Tickets with removable purchased value parts, chance game parts, and variable advertising within a set of tickets, redeemable toward goods or services offered by multiple merchants

Abstract

Ticket sets having a value part with a predetermined value and identification code. The tickets have a chance game part which is played for variable winnings identified by code. The value part is preferably removable to allow non-purchasers to participate in the chance game without cost, to meet gaming laws. The sets have variable frequency advertising messages from plural advertisers to meet varying budgets. A cooperative trading forum, such as a web site, allows purchasers to select from products or services from plural merchants and/or participate in an auction. The ticket values can be banked by registration so that a purchaser can aggregate or select different value entries associated with different tickets. Purchaser registration qualifies a purchaser for added incentives, such as a sweepstakes that is cooperatively funded by participating merchants. A checkout code may be provided that provides potential added discounts at checkout. Related methods are also described.

1 . A set including a plurality of ticket formations, the plurality of individual ticket formations providing value and a game of chance, comprising: 
 at least one value part which indicates a predetermined value associated with the ticket formation;    at least one value identification code which distinguishes one value part from another value part;    at least one chance game formed on a chance game part or parts of the ticket formations, said at least one chance game having a game piece identification code which distinguishes one chance game from another chance game;    advertising messages provided on a plurality of ticket formations included in said set to advertise goods or services of participating advertisers who pay an advertising fee therefor which is dependent upon the participating advertisers' desired exposure frequency in said set;    wherein the plurality of ticket formations have at least one chance game having at least one game indicia which is hidden when distributed and then opened by an end user to reveal the at least one game indicia, said at least one game indicia being indicative of a winning condition or a non-winning condition of the at least one game indicia;    said advertising messages on a plurality of said ticket formations contained in said set being different from other advertising messages on ticket formations of the same set so as to provide advertising messages for a plurality of different participating advertisers which may vary between ticket formations of the set.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  and wherein the advertising messages are presented within the set of ticket formations at an advertising message frequency which is variable by participating advertiser.  
   
   
       3 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one value identification code uniquely distinguishes said at least one value part.  
   
   
       4 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined monetary value amount.  
   
   
       5 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined value amount given in terms of credit points.  
   
   
       6 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined value amount given in terms of a predetermined credit amount programmed onto a programmable credit card.  
   
   
       7 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  and further comprising a checkout savings code which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code.  
   
   
       8 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  and further comprising a checkout savings code on the which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code, said checkout savings code being hidden until the ticket formation is used.  
   
   
       9 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  and further comprising a checkout savings code on the ticket formation which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code.  
   
   
       10 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the ticket formation is divisible into at least one value part portion which can be detached from at least one chance game portion to allow the at least one value part portion to be removed for later use by a ticket purchaser while allowing the at least one chance game portion to be immediately redeemed for any chance game winnings, said at least one value identification code being presented on said at least value part portion.  
   
   
       11 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction.  
   
   
       12 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the ticket formation is made in a two ply construction.  
   
   
       13 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the ticket formation is made in a three ply construction.  
   
   
       14 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the ticket formation is made in a multiple ply construction.  
   
   
       15 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction having a preformed line of partition that allows th.  
   
   
       16 . A ticket formation according to  claim 1  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction.  
   
   
       17 . A ticket formation system including multiple groups each having at least one set containing plural ticket formations, comprising: 
 said at least one set including a plurality of ticket formations, the plurality of ticket formations providing value and a game of chance, comprising:    at least one value part which indicates a predetermined value associated with the ticket formation;    at least one value identification code which distinguishes one value part from another value part;    at least one chance game formed on a chance game part or parts of the ticket formations, said at least one chance game having a game piece identification code which distinguishes one chance game from another chance game;    advertising messages provided on a plurality of ticket formations included in said set to advertise goods or services of participating advertisers who pay an advertising fee therefor which is dependent upon the participating advertisers' desired exposure frequency in said set;    wherein the plurality of ticket formations have at least one chance game having at least one game indicia which is hidden when distributed and then opened by an end user to reveal the at least one game indicia, said at least one game indicia being indicative of a winning condition or a non-winning condition of the at least one game indicia;    said advertising messages on a plurality of said ticket formations contained in said set being different from other advertising messages on ticket formations of the same set so as to provide advertising messages for a plurality of different participating advertisers which may vary between ticket formations of the set.    
   
   
       18 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein said at least one value identification code uniquely distinguishes said at least one value part.  
   
   
       19 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined monetary value amount.  
   
   
       20 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined value amount given in terms of credit points.  
   
   
       21 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined value amount given in terms of a predetermined credit amount programmed onto a programmable credit card.  
   
   
       22 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  and further comprising a checkout savings code which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code.  
   
   
       23 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  and further comprising a checkout savings code on the which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code said checkout savings code being hidden until the ticket formation is used.  
   
   
       24 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  and further comprising a checkout savings code on the ticket formation which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code.  
   
