular time.
For example, some lottery operator conduct several draws for some on-line
lotteries on the same day, but
only conduct daily, weekly or bi-weekly draws of other on-line lotteries. The
lottery operator may perform
method 2300 in respect of the on-line lotteries for which many draws are
conducted on the same day shortly
after each draw, allowing players to redeem their tickets and to obtain
information about their tickets using
method 2600 shortly after the draw is completed.
[349] Similarly, a lottery operator may choose to perform method 2400 in
respect of each on-line game
event shortly after the event ends. Alternatively, the lottery operator may
perform method 2400 in respect of
several on-line game events at a selected time. The lottery operator may
choose to conduct method 2400 in
respect of several on-line game events during a shutdown period.
[350] In system 100, the ticket server provides a ticket issuing function,
which is described in relation to
-71-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
method 2200 (Figure 8) and ticket redemption function, which is described in
relation to method 2500 (Figure
11). The player account server provides an account creation service, which is
described in relation to
method 2100 (Figure 7), and an account checking service, which is described in
relation to method 2600
(Figure 12). Both the ticket server 164 and the player account server 162
access the player database 160
during the operation of system 100.
[351] Reference is next made to Figure 23, which illustrates another system
1200 according to the present
invention. System 1200 is similar to system 100, and elements of system 1200
that correspond to elements
of system 100 are identified by reference numerals with the same last two
digits.
[352] System 1200 includes a primary lottery database 1260a that is similar to
the lottery database of
system 100. System 1200 also includes a secondary lottery database 1260b that
is initially made by copying
the primary lottery database 1260a. Ticket server 1264 is coupled to the
primary lottery database 1260a.
Player account server 162 is coupled to the secondary lottery database 1260b.
[353] When system 1200 is in use, the primary lottery database 1260a and
secondary lottery database
1260b are accessed and updated as follows. Methods 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400,
2500 and 2600 are used in
system 1200. However, these methods access the primary or secondary lottery
database depending on the
operation the methods are performing.
[354] The ticket server 1264 accesses and updates the primary lottery database
1260a. When ticket
server 164 issues new tickets, new ticket records are created in the primary
lottery database 1260a, and the
appropriate draw records, event records and player account records are
updated, as described above in
relation to method 2200. When ticket server 164 redeems a ticket according to
method 2500, it accesses
and updates the primary lottery database 1260a. When method 2300 is performed,
the on-line lottery ticket
checking program updates the primary lottery database 1260a. Similarly, the on-
line game ticket checking
program described above in relation to step 2406 of method 2400 updates the
primary lottery database
1260a.
[355] The player account server 162 accesses and updates the secondary lottery
database 1260b. When
player accounts are created using method 2100, player account server 162
creates new player account
records in the secondary lottery database 1260b. When a player uses method
2600 to access a player
account, the player account server 162 obtains information from the secondary
lottery database 1260b.
Typically, a lottery operator will permit a player to modify information
recorded in the player account record
for the player's account under the control of the player account server 1262.
Such modifications are
recorded in the secondary database 1260b by the player account server 1262.
[356] Reference is next made to Figure 24, which illustrates a method 2700
that is executed in the lottery
computer system 102 to synchronize the information recorded in the primary
lottery database 1260a and the
secondary lottery database 1260b.
[357] Method 2700 begins in step 2702, in which access to the secondary
database 1260b by the player
account server 1262 is stopped. While player account server 1262 is unable to
access secondary database
1260b, players are unable to use method 2100 to create new player accounts or
use method 2600 to access
player accounts or to modify their player accounts. A lottery operator may
choose to perform method 2700
-72-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
at a time when few players are likely to be creating, modifying or accessing
their player accounts. For
example, a lottery operator may decide to execute method 2700 each night at 3
am.
[358] Method 2700 next proceeds to step 2704, in which any changes to the
secondary database made by
the player account server 1262 are copied into the primary database 1260a.
Such changes may include the
addition of new player account records 514 and modifications to player account
records. At the end of step
2704, the primary lottery database 1260a contains all updates that have been
made by either the ticket
server 1264 or the player account server 1262 in either the primary or the
secondary database.
[359] Method 2700 next proceeds to step 2706. In this step, the existing
secondary database 1260b is
replaced with a copy of the primary database 1260a. The new secondary database
1260b includes all of the
changes made to the previous version of the secondary database 1260b, since
these changes were copied
to the primary database 1260a in step 2704 and also includes any changes made
directly to the primary
database 1260a by the ticket server 1264.
[360] In another embodiment, in step 2706, changes made by the ticket server
1264 to the primary
database may be copied into the existing secondary database 1260b. Such
changes may include the
addition of new ticket records, updates to draw records and player account
records and updates to ticket
records.
[361] Method 2700 next proceeds to step 2708, in which the player account
server 1262 is again permitted
to access the new secondary database 1260b.
[362] Method 2700 then ends.
[363] In system 1200, the player account server 1262 does not access the
primary lottery database 1260a.
Instead, the player account server 1262 uses the secondary database 1260b to
create player account
records and to obtain information for display on a ticket vending terminal. A
lottery operator may configure
the lottery computer system 102 with a firewall or other blocking mechanism to
prevent a player terminal
1206 from having any access to the primary lottery database 1260a. This will
ensure that a malicious user of
a player terminal cannot access the primary lottery database 1260a.
[364] A lottery operator that uses system 1200 may optionally periodically
block ticket vending terminals
1204 from accessing the lottery computer system 1202 during a shutdown period.
During each shutdown
period, the lottery operator can perform methods 2300 and 2400 in respect of
each on-line lottery draw and
on-line game event that has been completed since the previous shutdown period.
While methods 2300 and
2400 are performed, player terminals 1206 may still access the secondary
lottery database 1260b. When
the primary database 1260a has been updated to reflect the results of the
completed draws and events,
method 2700 is performed. The shutdown period is then ended and ticket vending
terminals 1204 are again
permitted to access the primary lottery database 1260a using the ticket server
1264. This allows players to
access the lottery computer system 1202 during the shutdown, except during
method 2700.
[365] The use of a primary lottery database 1260a for the ticket issuing and
redemption functions and the
use of a secondary lottery database 1260b for the player account creation and
account checking services
may allow the ticket server 1264 to service Ticket Issue Requests and Ticket
Redemption Requests more
quickly than in system 100, since the player account server 1262 does not
access the primary lottery
-73-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
database 1260a. However, a player is unable to use a newly created player
account until the player account
has been copied from the secondary lottery database 1260b to the primary
lottery database 1260a. If the
lottery operator only performs method 2700 overnight, a player may only a
newly created player account the
day after the account is created.
[366] In system 1200, the primary lottery database 1260a and secondary lottery
database 1260b are
synchronized periodically by performing method 2700. In another embodiment,
the synchronization process
may be an ongoing one. Changes to the primary lottery database 1260a may be
recorded in a list of primary
database changes. Similarly, changes to the secondary lottery database 1260b
may be recorded in a list of
secondary database changes. A secondary database update process operating in
lottery computer system
1202 modifies the secondary lottery database 1260b to correspond to the
changes in the primary database
change list. A primary database update process operating in lottery computer
system 1202 modifies the
primary database to correspond to the changes in the secondary database change
list. The primary
database update process and the secondary database update process may operate
independently of one
another. As these processes update the primary lottery database and the
secondary lottery database,
additional changes may be added to the lists of changes to the two databases.
As a result, the primary
lottery database and the secondary lottery database may not be completely
synchronized at any point in
time, but over time each change made in one database is also made in the
other.
[367] In another embodiment, as new player accounts are created and new player
account records 518
are added to the secondary lottery database 1260b, the new player account
record may also be added to the
primary lottery database 1260a under the control of the lottery computer
system 102. Optionally, the player
account server 1262 may add the player account to both the secondary and
primary lottery databases,
although this will not be possible in an embodiment in which a firewall is
configured to prevent the player
account server 1262 from accessing the primary lottery database 1260a.
Optionally, a list of new accounts
that have been added to the secondary lottery database 1260b may be kept and
each new account may be
added to the primary lottery database 1260a by another component of lottery
computer system 1202.
[368] In system 1200, the primary lottery database 1260a and the secondary
lottery database 1260b have
the same structure. When method 2700 has been performed, the primary and
secondary databases have
the same contents. In another embodiment, the primary and secondary lottery
databases may have different
structures.
[369] Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described. This
embodiment combines
features of system 100 (Figure 1), the single database winning ticket file
based embodiment and system
1200. This embodiment includes a primary lottery database and a secondary
lottery database. The primary
lottery database and the secondary lottery database have different structures
from one another. This
embodiment is otherwise similar to system 1200.
[370] The secondary lottery database has the same structure as the lottery
database 160 described above
in relation to system 100. The tables, records and other components of the
secondary lottery database may
be referred to as secondary components, such as secondary draw tables,
secondary draw records,
secondary ticket tables, secondary ticket records, secondary player table and
secondary player records.
-74-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Each of these tables and records has the same structures as the corresponding
components of the lottery
database 160 of system 100.
[371] The tables, records and other components of the primary lottery database
may be referred to as
primary components to distinguish them from the components of the secondary
lottery database.
[372] The primary lottery database includes a winning tickets file, which is
used to record information about
winning tickets, as described above. The primary lottery database includes
primary draw tables with the
same structure as the draw tables 504 (Figure 6a) in system 100. The primary
lottery database includes
primary ticket tables that include primary ticket records. The ticket records
in the primary database of this
embodiment do not include Prize Data and Ticket Status fields, as was
described above in relation to the
single database winning tickets file based embodiment. The primary lottery
database of this embodiment
also includes a primary player account table. The primary player account
records in the primary player
account table have only two fields: the Account ID Code and Preferred ID Code
Order fields.
[373] In this embodiment, the ticket server accesses and updates the primary
lottery database. When a
ticket is issued, the ticket server ensures that the ticket can be issued, as
was described in relation to step
2206 of method 2200 (Figure 8). If an account identification code is
identified in the Ticket Issue Request,
the ticket server ensures that the account identification code exists in a
primary player account record. If the
account identification code exists, and the ticket can otherwise be issued,
the ticket server creates a new
primary ticket record in the appropriate primary ticket table and records the
account identification code in the
Associated Player Account field of the newly created primary ticket record (as
described above in relation to
step 2210 of method 2200). The primary player records do not include a Player
Ticket List and are not
updated when a ticket is issued.
[374] Tickets are added to and removed from the winning tickets file as
described above in relation to the
single database winning tickets file based embodiment.
[375] In this embodiment, when a player creates a new player account, the
player account server adds the
new player account records to the secondary player account table, in which the
player account server
creates new secondary player account records.
[376] Periodically, the primary lottery database and secondary lottery
database are synchronized. During
the synchronization process, each database is updated based on its own
structure to correspond to new and
change information in the other database.
[377] New primary ticket records in the primary lottery database are used to
generate corresponding new
secondary ticket records in the secondary lottery database. Secondary ticket
records in the secondary
lottery database have the same structure as the ticket records 524 and
accordingly they have Prize Data and
Ticket Status fields. These fields are initially set as described above in
step 2210 of them 2200. In addition,
the secondary player account records have a Player Ticket List field and this
field is updated to associated
tickets with player accounts, as was also described above in relation to step
2210. In addition, the
secondary draw records are updated to add new tickets to their Draw Ticket
List fields, as was also
described above in relation to step 2210.
[378] New secondary player account records in the secondary lottery database
are used to generate
-75-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
corresponding primary player account records in the primary lottery database.
This is done by copying only
the Account ID Code and Preferred ID Code Order fields from the secondary
player account records to new
primary player account records. Changes to secondary player account records
are also copied to the
corresponding primary player account records. For example, the lottery
operator may permit a player to
change the player's account identification code or the player's preferred
order for the characters in an
account identification code.
[379] During the synchronization process, changes to the winning tickets file
in the primary database are
used to update the Ticket Status field of wining tickets in secondary ticket
records. When a winning ticket is
redeemed, it is removed from the winning tickets file. This removal is
recorded and during synchronization,
the Ticket Status of the redeemed winning ticket is changed from Winner-Not
Redeemed to Winner-
Redeemed.
[380] This synchronization process may be performed periodically, as was
described above in relation to
method 2700. The synchronization process may optionally take place during a
shutdown period. Optionally,
during the synchronization process, the lottery operator may stop access to
the secondary lottery database
from the player terminals.
[381] Following the synchronization process, the primary database has an
updated primary player account
table and the secondary database has updated draw, ticket and player account
tables. In this embodiment,
method 2300 are used to update the secondary database, thereby updating the
Prize Data and Ticket Status
fields of the secondary ticket records, as described above in relation to step
2306 of method 2300. Method
2500 is not used with the secondary lottery database in this embodiment, since
the ticket server accesses
and updates only the primary lottery database.
[382] This embodiment provides a primary lottery database that is used by the
ticket server when issuing
and redeeming tickets. The embodiment also provides a secondary lottery
database that is used by the
player account server when adding or modifying player account records and when
allowing a player to obtain
information about tickets associated with the player's account. The secondary
lottery database contains
more detailed secondary player account records and more detailed results
information about the player's
tickets (using the Prize Data and Ticket Status) fields, allowing reports such
as and account summary report
700 (Figure 14) and a detailed ticket status report 720 (Figure 15) to be
produced using the information in the
secondary lottery database.
