Gambling with loyalty points

Abstract

Disclosed in this specification is a strategy for a company offers royalty programs to convert the royalty points into lottery entries. Customers can purchase entries into a lottery, instead of exchange for goods or services, using their royalty points. This strategy may be carried out in partnership with a casino or a gaming establishment.

1 . A method for a broker to administer entry to a game of chance or skill or both, the game having a prize, the method comprising the steps of:
 accepting loyalty points that belong to a customer;   issuing to the customer an entry in the game, based on a value ascribed to the loyalty points.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the broker awards a prize to a winner of the game.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the broker accepts the loyalty points from a third party that pays the points on behalf of the customer.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein,
 the third party is a company that issued the loyalty points to the customer.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the broker converts the loyalty points into a medium of exchange.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein,
 the broker takes a commission for converting the loyalty points to the medium of exchange.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the broker's commission is based on a total value of a customer's wager.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the customer purchases the entry in the game, from the broker, using the medium of exchange.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the broker conducts the game.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , Wherein:
 the broker converts the prize to a medium of exchange for a commission or set fee.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the prize is a service or a product provided by a participating merchant.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the prize is a number of promotional dollars.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein,
 the promotional dollars are merchant-specific, and are provided as a way for the customer to acquire goods or services provided by the participating merchant.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein,
 the promotional dollars are issued by a licensed gambling venue where the promotional dollars are accepted.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , Wherein,
 the broker is an operator of the gambling venue.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein,
 the prize is at least a portion of a pool of loyalty points.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , Wherein,
 the broker represents or acts for a company that provides a loyalty point program.   
   
   
       18 . A method, for a company that provides a loyalty point program, to establish a lottery, comprising the steps of:
 converting loyalty points belonging to a customer into an entry into the lottery; and   paying a prize to a winner of the lottery.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, the prize is at least a portion of a pool of loyalty points from different customers of the company. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 a casino converts the prize into promotional dollars, and a winning customer can play in the casino using the promotional dollars.