LOTTERY SYSTEM
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lottery system, and in particular, to a computerised lottery system which uses reusable tickets.
Description of the Prior Art
The most common known lottery or raffle systems use tickets which are intended to be used once only. Such tickets are generally manufactured of paper material, and are provided with an identifying number thereon. A corresponding number, often also on a paper ticket, but sometimes inputted into a computer, is then selected, either manually or via the computer, when choosing the winner or the lottery or raffle.
Summary of the Invention The present invention seeks to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a lottery system which uses reusable tickets.
The present invention also seeks to provide a computerised lottery or raffle system.
In one broad form the present invention provides a lottery system, comprising: a plurality of reusable tickets, each ticket having ticket identifying information associated therewith; computer means, to receive said ticket identifying information from each of said tickets selected, and to choose at least one winner therefrom; and, output means to indicate said at least one winner.
Preferably, said ticket identifying information on each of said reusable tickets is provided in the form of a bar code, and, wherein, a bar code scanner is used to supply said ticket identifying information into said computer means.
Also preferably, the lottery system further comprises an input device, such as a keyboard, via which player identifying information is supplied to said computer means.
Preferably also, some or all of said plurality of tickets participate in said lottery system.
Also preferably, said reusable tickets are manufactured of durable material such as plastics, a laminated paper material, or the like.
In a preferred form, each ticket may represent one or more entry to said lottery system .
Also preferably, said output means is a visual display unit (VDU) or the like.
Preferably, player identification information may be retained in a database for subsequent entry to said lottery system.
In a further broad form, the present invention provides a reusable ticket having ticket identifying information associated therewith, in the form of a bar code or the like.
Preferably, said ticket is manufactured of durable material such as plastics, a laminated paper material, or the like.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description of a preferred but non-limiting embodiment thereof, described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 illustrates a overview of the lottery system in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 2 illustrates a flowchart of the lottery system software, which might be used in a premises where a lottery is to be drawn;
Fig. 3 illustrates a flowchart of the software designed to provide a database of client information, the history is tickets produced and security for each individual client.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
Throughout the drawings, like numerals will be used to identify similar features, except where expressly otherwise indicated.
As shown in Fig. 1 , an overview of the lottery system in accord-ance with the present invention is shown. The lottery system, generally designated by the numeral 1 is comprised of a plurality of reusable tickets 2, a computer means 3, and an output means 4.
Each reusable ticket 2 is provided with ticket identifying information associated therewith. This may, for example, be provided in the form of a bar code, however, any other form of identifying indicia, including numerals or numbers or a combination thereof, may be provided, whereby each ticket 2, has a unique identifying information associated therewith.
The computer means 3, receives the ticket identifying information from each of the tickets selected to be used in the lottery or raffle, and then chooses at least one winner therefrom. In some cases, not all the reusable tickets 2 may be used in the lottery or raffle. In such cases, the identifying information associated with each ticket 2 to be used, is supplied into the computer means 3. For example, when each of the reusable tickets 2 is provided with the identifying information in the form of a bar code, a bar code scanner may be used to supply the ticket identifying information from the ticket 2 into the computer means 3. Other input devices will be understood to be able to be alternatively used, to provide the identifying information associated with each ticket 2 into the computer means 3.
In addition to supplying each ticket identifying information into the computer means
3, it is also preferable to provide player identification information into the computer. This may, for example, be provided via a keyboard device, or, using the aforementioned, or another, scanner, whereby player identification information may also be bar coded on to a separate player registration ticket. It will be appreciated that using such a ticket system, each ticket 2 may actually represent a number of entries into the lottery, depending upon the number of entries selected by the player at the time of play, or by a predetermined method.
It will be appreciated that each ticket 2 is preferably therefore constructed of a durable material, such as plastics, a laminated paper material, or the like.
Once all the ticket information is provided into the computer 3, the computer 3 may, via a random indicia selector or the like, select one of the tickets by identifying information thereon, as the winner. The selected winner information is provided to an appropriate output means 4, which may be, for example, a video display unit (VDU), as shown in Fig. 1. Any other output means may be alternatively utilised. Of course, where more than one winner is to be selected, the computer means 3 would appropriately select those winners, and provide information associated therewith to the output means 4.