[383] This embodiment has been described with reference to on-line lotteries.
Another similar
embodiment with differently structured primary and secondary lottery databases
may be used by a lottery
operator who operates on-line games or both on-line lotteries and on-line
games.
[384] Reference is again made to Figure 14. In the ticket summary section 708,
each ticket is identified by
its ticket code. Ticket codes for tickets are typically generated to uniquely
identify each ticket from all other
tickets that may be valid at the same time, as was described above. This
requirement will typically result in
lengthy ticket codes with 10 or more digits, since most lottery operators sell
millions of tickets each year.
[385] Reference is made to Figure 25, which illustrates a ticket receipt 1318
and a ticket summary section
1320 of an account summary report according to another embodiment of the
invention. Ticket receipt 1318
-76-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
has an account identification code set at 1356 and a ticket code set at 1356.
In addition, ticket receipt 1318
has a reference code set out at 1351. In the ticket summary section 1320, each
ticket is identified by a
reference code.
[386] In this embodiment, each ticket that is associated with a player account
is assigned a reference code
during step 2210 of method 2200 (Figure 8). The reference code is unique
compared to all of the other
tickets associated with the account that might be valid at the same time. In
the present embodiment, each
reference includes a one or two letter prefix and a four digit number. The
prefix is the same for all tickets for
a particular on-line lottery or on-line game. A counter is maintained in the
player account record for each
player account, for each on-line lottery and on-line game operated by the
lottery operator. When a player
purchases a ticket for an on-line lottery or on-line game and associated with
the account, the present value
of the counter for the on-line lottery or on-line game is used to generate the
reference code. The counter is
then incremented. The counter may reach a maximum value and then return to 1.
In the present example,
the counters reset when they reach 9999. It is assumed that a player cannot
practically have more then ten
thousand valid tickets for a particular on-line lottery or on-line game at the
same time. A longer or shorter
counter, or a counter than does not reset, or which is reset only at a
player's request may be used. Any
other mechanism may be used to generate a reference code. For example, the
issue date or draw date for a
ticket may be used to generate a reference code.
[387] Using a reference code to identify a ticket in the ticket summary
section 1308, a player is more easily
able to find ticket receipts that correspond to the various tickets listed, as
compared to using the relatively
long ticket code.
[388] Reference is made to Figure 26, which illustrates another system 1400
according to the present
invention. The account checking service of method 2600 (Figure 12 may be used
to provide information
about any tickets associated with a player's account. In system 100, a player
uses a selection slip 112 with
an account identification region to identify the player's account. In other
systems, players are able to use
other methods of associating a ticket with an account in addition to or as an
alternative to the use of a
selection slip 112 with an account identification region.
[389] For example, a player may be able to purcliase a ticket associated with
the player's account on the
Internet after logging into the player's account by providing the player's
account identification code and
password (as is described above in relation to Figure 13 and step 2602 of
method 2600 (Figure 12)). In
Figure 26, direct Internet based sales are illustrated by dashed line 1470 in
relation to player terminal 1406c.
The lottery operator may provide a ticket purchase web page and allow a player
to select played number
sets and other options, including automatically selected number sets for a
ticket. The player is then
permitted to purchase the ticket and may be able to pay for ticket using a
deposit account previously
established with the lottery operator or using a credit or debit account (such
as a credit card, debit card or
check card). Tickets purchased by a player while logged into the player's
account (i.e. after the player has
authenticated the player's right to access the player's account by providing
the player's account identification
code and password) are associated with the player's account. After purchasing
a ticket in this fashion, the
player may be permitted to print a corresponding ticket receipt 114 at the
player's terminal.
-77-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[390] Another method for purchasing tickets is the use of a ticket purchase
voucher 113. In Figure 26,
ticket purchase voucher based ticket sales are illustrated in relation to
player terminal 1406d and ticket
vending terminal 1404d. Examples of ticket purchase vouchers and of systems,
methods and apparatus that
may be used to obtain and purchase a ticket with a ticket purchase voucher are
described in Appendix A.
Ticket purchase vouchers that are associated with a player account, such as a
ticket purchase voucher 113,
are used by a player to purchase a ticket. The ticket is associated with the
player's account, as described in
relation to method 3100 (Figure 41).
[391] Another method for purchasing tickets associated with a player account
is the use of a player
account identification device. In Figure 26, ticket sales made using a player
account identification device
1476 are illustrated in relation to ticket vending terminal 1404e.
[392] In system 100, selection slips 112 (Figure 1) include an account
identification region 136 which
allows a player to identify the player's account when purchasing a ticket.
Figure 27 illustrates a selection slip
1512, which has a play region 1520, but does not have an account
identification region. Figure 27 also
illustrates a player identification card 1502, which is an example of a player
identification device 1476.
Player identification card 1502 includes a card identifier 1504, which in this
example is a bar code that is
unique to the particular player identification card 1502. A player
identification device 1476 may also
optionally include other information, such as the name or logo of the lottery
operator, the name of a player to
whom the player identification device is assigned and instructions for use of
the player identification device
1476.
[393] A player may use an account identification device 1476 to identify the
player's account if a lottery
operator does not provide an account identification region on the lottery
operator's selection slips.
Optionally, a lottery operator may permit a player to use an account
identification device 1408 even if the
selection slips do have an account identification region.
[394] Player identification devices 1408 may take various forms. In some
cases, the lottery operator may
provide a player with an account identification card that includes a magnetic
strip or a barcode. A card
identifier is encoded onto the magnetic strip or in the barcode, allowing the
account identification card to be
identified. Referring to Figure 28, in such an embodiment, the lottery
database 1460 includes an
identification card table 1478 containing a plurality of identification card
records 1480. Identification card
records are associated with player accounts, typically by identifying the
player account's account
identification code in the identification card record 1478. Figure 28
illustrates three example association
between an identification card record 1478, in which a card identifier is set
out, and a player account record
514.
[395] In other embodiments, the player's account identification code is
directly encoded onto the magnetic
strip or into the bar code and an identification card table may not be
required.
[396] A lottery operator may alternatively or additionally provide players
with account identification devices
such as:
- a key fob that contains a bar code, magnetic strip or a radio frequency
identification (RFID) tag;
-an RFID device;
-78-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
-a proximity card; or
-any other card or device that may be identified by using a corresponding
reader or scanner coupled
to a ticket vending terminal 104 (Figure 1).
[397] The lottery operator may alternatively or additional allow a player to
print an account identification
card at a player terminal. The player may access the player's account, by
logging into the player website
and may access an account identification card printing service. The service
allows the player to print a card
including a bar code that encodes a card identifier or the players' account
identification code (or both). The
player may use the printed account identification card to purchase tickets in
the same manner as a card
provided by a lottery operator.
[398] Reference is made to Figure 29, which illustrates a method 2800. Method
2800 allows a lottery
operator to sell a ticket to a player using a player identification card 1502
(Figure 27) and correspondingly
allows a player to buy a ticket using a player identification card.
[399] Method 2800 begin in step 2802, in which a player presents the player's
account identification card
to a ticket vendor. The player may also optionally present the vendor with a
selection slip 1512 (Figure 27)
on which the player has completed the play region 1520, or the player may
request a ticket with one or more
automatically selected played number sets for a particular on-line lottery.
[400] Method 2800 then proceeds to step 2804, in which the ticket vendor scans
the player's account
identification card using an appropriate scanner (not shown) coupled to the
vendor's ticket vending terminal
104. If the player has presented a selection slip 1512, the ticket vendor
scans the selection slip. If the player
has requested a ticket with automatically selected player number sets, the
ticket vendor enters the player's
request into the ticket vending terminal.
[401] The ticket vending terminal transmits a Ticket Issue Request 552 to the
ticket server 1564. The
Ticket Issue Request 552 identifies the player's account identification card
and includes details of any tickets
requested by the player. In the present example, the player identification
card 1502 includes a card identifier
which is included in the Ticket Issue Request 552 to identify the player
identification card. The Ticket Issue
request of this step 2804 is similar to the Ticket Issue Request of step 2204
of method 2200 (Figure 8), with
the exception that the player's account identification code is not included in
the Ticket Issue Request. In an
embodiment in which the player identification card 1502 (or more generally,
the player identification device
1476) includes the player's account identification code itself, the the
account identification code is included in
the Ticket Issue Request and the Ticket Issue Request may be essentially the
same as the Ticket Issue
Requests of step 2204.
[402] Method 2800 then proceeds to step 2805, which is performed only if the
Ticket Issue Request 552
sent in step 2804 includes a card identifier rather than an account
identification code. In embodiments in
which the Ticket Issue Request of step 2804 includes a player's account
identification code, method 2800
proceeds to step 2806 after step 2804. In step 2805, the Ticket Server 1564
looks up the account
identification code corresponding to the card identifier in the identification
card table 1478.
[403] Method 2800 then proceeds to step 2806. Steps 2806 to 2814 correspond to
steps 2206 to 2214 of
method 2200 and are not further described.
-79-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[404] Method 2800 allows a player to purchase a ticket using an account
identification device 1476 and a
selection slip that does not include an account identification region. The
ticket is associated with the player's
account in step 2810. A lottery operator may optionally allow a player to use
method 2800 to purchase a
ticket using an account identification device 1476 and a selection slip 112
(Figure 1) that does include an
account identification region, but without marking the player's account
identification code in the account
identification region.
[405] In different embodiments, an lottery operator may permit a player to buy
a ticket and have the ticket
associated with the player's account using any one or more of the methods
described herein, including the
use of a selection slip with an account identification region, use of a ticket
purchase voucher, Internet based
purchase or with the use of an account identification device, or by any other
means that allows a player to
identify the player's account when purchasing a ticket. In some embodiments, a
lottery operator may not
provide selections slips at all and may require that all ticket sales be made
using a ticket purchase voucher,
Internet based purchase or with an account identification device, or with a
combination of these or other
methods. Regardless of the method by which a ticket is associated with a
player's account, the player may
use the ticket checking service of method 2600 and Figures 12-18 to obtain
information about the player's
tickets.
[406] In embodiments in which selection slips do not include an account
identification region or in which
selections slips are not used at all, it will typically not be necessary to
impose restrictions on account
identification codes based on the structure and layout of a account
identification region. The lottery operator
may allow a player to have an account identification code in which the same
letters appear any number of
times, as is typical of account identification codes or usernames for many WWW
based systems.
[407] The ticket checking service described in relation to method 2600 (Figure
12) allows a player to obtain
different types of information about the player's tickets, including an
account summary report 700 (Figure 14)
and ticket summary reports 720 (Figures 15 and 16). In other embodiments, a
lottery operator may also
present additional information to lottery players.
[408] Reference is next made to Figure 30, which illustrates part of the
lottery database 1660 of another
system 1600 (reference numberal 1600 is not shown in the Figures). In system
1600, the lottery database
1660 includes a player characteristics table 1682 and an advertisement table
1684.
[409] Advertisement table 1684 includes a plurality of advertisement records
1688. Each advertisement
record 1688 includes an advertisement file and one or more display criteria.
The advertisement file of each
advertisement record 1688 includes data suitable for display on a player
terminal. For example, the
advertisement file may be a static graphical image file or a text file.
Typically, the advertisement file contains
data relating to an advertisement for the lottery operator's various on-line
lotteries and/or on-line games,
causes that are funded by lottery proceeds or other products, services or
events. The advertisement file may
also be a dynamic file. For example, the advertisement file may include code
that assembles an static or
moving image based on real time data such as prize value for an on-line
lottery, the identities or other
information about recent prize winners, alerts about unclaimed prizes, etc. In
each advertisement record
1688, the display criteria define the audience to whom the advertisement is to
be displayed and may also
-80-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
defined other restrictions on the display of the advertisement. For some
advertisements, the lottery operator
may specify that the advertisement is intended to be displayed to all players.
For other advertisements, the
lottery operator may specify certain groups of lottery players to whom the
advertisements are to be
displayed. Some advertisements may be displayed to players based on the
players' demographic
characteristics or player's on-line lottery and on-line game participation
patterns or behavior. For example,
some advertisements may be targeted at players who:
-play multi-jursdictional lotteries;
-play large prize lotteries, such as lotteries with a top prize exceeding $1
million;
-play small prize lotteries, such as lotteries with a top prize of less than
$10,000;
-play specific lotteries such as KENO, PowerBALL, MEGA Lotto, etc.;
-play weekly lotteries;
-play daily lotteries;
-play instant or scratch lottery games;
-have not played a particular on-line lottery or a group of on-line lottery in
a selected time;
-are within a selected age range;
-live in a selected geographic region;
-have a tendency to participate in lotteries when the prize reaches some
threshold;
-have not previously been shown the particular advertisement;
-have not been shown the advertisement in some selected time;
-have visited a casino operated by the lottery operator or a related
organization;
-have used a video lottery terminal operated by the lottery operator or a
related organization; or
-meet some other selected criteria.
[410] The display criteria may also defined relationships between different
advertisements. For example, a
series of advertisements may be recorded in two or more advertisement records.
The display criteria for the
series of advertisements may specify that they advertisements are to be
displayed to players in a particular
order.
