US20070213131A1

US20070213131A1 - Video flare system for manual lottery games

Info

Publication number: US20070213131A1
Application number: US11/370,108
Authority: US
Inventors: Larry Segebarth
Original assignee: Larry Segebarth
Current assignee: International Gamco Inc
Priority date: 2006-03-07
Filing date: 2006-03-07
Publication date: 2007-09-13

Abstract

A video flare system for use with manual lottery games includes a programmable computer system having game information stored therein which includes a list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations with predetermined monetary value corresponding to the manual lottery game. A video display monitor and an information input device are connected to the computer system. The computer system displays the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on the video display monitor and the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on the input device. The input device receives input from the authorized user upon one of the predetermined winning lottery combinations being obtained by a player and the computer system then processes the data to update the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations displayed on the video display monitor by preventing display of the selected predetermined winning lottery game combination which was redeemed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to video display devices for enhancing lottery game play and, more particularly, to a video flare system for use with manual lottery games which includes a programmable computer system having at least one set of gaming information accessibly stored therein which includes a list of predetermined lottery game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, at least one video display monitor connected to the computer system, at least one video display input device connected to the computer system, the video display monitor operative to display the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations remaining in the manual lottery game and the video display input device operative to receive touch-screen input from an authorized user whereby when a predetermined winning lottery game combination is obtained by a player, the system may be updated to display the winning combination to enhance game play and then display an updated list of the predetermined winning lottery combinations which remain to be won in the manual lottery game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many different types of lottery games which are currently available for game play. These include such games as scratch tickets wherein a plurality of characters are printed on the ticket and then covered with a scratch-off material which, when removed, will display the underlying symbols which are then used to determine if the ticket is a winning ticket or a losing ticket. Another popular type of lottery game is known as a pull-tab game which are generally paper tickets having removable pull tabs formed thereon which, when pulled aside, will reveal the underlying symbols which can then be used to determine if the ticket is a winning ticket or a losing ticket. In either type of lottery game, however, there are a predetermined number of winning tickets out of the entire run or deal of tickets, with each of the predetermining tickets having specific winning dollar amounts associated therewith. In this manner, when all of the tickets in a particular lot are sold, the exact percentage of profit generated by the sales of the lottery tickets will be known.
In general, examining the pull-tab type of games in particular, these are packaged in fixed number lots with a fixed payout and a fixed profit. The number of tickets printed in a standard lot would generally be five hundred to five thousand tickets, and the payouts of the games can be done in many different ways, but has been found that providing five to eight tiers of payouts which include a small number of large or “major” payouts down to a large number of small or “minor” payouts provides the most significant incentive for encouraging game play. Of course, the total number of tickets may be larger or smaller depending on the particular game, and such variation is common to the industry.
Pull-tab tickets are distributed in many locations, with the most common being in bars, fraternal halls, bingo clubs and restaurants. State regulations sometimes require that establishments which distribute pull-tab lottery tickets also include a display of the various payouts which are available in the lottery game, specifically the particular lot or deal being distributed. In the industry parlance, this display is known as a “flare” which is a written or printed poster designed to show the player information such as which symbols constitute winning combinations, the amount each winning combination awards, and how many winning tickets are available for each award level in the game. The flare may also indicate what the payout percentage is for the entire game or the total ticket count in order to provide additional information for players of the game. Finally, in some areas, it is common for winning combinations which have been redeemed to be marked off on the flare, thus allowing players to know how many winning tickets remain in the deal. Most commonly, it is only the large winning prizes which are shown on the flare, as minor winning tickets are available in quantities too large to accurately display on the flare itself. The use of the flare thus makes playing of the game easier and more enjoyable as the players will be able to quickly and easily discern which prizes remain to be won.
Many pull-tab games are used to raise money for charitable organizations which may then pay a percentage of their winnings or profits to the state in exchange for the license to run the lottery games. Such pull-tab games have become important components of many charitable organizations' fund-raising activities, but these pull-tab games are threatened by the rapid growth of competing gaming options, such as casinos, state-run lotteries and pari-mutual games. There is therefore a need for a system by which the pull-tab games can regain a competitive edge and replicate the excitement generated by casino games and the like.
