Method and apparatus for conducting a game of chance

Abstract

A system and method are provided for playing a game of chance. The game of chance may include, for example, a lottery-type game or a Keno game. A result of the game of chance is revealed to a player in another medium. In one example, the result is revealed during multiple game instances of one or more online games. In one example, the online game is a bingo game. In another game example, a competitive game environment is provided wherein multiple players play a single instance of a bingo game to reveal the players' individual results.

1 . A method for playing a game of chance comprising acts of: 
 issuing respective tickets to a plurality of players, each ticket including a code printed on a surface of the ticket; and    providing for each of the plurality of players to play a bingo game on different medium than the issued ticket, wherein the code is used to gain access to obtain a result associated with the game of chance.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of players play a same instance of the bingo game.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein a result associated with each issued ticket of the plurality of players is based on a game experience common to the plurality of players provided in the same instance of the bingo game.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of issuing respective tickets includes issuing at least one of a lottery ticket, a scratch ticket, a printed ticket, and a pull-tab ticket.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the act of providing further comprises an act of providing a computer-based game which the player plays the bingo game to reveal the result of the game of chance.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the act of providing includes an act of permitting access to a website to play the bingo game.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the bingo game is a computer-based game including one or more bingo cards, each having a plurality of indicia that, when matched in any one of a plurality of combinations, provides one or more prizes to at least one of the plurality of players.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , further comprising an act of providing a pay table that determines, based on a particular one of the plurality of combinations, the one or more prizes provided to the at least one player.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the prize total for the ticket is predetermined prior to play of the bingo game.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the result of any one of at least one of the one or more bingo cards and instances of the bingo game reveals a prize won by the player.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein an indication of the prize won by the player is stored in a database of a server, and is downloaded to a computer presenting the computer-based game to the player.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of providing, by a first server associated with a first game, the result associated with the game of chance.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising an act of storing, in a memory of a computer system, the result associated with the game of chance.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising an act of associating the result with an indication of the ticket.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the first server further comprises a random number generator, and the random number generator performs an act of determining a set numbers associated with the issued ticket.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising an act of determining a set of winning numbers associated with the game of chance.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising an act of determining the result of the game of chance based on a comparison of the set of numbers associated with the issued ticket and the set of winning numbers.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the game of chance includes at least one of a Keno game and a bingo game, and the act of determining a set of numbers associated with the issued ticket comprises an act of selecting a predetermined number of numbers from a predetermined set of numbers.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of determining an outcome associated with the ticket based on a drawing.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising an act of permitting at least one of the plurality of players to play the bingo game in response to the act of determining the outcome.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of revealing the result during play of an online bingo game.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of displaying an interface comprising one or more player identifiers, each of which represent a corresponding player and a corresponding ranking of each player in a tournament of bingo games.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an act of automatically playing, for at least one of the plurality of players, at least one instance of the online game if the at least one of the plurality of players does not play the game instance within a predetermined time.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the online bingo game begins at a predetermined time.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the online bingo game ends at a predetermined time.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein at least one instance of the online bingo game begins at a predetermined time.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising an act of indicating, to the player, a result of the tournament after the online game ends.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the online bingo game includes an associated game in which is revealed at least one result.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the associated game includes a slot machine game.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the bingo game comprises a plurality of bingo game instances.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of bingo instances are included in a tournament games.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein at least two of the plurality of bingo game instances are played with different winning patterns.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein at least two of the plurality of bingo game instances are played with different rule sets.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of bingo game instances are played at predetermined times.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein each of the plurality of bingo instances begins at a predetermined time.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of players play at least one same instance of at least one of the plurality of bingo game instances.