[411] The player characteristics table 1682 includes player characteristic
records 1686 corresponding to
some or all of the player account records in the player account table 1602.
Each player characteristic record
may identify one or more characteristics of the player. The identified
characteristics relate to the display
criteria for advertisements recorded in the advertisement table 1684. For
example, a players frequency of
playing particular on-line lotteries or on-line games, the most recent date on
which the player played
particular on-line lottery or on-line game, the geographic region in which the
player lives, the players
attendance or participation in other products, services or activities offered
by the lottery operator or by a
related entity. The display characteristics may also include counters or other
records that indicate which
advertisements the player has seen, when the player was last shown an
advertisement. In general, any
characteristic of a player that may be used to determine if an advertisement
recorded in the advertisement
table is to be displayed to the player may be recorded in the player
characteristic record for the player.
Some characteristics of a player may be recorded in the player's account
record 1614 in the player account
-81-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
table 1602.
[412] The lottery operator may periodically update the characteristics
recorded for players in the player
characteristics table. For example, some characteristics, such as the date on
which a player most recently
purchased a ticket for a particular on-line lottery or on-line game may be
updated each time the player buys
a ticket for the on-line lottery or on-line game. Other characteristics, such
as the the player's attendance at a
video lottery terminal (VLT) entertainment facility operated by the lottery
operator may be updated only when
the player answers a questionnaire on the lottery operator's website or when
the customer records for the
VLT facility are cross-correlated with the lottery database.
[413] Reference is next made to Figure 31, which illustrates a player account
information page 1700.
Player account information page 1700 includes a player ticket information
region 1702 and an advertisement
region 1704. In this embodiment of the invention, when a player is using the
ticket checking service of
method 2600 (Figure 12) to obtain information about the player's tickets, the
player is shown an account
summary report 700 (Figure 14) or a ticket detail report 720 or 740 (Figures
15-18) in the player ticket
information region 1702. Simultaneously, one or more advertisements selected
from the advertisement table
are displayed to the player in the advertisement region 1704. The
advertisements displayed to the player are
seleted based on the display criteria for the advertisements and the player's
characteristics recorded in the
player characteristics table 1682 or the player account table 1602.
[414] In some embodiments, the lottery operator may also choose to display
advertisements selected for
the player based on the player's characteristics when the player is viewing
webpages on the lottery
operator's website that do not include any information about the player's own
tickets. For example, the
lottery operator may have a rules webpage that describes the rules for a
particular on-line lottery. If the rules
webpage has a section for advertisements, the lottery operator may select the
advertisements displayed to
the player based on the player's characteristics.
[415] Several embodiments of the invention have been described. In addition,
numerous alternatives
embodiments and additional features of the invention have been described. A
particular lottery operator may
combine the various embodiments and features to develop other embodiments that
utilize the inventions and
fall within the scope of this patent.
Appendix A: Exemplary systems, apparatus and methods for ticket sales using a
ticket purchase
voucher
[416] Within this Appendix A, reference numerals refer to Figures 32 to 42,
unless otherwise specified.
[417] Several examples of systems that allow tickets to be purchased with a
ticket purchase voucher are
described below. Some of these systems will be described with reference to
several on-line lotteries.
[418] The first exemplary on-line lottery will be referred to as Lotto 7/47.
In this on-line lottery, a lottery
player selects a set of seven different played numbers between 1 and 47
(inclusive of numbers 1 and 47).
The set of seven played numbers is referred to as a Lotto 7/47 played number
set. Subsequently, a lottery
operator conducts a draw to select a set of winning numbers consisting of
seven different regular numbers
and a bonus number, also between 1 and 47. The bonus number is different from
all of the winning
-82-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
numbers. The player may win different prizes if his played numbers match the
winning numbers and/or the
bonus number in various winning combinations, as follows:
Winning Combination Prize Won
7/7 regular numbers Grand Prize
6/7 regular numbers and Second Prize
bonus number
6/7 regular numbers Third Prize
5/7 regular numbers Fourth Prize
4/7 regular numbers Fifth Prize
3/7 regular numbers and Sixth Prize
bonus number
3/7 regular numbers Free ticket
[419] Some of the prizes a player may win in this exemplary on-line lottery
are shared prizes.
Shared prizes are calculated by first determining a total prize amount for a
particular winning combination
and then dividing the total prize value by the number of tickets that have the
winning combination to
determine what share of the total prize amount each ticket will win. The Grand
Prize is a shared prize and
the total prize value for the Grand Prize is determined by the lottery
operator prior to each draw of the on-line
lottery. For example, if the total prize value for the Grand Prize is $10
million and 4 tickets have the 7/7
regular numbers winning combination, then each ticket wins $2.5 million. Some
shared prizes may be pari-
mutuel prizes, for which the total prize amount may be determined as a portion
of the ticket sales revenue for
the on-line lottery. The second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth prizes are
pari-mutuel prizes. One of the prizes is
a fixed prize with the same prize being awarded for each ticket having the
specified winning combination.
The free ticket prize for the 3/7 regular numbers winning combination is a
fixed prize. The present invention
may be used with on-line lotteries and games having any type or any
combination of types of prizes.
[420] For the purpose of this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
lottery operator conducts
a draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery each week on Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time.
[421] The second exemplary on-line lottery will be referred to as Tag. In this
on-line lottery, a six
digit played number is automatically selected for the lottery player. The
played number may be referred to as
a Tag played number. The single six digit played number is a played number set
for the Tag on-line lottery
and may also be referred to as a Tag played number set. Subsequently, the
lottery operator selects a six
digit winning number for the Tag on-line lottery. The winning number may be
referred to as a Tag winning
number or a Tag winning number set. The player may win different prizes if
various winning combinations of
digits in his played number match corresponding digits in the winning number,
as follows:
Winning combination Prize Won
All six digits $250,000
Last five digits $1,000
Last four digits $100
-83-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Last three digits $25
First digit and last digit $5
First digit Free play of host on-line
lottery with Tag
Last digit Free play of host on-line
lottery with Tag
[422] This exemplary Tag on-line lottery may only be played in conjunction
with another on-line
lottery, such as the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery described above. The Lotto
7/47 on-line lottery is referred to as
a host on-line lottery and the Tag on-line lottery is referred to as an
associated on-line lottery. A player may
request that one or more Tag played number sets be added to a ticket for the
Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery. On
draw dates for the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery, the lottery operator draws a
winning number set for the host
Lotto 7/47 and also draws a winning number for the associated Tag on-line
lottery.
[423] The prize for matching the first or the last digit of the Tag winning
number is a free play of
the host on-line lottery in the next draw after the ticket is redeemed,
including a free played number for the
Tag on-line lottery draw on the same date. Players who elect to play the Tag
on-line lottery on a ticket may
win a prize in the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery, the Tag on-line lottery or in
both on-line lotteries.
[424] The third exemplary on-line lottery will be referred to as Keno. In this
on-line lottery, a lottery
player is asked to select a play category between two and ten. If the player
chooses play category two, he
then chooses a set of two different played numbers between 1 and 70 (inclusive
of numbers 1 and 70).
Similarly, if the player chooses play category ten, the player chooses a set
of ten different played numbers
between 1 and 70. Similarly, if the player chooses any of play categories
three to nine, the player chooses a
corresponding amount of different played numbers between 1 and 70. The
player's set of played numbers is
referred to as a Keno played number set. Subsequently, the lottery operator
conducts a draw to select a
winning number set consisting of 20 different winning numbers between 1 and
70. The player may win a
prize depending on the play category chosen and how many of the played numbers
match the winning
numbers. Various winning combinations are defined as follows:
Play Category Winning combination Wager multiplier
(played numbers in
set)
2 2 of 20 7
3 3 of 20 25
4 4 of 20 100
5 5 of 20 250
4 of 20 5
6 6 of 20 1,000
5 of 20 25
7 7 of 20 5,000
-84-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
6 of 20 50
of 20 5
8 8 of 20 25,000
7 of 20 200
6 of 20 10
9 9 of 20 50,000
8 of 20 1,000
7 of 20 100
6 of 20 5
10 of 20 250,000
9 of 20 5,000
8 of 20 200
7 of 20 25
O of 20 2
[425] If the player's played number set includes a winning combination, the
player is awarded a
prize equal to the amount wagered by the player for the set of played numbers
multiplied by the wager
multiplier. For example, a player who chooses play category seven will choose
a set of seven different
played numbers between 1 and 70. In this exemplary Keno on-line lottery, the
player may wager from $1,
5 $2, $5 or $10 for each set of played numbers. If the seven played numbers
match seven of the twenty
winning numbers, the player wins 5,000 times the amount wagered.
[426] For the purpose of this example, the lottery operator conducts a draw of
the Keno on-line
lottery every day at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
[427] The Keno on-line lottery is not a host lottery for the Tag on-line
lottery. In an alternative
10 embodiment of the invention, the Keno on-line lottery could also be a host
lottery for the Tag on-line lottery.
[428] A played number set or played number for an on-line lottery that
includes a winning
combination may be referred to as a winning played number set or as a winning
played number. A ticket that
includes at least one winning played number set or winning played number may
be referred to as a winning
on-line lottery ticket, a winning lottery ticket or more generally as a
winning ticket.
[429] Two exemplary on-line games used in this description of exemplary
embodiments of the
invention will be referred to as Sports Line and Over/Under. In these
exemplary on-line games, each week
the lottery operator identifies a number of sporting events and sets various
odds corresponding to various
possible outcomes of the events. For example, part of a list of odds may
include the following events and
corresponding odds for the Sports Line and the Over/Under on-line games:
LIST 8845 (November 11 - November 17, 2005)
Teams Sports Line Over / Under
Event T i m e Visitor Home V T H O # U
-85-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Saturday November 12, 2005
College Football
17 12:OOp Texas A&M Oklahoma 5.2 4.0 1.2 1.7 36.5 1.7
18 12:OOp Maryland North Carolina 2.6 .3.0 2.0 1.7 37.5 1.7
23 2:OOp Kentucky Vanderbilt 5.0 3.9 1.3 1.7 33.5 1.7
30 6:OOp Washington Arizona 5.2 4.0 1.2 1.7 36.5 1.7
NHL Hockey
44 1:OOp Washington New Jersey 2.2 6.5 1.5 1.7 6.5 1.7
45 7:OOp Toronto Montreal 2.0 6.0 1.6 1.7 5.5 1.7
Sunday November 13, 2005
NFL Football
56 1:OOp Kansas City Buffalo 2.4 2.8 2.3 1.7 43.5 1.7
57 1:OOp San Chicago 5.2 4.0 1.2 1.7 44.5 1.7
Francisco
60 9:OOp Dallas Philadelphia 2.5 2.9 2.1 1.7 43.5 1.7
NHL Hockey
87 8:OOp Dallas Anaheim 1.7 6.0 1.9 1.7 5.5 1.7
88 10:OOp Detroit Vancouver 1.9 6.0 2.0 1.8 5.5 1.6
[430] The list of events may be referred to herein as an event list. The odds
for the Sports Line
on-line game are set out under the three columns labeled "V", "T" and "H"
under the heading "Sports Line".
For each event, three possible outcomes may occur: "V" means that the visiting
team wins the event; "T"
means that the two teams will tie and "H" means that the home team will win
the event. The definition of a
win or tie is set by the lottery operator and may not match the rules used in
the actual event. For example, in
this exemplary Sports Line on-line game, for NFL football games the lottery
operator has defined a tie as the
teams having three or fewer points separating them in the final score. For
some events, a tie may not be
defined - such as for baseball games, where the rules do not provide for tie
games. The odds indicate the
lottery operator's estimate of how likely each outcome is. A higher value
indicates that the lottery operator
believes the outcome is less likely to occur.
[431] In this exemplary Sports Line on-line game, the lottery operator has
specified that a player
may make a bet by selecting between three and six events and specifying a
wager amount. If the player
correctly predicts the outcome of all of the selected events, the player wins
the bet and wins a prize. The
predictions made by the player are collectively referred to as a Sports Line
prediction set.
[432] A payout value for the Sports Line prediction set is calculated by
multiplying the player's
wager by the odds for all of the predicted outcomes. For example, if a player
wagers $5 and predicts that
Syracuse will beat Pittsburgh in event 12, Nashville will beat Colorado in
event 33 and that Dallas will tie
Tampa Bay in event 43, then the payout value is $5 x 4.0 x 3.0 x 1.2 = $72. If
the player successfully
predicts the outcome of all three games, the player receives the payout value
as his or her prize.
-86-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[433] The odds for the Over/Under on-line game are set out under the three
columns marked "0",
"#" and "U". The value in the "#" column indicates the threshold number of
points. A player may predict that
the combined scores of the teams in each event will be over this threshold
number of points or under it. The
outcome of the event is "Over" if the total points scored by the teams is over
the threshold. The outcome of
the event is "Under" if the total points scored by the teams is under the
threshold. For example, in event 32,
a player who wishes to make a bet using the over/under odds for this event may
bet that Washington and
Toronto will score over or under 5.5 goals in their hockey game. In this
exemplary Over/Under on-line game,
the player makes a bet by selecting between two and six events and predicting
whether the outcome will be
Over or Under the threshold in each event. The player also selects a wager
amount for the bet. The
predictions made by the player are collectively referred to as an Over/Under
prediction set. A payout value
for the Over/Under prediction set is determined by multiplying the player's
wager by the odds of the all of the
predicted outcomes. The player wins the bet and is entitled to receive the
payout value if all of the player's
predictions are correct.