There are several examples of computerized lottery-type games found in the prior art, including Richardson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,809, which discloses a computerized gaming device for playing casino-type games of chance. Richardson is specifically designed to replace in their entirety manual lottery games by eliminating the use of the pull-tabs and scratch tickets via substitution through the computing system, thus becoming a stand-alone system which replaces all related lottery games. One of the significant problems with Richardson, however, is that replacement of the manual lottery game with the computerized lottery game of Richardson would require separate gaming commission approval for the Richardson gaming device. Furthermore, one of the great appeals of scratch ticket and pull-tab lottery games is the manual aspect of the games wherein physical manipulation of the lottery ticket (hopefully) discloses the winning combination. It is precisely this manual manipulation of the lottery ticket which lends much enjoyment to playing of the game, and removal of this element of the lottery game significantly detracts from the experience of playing the game. There is therefore a need for a display system which will enhance the enjoyment and excitement of playing manual lottery games, without replacing or eliminating the manual lottery game itself, or requiring additional review and approval by a state gaming commission to permit use of the device.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a video flare system for use with lottery games which will enhance game play and increase the excitement level for players of the game.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a video flare system for lottery games which is operative to display the various winning combinations available in any particular game, accept inputs from an authorized user which identify when a particular winning combination is obtained by a player, and display regularly updated winning combinations still available in the game or games on video display units throughout the location where the lottery game is taking place.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a video flare system for use with manual lottery games which includes a programmable computer system having at least one set of game information accessibly stored therein which includes a list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations having a predetermined monetary value, a video display monitor connected to the computer system and a video display input device connected to the computer system, the programmable computer system operative to display the list of predetermined lottery combinations on the display monitor for viewing by the player of the manual lottery game, and the video display input device operative to receive touch-screen input from an authorized user upon one of the predetermined winning lottery game combinations being obtained by a player.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a video flare system for use with manual lottery games which will display excitement-enhancing video and/or audio in connection with a predetermined winning lottery game combination being obtained by a player in order to increase the excitement level through the establishment where the lottery game is being played and thereby increase game play of the lottery game.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a video flare system for use with manual lottery games which is relatively simple in design and implementation and is efficient and effective in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a video flare system for use with manual lottery games which includes a programmable computer system having at least one set of game information accessibly stored therein, at least one set of game information including a list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, and a set of game information corresponding to the predetermined winning lottery game combinations available in the manual lottery game. At least one video display monitor is connected to the computer system in information transmission connection therewith, along with at least one video display input device which is also connected to the computer system. The computer system is operative to display the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on the video display terminal for viewing by a player of the manual lottery game and is further operative to display the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on the video display input device for operation by an authorized user of the video flare system. The video display input device is operative to receive touch-screen input from the authorized user upon one of the predetermined winning lottery combinations being obtained by a player of the manual lottery game identifying one of the predetermined winning lottery game combinations. The computer system is then operative to receive and process the touch-screen input identifying the predetermined winning lottery game combination and update the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations displayed on the at least one video display terminal by preventing display of the selected predetermined winning lottery game combination so the players can view which winning lottery game combinations remain to be won in the manual lottery game.
