Multiple-stage game of chance and method of and system for playing the game

Abstract

A game of chance for a plurality of game participants that is played in a plurality of drawing stages and a method and system for playing the game are disclosed. Game participants self-select or have selected automatically for them a plurality of playing numbers from a population of numbers that are arranged on a game ticket in a number of columns and/or rows, which are grouped in a plurality of discrete blocks. A selection device randomly selects a plurality of winning numbers from the same population in two or more stages. Game participants can win a prize during or at the completion of each drawing stage if all of their playing numbers in designated rows and/or columns match the winning numbers selected in that drawing stage. Thus, game participants can win some prize for matching fewer than all of the winning numbers selected. Moreover, a plurality of winning combinations is possible on each game ticket, producing a plurality of ways to win on a single ticket. The game is played online to facilitate determining the number of winning game tickets and the number of winning combinations per winning game ticket; determining the prize payout amount; and authenticating winning game tickets.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A game of chance played on a network for a plurality of game participants, having a plurality of drawing stages; wherein, 
 each of the plurality of game participants has at least one game ticket, said game ticket comprising a plurality of discrete blocks comprising a plurality of game boxes that contain a unique number selected from a population of numbers; and    wherein each of the plurality of drawing stages produces a plurality of possible winning combinations during or at the completion of each of the plurality of drawing stages, the game comprising: 
 a first selection device for populating the plurality of game boxes in each of the plurality of discrete blocks on said at least one game ticket, wherein the first selection device populates each of the plurality of game boxes with a number selected from the population of numbers to produce a plurality of arrays;  
 a second selection device for randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers from the population of numbers in a plurality of drawing stages; and  
 at least one server, wherein the at least one server controls the network.  
   
     
     
         2 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of drawing stages is two.  
     
     
         3 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of game boxes in the plurality of discrete blocks on the at least one game ticket is arrayed in a plurality of columns.  
     
     
         4 . The game of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of columns comprises three columns, each having a number of game boxes therein, in each of the plurality of blocks, for a total of six columns.  
     
     
         5 . The game of  claim 4  wherein the number of game boxes is four, six and eight, respectively, for the three columns.  
     
     
         6 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of game boxes in the plurality of discrete blocks on the at least one game ticket is arrayed in a plurality of rows.  
     
     
         7 . The game of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of rows comprises six rows each having a number of game boxes therein, in each of the plurality of blocks, for a total of six rows.  
     
     
         8 . The game of  claim 7  wherein the number of game boxes is four, six, and eight, respectively, for the three rows.  
     
     
         9 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of game boxes in at least one of the plurality of discrete blocks on the at least one game ticket is arrayed in a plurality of columns and the plurality of game boxes in at least one of the plurality of discrete blocks on the lat least one game ticket is arrayed in a plurality of rows.  
     
     
         10 . The game of  claim 9  wherein the plurality of columns comprises three columns, each having a number of game boxes therein and the plurality of rows comprises three rows, each having a number of game boxes therein.  
     
     
         11 . The game of  claim 10  wherein the number of game boxes is four, six and eight, respectively, for the three columns and the three rows.  
     
     
         12 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the first selection device for populating a plurality of game boxes comprises a selection card.  
     
     
         13 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the first selection device comprises at least one server, having software to populate the plurality of game boxes automatically with numbers selected randomly from the population of numbers, wherein the at least one server is connected to the network.  
     
     
         14 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the population of numbers is divisible into a plurality of sub-populations so that each of the plurality of sub-populations populates all of the plurality of game boxes in at least one of the plurality of arrays.  
     
     
         15 . The game of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of sub-populations comprises a first third, a second third, and a final third.  
     
     
         16 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the second selection device for randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers comprises an electronic random number generator that is connected to the network.  
     
     
         17 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the second selection device for randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers comprises a manual drawing machine.  
     
     
         18 . The game of  claim 1  wherein the network further comprises: 
 at least one server having: 
 at least one database for storing the plurality of game participant's arrays;  
 at least one database for storing the population of numbers from which the second selection device samples to produce the winning numbers; and  
 software for determining the number of winning game tickets and the number of winning combinations on each winning game ticket; for determining at least one prize payout; and for authenticating at least one winning game ticket;  
 
 at least one printer, which is connected to the network, to produce at least one game ticket; and  
 at least one reader, which is connected to the network, wherein the reader provides each of the plurality of game participant's arrays to the at least one server for storage in the database therefor and to the printer for use in producing the plurality of game tickets.  
 