[434] In event list 8845, each event is shown with odds for the Sports Line on-
line game and for
the Over/Under on-line game. In this example, the two on-line games are
separate and a lottery operator
may optionally use different selection slips to allow players to make bets in
the different on-line games.
Alternatively, a single selection slip allowing bets to be made on either or
both of the on-line games may be
used. In another on-line game, players could be permitted to make bets that
have both Sports Line and
Over/Under outcomes selected.
[435] In this example system 100, the lottery operator provides event lists on
a weekly basis. In
other embodiments, the lottery operator may provide event lists which have
time periods that overlap with
other event lists, or may provide events lists that have some events in
common. In other embodiments, the
lottery operator may not divide events into lists and may simply having single
event list. In embodiments in
which players will be permitted to purchase on-line game tickets using
selection slips in addition to using the
systems, apparatus and methods disclosed herein, the lottery operator will
typically identify events as part of
an event list to permit the event list to be identified on a selection slip.
[436] An on-line game ticket on which a player has won his or her bet may be
referred to as a
winning on-line game ticket, a winning game ticket or more generally as a
winning ticket. In both the Sports
Line and Over/Under on-line games described above, all of the predictions made
by a player in the prediction
set must be correct for the player to win the bet. In other embodiments, an on-
line game ticket will be a
winning on-line game ticket as long as the prediction set on the ticket (or at
least one of the prediction sets, if
multiple predictions sets are permitted on a single ticket) matches the
appropriate corresponding criteria set
by the lottery operator.
[437] The present invention allows a player to purchase a ticket for an on-
line lottery or on-line
game without using a selection slip. In the first example embodiment described
herein, the player first
establishes a player account with the lottery operator. The player then
obtains a ticket purchase voucher
using a player computer system. The ticket purchase voucher encodes
information for a proposed ticket.
The player then presents the ticket purchase voucher to a lottery retailer,
who uses the ticket purchase
-87-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
voucher to sell a ticket to the player. The player receives a ticket receipt
setting out information about the
ticket.
[438] The lottery operator operates a lottery computer system. In the present
embodiment, the
lottery computer system includes a player account server. A lottery player
uses a player terminal to access
the player account server and to create a player account. Each player account
has an account identification
code or user name. The account identification code for each account is unique
(with respect to the account
identification code for all other player accounts created in the particular
embodiment) and may consist of any
combination or permutation of letters or numerals. In this description of the
first example embodiment,
several exemplary player accounts will be described. The account
identification codes for these exemplary
player accounts include KARINA1022, BRIAN237 and SAMANTHA.
[439] In any particular embodiment of the invention, a lottery operator may
impose requirements
on the account identification codes that players may use. For example, a
lottery operator may set a
minimum or maximum number of characters for an account identification code. In
the present embodiment,
an account identification code may include the same character (i.e. the same
letter or numeral) more than
once.
[440] In other embodiments, the lottery operator may require that each
character in an account
identification code be different from the other characters in an account
identification code. This requirement
may be imposed in the lottery operator also permits players to purchase
tickets using a selection slip with
account identification region, as is described in the main body of this
description preceding this Appendix A.
[441] Figure 32 illustrates a system 100 that includes a lottery computer
system 102, ticket
vending terminals 104 and player terminals 106. A system according to the
present embodiment will include
at least one ticket vending terminal 104 and at least one player terminal 106.
[442] The lottery computer system 102 is operated by a lottery operator (not
shown), who may
operate various types of on-line lotteries and on-line games, including the
exemplary on-line lotteries and on-
line games described above and other on-line lotteries or on-line games.
[443] The ticket vending terminals 104 are operated by ticket vendors (not
shown). Each ticket
vending terminal 104 is coupled, or is capable of being coupled, to the
lottery computer system 102 to permit
data communication between the ticket vending terminal 104 and the lottery
computer system 102. Some of
the ticket vending terminals 104 may be coupled to the lottery computer system
102 through a private
communication network 108. The private communication network 108 may be a wide
area network (WAN), a
private data communication network comprising proprietary (owned, rented or
leased) data lines or any other
type of data network. The private communications network 108 may be a
combination of two or more of
these and other types of data communication networks. Ticket vending terminals
104b and 104c are
coupled to the lottery computer system 102 through private communication
network 108.
[444] Some or all of the ticket vending terminals 104 may be coupled to the
lottery computer
system 102 through dial-up telephone connections or another type of point-to-
point connection that permits
data communication between the lottery computer system 102 and the ticket
vending terminal 104. For
example, ticket vending terminal 104a is coupled to the lottery computer
system 102 through a dial-up
-88-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
telephone connection 109, which may be maintained at all times or may be
established when required to
allow data communication between ticket vending terminal 104c and lottery
computer system 102.
[445] Some or all of the ticket vending terminals 104 may be coupled to the
lottery computer
system 102 through a publicly accessible communications network (a "public
network"), such as the Internet.
For example, ticket vending terminal 104d is coupled to the lottery computer
system 102 through public
network 110. Ticket vending terminals 104 coupled to the lottery computer
system 102 through the public
network 110 may be coupled using a virtual private network or another secure
communications protocol or
methodology.
[446] The connections between the lottery computer system 102 and the various
ticket vending
terminals 104 need not be the same. Different connections may be made using
different types of data
communications networks and lines. A ticket vending terminal 104 may be
coupled, or may be capable of
being coupled, to the lottery computer system 102 in more than one way, to
provide an alternative method of
communication if a primary method has failed or is unavailable.
[447] The connection between lottery computer system 102 and any particular
ticket vending
terminal 104 may be persistent or it may be made intermittently as required
for data communication between
the lottery computer system 102 and the ticket vending terminal 104. If the
coupling includes a publicly
accessible network, such as the Internet, communications between the lottery
computer system 102 and any
of the ticket vending terminals 104 may be secured using an encryption system
or other security technique.
A security technique or mechanism may optionally be used to secure all
communications between the lottery
computer system 102 and any ticket vending terminal 104, regardless of the
type of connection between the
lottery computer system 102 and the ticket vending terminal 104.
[448] The ticket vending terminals 104 are used by ticket vendors to sell
tickets and provide ticket
receipts to players. Each ticket vending terminal 104 (or at least some of the
ticket vending terminals 104)
includes a scanner or scanning device capable of reading or scanning machine
readable information from a
ticket purchase voucher. The sale of tickets to players is further described
below.
[449] Lottery computer system 102 may be coupled to some or all of the player
terminals 106
through public network 110. Some player terminals 106 may also be coupled to
the lottery computer system
102 directly (for example, using a dial-up connection) or through another
network. Each of the player
terminals 106 is capable of communicating with lottery computer system 102 and
typically includes several
output devices such as a display screen and a printer. Each player terminal
106 includes a printer that can
be used to print a ticket purchase voucher. In addition, each player terminal
includes one or more input
devices (such as a keypad, keyboard, computer mouse or remote control device).
A player terminal 106
may be any type of device that is capable of being coupled to and
communicating with the lottery computer
system 102. For example, different player terminals 106 may be personal
computers, Internet-enabled
television sets, Internet-enabled set-top-boxes used with cable, satellite or
other digital communication
systems, portable wireless communications devices such as personal data
assistant (PDA) devices, cellular
phones and wireless portable computers.
[450] When system 100 is in operation, a player uses a player terminal 106 to
access a ticket
-89-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
purchase voucher creation page 112 (Figure 33) accessible on the lottery
operator's website. The player
uses the ticket purchase voucher creation page 112 to obtain a ticket purchase
voucher 113. The ticket
purchase voucher 113 includes a ticket purchase voucher code 136 (Figure 33)
on it in a machine-readable
format, such as a bar code. The player then presents the ticket purchase
voucher to a ticket vendor who
operates a ticket vending terminal 104. The ticket vendor uses the ticket
vending terminal 104 to process the
ticket purchase voucher 113 and to issue a ticket receipt 114 to the player.
[451] Reference is next made to Figure 33, which illustrates a ticket purchase
voucher creation
page 116 for the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery, a ticket purchase voucher 117 for
the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery
and a corresponding ticket receipt 118.
[452] Ticket purchase voucher creation pages 112 are web pages that are
accessible on the
lottery operator's website. A lottery operator will provide a ticket purchase
creation page 112 for each on-line
lottery (or on-line game) with which it uses the present invention. A lottery
operator accesses the ticket
purchase voucher creation pages 112 using a web browser operating on the
player's terminal 106. The
player completes the ticket purchase voucher creation page 112 and then uses
it to create a ticket purchase
voucher 113.
[453] Lotto 7/47 ticket purchase voucher creation page 116 is displayed on a
display screen (not
shown) of player terminal 106b, in the example of Figure 33. Lotto 7/47 ticket
purchase voucher creation
page 116 includes four played number selection boards 121, 122, 123 and 124 in
which a player may
manually select up to four played number sets for a Lotto 7/47 ticket. Ticket
purchase voucher creation page
116 also has an auto-pick selection field 126 in which a player can select
from zero to ten additional
automatically selected played number sets for the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery
on the ticket. Ticket purchase
voucher creation page 116 also includes a tag selection field 128 in which a
player may select from zero to
ten automatically selected Tag played number sets for the Tag on-line lottery
associated with the Lotto 7/47
on-line lottery. Ticket purchase voucher creation page 116 also includes an
advance draw selection field
130 in which the player may choose from one to ten draws for which the player
wishes to purchase a ticket.
[454] A player named Karina Jones, who's player account has the account
identification code
KARINA1022, has completed the Lotto 7/47 ticket purchase voucher creation page
116 to manually select
two played number sets. The first played number set includes the played
numbers 8, 12, 23, 29, 32, 27 and
45. The second played number set includes the played numbers 2, 18, 24, 28,
33, 39 and 42. The player
has also chosen to add 1 additional automatically selected Lotto 7/47 played
number set, 2 Tag played
number sets and to purchase a ticket for four draws.
[455] Once the player has completed the ticket purchase voucher creation page,
the player clicks
the "Create Voucher" button 119 to create the ticket purchase voucher 117. The
process by which ticket
purchase voucher 117 is generated is described in greater detail below in
relation to method 3000. Ticket
purchase voucher is printed at player terminal 106b using a printer attached
to the player terminal 106b.
[456] Ticket purchase voucher 117 includes a ticket information section 132
and a ticket purchase
voucher code section 134.
[457] Various information about the ticket is set out in ticket information
section 132, including the
-90-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
player account with which a ticket purchased with the ticket purchase voucher
117 will be associated, the
played number sets selected for the ticket and other information. In the
present example, ticket information
section 132 includes information that a lottery operator may use to confirm
the details of the players
selections for the ticket. The ticket information section need not contain any
specific information and is
optional. Preferably, the ticket information section is provided and contains
information that a lottery player
may use to understand the played numbers and other options for the ticket that
the ticket purchase voucher
can be used to purchase.
[458] The ticket purchase code section 134 includes a machine readable ticket
purchase voucher
code 136 which encodes a ticket purchase voucher code. In this example, the
ticket purchase voucher code
is set out in a bar code. Alternatively, the ticket purchase voucher code 136
may be set out in the ticket
purchase voucher code section 134 in any machine readable format, such as
optically scannable characters,
single or multi-dimensional bar codes or any other machine recognizable
pattern or character set.
[459] The ticket purchase voucher code 136 for any particular ticket purchase
voucher is different
from the ticket purchase voucher code for all other ticket purchase vouchers
that are valid at the time the
particular ticket purchase voucher is issued. A ticket purchase voucher is
valid if it can be used to purchase
a ticket for an on-line lottery or on-line game. A ticket purchase voucher may
be valid indefinitely or it may
expire at a particular time, or when a specific event occurs or a specific
condition becomes true. Ticket
purchase voucher 117 does not expire. Karina Jones can use the ticket purchase
voucher to purchase a
ticket for the next four draws of the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery whenever she
chooses to purchase a ticket with
the ticket purchase voucher.
[460] In any embodiment, a lottery operator may choose to make a voucher valid
for a fixed time
period, a fixed number of uses, or may set some other expiry rule for a ticket
purchase voucher. A lottery
operator may choose to use any combination of expiry rules for the ticket
purchase vouchers used with the
lottery operator's on-line lottery and/or on-line games. For example, in
another embodiment, the lottery
operator may require that a ticket purchase voucher must be used within 1 week
of being printed. In such an
embodiment, the ticket purchase voucher may optionally set out the time at
which the ticket purchase
voucher expires.
[461] The ticket information section 132 of ticket purchase voucher 117
includes the ticket
purchase voucher code set out in human readable form. It is optional to print
the ticket purchase voucher
code in human readable form in the ticket information section 132.