The video flare system of the present invention thus provides significant advantages over those devices found in the prior art. For example, because the video flare system can be used in connection with already-existing manual lottery games, it is not necessary for an establishment to completely discard their lottery systems already in place, thus allowing the establishment to enhance game play of their already-existing games without having to completely replace those games. Furthermore, because of the continuous updates provided by the video flare system of the present invention which show the various winning combinations still remaining to be won, persons throughout the establishment can be updated on the winning combinations remaining available without having to go to the specific location where the standard written or printed flare would be displayed. Also, because the computer system of the present invention is designed to be used with multiple sets of game information relating to multiple deals, players of the various deals will be able to view the information relating to their particular deal on the video display terminal without having to search to find the particular flare which is associated with the lottery game they are playing. Also, because the video flare system of the present invention does not in any way affect the outcomes, probabilities, or other functional elements of the lottery game, it is likely not necessary to obtain gaming commission approval for use of the present invention with lottery games, as would be required for electronic lottery game devices such as those discussed previously. Finally, as the video flare system of the present invention will increase the excitement level for players of the lottery games, it will likely substantially increase game play, thus allowing the charitable lottery games of the type with which the present invention is intended to be used to be more competitive with other types of gambling currently available. It is therefore seen that the present invention provides a substantial improvement over those lottery enhancement devices found in the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating the video flare system of the present invention, particularly the program for operating the computer system;
FIG. 2 is a pictorial diagram showing the connection of the computer system to the video display monitors;
FIG. 3 is a pictorial diagram of the video flare system showing multiple games being displayed;
FIG. 4 is a pictorial diagram of the video flare system showing multiple games in a display location;
FIG. 5 is a pictorial display of the present invention displaying multiple games in an alternative rotation pattern;
FIG. 6 is a pictorial diagram of an alternative rotation of displays of multiple games;
FIG. 7 is a pictorial diagram showing how a winning ticket is displayed on the video display monitors;
FIG. 8 is a pictorial diagram showing how advertisements and the like may be displayed on the video display monitors;
FIGS. 9 and 10 are pictorial diagrams which show how each of the video display monitors may display one or more games being played; and
FIGS. 11-14 are pictorial diagrams which show the video display input device illustrating the process of displaying the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations and removing selected ones after they have been won by a player.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The video flare system 10 of the present invention is shown best in FIGS. 1-14 as including a programmable computer system 12 which, in the preferred embodiment, would be a standard PC or MAC-based computer system which can be programmed to perform the functions of the video flare system 10 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of video display monitors 14 a, 14 b, and 14 c would be mounted within the establishment offering the lottery game in positions which are easily readable and viewable by players of the lottery game. The number and type of video display monitors 14 a, 14 b, and 14 c is not critical to the present invention so long as they are easily viewable by players, and thus it is expected that the larger the facility is where the present invention is being used, the more monitors that will be needed to properly display game information thereon. The video display monitors 14 a, 14 b, and 14 c would be connected to the computer system 12 in information transmission connection therewith by any standard connection such as coaxial cable or the like, so long as the video monitors 14 a-c can display the information being transmitted from the computer system 12 as will be described herein.
The other main element of the video flare system 10 of the present invention is the video display input device 16 which, in the preferred embodiment, would be a touch-screen video display device which is operative to recognize screen touch or contact input selections made by an authorized user of the video flare system 10 and then transfer that information to the computer system 12 which then recognizes the selection being made on the video display input device 16 and updates the game information accordingly. The exact nature of the video display input device 16 is not critical to the present invention so long as it is designed to accept touch screen input and display all of the necessary information thereon to permit the authorized user of the present invention to properly operate the video flare system 10 of the present invention.
The general operation of the video flare system 10 of the present invention will now be described with a detailed breakdown of the various elements of the video flare system 10 to follow. Each lottery game which is provided for distribution includes a specific number of printed tickets in each draw and a specific number of winning tickets randomly distributed through the draw. This information (the total number of tickets and number and types of winning tickets available) is provided for each lottery game and is transferred into the computer system 12 as a set of game information including the above-described data. This transfer may be effectuated by floppy disk, CD, DVD, or by off-site download of the information, as will be described later herein. Once the appropriate game information has been transferred to the computer system 12, the computer system is thus aware of the list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, and the computer system then can display the game information on the video monitors 14 a-c to inform players of which games are available for play and the winning lottery game combinations which are available for each game. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, the way in which this game information is displayed can be modified or changed depending on the preferred method of display and the number of video monitors 14 a-c available for display of game information. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, three monitors 14 a-c might display a separate game on each monitor, with video monitor 14 a displaying game A, video monitor 14 b displaying game B, and video monitor 14 c displaying game C. The game information displayed would include, in all likelihood, the name of the game, the winning combinations available in the game, and the monetary payouts for each of the winning combinations in order to inform the players of the games which are available and further to encourage additional game play by providing this information. Alternatively, FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate how the video monitors may display identical game information which is then rotated to show game A, then game B, and then game C, according to a predetermined schedule of rotation, which, in the preferred embodiment, would be approximately five to ten seconds per game display depending on the total number of games which are available for play. As more and more games are provided, it may become necessary to show multiple games on a single monitor 14 a-c, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and the video flare system 10 of the present invention is designed to perform exactly that function to encourage the play of the players by providing them several different game opportunities. The variations in the display and rotation of displays are virtually unlimited, and may be used by the authorized operator of the present invention to encourage game play of a particular game by, for example, displaying that particular game's information for a longer period of time or highlighting that information in a selected fashion to increase the awareness of the players that a particular game is available for play. Also, it may be preferable to vary the form of the display of game information, and modification of the form of the game information and the specific rotation schedule would be understood by one skilled in the art of programming video displays on monitors.
Of course, merely displaying the game information on the video monitors 14 a-c would do little to encourage additional game play, as it would be a mere technological enhancement of paper flare cards commonly used in the industry. The present invention, however, includes a substantial modification and improvement over those manual flare cards currently used, in that as particular winning lottery game combinations are obtained by players, the authorized operator of the video flare system 10 of the present invention can update the game information to modify the list of winning game combinations still available for the players, thus encouraging additional game play based on an updated visual display of the remaining combinations in the game. The updating system is provided by the computer system 12 via the video display input device 16, with the programming for the computer system 12 shown best in FIG. 1 in the flow diagram thereof.
Initially, on start up of the video flare system 10, the authorized user would input the appropriate password to allow access to the video flare system 10 and then would proceed with operation of the system. The authorized operator would be presented with several operational options, including the management of the games being displayed by the video flare system 10, inputting of winning tickets, and, if necessary, entering into the administration area of the program to access and modify various display elements of the system. The initial step in operation of the video flare system 10 of the present invention would involve the addition or updating of the various games which are going to be offered in the establishment to coordinate the sets of game information with the winning combinations available in the various manual lottery games being offered for sale. As there are a finite number of lottery game deals produced at any particular time, it is expected that it will be a relatively simple matter to include with each game a computer-readable set of game information which can be loaded into the computer system 12. As was mentioned previously, the set of game information would preferably include at least the following elements, a list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, the name of the game and the particular form number and/or serial number associated with the game, in order to ensure that an entry of a winning combination will be assigned to the correct game. The authorized operator of the present invention may choose to manage the various games represented by either adding a game, removing a game, or offering as available for play only certain of the games, should such an action be desirable. Once the authorized operator has entered the specific games offered by the establishment for that particular day or period of time, he or she would then exit the game management portion of the computer program and activate the display system to display the games available for purchase on the video display monitors 14 a-c in the predetermined display rotation.
The authorized operator would then prepare for the second stage of use of the video flare system 10 of the present invention, specifically the winning ticket management section which will be described herein. When an individual player uncovers a winning lottery ticket, he or she would take the winning ticket to the authorized operator at the establishment and redeem the winning ticket for the specified monetary value. In the past, one of the problems of lottery games of the type described herein is that there is no organized way by which other players can be notified of a winning ticket in order to increase the excitement level in the establishment and encourage additional game play. For example, with slot machines and the like, various flashing lights and loud bells and buzzers are activated upon a winning combination being achieved, and in the particular case of jackpots, the light and sound show can be quite spectacular. This has been shown to significantly increase the excitement level for other players of other games and therefore increase their game play, which produces additional income for the establishment. The present invention is designed to provide just that level of excitement for use in lottery games such as pull-tabs and scratch-offs, a feature not previously found in the