     
     
         19 . A method of playing a game of chance on a network, the game having a plurality of game participants each having at least one game ticket, comprising the steps of: 
 populating a plurality of game boxes of a plurality of game tickets with discrete numbers selected from a population of numbers to produce a plurality of arrays;    randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers from the population of numbers in at least two distinct stages;    determining the number of winning combinations on the plurality of game tickets of the plurality of game participants;    verifying that a game ticket is a winning game ticket; and    awarding at least one prize to at least one game participant, wherein the at least one prize is awarded based on the number of winning combinations appearing on at least one winning game ticket.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the game ticket comprises a plurality of discrete blocks comprising a plurality of game boxes that are arranged in a plurality of columns, wherein the plurality of blocks comprises two blocks of three columns each.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the game ticket comprises a plurality of discrete blocks comprising a plurality of game boxes that are arranged in a plurality of rows, wherein the plurality of blocks comprises two blocks of three rows each.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of game boxes is populated automatically by at least one server, which is connected to the network, having software therefor.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of game boxes is populated manually using a selection card.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers is performed by a selection device.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the selection device comprises an electronic random number generator that is connected to the network.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the selection device comprises a manual drawing machine.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19  wherein selecting the plurality of winning numbers stages comprises the additional steps of: 
 selecting a predetermined number of winning numbers from the population of numbers in a first drawing stage; and  
 selecting a predetermined number of winning numbers from the population of numbers in a second drawing stage.  
 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the predetermined number of winning numbers drawn in the first and second drawing stages are twelve and six, respectively.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the selecting the plurality of winning numbers stages comprises the additional steps of: 
 selecting a predetermined number of winning numbers from the population of numbers in a first drawing stage;  
 selecting a predetermined number of winning numbers from the population of numbers in a second drawing stage; and  
 selecting one or more bonus ball from the population of numbers in a third drawing stage.  
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the predetermined number of winning numbers drawn in the first and second drawing stages is twelve each.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19  wherein determining the number of winning combinations is performed automatically by at least one server, which is connected to the network, having software therefor.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 19  comprising the additional step of dividing the population of numbers into a plurality of sub-populations so that each of the plurality of sub-populations populates all of the plurality of game boxes in at least one of the plurality of arrays.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the plurality of sub-populations comprises a first third, a second third, and a final third.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the additional step of storing the plurality of playing numbers for each of the plurality of game participants in at least one server, having at least one database therefore, wherein the at least one server is connected to the network.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the additional step of producing the plurality of game tickets.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein the plurality of game tickets is produced by at least one printer, wherein the at least one printer is connected to the network.  
     
     
         37 . A system for playing a multiple drawing stage game of chance on a network, comprising: 
 at least one server, which is connected to the network, wherein the at least one server comprises 
 at least one database for storing a plurality of arrays of playing numbers populating a discrete blocks comprising a plurality of game boxes on a plurality of game tickets of a plurality of game participants, and  
 at least one database for storing a population of numbers;  
   a first selection device for selecting a plurality of playing numbers from the population of numbers to produce the plurality of arrays; and    a second selection device for randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers from a population of numbers in a plurality of drawing stages.    
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the at least one server includes software for: 
 automatically populating the plurality of game boxes on the plurality of game tickets;  
 determining the number of winning game tickets and the number of winning combinations on each winning game ticket;  
 calculating at least one prize payout; and  
 verifying at least one winning game ticket.  
 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the first selection device comprises a selection card.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the second selection device for randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers comprises an electronic random number generator that is connected to the network.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the second selection device for randomly selecting a plurality of winning numbers comprises a manual drawing machine.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 37  further comprising: 
 at least one local printer, which is connected to the network, for producing at least one game ticket; and  
 at least one reader, which is connected to the network, wherein the reader provides each of the plurality of game participant's arrays to the at least one server for storage in the database therefor and to the printer for use in producing the plurality of game tickets.