US2010160021A1PendingUtilityA1

System and method for a national lottery

49
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 18, 2008Filed: Dec 18, 2008Published: Jun 24, 2010
Est. expiryDec 18, 2028(~2.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:William WolfeAnthony Licata
G06Q 50/34G07F 17/32G07F 17/329
49
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A lottery method including assigning a plurality of entities respective allotments of lottery tickets so that each allotment of lottery tickets for each respective entity corresponds to a number of eligible people in the entity. The method also includes selling the lottery tickets in each respective entity such that each lottery ticket comprises a unique lottery identifier and the method includes selecting a winning lottery ticket from a combination of the lottery tickets. The method further includes distributing a portion of proceeds from the selling to a winner having the winning lottery ticket, distributing a portion of the proceeds from the selling to the respective entity where the winning lottery ticket was purchased, or holding the portion of the proceeds for another drawing.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A lottery method, comprising:
 assigning a plurality of entities respective allotments of lottery tickets, wherein each allotment of lottery tickets for each respective entity corresponds to a number of eligible people in the entity;   selling the lottery tickets in each respective entity, wherein each lottery ticket comprises a unique lottery identifier;   selecting a winning lottery ticket from a combination of the lottery tickets; and   distributing a portion of proceeds from the selling to a winner having the winning lottery ticket, distributing a portion of the proceeds from the selling to the respective entity where the winning lottery ticket was purchased, or holding the portion of the proceeds for another drawing.   
     
     
         2 . A lottery method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing ticket information about each lottery ticket on an entity data store for each respective entity.   
     
     
         3 . A lottery method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 holding the proceeds of each lottery ticket sold in an entity escrow account for each respective entity.   
     
     
         4 . A lottery method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 transferring a majority of the proceeds in each entity escrow account into a specified common account, wherein the specified common account holds the portion of the proceeds to be set aside for the winning lottery ticket.   
     
     
         5 . A lottery method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 distributing a management fee from the specified common account to a management body; and   distributing an entity payment from the specified common account to each respective entity.   
     
     
         6 . A lottery method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises choosing from the combination of the lottery tickets which are sold. 
     
     
         7 . A lottery method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises choosing a plurality of unique winners for a plurality of drawings. 
     
     
         8 . A lottery method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selling is during a specified time period. 
     
     
         9 . A lottery method according to  claim 4 , wherein the selling is during a specified time period and the transferring is conducted at an expiration of the specified time period. 
     
     
         10 . A lottery method according to  claim 2 , further comprising transmitting the ticket information from each entity data store to a common data store, wherein the common data store comprises the combination of the lottery ticket identifiers of the lottery tickets. 
     
     
         11 . A lottery method according to  claim 10 , wherein the drawing is conducted from the lottery ticket identifiers stored at the common data store. 
     
     
         12 . A lottery method according to  claim 5 , further comprising dispensing an amount of the entity payment proportional to the eligible population of the entity. 
     
     
         13 . A lottery method according to  claim 1 , wherein the assigning a plurality of entities a discrete number of lottery tickets comprises entities from a state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, and a Commonwealth of the United States of America. 
     
     
         14 . A lottery system, comprising:
 a management body to assign a plurality of entities respective allotments of lottery tickets, wherein each allotment of lottery tickets for each respective entity corresponds to a number of eligible people in the entity able to participate in a lottery, wherein the management body oversees a drawing for a winning lottery ticket for the drawing from a combination of the lottery tickets which are sold, and wherein the management body (a) oversees a distribution of a portion of proceeds from a sale of the lottery tickets for the drawing to a winner of the drawings having the winning lottery ticket for the drawing, (b) oversees a distribution of a portion of the proceeds from the lottery tickets sold to the respective entity where the winning lottery ticket was purchased, or (c) oversees that a particular financial institution holds the portion of the proceeds for another drawing; and   a retailer to sell the lottery tickets to an eligible population, wherein each lottery ticket comprises a unique lottery identifier.   
     
     
         15 . A lottery system according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an entity data store for each respective entity to store ticket information about each lottery ticket sold.   
     
     
         16 . A lottery system according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an entity escrow account at a financial institution for each respective entity to hold the proceeds of each lottery ticket sold.   
     
     
         17 . A lottery system according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a specified common account at the particular financial institution to receive a majority of the proceeds in each entity escrow account, wherein the specified common account holds the portion of the proceeds to be set aside for the winning lottery ticket of the drawing.   
     
     
         18 . A lottery system according to  claim 17 , wherein the management body distributes a management fee from the specified common account to the management body and distributes an entity payment from the specified common account to each respective entity. 
     
     
         19 . A lottery system according to  claim 14 , wherein the management body assigns each lottery ticket a specified price. 
     
     
         20 . A lottery system according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of retailers sell the lottery tickets during a specified time period. 
     
     
         21 . A lottery system according to  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of retailers transfer the proceeds from the lottery tickets at an expiration of the specified time period. 
     
     
         22 . A lottery system according to  claim 15 , wherein the management body oversees a transmission of the ticket information from each entity data store to a common data store, wherein the common data store comprises the combination of the lottery identifiers of the lottery tickets sold in each entity and the drawing is from the common data store. 
     
     
         23 . A lottery system according to  claim 18 , wherein the entity payment for each respective entity corresponds proportionally to the eligible population of the respective entity. 
     
     
         24 . A lottery system according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of entities comprises entities from a state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, and a Commonwealth of the United States of America. 
     
     
         25 . A lottery system, comprising:
 a plurality of entities to make available for sale a discrete number of lottery tickets, wherein the discrete number of lottery tickets for each respective entity corresponds to a predetermined number, wherein each lottery ticket comprises a unique identifier;   a retailer to sell the lottery tickets;   a management body to draw one winning lottery ticket in a drawing from the discrete number of lottery tickets, wherein the management body oversees a distribution of proceeds from the sale of lottery tickets to any or a combination of: (1) a winner of the drawing having the winning lottery ticket, (2) the respective entity where the winning lottery ticket was purchased of the one of the plurality of drawing, and (3) an account for another drawing.   
     
     
         26 . A lottery method, comprising:
 assigning a plurality of entities a discrete number of lottery tickets, wherein the number corresponds to a predetermined number, wherein each lottery ticket comprises a unique lottery identifier;   selling the lottery tickets at a specified price to the eligible population during a specified time period by retailer located in each one of the plurality of entities;   storing ticket information about each lottery ticket sold in each entity on an entity data store for each entity;   holding proceeds of each lottery ticket sold in an entity account for each entity;   transferring the ticket information from each entity data store into a common data store;   transferring a majority of the proceeds in each entity account into a common account at an expiration of the specified time period;   distributing a management fee from the common account to a management body;   distributing an entity payment from the common account to each participating entity, wherein the entity payment corresponds to the eligible population of the entity;   selecting a lottery identifier from the common data store in the drawing, wherein the selecting is by a firm; and   distributing the remaining proceeds to a winner of the drawing having the winning lottery ticket for the drawing, the respective entity where the winning lottery ticket was purchased, or an escrow account for another drawing.   
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the selecting of the lottery identifier of the drawing is at a designated early-bird time which is at a date prior to a date of a second drawing, wherein the lottery identifier of the drawing at the designated early-bird time is also entered into the second drawing. 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein the designated early-bird time is thirty days after the specified time period begins.

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