[462] Figure 33 also illustrates a ticket receipt 118 that corresponds to the
player's selections on
the ticket purchase voucher creation page 116 and the ticket purchase voucher
117. The exemplary ticket
receipt 118 includes the name 140 of the on-line lottery indicating that it is
a ticket for the Lotto 7/47 lottery, a
date range 142 indicating that it is valid for four draws between June 8, 2005
and June 18, 2005. At
reference number 144, the ticket receipt 118 sets out the two Lotto 7/47
played number sets manually
chosen by the player and an automatically selected played number set chosen
for the player by the lottery
computer system 102. The automatically selected Lotto 7/47 played number set
consists of the played
numbers 12, 17, 21, 29, 32, 37 and 43. At 148, ticket receipt 118 sets out two
Tag played numbers, 398587
-91-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
and 957238, for the Tag on-line lottery and the word "Played" to indicate that
the player has chosen to
participate in the associated Tag on-line lottery.
[463] At 156, the ticket receipt sets out Karina Jones' account identification
code KARINA1022.
Optionally, a ticket receipt may set out part of a player's account
identification code or another datum related
to the player such as the player's name.
[464] Ticket receipt 118 also contains a human readable ticket code 150, which
in this example is
a sixteen digit number set out in four sets of four digits: 5933-3748-0958-
3924. A ticket code is assigned by
the lottery computer system 102 to every ticket that is issued. In this
exemplary embodiment, the ticket code
is printed on the ticket receipt 114 in a human-readable form. The ticket code
is also set out in a machine
readable bar code 158, allowing the ticket code to be scanned by a machine,
such as a ticket vending
terminal 104. In alternative embodiments, the ticket code may be set out in
only a human readable form or a
machine readable form. In alternative embodiment, a first ticket code for the
ticket may be set out in human
readable form and a different second ticket code for the ticket may be set out
in machine readable form.
[465] Typically, the ticket code allows the ticket to be uniquely identified
from all other tickets
issued by the lottery operator, at least during a selected time period prior
to the issuance of the ticket (for
example, one year or five years). The lottery operator may select various
mechanisms for assigning ticket
codes for tickets, including mechanisms that encode information in the ticket
code. Such encoded
information may include the particular on-line lottery or on-line game that
the ticket is issued for, the draws
the ticket is issued for and check digits that can be used to ensure the
validity of the ticket code, the ticket
receipt 118 and the ticket.
[466] Ticket receipt 118 includes a vendor terminal code 152. The vendor
terminal code 152
identifies the ticket vending terminal 104 used to issue ticket receipt 114.
Alternatively, the vendor terminal
code 152 may identify the ticket vendor who operates the ticket vending
terminal, so that tickets issued at
different ticket vending terminals operated by the same ticket vendor have the
same vendor terminal code.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the vendor terminal code 152 uniquely
identifies the specific ticket
vending terminal 104 at which the ticket was issued, and accordingly different
ticket vending terminals
operated by the same ticket vendor are identified by different vendor terminal
codes. Other ticket receipts
114 according to the present invention may not include a vendor terminal code.
[467] Ticket receipt 118 includes a verification code 154. The verification
code 154 may be used
to verify the integrity of ticket receipt 114. Verification code 154 may be
generated using a formula based on
other components of the ticket and other data (such as the date and time on
which the ticket is issued) or it
may be created for the ticket randomly, pseudo-randomly (i.e. based on a seed
value or other initial value),
using a list of rotating values or verification codes, or using any other
formula or method. The verification
code 154 may be used in the place of, or in addition to, the use of check
digits in the ticket code 150. Other
ticket receipts 114 according to the present invention may not include a
verification code.
[468] Reference is next made to Figure 34, which illustrates a ticket purchase
voucher creation
page 216 and a ticket purchase voucher 218 for the Keno on-line lottery and a
corresponding ticket receipt
218.
-92-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[469] Ticket purchase voucher creation page 216 has four boards 221, 222, 223
and 224. On
each board, a player may enter up to ten played numbers that form a played
number set. In boards 221-224,
a player manually types in the played numbers that the player wishes to
choose. This differs from the
selection of played number on boards 121-124 (Figure 33), in which a player
was presented with a cell for
each number that the player could choose as a played number. A lottery
operator may choose to provide
individual cells for the different possible numbers in a player number set or
may allow a player to manually
type in the numbers on any of its ticket purchase voucher creation pages. The
player Karina Jones has
manually selected two played number sets in boards 221 and 222.
[470] Ticket purchase voucher creation page 216 includes an auto-pick
selection field in which a
player may choose a play category and wager for up to ten additional
automatically selected played number
sets. Optionally, a player may choose to purchase a ticket with only
automatically selected played number
sets and may leave all of the boards 221-224 blank.
[471] Ticket purchase voucher creation page 216 also includes an advance draw
selection field
130.
[472] Ticket purchase voucher 217 includes information about the player's
selections in a ticket
information section 232 and a machine readable ticket purchase voucher code in
a ticket purchase voucher
code section 234.
[473] Ticket receipt 218 sets out the details of a ticket purchase by the
player using ticket
purchase voucher 217. In this example, the automatically selected played
number set is identified as having
been automatically selected for the player.
[474] Figure 35 illustrates an exemplary ticket purchase voucher creation page
316, a ticket
purchase voucher 317 and a corresponding ticket receipt 318 for the Sports
Line on-line game.
[475] Ticket purchase voucher creation page 316 includes an event list 321. In
this embodiment,
event list 321 corresponds to the events listed above in the description of
the Sports Line on-line game.
Event list 321 identifies the various outcomes and odds for each event that a
player may select as part of a
bet. To make a bet, a player selects from three to six events and selects one
outcome per event. The player
selects the outcomes by clicking the radio button beside the odds for the
outcome.
[476] Ticket purchase voucher creation page 316 also includes wager amount
field 322, in which a
player can enter a wager for a bet. In this embodiment a player may type in a
wager amount of the player's
choice. In other embodiments, the lottery operator may permit the player to
choose from a number of
predetermined wager amounts. Optionally, the lottery operator may provide
options for the predetermined
wager amounts in the form of radio button selections, a drop down list or
another mechanism for limiting the
player's choice of the wager amount. The lottery operator may have a number of
predetermined amounts
and may also allow a player to choose a different wager than any of the
predetermined amounts.
[477] Once a player has selected a bet by marking the player's predicted
outcomes and entering a
wager, the player can obtain a ticket purchase voucher 317 by clicking the
"Create Voucher" button 119.
Ticket purchase voucher 317 includes information about the player's selections
in a ticket information section
332 and a machine readable ticket purchase voucher code in a ticket purchase
voucher code section 334.
-93-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
The player must purchase a ticket prior to beginning of the earliest event on
which the player's bet is based.
In this example, the voucher states that the voucher must be used before
11:45am on Saturday, November
12, 2005. Ticket purchase voucher 317 expires at that time.
[478] Ticket receipt 318 sets out the player's Sports Line prediction set at
344-347. At 349, ticket
purchase voucher 317 set out the payout value based on the wager and the odds
for the selected outcomes.
[479] Figure 36 illustrates an exemplary ticket purchase voucher creation page
416, a ticket
purchase voucher 417 and a corresponding ticket receipt 418 for the Over/Under
on-line game.
[480] Referring to Figure 32, Lottery computer system 102 includes a lottery
database 160, a
player account server 162 and a ticket server 164.
[481] Lottery computer system 102 may be a single computer or may include
various
interconnected computers and other devices, including communication and data
storage devices. Lottery
database 160, player account server 162 and ticket server 164 may reside and
operate on one or more of
the computers or related systems that comprise lottery computer system 102.
For example, portions of the
player account server may operate on different computers which may be
distributed across a large or small
geographic area. In some embodiments, portions of the lottery computer system
may operated by the lottery
operator indirectly through a third party.
[482] Player account server 162 manages the creation of player accounts and
the creation of
ticket purchase vouchers 113. Lottery players use player terminals 106 to
access player account server 162.
Optionally, communications between the lottery computer system 102 and a
player terminal 106 may be
secured using an encryption system or other security technique. A player
terminal 106 used by a player may
be referred to as the player's terminal.
[483] Player account server 162 includes one or more player interfaces 166.
Each player interface
166 facilitates communications between the player account server 162 and one
or more of the player
terminals 106. In the present embodiment, player interface 166a includes a
player website 167a, which
players may access by using a web browser operating on a player terminal 106,
such as a personal
computer or any other web-enabled computing device. Player interface 166a
communicates with web
browsers to receive information from the player terminals 106 and to transmit
information to the player
terminals 106. For example, player interface 166a receives information about
new player accounts and
creates a corresponding player account record 514 in the lottery database 160.
This is further described
below in relation to method 2100.
[484] Player interface 166a receives Ticket Purchase Voucher Requests 560 from
player terminals
106 and transmits Ticket Purchase Voucher Data 562 to the player terminals
allowing ticket purchase
vouchers 113 to be printed at the player terminals. Ticket Purchase Voucher
Requests 560 and Ticket
Purchase Voucher Data 562 are further described below in relation to method
3000.
[485] Other player interfaces 166 may be configured to allow various types of
player terminals 106
to access the player account server to create player accounts or to obtain
information relating to tickets
associated with a player account. For example, other player interfaces 166 may
be adapted to communicate
with portable communication devices with small display screens such as
portable digital assistant (PDA)
-94-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
devices or portable telephone devices. Other player interfaces 166 may be
adapted to communicate with
computer programs executing on a player terminal 106 and to control the
display of information by such
computer programs.
[486] Lottery database 160 is used to store information about player accounts,
draws of the on-line
lotteries, events in the on-line games, ticket purchase vouchers and about
tickets issued by the lottery
operator. Many different data structures may be used to store information
about player accounts, on-line
lottery draws, on-line game events and tickets and the present invention is
not limited to any particular data
structure or data structures for doing so. Several exemplary data structures
for storing such information will
be described here. Skilled persons will be able to design different data
structures to accommodate different
types of on-line lotteries and games and to accommodate different computers,
other devices, operating
systems and software that may be used as part of a lottery computer system.
[487] Figures 37a-37c illustrate a portion of lottery database 160. Lottery
database 160 includes a
player account table 502, on-line lottery draw tables 504, on-line lottery
ticket tables 506 and a ticket
purchase voucher table 570.
[488] Referring to Figure 37a, player account table 502 includes a player
account record 514 for
each player account. Ticket purchase voucher table 570 includes a ticket
purchase voucher record 572 for
each ticket purchase voucher 117.
[489] Each player account record 514 contains information about one player
account. Three player
account records 514 are illustrated in Figure 37a. Player account table 502
also contains other player
account records 514. In this exemplary embodiment, each player account record
514 includes the following
fields:
[490]
Field Information recorded in field
Account ID Code The account identification code for the player account.
Account Password A password that the player must provide to access information
about tickets associated with the player account. The password
may optionally be stored in an encrypted form.
Name The player's name.
Address The player's address.
Phone The player's phone number.
Fax The player's fax number.
E-mail The player's e-mail address.
Birth Date The player's birth date.
Sex The player's sex.
Income The player's income range.
Player Ticket List This field contains a link or reference to each of the
tickets
associated with the player account, allowing the tickets to be
-95-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
identified.
The reference to the tickets may be any mechanism for
identifying tickets. The reference may be direct (such as a list of
ticket codes or ticket record identifiers) or indirect (such as a
pointer to or the name of a list, index or table containing ticket
codes or ticket record identifiers).
A ticket record identifier may identify a ticket table 506 (Figure
37b) or 510 (Figure 37c) and a ticket record 524 or 538 within
the ticket table that relates to a particular ticket associated with
the player account. The structure of on-line lottery ticket records
524 and on-line game ticket records 538 is described below.
In this embodiment, this field contains a list of ticket codes for
each ticket associated with the player account. The on-line
lottery or on-line game for each ticket is also identified, to allow
the ticket record for each ticket to be located in the appropriate
ticket table 506 or 510 (Figure 37b). For on-line games, the
event list is also identified.
In another embodiment, the field may contain a list of ticket
codes without grouping the ticket codes by on-line lottery or on-
line game. The specific on-line lottery or on-line game and event
list for which the ticket was issued may be determined by
examining the ticket code (which may be coded to indicate the
on-line lottery or on-line game for which the ticket is valid) or by
searching the various ticket tables.
In other embodiments, this field may be omitted and the lottery
ticket records for tickets associated with a player account may
be identified by searching through lottery ticket records using the
Associated Player Account field in the lottery ticket records.
Player Ticket This field contains a link or reference to each of the ticket
Purchase Voucher purchase vouchers associated with the player account,
allowing
List the ticket purchase vouchers to be identified.
[491]
-96-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[492] A player creates a player account by accessing an account creation
service. Referring
briefly to Figure 39, The player website 167a (Figure 32) includes a welcome
web page. A player may
access the account creation service by clicking on a "Create Account" button
604. An example of an account
creation service is set out above in the main body of this description
preceding this Appendix A with
reference to Figure 38 and method 2100. As part of creating a player account,
a player selects an account
identification code. In the present embodiment, a player's account ID code may
consist of any combination
or permutation of letter or numbers. Also, in the present embodiment, the
order of characters is sufficient to
distinguish two account identification codes. The account identification code
KARINA1022 is distinct from
the account identification code KARINA1202.
[493] Each player account has a password, which is stored in the Password
field in the player
account record 514. The password may optionally be stored in an encrypted
form.