   
       25 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the ticket formation is divisible into at least one value part portion which can be detached from at least one chance game portion to allow the at least one value part portion to be removed for later use by a ticket purchaser while allowing the at least one chance game portion to be immediately redeemed for any chance game winnings, said at least one value identification code being presented on said at least value part portion.  
   
   
       26 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction.  
   
   
       27 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the ticket formation is made in a two ply construction.  
   
   
       28 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the ticket formation is made in a three ply construction.  
   
   
       29 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the ticket formation is made in a multiple ply construction.  
   
   
       30 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction having a preformed line of partition that allows the parts to be separated.  
   
   
       31 . A ticket formation according to  claim 17  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction.  
   
   
       32 . A ticket formation providing value and a game of chance, comprising: 
 at least one value part which indicates a predetermined value associated with the ticket formation;    at least one value identification code which distinguishes one value part from another value part;    at least one chance game forming part of the ticket formation, said at least one chance game having a game piece identification code which distinguishes one chance game from another chance game;    at least one advertising message provided on the ticket formation to advertise the goods or services of at least one participating advertiser who pays an advertising fee therefor.    
   
   
       33 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein said at least one value identification code uniquely distinguishes said at least one value part.  
   
   
       34 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined monetary value amount.  
   
   
       35 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined value amount given in terms of credit points.  
   
   
       36 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the predetermined value of the at least one value part is a predetermined value amount given in terms of a predetermined credit amount programmed onto a programmable credit card.  
   
   
       37 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  and further comprising a checkout savings code which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code.  
   
   
       38 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  and further comprising a checkout savings code on the which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code, said checkout savings code being hidden until the ticket formation is used.  
   
   
       39 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  and further comprising a checkout savings code on the ticket formation which may be used at the time the value part is utilized to obtain checkout value which may vary dependent upon the checkout savings code.  
   
   
       40 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the ticket formation is divisible into at least one value part portion which can be detached from at least one chance game portion to allow the at least one value part portion to be removed for later use by a ticket purchaser while allowing the at least one chance game portion to be immediately redeemed for any chance game winnings, said at least one value identification code being presented on said at least value part portion.  
   
   
       41 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction.  
   
   
       42 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the ticket formation is made in a two ply construction.  
   
   
       43 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the ticket formation is made in a three ply construction.  
   
   
       44 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the ticket formation is made in a multiple ply construction.  
   
   
       45 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction having a preformed line of partition that allows the parts to be divided.  
   
   
       46 . A ticket formation according to  claim 32  wherein the ticket formation is made in a single ply construction.  
   
   
       47 . A method for dispensing and redeeming tickets from at least one ticket set, comprising: 
 selecting a plurality of tickets having: 
 at least one value part which indicates a predetermined value associated with the ticket;  
 at least one value identification code which distinguishes one value part from another value part;  
 at least one chance game forming part of the ticket, said at least one chance game having a game piece identification code which distinguishes one chance game from another chance game;  
 at least one advertising message provided on the ticket to advertise the goods or services of at least one participating advertiser who pays an advertising fee therefor;  
   distributing a plurality of said tickets to at least one ticket distributor said tickets having different advertising messages for tickets within a ticket set;    providing credit to the at least one ticket distributor based upon amount of advertising included on the tickets;    distributing tickets to ticket recipients;    offering products or services on a cooperative trading forum including products or services offered from a plurality of participating merchants;    redeeming one or more value part from one or more tickets via the cooperative trading forum to ticket recipients.    
   
   
       48 . A method according to  claim 47  wherein said distributing tickets comprises: 
 selling tickets to ticket purchasers who pay for the tickets with the value part included thereon;    distributing free tickets to ticket recipients with the value part removed.    
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 47  wherein the value parts do not expire.  
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 47  and further comprising banking value parts for use selectively or in an aggregated manner where multiple value part values may be used in a single transaction.  
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 47  and further comprising paying any winning chance game.  
   
   
       52 . A method according to  claim 47  and further comprising paying any winning chance game by a ticket distributor that sold the ticket.  
   
   
       53 . A method according to  claim 47  and further comprising registering value parts with a value bank account specific to a ticket purchaser.  
   
   
       54 . A method according to  claim 47  wherein the cooperative trading forum is at least one web site at which goods or services are offered.  
   
   
       55 . A method according to  claim 47  and further comprising registering value parts with a value bank account specific to a ticket purchaser; 
 and wherein the cooperative trading forum is at least one web site at which goods or services are offered in exchange for value parts banked to the ticket purchaser.    
   
   
       56 . A method according to  claim 47  and further comprising registering value parts with a value bank account specific to a ticket purchaser; 
 and wherein the cooperative trading forum is at least one web site at which goods or services are offered at auction in exchange for value parts banked to the ticket purchaser.    
   
   
       57 . A method according to  claim 47  wherein the value part of a ticket is indicated in points which are redeemable at the distributor which sold the ticket to a purchaser, said points being used as part or full credit toward goods or services offered by the distributor.  
   
   
       58 . A method according to  claim 47  wherein the value part of a ticket or tickets are used as partial payment.  
   
   
       59 . A method according to  claim 47  wherein the value part of a ticket or tickets are used as full payment.