It will be appreciated that a prime advantage of the present invention is that an environmentally friendly ticketing system is created.
The system may use uniquely serialised tickets, identifying variety of information including the range in number on the ticket, the issuing ticket office or club, etc.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, space may be provided on the ticket for sponsorship or other advertising or other messages.
The re-useable ticket system introduces a completely new method of drawing, which not only allows re-useability, but also makes the drawing system appear simple to ticket holders. Unlike traditional systems, customers do not buy a ticket, but rather, they pay to register their re-usable ticket(s) in the raffle. Typically, in a club situation, a customer may collect a ticket from the front desk or bar and then ask one of the club staff to register the ticket for the upcoming raffle. The process of registering a ticket places an entry in a database for each number on the ticket. When the time comes to draw the raffle, the computer is programmed to randomly select a number from the database of registered numbers. The operator can choose to take drawn entries out of future draws or pu' he winning ticket back in the draw. When the raffle is complete the database is cleared for the next raffle.
At the end of a raffle, a reconciliation report for that raffle may be printed. Such a report could be used for compliance with the various authorities.
It should be noted that if tickets are lost, damaged beyond use, or if someone tried to use a stolen ticket-in an unlawful manner it would not matter. Only scanned tickets are highlighted and their numbers only are included in the raffle. When the raffle is drawn, only those flagged numbers would be considered by the computer as being in that particular raffle.
Attached to the system could be a massage 'Slide Show' which may be on display through the TV monitors whilst either the tickets are being sold or at the end of the raffle. The 'Slide Show' could be activated or de-activated by the scanner.
The main system would be kept by the operators to ensure that the security of the system and the security of all users could be maintained.
Fig. 2 illustrates a flow chart illustrating the "client software", whilst Fig. 3 illustrates a flow chart illustrating the "host software".
The host software is designed to provide a database of all client information, a full history of tickets produced and security for each individual client. The software also links with the database to produce the raffle tickets which are made using the unique computer generated serialisation code (Bar Code). The produced tickets are designed to be used in conjunction with the client software. This software is personalised for the client and is setup and coded to recognise that client's tickets only.
The Client Input Field would typically comprise the following:
New Client:- Input all client information; system will issue a unique client I.D. number.
All information using the I.D. number as the key, would then be cross referenced with the database fields each and every time there was activity for that client.
This field is also used to input the detail required to print raffle tickets. Typically one would firstly select the I.D. number for the desired client, (to open the database for that client) then select the number of raffle numbers required to be printed on each ticket, then select total number of tickets to be printed. Once all the input fields have been selected the software would cross reference with the databases, gather the appropriate information, then print tickets on the selected ticket layout.
Various ticket layouts relating to particular clients may be used. All new clients could have their ticket layout designed and stored against their I.D. number for future reference.
Tickets are preferably reviewed to ensure all detail is correct prior to printing. Once reviewed, the selected data as specified on the tickets.
The security bar code that the client software uses to identify all the particular data of each and every individual ticket is also printed.
At the end of a raffle, a 'Reconciliation Report' for that raffle may be printed. This report may include the following:
(i) A total of all scanned tickets This information could be used to reconcile the scanned tickets (number of tickets sold), to the actual cash received.
(ii) A list of winning numbers drawn
A full list of winning numbers that were drawn for the raffle could be displayed on this report as well. Typically, it would display the date, the draw number, and the venue name.
The report would be kept for compliance with the authorities (tax, government, etc.). There is no other system available that could provide this type of report.
It will therefore be appreciated that the present invention provides a reusable computerised lottery or raffle system, which has numerous advantages, including the fact that the system is environmentally friendly due to the reduction in use of paper raffle tickets.
It will be appreciated that numerous variations and modifications will be envisaged to this system. All such variations and modifications should be considered to fall within the scope of the invention as hereinbefore described and as hereinafter claimed.