[494] Personal information about a player is stored in the Name, Address,
Phone, Fax, E-mail,
Birth Date, Sex and Income fields of the player account record 514. A player
may choose not to provide
some of this information, and the corresponding field may be left empty or
omitted from a particular player
account record 514, depending on the data structure used to store a player
account record. In any particular
embodiment, the lottery operator may choose not to include some of the fields
set out above. For example,
a lottery operator that chooses to permit only anonymous player accounts may
provide for one an Account ID
Code and an Account Password field in the player account records of that
embodiment.
[495] Returning to the present example system 100, an exemplary player account
record 514 for
the account identification code KARINA1022 may contain the following
information:
Field Information recorded in field
Account ID Code KARINA1022
Account Password *''""*"*"
Name Karina Jones
Address 123 Somestreet Rd
Sometown, Somestate
84442
Phone (343)254-9348
Fax None
E-mail karina@isp.com
Birthdate October 22, 1975
Sex Female
Income $50,001-$75,000
Player Ticket List Lotto 7/47 Tickets:
5933-2245-5896-5987
5933-3748-0985-3924
5933-7812-3256-6547
-97-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Keno Tickets:
5254-6789-5656-4156
5254-9562-6578-3245
Sports Line Tickets (List 8845):
1659-8761-6573-4657
1659-6204-2340-4826
Over/Under Tickets (List 8845):
3578-5698-1598-2584
Over/Under Tickets (List 8846):
3576-1942-8572-9234
Player Ticket V1653-564-5685-165
Purchase Voucher V1654-470-8329-332
List V 1655-237-8537-275
V 1656-832-2434-742
[496] The Player Ticket List field in the player account record 514 for Karina
Jones' player account
includes a reference to an Over/Under ticket with the ticket code 3576-1942-
8572-9234. This ticket is valid
for the Over/Under on-line game and is based on the events on event list 8846
(not shown). Event list 8846
is similar to event list 8845 in that it sets out events for the Over/Under on-
line game (and for the Sports Line
on-line game), but relates to a different time period (which may overlap with
the time period corresponding to
event list 8845) and to events that occur within that time period.
[497] Referring to Figure 37c, lottery database 160 includes an event table
and a ticket table for the
Over/Under on-line game with data about events and tickets relating to event
list 4524. In this embodiment,
event tables and ticket tables relating to different event lists are stored as
separate tables. In another
embodiment, event records relating to different event lists may be combined in
one table and ticket records
relating to different event lists may be combined in one table. In other
embodiments, events may not be
divided into different event lists.
[498] Each ticket purchase voucher record 572 in the ticket purchase voucher
table 570
corresponds to one ticket purchase voucher created by a player. In this
embodiment, each voucher record
572 includes the following fields and data:
Field Information recorded in field
TP Voucher Code The ticket purchase voucher code for the voucher.
Player account ID code The account identification code of the player account
with which
-98-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
the voucher is associated.
Ticket Type The identity of the on-line lottery or on-line game for which a
ticket will be issued with the voucher.
Proposed Ticket This field contains information required to issue a ticket for
the
Information on-line lottery or on-line game identified in the Ticket Type
field.
In the case of a ticket purchase voucher for an on-line lottery,
this field includes details about the ticket a player wishes to
purchase with the voucher. The details may include played
number sets, the number of automatically selected numbers
requested, the number of draws that for which a ticket should be
printed or other ticket information, depending on the rules of the
on-line lottery.
In the case of an on-line game, this information may include a
selection set, wager amounts, depending on the rules of the on-
line games.
The ticket information may be recorded in one or more fields,
depending on the information recorded.
[499] In this embodiment, all voucher records are maintained in a single
ticket purchase voucher
table 570. In other embodiment, voucher records may be kept in a different
data structure. For example,
voucher records for different on-line lotteries and on-line games may be kept
in different tables or in other
types of data files.
[500] The voucher records for ticket purchase vouchers 117, 217 and 317 have
the following
contents:
Voucher117:
Field Information recorded in field
TP Voucher Code V1653-564-5685-165
Player Account ID Code KARINA1022
Ticket Type Lotto 7/47
Proposed Ticket Board A: 8, 12, 23, 29, 32, 37, 45
Information Board B: 2, 18, 24, 28, 33, 39, 42
Auto-Pick Numbers: 1
-99-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Tag: 2
Draws:4
Voucher 217:
Field Information recorded in field
TP Voucher Code V1655-237-8537-275
Player Account ID Code KARINA1022
Ticket Type Keno
Proposed Ticket Board 1: 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 16, 22; Wager: 2
Information Board 2: 12, 25, 27, 43, 46, 49, 64, 66; Wager: 10
Auto-Pick 1: Play Category: 2, Wager5
Draws: 2
Voucher 317:
Field Information recorded in field
TP Voucher Code V1654-470-8329-332
Player account ID code KARINA1022
Ticket Type Sports Line
Proposed Ticket Event List 8845
Information Event 17: V win
Event 18: H win
Event 45: V win
Event 60: H win
Voucher 417:
Field Information recorded in field
TP Voucher Code V1656-832-2434-742
Player account ID code KARINA1022
Ticket Type Sports Line
Proposed Ticket Event List 8845
Information Event 56: Under
Event 57: Over
Event 60: Over
- 100 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
[501] Figure 37a illustrates the associations between the player account
record 514 for Karina
Jones' player account and the ticket purchase voucher records 572 for her
ticket purchase vouchers.
Maintaining a list of ticket purchase vouchers associated with a player
account within the corresponding
player account record 514 allows a player's ticket purchase vouchers to be
identified. A lottery operator may
permit a player to save ticket purchase vouchers within the player's account
and may allow a player to
modify a saved ticket purchase voucher, to re-print a ticket purchase voucher
or to delete a save ticket
purchase voucher. In other embodiments, the player account record may not have
a Player Ticket Purchase
Voucher field and a player's ticket purchase vouchers may not be recorded in
the corresponding player
account record.
[502] In the present embodiment, a player may optionally create an anonymous
account, for which
personal information that could identify the player is not recorded. The
Account ID Code, the Account
Password, the Player Ticket List fields and the Player Ticket Purchase Voucher
List are required for the
operation of a player account in this embodiment and the information stored in
these fields is required even
for an anonymous account. However, a player may optionally not provide some or
all of the information for
the personal information fields described above. A player may choose not to
provide his name and address,
but could optionally provide sex and income information to allow some
demographic analysis of lottery
players. Alternatively, the player may not provide any personal information.
[503] In an alternative embodiment, a lottery operator may designate some
personal or other
information as required information. For example, the lottery operator may
require a lottery player to provide
the player's birth date to allow the lottery operator to ensure that only
players of a certain age access the
player account. Any combination of information may be designated as required
information or optional
information by a lottery operator. The personal information fields described
in relation to the present
embodiment are only an example.
[504] In another alternative embodiment, a lottery operator may choose not to
collect any personal
information and may make all player accounts anonymous accounts. In such an
embodiment, a player
account record 514 may comprise only an Account ID field, an Account Password
field, a Player Ticket List
field and a Player Ticket Purchase Voucher List field.
[505] In another embodiment, a lottery operator may not require a player to
enter a password
when accessing a player account. In such an embodiment, a player account
record would not include an
Account Password field.
[506] Reference is next made to Figure 37b and 37c.
[507] Each draw record 518 in the draw tables 504 contains information about a
draw of an on-line
lottery, such as the date of the draw, a draw number, winning numbers for the
host on-line lottery and for any
associated on-line lottery and prize information for the host on-line lottery
and any associated on-line lottery.
[508] Each of the draw records 518 in Lotto 7/47 draw table 516 contains
information about one
draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery and the corresponding draw of the
associated Tag on-line lottery on the
same draw date. In this exemplary embodiment, a single draw record is used to
maintain information about
both a host on-line lottery and its associated on-line lottery, since the two
on-line lotteries share information
- 101 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
such as their draw date and since the tickets valid for the associated on-line
lottery are a subset of those
valid for the host on-line lottery. Alternatively, separate draw tables could
be used for the two on-line
lotteries.
[509] Six draw records 518 for draws between November 11, 2005 and December
16, 2005 are
illustrated in Figure 37a. In this exemplary embodiment, each draw record 518
in the Lotto 7/47 draw table
includes the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Draw ID An identifier for the draw. This may be a draw number, or any
other type of identifier for the draw. This field is optional,
especially if the date (or date and time) of the draw, or another
field such as a record number field, can be used to uniquely
identify the draw. In this exemplary embodiment, each draw is
assigned a numerical draw number, in sequential order.
Draw Date The date on which the draw is scheduled to be conducted. In
another embodiment, this field may also include the time of the
draw, particularly if more than one draw for the on-line lottery is
conducted on a particular day.
Lotto 7/47 Winning The winning number set for this draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-
line
Number Set lottery.
Lotto 7/47 Prize Information about prizes for each winning combination for
this
Information draw of the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery.
Tag Winning The winning number for the Tag associated on-line lottery.
Number
Tag Prize Information about prizes for each combination of winning
Information numbers for this draw of the Tag on-line lottery.
Draw Ticket List This field contains a link or reference to each of the
tickets valid
for the draw, allowing the tickets valid for the draw to be
identified.
The reference to the tickets may be any mechanism for
identifying the tickets valid for the draw. The reference may be
direct or indirect, as is described above in relation to the Player
Ticket List field of the player account records 514.
In the present embodiment, this field is a pointer to an index that
contains a reference to the lottery ticket records for all tickets
that are valid for the draw. In Figure 37a, the link between the
-102-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
draw record 518 and lottery ticket records 524 for tickets valid for
each draw is illustrated by lines connecting them. Lottery
database 160 includes an index for each draw. The index
includes a reference to each ticket that is valid for the draw.
In another embodiment, this link may be omitted and the lottery
tickets valid for a draw may be identified by searching the Valid
Draw Dates field in lottery ticket records in the appropriate ticket
table.
[510] The Lotto 7/47 Winning Number Set and Tag Winning Number fields in a
draw record 518
will not contain information about winning numbers until after the draws of
the on-line lottery or lotteries have
been conducted on the draw date and the winning numbers have been determined.
If any of the prizes for
the on-line lottery are determined based on the number of winners, as in the
case of a shared prize, then the
prize values will only be known after the draw. If the prizes are pre-
determined, as in the case of the Tag on-
line lottery, the relevant prize information may be filled in when the draw
record is created by the lottery
operator. Where the prizes for an on-line lottery are the same for each draw
(or for a series of draws), the
corresponding prize information may be stored elsewhere in the lottery
database 160 (for example in a
lottery table (not shown), which may contain rules and other standard
information about each on-line lottery,
including any fixed or standard prizes). The corresponding prize information
field may be omitted, or may
contain a reference to the corresponding information stored elsewhere. In the
present exemplary
embodiment, the Tag Prize Information field is completed after a draw to
record the number of winners of
each prize offered in the Tag on-line lottery. The actual value of the prizes
is recorded separately from the
draw record 518. This information may, for example, be stored in a Tag on-line
lottery information file or
record (not shown) as another part of the lottery database 160 and is
available to the lottery computer
system 102.
[511] Records in the draw table for each lottery are created by the lottery
operator to store relevant
information about each draw. An exemplary draw record 518 for the November 18,
2005 draw of the Lotto
7/47 lottery could have the following contents prior to the draw:
Field Information recorded in field
Draw ID 1795
Draw Date November 18, 2005
Lotto 7/47 Winning Unknown when the record is created
Number Set
Lotto 7/47 Prize Unknown when the record is created, since most Lotto 7/47
Information prizes are shared prizes. The fixed prize of a free ticket for the
- 103 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
winning combination of 3/7 regular numbers may be recorded
here.
Tag Winning Unknown when the record is created
Number
Tag Prize Link or reference to pre-determined Tag on-line lottery prize
Information information stored elsewhere in the lottery database 160.
Draw Ticket List Link or reference to an index of lottery ticket records for
tickets
valid for this draw. The index includes references to lottery ticket
records for the following ticket codes:
5933-2245-5896-5987
5933-3748-0985-3924
[512] Each on-line lottery ticket record 524 in the on-line lottery ticket
tables 506 contains
information relating to a ticket issued for one or more draws of the on-line
lottery and any associated lottery.
Several ticket records 524 are shown in each of the ticket tables 506. Each
ticket table 506 also contains
additional ticket records (not shown) corresponding to additional tickets for
the on-line lottery. In this
exemplary embodiment, each lottery ticket record 524 includes the following
fields:
[513]
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code The ticket code for the ticket.
Issue Date/Time The date and time at which the ticket was issued by the
lottery
operator.
Host On-line Lottery The played number sets selected by the player, or
automatically
Played Number Sets selected for the player, for the host lottery.
Associated On-line An indication of whether the Tag on-line lottery has been
played
Lottery Information on this ticket, and if so, a list of the Tag played number
sets.
This field may contain one or more Tag played number sets
selected for the ticket, even if the player elected not to play the
Tag on-line lottery.
Valid Draw Dates A reference to the draws for which the ticket is valid.
In the present embodiment, the date or dates of the draws for
which the ticket is valid are set out in this field.
In another embodiment, this field may contain a list of draw
identifiers corresponding the Draw ID field in the draw records
- 104 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
518, the date of a draw or a list or range of dates of draws for
which the ticket is valid.
Vendor Terminal The vendor terminal code described above.
