Products and processes for applying conditions to a lottery entry

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments, systems, methods and apparatus are provided for facilitating consolation payouts in a conditional lottery ticket system.

1 . A method comprising
 receiving a lottery record associated with a sale of a lottery ticket, in which the lottery record includes
 a plurality of lottery numbers, and 
 a condition for creating at least one entry that includes the plurality of lottery numbers in a lottery drawing; 
   determining, by a lottery server, that the condition included in the lottery record for creating the at least one entry is not satisfied;   determining, by the lottery server, a result for the lottery drawing, wherein the lottery ticket corresponding to the lottery record that includes the plurality of lottery numbers and the condition is not active for the lottery drawing because the condition was not satisfied; and   determining, by the lottery server, that the lottery ticket corresponding to the lottery record including the plurality of lottery numbers would have qualified for a first payout for the lottery drawing had the lottery ticket been active for the lottery drawing; and   associating a second payout with the lottery ticket based on the first payout.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing the second payout to a holder of the lottery ticket.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the first payout based on a number of matches between a set of winning numbers drawn in the lottery drawing and the plurality of lottery numbers.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second payout is less than the first payout. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second payout comprises a consolation payout. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second payout is equal to a fixed percentage of the first payout that is less than 100%. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second payout is funded at least in part by sales of insurance. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second payout is funded at least in party by reducing a jackpot amount associated with the lottery drawing. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second payout is funded at least in party by reducing a jackpot amount associated with a second lottery drawing. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 offering to a purchaser of the lottery ticket, in exchange for a fee, an entitlement to at least a portion of any payout for which the lottery ticket would qualify in a lottery drawing, regardless of whether the lottery ticket is active for that lottery drawing.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the entitlement requires that the payout be greater than a predetermined amount. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the entitlement requires that the plurality of lottery numbers match at least a predetermined number of winning numbers drawn for the lottery drawing. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the condition is satisfied; and   creating, by the lottery server, at least one entry including the plurality of lottery numbers in a second lottery drawing in response to determining that the condition is satisfied.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 activating the lottery ticket for the lottery drawing retroactively.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 activating the lottery ticket for the lottery drawing upon determining the result of the lottery drawing.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lottery server is in communication with at least one lottery terminal. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , in which receiving the lottery record comprises:
 receiving the lottery record by the lottery server via a lottery terminal.   
   
   
       18 . A computer readable memory storing instructions configured to direct at least one processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving a lottery record associated with a sale of a lottery ticket, in which the lottery record includes
 a plurality of lottery numbers, and 
 a condition for creating at least one entry that includes the plurality of lottery numbers in a lottery drawing; 
   determining, by a lottery server, that the condition included in the lottery record for creating the at least one entry is not satisfied;   determining, by the lottery server, a result for the lottery drawing, wherein the lottery ticket corresponding to the lottery record that includes the plurality of lottery numbers and the condition is not active for the lottery drawing because the condition was not satisfied;   determining, by the lottery server, that the lottery ticket corresponding to the lottery record including the plurality of lottery numbers would have qualified for a first payout for the lottery drawing had the lottery ticket been active for the lottery drawing; and   associating a second payout with the lottery ticket based on the first payout.   
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing instructions configured to, when executed by the processor, direct the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:   receiving a lottery record associated with a sale of a lottery ticket, in which the lottery record includes
 a plurality of lottery numbers, and 
 a condition for creating at least one entry that includes the plurality of lottery numbers in a lottery drawing; 
   determining that the condition included in the lottery record for creating the at least one entry is not satisfied;   determining a result for the lottery drawing, wherein the lottery ticket corresponding to the lottery record that includes the plurality of lottery numbers and the condition is not active for the lottery drawing because the condition was not satisfied;   determining that the lottery ticket corresponding to the lottery record including the plurality of lottery numbers would have qualified for a first payout for the lottery drawing had the lottery ticket been active for the lottery drawing; and   associating a second payout with the lottery ticket based on the first payout.