Lottery systems, methods and apparatus providing a limited prize eligibility option

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate lottery ticket transactions. According to some embodiments, a lottery ticket may be requested that is eligible for only a subset of prizes or payouts otherwise available in a lottery game.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a controller, a request to purchase a lottery ticket associated with a lottery game that is associated with a plurality of different prizes;
 wherein the lottery ticket requested is to be eligible, in a lottery drawing for the lottery game, for only a subset of the plurality of different prizes otherwise available for the lottery game; 
 determining, by the controller, a price for the lottery ticket based on the subset of prizes; and 
 providing the lottery ticket to a player in exchange for the determined price. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  1 , wherein the subset of the plurality of different prizes consists of only a topmost prize for the lottery game. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  2 , wherein the topmost prize comprises a pari-mutuel jackpot payout. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  1 , wherein determining the price comprises: determining a discount price that is less than a second price for a second lottery ticket for the lottery game that is eligible for the plurality of different prizes in the lottery drawing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  4 , wherein the second price comprises a fixed price. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  4 , wherein the discount price is determined based on an appropriation required to fund the subset of prizes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  1 , wherein determining the price comprises: determining a topmost prize associated with the lottery game; and determining the price for the lottery ticket based on the topmost prize. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  1 , further comprising:
 determining a likelihood of the player obtaining at least one prize of the subset of prizes, and   wherein determining the price comprises:   determining the price based on the likelihood of the player obtaining the at least one prize of the subset of prizes.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  1 , wherein the subset of prizes comprises only non-jackpot prizes for the lottery game. 
     
     
         10 . The method  9 , further comprising: offering, for an additional fee, an insurance product to the player. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  10 , further comprising: determining the additional fee. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  10 , wherein the insurance product provides an insurance payout in the event that the lottery ticket would have qualified for a topmost prize based on the lottery drawing for the lottery game but for the eligibility being limited to only the subset of prizes. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  12 , wherein the insurance payout comprises a fixed payout amount. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  13 , wherein the fixed payout amount is not less than one million dollars. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  12 , wherein the insurance payout is determined based on a percentage of a topmost prize available with respect to the lottery game. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  1  further comprising: providing, on the lottery ticket, a printed indication of at least one of: the limited subset of available prizes; the determined price; and the applicability of an insurance product. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions that when executed by the processor direct the processor to
 receive a request to purchase a lottery ticket associated with a lottery game that is associated with a plurality of different prizes;
 wherein the lottery ticket requested is to be eligible, in a lottery drawing for the lottery game, for only a subset of the plurality of different prizes otherwise available for the lottery game; 
 
 determine a price for the lottery ticket based on the subset of prizes; and 
 provide the lottery ticket to a player in exchange for the determined price. 
   
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable memory device storing instructions that when executed by a processor direct the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a controller, a request to purchase a lottery ticket associated with a lottery game that is associated with a plurality of different prizes;
 wherein the lottery ticket requested is to be eligible, in a lottery drawing for the lottery game, for only a subset of the plurality of different prizes otherwise available for the lottery game; 
   determining, by the controller, a price for the lottery ticket based on the subset of prizes; and   providing the lottery ticket to a player in exchange for the determined price.