Code
Verification Code The verification code described above.
Associated Player Account identification code for the player account with
which the
Account ticket is associated. If the ticket is not associated with a player
account, this field will be blank or may be omitted.
Prize Data Data relating to prizes won by the ticket. This field is described
in greater detail below.
Ticket Status The current status of the on-line lottery ticket with respect to
the
completion of the draws for which the ticket is valid and with
respect to the redemption of prizes won by the ticket, if any. The
status may be one of the following:
i. Draws Not Complete, indicating that at least one draw for
which ticket is valid has not been conducted;
ii. Not A Winner, indicating that the draws for which the ticket
is valid for have been conducted and the ticket has not won
a prize;
iii. Winner-Not Redeemed, indicating that the draws for which
the ticket is valid for have been conducted, the ticket has
won at least one prize and that the prize has not been
redeemed; or
iv. Winner-Redeemed, indicating that the draws for which the
ticket is valid have been conducted, the ticket has won at
least one prize and the prizes have been redeemed.
[514] Information that is displayed on the ticket receipt 114 may be stored in
the format that is
used on the ticket or in another corresponding format. For example, the played
numbers in a played number
set for the Lotto 7/47 on-line lottery may be stored as six different values,
or may be stored as a code
representing the played numbers, or both. The lottery ticket record may
contain additional information, such
as the method by which the player paid for ticket, and other information.
[515] Lottery ticket records 524 for seven tickets L1-L7 are illustrated in
Lotto 7/47 ticket table 522.
The draw record 518 for the November 18, 2005 draw is linked to the lottery
ticket records 524 for tickets L2
and L3 indicating that they are valid for that draw. Ticket L3 corresponds to
ticket receipt 118 (Figure 33)
and is also valid for the November 25, December 2 and December 9 draws. The
ticket record 525 for ticket
L3 may contain the following information when it is first created:
- 105 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code 5933-3748-0985-3924
Issue Date/Time November 17, 2005 - 12:43 pm
Host On-line Lottery Set 1: 8, 12, 23, 29, 32, 37, 45
Played Number Sets Set 2: 2, 18, 24, 28, 33, 39, 42
Set 3: 12, 17, 21, 29, 32, 37, 43 (Auto-Pick)
Associated On-line Played
Lottery Information Played Number 1: 398587
Played Number 2: 957238
Valid Draw Dates November 18, 2005
November 25, 2005
December 2, 2005
December 9, 2005
Vendor Terminal 59573
Code
Verification Code 3423
Associated Player KARINA1022
Account
Prize Data Unknown (draws not conducted yet)
Ticket Status Draws Not Complete
[516] Keno draw table 526 and Keno ticket table 528 are similar to Lotto 7/47
draw table and Lotto
7/47 ticket table and contain information relating to draws and tickets for
the Keno on-line lottery. Keno draw
table 526 contains draw records 518 for daily draws of the Keno on-line
lottery. Lottery ticket records 524 for
six tickets K1-K6 for the Keno on-line lottery are illustrated in the Keno
Ticket table 528 in Figure 37a. In this
example embodiment, the Keno on-line lottery is not a host lottery for the Tag
on-line lottery. The ticket
records 524 for Keno tickets do not have an Associated On-line Lottery
Information field. If the lottery
operator operates other on-line lotteries, the lottery database 160 will have
a draw table and a ticket table for
each other on-line lottery.
[517] Referring to Figure 37c, lottery database 160 also includes on-line game
event tables 508
and on-line game ticket tables 510. Player account table 502 is also
illustrated in Figure 37c. Lottery
database 160 includes a Sports Line event table 532, a Sports Line ticket
table 536, an Over/Under event
table 540 and an Over/Under ticket table 542. In the present embodiment, the
lottery database includes a
separate event table 508 and on-line game ticket table 510 for each event list
for each on-line game. The
event tables and on-line game ticket tables in Figure 37b are for the Sports
Line and Over/Under on-line
games based on event list 8845.
[518] Each event table 508 contains one or more event records 534. Each event
record 534
contains information about an event for an on-line game, such as the date and
time of the event, the teams
- 106 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
participating in the event, the various predicted outcomes that a player may
choose, the odds set by the
lottery operator for those outcomes and other information.
[519] In this exemplary embodiment, each event record 534 in the Sports Line
event table 532
includes the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number The event number as indicated on the event list.
Date/Time The date and time of the event. This may be the time after
which a player cannot select the event for a ticket. Typically, the
lottery operator will not allow a player to select an event less
than a selected time (for example, 15 minutes or 30 minutes)
before the beginning of an event.
Event Type The name of sport, league or other classification of the event.
Visitor Name The name of the visiting team
Home Name The name of the home team
Visitor Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the visiting team
winning
the event according to the rules of the Sports Line on-line game.
Home Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the home team winning
the event according to the rules of the Sports Line on-line game.
Tie Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for a tie in the event
according to the rules of the Sports Line on-line game.
Actual Outcome The actual outcome of the event, according to the rules of the
Sports Line on-line game.
[520] In this exemplary embodiment, each event record 534 in the Over/Under
event table 540
includes the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number The event number as indicated on the event list.
Date/Time The date and time of the event. As with the event records for
the Sports Line on-line game, this may be time after which a
player cannot select the event for a ticket.
Event Type The name of sport, league or other classification of the event.
Event Name A description of the event. This field identifies the teams
participating in the event.
Threshold The threshold number of points.
Over Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the teams scoring over
the threshold number of points according to the rules of the
Over/Under on-line game.
- 107 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Under Odds The odds set by the lottery operator for the teams scoring under
the threshold number of points according to the rules of the
Over/Under on-line game.
Actual Outcome The actual outcome of the event, according to the rules of the
Over/Under on-line game.
[521] The Actual Outcome field in an event record 534 will be blank until the
event has been completed
and the outcome is known. In the Sports Line event table 532, the event record
534 for event 87 on list 8845
has the following contents when it is first created:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number 87
Date/Time Nov 13, 2005 - 8:00 pm
Event Type NHL Hockey
Visitor Name Anaheim
Home Name Dallas
Visitor Odds 1.7
Home Odds 5.5
Tie Odds 1.7
Actual Outcome Unknown
[522] In the Over/Under event table 532, the event record 534 for event 56 on
list 8845 has the following
contents when it is first created:
Field Information recorded in field
Event number 56
Date/Time Nov 13, 2005 - 1:00 pm
Event Type NFL Football
Event Name Kansas City v. Buffalo
Threshold 43.5
Over Odds 1.7
Under Odds 1.7
Actual Outcome Unknown
[523] Each on-line game ticket table 510 contains on-line game ticket records
538. Each on-line
game ticket record 538 contains information relating to a ticket sold for an
on-line game. In this exemplary
embodiment, the ticket records 538 in the Sports Line ticket table 536 include
the following fields:
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code The ticket code for the ticket.
- 108 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Issue Date/Time The date and time at which the ticket was issued by the
lottery
operator.
Predicted Outcomes A list of the events for which the player has made a
prediction
and the player's prediction for each event.
Vendor Terminal The vendor terminal code described above.
Code
Verification Code The verification code described above.
Associated Player Account ID code for the player account with which the ticket
is
Account associated. If the ticket is not associated with a player account,
this field will be blank or may be omitted.
Wager The amount that the player wagered on this ticket.
Maturation Event The event following which the on-line game ticket "matures".
An
on-line game ticket matures when the results for the wager
made on the ticket can be determined.
In the present embodiment, this is possible when all of the
events on which the wager is based are complete. The
maturation event for each ticket is the chronologically latest
event that the wager is based on.
In other embodiments, this information may be set out as a fixed
date or fixed date and time, after the expected completion of the
maturation event for which the player has made a predicted.
In another embodiment, this field may be omitted. The lottery
operator may periodically (i.e. daily) or occasionally search the
Predicted Outcomes field of each on-line game ticket record and
determine the Ticket Status for tickets that are based on events
that have been completed.
In another embodiment, the lottery operator may configure the
ticket server to wait until a player attempts to check or redeem
an on-line game ticket before determining whether the ticket is a
winning on-line game ticket. If the events on which the on-line
game ticket is based have been completed, the ticket server can
calculate and report the Prize Data. Otherwise, the ticket server
reports that the Prize Data cannot be calculated yet.
- 109 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Payout Value The amount the player will be paid if his predictions meet the
requirement for the particular game. In some games, several
payout values might be recorded and one or more of them might
be paid to the player if different criteria are met.
This field is optional. The payout value may be calculated when
it is required using the odds for the outcomes predicted by the
player and the wager chosen by the player.
Ticket Status The current status of the on-line game ticket with respect to
the
completion of the draws for which the ticket is valid and with
respect to the redemption of prizes won by the ticket, if any. The
status may be one of the following:
i. Events Not Complete, indicating that the ticket has not
matured because the actual outcome of at least one event
on which the ticket is based is not known;
ii. Not A Winner, indicating that the ticket has matured and
that the player has lost the wager on the ticket;
iii. Winner-Not Redeemed, indicating that the player has won
the wager on the ticket, but has not yet redeemed the ticket
to receive the payout value; or
iv. Winner-Redeemed, indicating that the player has won the
wager on the ticket and has redeemed the ticket to receive
the payout value.
[524] Each on-line game ticket table 510 has a Maturation Event Index (not
shown) that provides
an index of the ticket records 538 in the ticket table ordered by the event
identified in the Maturation Event
field in each of the ticket records. The Maturation Event Index may be used to
identify ticket records 538 that
correspond to tickets which mature after a particular event. The Sports Line
ticket table 536 has a Sports
Line Maturation Event Index (not shown). The Over/Under ticket table 542 has
an Over/Under Maturation
Event Index (not shown). In another embodiment, ticket records that have a
specific maturation event may
be identified by searching through each ticket record in a ticket table.
[525] Sports Line ticket table 536 contains seven on-line game ticket records
538 corresponding to
seven Sports Line on-line game tickets SL1-SL7. Ticket SL3 corresponds to
ticket receipt 318 (Figure 35).
The ticket record 539 for ticket SL3, when it is first created has the
following contents:
Field Information recorded in field
Ticket Code 1659-8761-6573-4657
Issue Date/Time Nov 12, 2005 - 10:15 am
Predicted Outcomes Event 17 - Visitor Win
- 110 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
Event 18 - Home Win
Event 45 - Visitor Win
Event 60 - Home Win
Vendor Terminal 45678
Code
Verification Code 2344
Associated Player KARINA1022
Account
Wager $10.00
Maturation Event Event 60
Payout Value $124.80
Ticket Status Events Not Complete
Over/Under ticket table 542 contains six on-line game ticket records 538
corresponding to six Over/Under
on-line game ticket OU1-OU6. Ticket OU2 corresponds to ticket receipt 418
(Figure 35).
[526] Figure 38 illustrates a method 3000 that allows a player to create and
print a ticket purchase
voucher 113. Method 3000 will be explained in part with reference to an
example using the player record for
Karina Jones and the Lotto 7/47 ticket purchase voucher creation page 116, the
associated ticket purchase
voucher 117 and the associated ticket receipt 118.
[527] Method 3000 begins in step 3002 in which the player uses a player
terminal 106 access the
player account server 162. The player terminal 106 communicates with a player
interface 166 to allow the
player to interact with the lottery computer system.
[528] Referring to Figure 39, the player website 167a (Figure 32) includes a
welcome web page
602. A player may access player account server 162 by accessing the player
website 167a and accessing
the welcome web page 602. Welcome web page 602 includes player account
identification code field 612,
an account password field 614 and an "Enter" button 616. To request access to
the account checking
service, the player enters his account identification code in the account
identification code field 612, his
account password in the account password field 614 and then clicks on the
Enter button 616. The account
identification code and account password entered by the player are transmitted
to the player account server
162. Optionally, the account password may be encrypted before it is
transmitted to the player account server
162. The account identification code may also optionally be encrypted before
it is transmitted to the player
account server 162.
[529] In the present example, a player may access player website 167a using a
player terminal
106 that operates a web browser. Player terminal 106c is a computer that is
coupled to the Internet and
operates a web browser. The welcome web page 602 is displayed on the player
terminal 106c. Karina
Jones uses this player terminal 106c to access the player website 167a. The
player interface 166 can
display parts of the player website 167a on the player terminal.
[530] In the present example, Karina Jones enters her account identification
code KARINA1022 in
- 111 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
the account identification code field 612. She also enters her account
password in the account password
field 612 and clicks on the Enter button 616.
[531] Method 3000 then proceeds to decision step 3004. In step 3004, the
player account server
162 attempts to authenticate the account identification code and account
password entered by the player in
step 3002. If a player account record 514 matching the entered account
identification code and account
password exists in the player account table 512 (Figure 37), then the account
identification code and
password are authentic and method 3000 proceeds to step 3008. Otherwise,
method 3000 proceeds to step
3006.
[532] Since Karina Jones correctly entered her account ID code and password,
in the example,
method 3000 proceeds to step 3008.
[533] In step 3006, an error message is displayed on the player terminal 106
indicating that the
player has entered an invalid account identification code or an invalid
password (or both). Method 3000 then
ends.
[534] In step 3008, the player is provided access to the ticket purchase
voucher creation service.
