Method of Facilitating Online Group Play of a Lottery Game

Abstract

A method of facilitating online group play of a lottery game. Lottery players each having their own personal profile are permitted to join an online lottery group by linking their personal profile with the lottery group profile. The lottery group is administered by one of the group members. Group members are able to purchase lottery tickets online using personal financial information, such as a credit card number, stored in their personal profile and are able to ascribe the purchased lottery tickets to the group. Group members are able to view the numbers of tickets ascribed to the group and are able to communicate with one another using a message posting means viewable only by group members. Group members are notified electronically in the event that one of the tickets ascribed to the group is a winning ticket. The method facilitates the keeping of electronic records of which group members are playing in any particular draw, reducing the likelihood of a future dispute over attribution of any group winnings.

1 . A method of facilitating online group play of a lottery game, the method comprising: 
 a) providing an online tool accessible to a plurality of lottery players;    b) permitting each lottery player to create and store an online personal profile using the online tool;    c) permitting at least a first lottery player to create and store an online group profile using the online tool, thereby forming an online group;    d) permitting at least a second lottery player to join the online group by linking the online personal profile of the second lottery player with the online group profile; and,    e) permitting a purchase of at least one lottery ticket ascribed to the online group profile using the online tool.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the online tool comprises a website and wherein the website is accessible to the plurality of lottery players using the internet.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lottery player is permitted to join the online group by linking the personal profile of the first lottery player with the online group profile.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of online personal profiles are linked to the online group profile.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lottery player sets a finite limit to the number of lottery players able to join the online group.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first lottery player is able to accept or reject any other lottery player seeking to link its online personal profile with the online group profile.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the online tool includes a message posting area viewable only by lottery players joined with the online group, the message posting area permitting communication between the lottery players joined with the online group.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the online personal profile of at least one lottery player joined to the online group comprises personal financial information for use in the purchase.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the purchase is conducted online using the online tool and the personal financial information.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the personal financial information comprises a credit card number.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the online personal profile of each lottery player joined to the online group comprises personal financial information for use in the purchase.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein each lottery player joined to the online group conducts an online purchase of at least one lottery ticket using the online tool and the personal financial information.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the personal financial information comprises a credit card number.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lottery ticket comprises lottery ticket numbers and wherein the lottery ticket numbers are viewable by all lottery players joined to the online group.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises notifying at least the first lottery player if at least one lottery ticket ascribed to the online group profile is a winning ticket.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises providing the winning ticket to the first lottery player.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises providing online payment of a prize to at least the first lottery player in the event that at least one lottery ticket ascribed to the online lottery group profile is a winning ticket.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of purchases and a plurality of lottery tickets ascribed to the online group profile.  
   
   
       19 . A method of playing a lottery game as part of an online lottery group, the method comprising: 
 a) accessing an online tool accessible to a plurality of lottery players;    b) creating and storing an online personal profile using the online tool;    c) joining an online group having an online group profile by linking the online personal profile with the online group profile; and,    d) purchasing at least one lottery ticket and ascribing the lottery ticket to the online group profile using the online tool.    
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the online personal profile comprises personal financial information and wherein at least one lottery ticket is purchased online using the personal financial information.