Instant progressive game system

Abstract

A game system providing multiple levels of integrated play featuring instant progressive awards and variably compounding award amounts. The game system may be one of many types, including seal cards, jar tickets, instant games and lottery tickets. The game system offers the opportunity for awards at an initial level, and a chance for an instant progressive award offered to players qualifying for an upper level. Players eligible for an instant progressive award do not wait until the end of play at the initial level before participating at the upper level. Any upper level progressive award amounts not awarded may be compounded with an award amount associated with the next round of play to create an increased award amount in the next round. Any compounded award amount is variable and not predetermined. The instant progression scheme and variably compounding award amounts increase player interest over multiple rounds of play.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A seal card game system providing multiple levels of play, the system comprising: 
 a) at least one deal set of tickets comprising a plurality of play tickets;    b) each of the plurality of play tickets including: 
 i) deal identifier indicia imprinted on the play ticket to identify a deal set which the play ticket is a member of, each play ticket being a member of only one deal set; and  
 ii) at least one game symbol imprinted on the play ticket and concealed by a removable pull tab, the pull tab adapted to be removed by a purchaser of the play ticket;  
   c) a predetermined number of play tickets in each deal set of tickets having an instant award game symbol that identifies said play tickets as instant award winners;    d) a predetermined number of play tickets in each deal set of tickets having a qualifier game symbol that qualifies said play tickets to participate for a deal level award and for an instant progressive level award;    e) at least one deal winner identifier concealed by a removable pull tab, said at least one deal winner identifier identifying a play ticket from the qualifier play tickets that wins a deal level award;    f) at least one instant progressive winner identifier concealed by a removable pull tab, said at least one instant progressive winner identifier identifying a play ticket from the qualifier play tickets that wins an instant progressive level award; and    g) an instant seal card adapted for compounding an amount of instant progressive level award not awarded during play of a previously played deal set with an amount of an instant progressive level award associated with said deal set.    
     
     
         2 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said qualifier game symbol is numerical.  
     
     
         3 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said instant award game symbol is graphical.  
     
     
         4 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said instant award game symbol is numerical.  
     
     
         5 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  further comprising a deal seal card, wherein said at least one deal winner identifier is imprinted on said deal seal card.  
     
     
         6 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said deal identifier indicia is numerical.  
     
     
         7 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein at least one member of said set does not conceal a said instant progressive winner identifier.  
     
     
         8 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein a majority of said set does not conceal a said instant progressive winner identifier.  
     
     
         9 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein each member of said set conceals either a said instant progressive winner identifier or a losing ticket symbol.  
     
     
         10 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein a number of members of said set is at least twice said predetermined number of play tickets in each deal set of tickets having a qualifier game symbol.  
     
     
         11 . The seal card game system of  claim 1  further comprising a deal seal card, wherein said deal seal card includes indicia for awarding a prize not awarded upon completion of play of said instant seal card.  
     
     
         12 . A seal card game system providing multiple levels of play, the system comprising: 
 a) a deal set of tickets comprising a plurality of play tickets;    b) each of the plurality of play tickets including at least one game symbol imprinted on the play ticket and concealed by a removable pull tab, the pull tab adapted to be removed by a purchaser of the play ticket;    c) a predetermined number of play tickets in each deal set of tickets having a qualifier game symbol that qualifies said play tickets to participate for an instant progressive level award;    d) at least one instant progressive winner identifier concealed by a removable pull tab, said at least one instant progressive winner identifier identifying a play ticket from the qualifier play tickets that wins an instant progressive level award; and    e) an instant seal card adapted for compounding an amount of instant progressive level award not awarded during play of a previously played deal set with an amount of instant progressive level award associated with said deal set.    
     
     
         13 . The seal card game system of  claim 12  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein at least one member of said set does not conceal a said instant progressive winner identifier.  
     
     
         14 . The seal card game system of  claim 12  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein a majority of said set does not conceal a said instant progressive winner identifier.  
     
     
         15 . The seal card game system of  claim 12  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein each member of said set conceals either a said instant progressive winner identifier or a losing ticket symbol.  
     
     
         16 . The seal card game system of  claim 12  wherein said instant seal card includes a set of removable pull tabs, wherein a number of members of said set is at least twice said predetermined number of play tickets in said deal set of tickets having a qualifier game symbol.  
     
     
         17 . The seal card game system of  claim 12  further comprising a deal seal card, wherein at least one deal winner identifier is imprinted on said deal seal card, said at least one deal winner identifier identifying a play ticket from the qualifier play tickets that wins a deal level award.  
     
     
         18 . The seal card game system of  claim 12  further comprising a deal seal card, wherein said deal seal card includes indicia for awarding a prize not yet awarded upon completion of play associated with said instant seal card.  
     
     
         19 . A method of playing a non-progressive seal card game system: 
 a) providing a deal set of tickets comprising a plurality of play tickets wherein each of the plurality of play tickets includes at least one game symbol imprinted on said play ticket and concealed by a removable pull tab, the pull tab adapted to be removed by a purchaser of the play ticket;    b) providing a predetermined number of play tickets having a game symbol that qualifies said play tickets to participate for an instant progressive level award and a deal level award;    c) providing an instant seal card, said instant seal card comprising at least one instant progressive winner identifier concealed by a removable pull tab, said at least one instant progressive winner identifier identifying a play ticket from the qualifier play tickets that wins an instant progressive award;    d) providing at least one deal winner identifier concealed by a removable pull tab, said at least one deal winner identifier identifying a play ticket from the qualifier play tickets that wins a deal level award;    e) selling the play tickets of said deal set to a population of players;    f) permitting said players to remove said pull tabs to reveal said game symbols;    g) allowing players in possession of play tickets imprinted with said qualifier game symbol that qualifies said play tickets for a instant progressive award to compete for said award prior to all play tickets being sold;    h) recording players in possession of play tickets imprinted with said qualifier game symbol that qualifies said play tickets for a deal level award;    i) awarding at least one deal winner for said deal set; and    j) awarding any instant progressive level award not yet awarded upon completion of play by players in possession of play tickets imprinted with said qualifier game symbol that qualifies said play tickets for a instant progressive award.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of awarding any instant progressive level award not yet awarded is accomplished by compounding said award with an award associated with an instant seal card of a subsequently played deal set.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of awarding any instant progressive level award not yet awarded is accomplished by awarding said award during play of a deal seal card, wherein said deal seal card includes indicia for awarding a prize not yet awarded upon completion of play associated with said instant seal card.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of awarding any instant progressive level award not yet awarded is accomplished by awarding said award during play of a deal seal card, wherein said deal seal card includes indicia for awarding a prize not yet awarded upon completion of play associated with said instant seal card, wherein each of said play tickets from the qualifier play tickets that wins a deal level award during play of said deal seal card and each of said play tickets from the qualifier game tickets that wins an instant progressive level award during play of said deal seal card are mutually exclusive.