art. Specifically, when a player redeems a winning ticket with the authorized operator, the authorized operator enters the winning ticket into the computer system via the video display input device 16 by pressing the appropriate game and dollar amount won. In practice, the video display input device 16 would have a screen appearance similar to that shown in FIG. 11, wherein the name of the game being played is displayed at the top of the screen and the various dollar values for the major prizes are displayed on the rest of the screen. If, for example, a player were to approach the authorized operator of the video flare system 10 with a winning ticket in the amount of $150.00, he or she would present the ticket to the authorized operator who would then enter the game information into the computer system via the video display input device 16 to call up the specific game with which the winning ticket is associated. The operator would then hit the touch screen above the location of the winning monetary amount, in this case $150.00, and the computer system 12 would remove the $150.00 marker from the screen, as shown in FIG. 12. Immediately thereafter, the computer system 12 would issue a command to the video monitors 14 a-c to inform other players in the establishment that a winner has been redeemed, as shown in FIG. 7. The message may take the form of any type of exciting display, but the preferred displays would likely include animation which illustrates the value of the winning ticket redeemed and from which game the winning ticket was taken. It is expected that the more elaborate and visually and auditorily stimulating the presentation of the winning ticket is on the video monitors 14 a-c, the better the video flare system 10 of the present invention will be at enhancing game play and increasing the amount of game play. Although the exact nature of the display of the winning amount and winning information is not particularly critical to the present invention, it is an important feature of the present invention that the system include excitement-inducing video displays which are generated when a winning ticket is redeemed to increase the excitement level in the establishment and enhance game play overall.
Each time a winning ticket from a particular game is redeemed with the authorized operator, he or she would enter the specific game information and amount won into the computer system 12 via video display input device 16, with the computer system 12 tracking all of the pertinent game information and removing the monetary amounts won from the list of winning combinations still available in the game. Therefore, after a period of time, the video display input device 16 might have an appearance such as that shown in FIG. 13, where a number of winning tickets have been redeemed in the specific game. Finally, FIG. 14 displays what the video display input device 16 would look like with only a single winning ticket remaining in the specific game, and once that final amount is distributed to the player finding the winning ticket, the game would then be completed and can be removed or reset, depending on the actions of the authorized operator.
As shown on FIG. 1, there may be situations where an incorrect entry is pressed on the video display input device 16 connected to computer system 12 and the present invention provides allowances for replacement of winning ticket amounts into the various games held therein and likewise the winning information can also be replaced or reset if a wrong input is entered. The authorized operator will need to make the appropriate decision when such an unintended entry is selected, but it is expected that with the proper training virtually any authorized operator will be able to operate the video flare system 10 of the present invention.
Another feature of the video flare system 10 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 as including various administrative and setup features which are accessible via password protection through the system. These administration and setup features would include many different elements, but it is expected that the primary features which would need to be addressed during setup of the system would include the number of the games to be offered, the particular fonts and/or colors to be displayed on the video monitors 14 a-c, video animation programs or themes to be associated with the various video flares being shown on the video monitors 14 a-c, and any other game-specific information which needs to be entered to properly administrate the operation of the video flare system 10 of the present invention. As was stated previously, the video animation, fonts and colors used, and other such details which pertain to the display of the video monitors 14 a-c are beyond the purview of this description, simply because they are a matter of individual choice as to what particular displays will be used to enhance game play. Furthermore, the specific programming details for such video animation and displays of various fonts and colors are well known in the prior art and their inclusion in the present invention is important only in terms of enhancing game play via the video flare system 10 of the present invention.
An additional feature of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8, in that the video flare system 10 may be used to display advertisements and informational postings in addition to the primary operation of informing players of game availability and winning ticket combination availability. The use of the system for display of such advertisements and informational postings is simply a matter of programming the computer system 12 to display those selected images and videos, and such systems are well known in the prior art.
