Lottery ticket

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a lottery ticket. The lottery ticket includes a matching identifier for matching with identifiers of one or more other lottery tickets to form a winning combination of lottery tickets.

1 . A lottery ticket comprising:
 a matching identifier for matching with identifiers of one or more other lottery tickets to form a winning combination of lottery tickets.   
     
     
         2 . The lottery ticket as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ticket is a card sized to fit in a wallet. 
     
     
         3 . The lottery ticket as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the matching identifier is an image for matching with images of one or more other lottery tickets to meet one or more predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         4 . The lottery ticket as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the matching identifier is a partial image for matching with other partial images to form a winning complete image. 
     
     
         5 . A gaming system comprising:
 a ticketing module for providing a lottery ticket, the lottery ticket comprising:   a matching identifier for matching with identifiers of one or more other lottery tickets to form a winning combination of lottery tickets.   
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the ticketing module generates a digital representation of a lottery ticket suitable for display on a desktop or handheld computer. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a lottery module for determining whether the lottery ticket is a winning lottery ticket based on a plurality of numbers selected by the player. 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a matching module for determining whether the player has a winning combination of lottery tickets based on the matching identifier of each lottery ticket collected by the player. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the matching module determines that there is a winning combination of lottery tickets if the respective identifiers of lottery tickets collected by the player meet a one or more predetermined criteria. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the matching module determines that there is a winning combination of lottery tickets if a predetermined number of lottery tickets including the same identifier are collected by the player. 
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the matching module determines that there is a winning combination of lottery tickets if the respective identifiers of lottery tickets collected by the player can be pieced together to form a complete image. 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a search module for enabling the player to search for one or more lottery tickets that the player wishes to collect. 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the search module searches other player's lottery tickets for the one or more lottery tickets that the player wishes to collect. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the search module locates the one or more lottery tickets that the player wishes to collect and their respective owners. 
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a trading module for enabling different players to trade their lottery cards. 
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a notifications module for sending notifications to the player, the notifications module being configured to notify the player of any one or more of the following: a winning combination of lottery cards, cards which the player must collect to form the winning combination, when a card that the player wishes to collect has been found, when another player has accepted a trade, when a trade of one or more lottery tickets between the player and one or more other players has been completed, and when the player strikes a win. 
     
     
         17 . A method of playing a game, the method comprising:
 determining whether the lottery ticket has a matching identifier which matches identifiers of one or more other lottery tickets to form a winning combination of lottery tickets.   
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the step of determining comprises: determining whether the respective identifiers of lottery tickets collected by a player meet one or more predetermined criteria; determining whether a predetermined number of lottery tickets including the same identifier have been collected by the player; or determining whether the respective identifiers of lottery tickets collected by the player can be pieced together to form a complete image. 
     
     
         19 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising distributing lottery tickets, each lottery ticket including a matching identifier for matching with identifiers of other lottery tickets. 
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising, prior to the step of determining, determining whether a lottery ticket purchased by a player is a winning lottery ticket.