[535] In another embodiment, the player may optionally be presented with an
opportunity to use
various services, such as a ticket checking service or the ticket purchase
voucher creation service. For
example, a webpage is displayed on the player's terminal identifying the
various services and allowing the
player to click a button to select the ticket purchase voucher creation
service. In such embodiments, the
player chooses to access the ticket purchase voucher creation service.
[536] Referring to Figure 40, player website 167a then presents the player
with a ticket purchase
voucher selection page 620 on which the various on-line lotteries and on-line
games for which a ticket
purchase voucher can be made are identified and can be selected. For example,
buttons 622a, 622b, 622c
and 622d can be used to select Lotto 7/47, Keno, SportsLine and Over/Under.
The player selects one of
these on-line lotteries or on-line games by clicking on the name of the on-
line lottery or on-line games.
[537] In the example, Karina Jones chooses Lotto 7/47.
[538] Method 3000 then proceeds to step 3010, in which the player is presented
with a ticket
purchase voucher creation page 112 (Figures 33-36) for the selected on-line
lottery or on-line game. The
player then selects the played numbers, outcomes, and/or other choices
available, depending on the on-line
lottery or on-line game selected. When the player has completed the voucher,
the player clicks to the Create
Voucher button 119.
[539] For example, ticket purchase voucher creation page 116 for Lotto 7/47 is
displayed for
Karina Jones on her player terminal 106. She completes the Lotto 7/47 ticket
purchase voucher creation
page as shown in Figure 33 to select two manually selected played number sets,
one automatically selected
Lotto 7/47 played number set, two Tag numbers and to purchase a ticket for
four draws. Karina Jones then
clicks the Create Voucher button 119.
[540] Method 3000 then proceeds to step 3012. In this step, the player
terminal transmits a Ticket
Purchase Voucher Request 560 to the player account server containing proposed
ticket information
corresponding to the selections made by the player. The ticket purchase
voucher generation pages 112,
- 112 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
which are part of the player website 167a, are configured such that when a
player clicks the Create Voucher
119 button, a Ticket Purchase Voucher Request 560 is sent to the player
interface 166. The Ticket
Purchase Voucher Request is in the form of a message that includes proposed
ticket information.
[541] In the present example, when Karina Jones clicks the Create Voucher
button 119 on the
Lotto 7/47 ticket purchase voucher creation page, the web browser on her
player computer 106c transmits a
message to the player interface 166 containing the following proposed ticket
information:
Ticket Type: Lotto 7/47
Manually selected number sets:
08 12 23 29 32 37 45
02 18 24 28 33 39 42
Automatically selected number sets: 1
Tag Numbers: 2
Draws: 4
[542] In another embodiment, the ticket type may be implicit in the message
type or in the source
of the message. For example, the message by of a type that indicates the on-
line lottery or on-line game for
which a ticket purchase voucher is being requested, or the message may
indicate that the ticket purchase
voucher request originated from a Lotto 7/47 ticket purchase voucher
generation page.
[543] Method 3000 then proceeds to step 3014. In this step, the new ticket
purchase voucher is
added to the lottery database 160. The player account server 162 adds a new
voucher record 572 to the
ticket purchase voucher table 570 in response to the Ticket Purchase Voucher
Request 560. The player
account server associates the ticket purchase voucher record with the player's
account. The player's
account is identified in the Player Account ID Code field in the voucher
record 572. The player account
server 162 also identifies the new voucher in the Player Ticket Voucher List
in the player record for the
player's account.
[544] In the present example, the player account server 162 adds the voucher
record for voucher
217 (described above) to the voucher table in response to the Ticket Purchase
Voucher Request.
[545] Method 3000 then proceeds to step 3016, in which the player account
server 162 generates
a ticket purchase voucher 113 corresponding to the Ticket Purchase Voucher
Request 560. The ticket
purchase voucher is generated in a format that is suitable for printing at a
player terminal and on which the
machine readable voucher code can be scanned using a ticket vending terminal
104. In the present
embodiment, ticket purchase vouchers 113 are generated in a portable document
format (PDF) that is used
widely in computing.
[546] Method 3000 then proceeds to step 3018 in which the ticket purchase
voucher is transmitted
to the player terminal 106 from which the Ticket Purchase Voucher Request was
received and in which a
paper copy of the ticket purchase voucher is printed at the player's terminal
(or another device) by the player.
The ticket purchase voucher includes the ticket purchase voucher code in a
form or version suitable for
scanning at a ticket vending terminal.
[547] In addition to generating the ticket purchase voucher, the player
account server may also
- 113 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
generate a version of the ticket purchase voucher that is suitable for display
at the player terminal from which
the Ticket Purchase Voucher Request 560 was received. This version may be
generated by the player
interface 166 that is communicating with the player terminal 106. For example,
"dumb" player terminals (for
example a device connected via a telnet connection) may simply receive and
display text from a player
interface and may just detect and transmit keystrokes and other input from the
player to the player interface.
A player interface for such a dumb terminal may transmit text corresponding to
the ticket purchase voucher
to the player terminal. The text may include instructions for the player to
download the ticket purchase
voucher, which the player can then print at his player terminal or at another
device. When the player follows
the instructions, the ticket purchase voucher is transmitted to the player.
[548] In the Karina Jones example, the player is communicating with player
interface 166a, which
controls the display of webpages from player website 167a on her player
terminal 106c. Player interface
166a generates a webpage that includes information corresponding to the ticket
purchase voucher (which
will generally include text setting out some or all of the contents of the
ticket purchase voucher). The
webpage is transmitted to the player interface where it is displayed. The
webpage includes a"Print Voucher"
button. When the player clicks the Print Voucher button, the voucher is
transmitted to the player interface
and player can print the voucher at the player terminal or at another device.
[549] In another embodiment, the ticket purchase voucher may be transmitted to
the player
without any additional version of it. The player terminal may be able to
display the voucher in addition to
printing it. In some embodiments, the player may only be able to print the
voucher without seeing a display
of it.
[550] In the Karina Jones example, the player interface generates a webpage
that includes
information on the ticket purchase voucher, as well as additional information,
which may include instructions
on how to use the voucher, other information about the lottery operator or the
lottery operator's on-line
lotteries, on-line games and other products, and other information. Karina
Jones clicks on the "Print
Voucher" button and the voucher is printed on a printer at her player
terminal.
[551] Method 3000 then ends.
[552] After completing method 3000, the player has a printed ticket purchase
voucher 113 that
corresponds to the player's selections on the ticket purchase voucher creation
page in step 3010. The
player can use the ticket purchase voucher to purchase a ticket for an on-line
lottery or on-line game in
accordance with a ticket purchase method 3100.
[553] Figure 41 illustrates method 3100. Method 3100 allows the lottery
operator to sell a ticket to
a player and correspondingly allows a player to purchase a ticket using a
ticket purchase voucher 113. The
steps in method 3100 are explained with reference to Karina Jones' ticket
purchase voucher 117 for the
Lotto7/47 on-line lottery.
[554] Method 3100 starts in step 3102 in which the player presents a ticket
purchase voucher 113
to a ticket vendor.
[555] Method 3100 then proceeds to step 3104, in which the ticket vendor scans
the machine
readable voucher code 136 (Figures 33-36) using the scanner or scanning device
of the ticket vending
- 114 -
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
terminal 104. In the present example, the machine readable ticket purchase
voucher code 136 is a barcode
and the scanner is a barcode scanner.
[556] In other embodiments the scanner is selected such that it can scan the
machine readable
ticket purchase voucher code used in such embodiments. The ticket vending
terminal 104 transmits the
ticket purchase voucher code of the ticket purchase voucher to the ticket
server 164.
[557] Method 3100 then proceeds to step 3106, in which the lottery computer
system 102 issues a
ticket to the player. The ticket server 164 receives the ticket purchase
voucher code from the ticket vending
terminal 104 and obtains the corresponding ticket purchase voucher record 572
from the ticket purchase
voucher table 570. The ticket purchase voucher record 572 contains proposed
ticket information
corresponding to the player's selections for the ticket purchase voucher. The
ticket server 164 adds a ticket
record to the appropriate ticket table corresponding to the Ticket Type in the
proposed ticket information.
The ticket server 164 associates the ticket with the player's account by
identifying the player's account in the
Associated Player Account field of the ticket record and by identifying the
new ticket purchase voucher in the
Player Ticket Purchase Voucher List field of the corresponding player account
record 514.
[558] The ticket server 164 transmits Ticket Receipt Data 554 to the ticket
vending terminal 104
from which the voucher code was received in step 3104.
[559] The Ticket Receipt Data 554 includes ticket information printed by the
ticket vending terminal
104 on the ticket receipt 114 for the ticket.
[560] In the Karina Jones example, the Ticket Receipt Data 554 includes the
information printed
on the ticket receipt 118 (Figure 33). The Ticket Receipt Data 554 may also
include additional information,
such as formatting information to indicate how the information printed on the
ticket receipt 114 should be laid
out. The ticket vending terminal 104 prints a ticket receipt 114 setting out
the ticket information.
[561] The ticket vendor gives the ticket receipt 114 to the player and method
3100 ends.
[562] In system 100, tickets are issued to players who have created a player
account with the
lottery operator at the lottery computer system. Tickets issued to a player in
method 3100 are associated
with the player's account.
[563] Reference is next made to Figure 42. In other embodiments, a single
ticket purchase
voucher may be used to purchase more than one ticket. The player is permitted
to make selections for more
than one ticket and proposed ticket information for each ticket is recorded in
the player account server or
elsewhere in the lottery computer system. When the player is done making
selections for tickets, the player
requests a ticket purchase voucher for all of the tickets. The proposed ticket
information for each of the
tickets is recorded in the lottery database and associated with a single
ticket purchase voucher record. For
example, the proposed ticket information may be stored in the ticket purchase
voucher record or the ticket
purchase voucher record may include a reference to the proposed ticket
information, which may be stored
separately.
[564] In such an embodiment, in step 3106 of method 3100, when the ticket
server receives a
ticket issue request based on the multi-ticket ticket purchase voucher, it
issues tickets corresponding to all of
the proposed ticket information associated with the ticket purchase voucher's
code. Each of the tickets is
-115-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
associated with the corresponding player account.
[565] Figure 42 illustrates a ticket purchase voucher 717 that may be used in
such an embodiment
to purchase more than one ticket. Ticket purchase voucher 717 has ticket
information section 732 and a
machine readable ticket purchase code 736 in a ticket purchase voucher code
section 734. Ticket
information section 732 sets out a player's selections for three on-line
lottery tickets. In the lottery database,
proposed ticket information for all three tickets is recorded within or
accessible from the ticket purchase
voucher record for the ticket purchase voucher 717. When ticket purchase
voucher 717 is scanned at a
ticket vending terminal 104, the ticket vending terminal transmits the ticket
purchase voucher code to the
ticket server. The ticket server issues all three tickets and the player
receives three corresponding ticket
receipts 114.
[566] In the embodiments described above, a player presents a ticket purchase
voucher 113 to a
ticket vendor in step 3102 of method 3100 to purchase a ticket. A ticket
purchase voucher may also be used
to purchase a ticket from a player operated ticket vending terminal. The
player may scan the barcode of the
ticket purchase voucher at the player operated ticket vending terminal, which
then communicates with the
lottery computer system and prints a ticket receipt or receipts corresponding
to the ticket vending terminal, as
described above.
[567] In each of the embodiments described above, a player obtains a printed
ticket purchase
voucher at a player terminal. The ticket purchase voucher code is provided to
a ticket vending terminal by
scanning the ticket purchase voucher code from the ticket purchase voucher. In
other embodiments, the
player may be able to provide a ticket purchase voucher code to a ticket
vending terminal in another form.
[568] In some embodiments, in step 3018 of method 3000, the player account
server provides a
version of the ticket purchase voucher in which the ticket purchase voucher
code may be displayed on the
screen of a portable player terminal such as a PDA or cell phone. For example,
a version of the ticket
purchase voucher may be provided which displays the ticket purchase voucher
code as a bar code on the
screen. The player may be able to store the ticket purchase voucher in the
portable player terminal. The
player may then purchase tickets by displaying the ticket purchase voucher on
the screen of the portable
player terminal and scanning the displayed bar code at a ticket vending
terminal or allowing a ticket vendor
to do so during step 3104 of method 3100.
[569] In other embodiments, a ticket vending terminal may be configured to
receive a ticket
purchase voucher code through a radio frequency or optical signal. For
example, in step 3018, the player
account server may provide a ticket purchase voucher code in a numeric form or
a coded form that can be
transmitted by a portable player terminal. The ticket purchase voucher code
may be stored on the portable
player terminal. During step 3104, the player may cause the portable player
terminal to transmit a radio
frequency or optical signal (such as an infra-red signal) including the ticket
purchase voucher code to a ticket
vending terminal with a corresponding receiver. In other embodiments, the
player may physically couple the
portable player terminal to the ticket vending terminal with a cable and may
transmit an electronic signal
including the ticket purchase voucher code.
[570] Any other method may be used to input a ticket purchase voucher code
into a ticket vending
-116-
CA 02626614 2007-10-09
terminal. For example, in some embodiments, a player or ticket vendor may be
able to manually enter a
ticket purchase voucher code into a ticket vending terminal using a keypad.
- 117 -