It should also be noted that the video flare system 10 of the present invention may be used in connection with other lottery-type games other than the scratch ticket or pull-tab types described previously. For example, the present invention is perfectly suited for use in connection with seal card games, bingo event games and/or raffle games or the like wherein a large number of tickets are distributed with a certain number of those tickets being collected for the final grand prize drawing. The video flare system 10 of the present invention may easily be adopted for use in that situation by displaying the winning combinations which can be redeemed for entry into the drawing and for displaying the winning ticket after the final drawing is held. The modifications in programming would be minor to allow use of the device with such games as those described above, yet the increase in enjoyment and excitement generated during the game would be significant, and therefore use of the video flare system 10 of the present invention with such games is contemplated.
Finally, an important additional feature of the present invention is that the computer system 12, although described herein as a stand-alone system, may also be connected via modem or another such information transmission connection to an off-site server which is programmed to provide game information updates to the computer system 12 when a new game is being entered and/or old game is being removed. The mechanism by which the off-site server connects and transfers information to the computer system 12 would be understood by one skilled in the art of the use of such off-site servers, but an important feature of the off-site server of the present invention is that it will free the authorized operator at the establishment where the computer system 12 is located from having to install or update various sets of game information into the computer system 12 when such updates or modifications become necessary. He or she will need only enter the appropriate codes and commands to obtain the updated information and update the video flare system 10 to display the new information, and because the updated information would be obtained directly from the off-site server by the computer system 12, there is little chance that a mistake will be made in entering the new game information, thus releasing the authorized operator from additional concerns and worries associated with the updating of the video flare system 10.
In the preferred embodiment, the off-site server would permit the computer system 12 to log into the server to receive new games and animation themes which are authorized as being downloadable from the off-site server. The computer system 12 would also be able to upload usage information to allow for tracking and billing of the game play via the video flare system 10. Updating of the off-site server itself would be achieved through any of the standard methods available in the prior art, with game information being stored in the system's database in an accessible format for transfer to the computer system 12 when the off-site server is authorized to do so. It is believed that although use of an off-site server for updates and information tracking purposes is known in the prior art, the use of such an off-site server with the video flare system 10 of the present invention will greatly simplify management of the computer system 12 by an authorized operator at the establishment where the computer system 12 is located, and therefore the use of the off-site server in connection with the present invention is desirable.
It is to be understood that numerous additions, modifications, and substitutions may be made to the video flare system 10 of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the appended claims. For example, the specific program characteristics used in connection with the present invention are not critical so long as the intended purposes of managing the various games and managing payment of winners and informing the other players of the redemption of a winning ticket are maintained. Also, as was discussed previously, the more elaborate and entertaining the display shown on the video monitors 14 a-c, the more excitement that will be generated in the establishment and consequently the amount of game play will likely be significantly increased. Therefore, it is expected that significant time and effort will be invested to develop entertaining and exciting yet informative video displays for use in connection with the video flare system 10 of the present invention, and the construction and inclusion of such video displays would be understood by one skilled in the art of video system programming. Also, although the present invention has been described in terms of a stand-alone computer system 12, it is expected that the computer system will be connected via modem or the like to an off-site server which will provide the update materials regarding the various games to be installed and played instead of requiring the authorized operator at the establishment to input the sets of game information each time a game is taken out or brought in. This will help to eliminate improper installation of game information into the computer system 12 while also decreasing the responsibilities of the authorized operator, and as in most situations where lottery games of the type described herein are being played, the authorized operator has many other duties other than just the operation of the video flare system 10. Therefore, any reduction in the duties of the authorized operator regarding setup and administration of the video flare system 10 will be most welcome and it is believed that the off-site server communicating with the computer system 12 will fulfill many of those duties. Also, although it is preferred that the present invention utilize touch screen technology for input to the computer system 12, many other types of input devices may be used including keyboard, scanner and other such devices operative to input game play information. Finally, although the present invention has been described as being used primarily with pull-tab tickets and the like, simple modifications to the video flare system 10 will allow it to be used in connection with many other activities, such as bingo and bingo event games, seal card games, raffle-type drawings and giveaways and other such gaming activities, and the use of the video flare system 10 of the present invention with such gaming activities should be understood to be a part of this disclosure.
There has therefore been shown and described a video flare system 10 for manual lottery games which accomplishes at least all of its intended objectives.

Claims

1. A video flare system for use with physical ticket gambling games having a number of physical tickets each having indicia thereon which correspond to predetermined winning game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, said video flare system comprising:

a programmable computer system having at least one set of game information accessibly stored therein, said at least one set of game information including a list of predetermined winning game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, said at least one set of game information corresponding to the predetermined winning game combinations available in the physical ticket gambling game;

at least one video display means in information transmission connection with said programmable computer system;

at least one input device in information transmission connection with said programmable computer system;

said programmable computer system operative to display said list of predetermined winning game combinations on said at least one video display means for viewing by a player of the physical ticket gambling game;

said programmable computer system operative to display said list of predetermined winning game combinations on said at least one input device for operation by an authorized user of said video flare system;

said at least one input device operative to receive winning combination information input from said authorized user upon one of said predetermined winning game combinations being obtained by a player of the physical ticket gambling game identifying said one of said predetermined winning game combinations;

said programmable computer system operative to receive and process said winning combination information input identifying said one of said predetermined winning game combinations and update said list of predetermined winning game combinations displayed on said at least one video display means by preventing display of said one of said predetermined winning game combinations so that players can view which predetermined winning game combinations remain to be won in the physical ticket gambling game.

2. The video flare system of claim 1 wherein said programmable computer system is programmed via software programming.

3. The video flare system of claim 1 wherein said at least one video display means comprises a monitor.

4. The video flare system of claim 1 wherein said at least one input device comprises a touch-screen video monitor operative to received touch-screen input from the authorized user.

5. The video flare system of claim 1 wherein said list of predetermined winning game combinations comprises the major winning combinations of the physical ticket gambling game.

6. The video flare system of claim 1 wherein said winning combination information input from said authorized user comprises one of the specific predetermined winning game combination and a specific predetermined monetary value corresponding to said specific predetermined winning game combination.

7. A video flare system for use with pull-tab lottery games comprising:

a programmable computer system having at least one set of game information accessibly stored therein, said at least one set of game information including a list of predetermined winning pull-tab lottery game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, said at least one set of game information corresponding to the predetermined winning pull-tab lottery game combinations available in the pull-tab lottery game;

at least one video display monitor in information transmission connection with said programmable computer system;

at least one video screen input device in information transmission connection with said programmable computer system;

said programmable computer system operative to display said list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on said at least one video display monitor for viewing by a player of the pull-tab lottery game;

said programmable computer system operative to display said list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on said at least one video display input device for operation by an authorized user of said video flare system;

said at least one input device operative to receive winning combination information input from said authorized user upon one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations being obtained by a player of the pull-tab lottery game identifying said one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations;

said programmable computer system operative to receive and process said winning combination information input identifying said one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations and update said list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations displayed on said at least one video display means by preventing display of said one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations so that players can view which predetermined winning lottery game combinations remain to be won in the pull-tab lottery game.

8. In combination:

a manual lottery game including a number of physical tickets each having indicia thereon which correspond to predetermined winning lottery game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value; and

a video flare system for use with manual lottery games including;

a programmable computer system having at least one set of game information accessibly stored therein, said at least one set of game information including a list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations each having a predetermined monetary value, said at least one set of game information corresponding to said predetermined winning lottery game combinations available in said manual lottery game;

said programmable computer system operative to display said list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on said at least one video display means for viewing by a player of said manual lottery game;

said programmable computer system operative to display said list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations on said at least one input device for operation by an authorized user of said video flare system;

said at least one input device operative to receive winning combination information input from said authorized user upon one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations being obtained by a player of said manual lottery game identifying said one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations;

said programmable computer system operative to receive and process said winning combination information input identifying said one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations and update said list of predetermined winning lottery game combinations displayed on said at least one video display means by preventing display of said one of said predetermined winning lottery game combinations so that players can view which predetermined winning lottery game combinations remain to be won in said manual lottery game.