System and Method for Wagering

Abstract

A system for wagering includes a plurality of cards, each having a unique user identification code and may have an electronic data storage for storing a monetary value and associating it with a respective user identification code, each monetary value being adjustable. A telephone interface device is in communication with a processor. The system includes programming to select a wager type and a wager amount (collectively referred to as a "wager") utilizing data received through the telephone interface device, associate a selected wager with a respective user identification code, adjust the monetary value associated with the user identification code by decreasing the monetary value by the selected wager amount, and determine if the selected wager is a winner and, if so, associate a payout with the user identification code.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to wagering systems and, more particularly, to a method and system for wagering that is accessed with a telephone and with which wagering may be conducted using value from a prepaid wagering card.

[0002] Involvement in wagering activities has been a popular form of entertainment for many years. In particular, individuals favor lotteries for the entertainment value of wagering and for the chance to win cash rewards. Government entities often sponsor lottery games in that money generated by the purchase of lottery tickets may be earmarked by legislatures for funding particular policies, such as education. Lottery tickets are typically sold at check-out counters of supermarkets, general retail stores, gas stations, convenience stores, and the like. Lottery tickets themselves are typically cards having scratch off areas that either reveal instant winner status or numbers that can later be compared with published "winning" numbers. Winning tickets may be redeemed for cash at a participating lottery ticket seller or by contacting the sponsoring lottery organization.

[0003] Some lottery participants, however, may find purchasing tickets in the traditional manner to be inconvenient, especially if they want to buy additional lottery tickets each week or greater quantities of tickets as the winning lottery reward grows larger. Other consumers may wish to give lottery tickets as a gift but, again, would prefer to give a certain quantity of tickets over a period of time. Further, a consumer may desire to purchase additional tickets with winning proceeds rather than just redeeming winnings for cash, especially when the winnings are relatively small or if redemption for cash is complicated or time consuming.

[0004] Various wagering systems are known in the art in which tickets may be purchased through telephonic communications. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing systems do not include prepaid cards with which selected quantities of tickets may be purchased on demand using telecommunications and such that winnings may be credited back to the card or an associated PIN that may be redeemed for cash or used to purchase more lottery tickets.

[0005] Therefore, it would be desirable to have a wagering system that includes a prepaid card for use with a telephonically accessed wagering system that overcomes the disadvantages of previously proposed wagering systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A system for wagering according to the present invention includes a plurality of cards, each having a unique user identification code and may have an electronic data storage for storing a monetary value and associating it with a respective user identification code, each monetary value being adjustable. A telephone interface device is in communication with a processor. The system includes programming to select a wager type and a wager amount (collectively referred to as a "wager") utilizing data received through the telephone interface device, associate a selected wager with a respective user identification code, adjust the monetary value associated with the user identification code by decreasing the monetary value by the selected wager amount, and determine if the selected wager is a winner and, if so, associate a payout with the user identification code.

[0007] Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a wagering system having a plurality of cards in which each card may have a personal identification code associated with a monetary value.

[0008] Another object of this invention is to provide a wagering system, as aforesaid, in which the monetary value may be predetermined on the card or associated therewith at a point of purchase.

[0009] Still another object of this invention is to provide a wagering system, as aforesaid, having a telephonic interface for user selection of a wager type and amount.

[0010] Yet another object of this invention is to provide a wagering system, as aforesaid, which determines if a wager is a winner and, if so, associates a payout with the respective personal identification code, the payoff being redeemable for cash or for another wager.

[0011] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a telephonic prepaid lottery system according to the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the methodology of the present invention; and

[0014] FIG. 3 is another flowchart of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] Systems and methods for wagering according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 of the accompanying drawings. More particularly, a system 100 for wagering according to one embodiment includes a plurality of cards 110, a processor 120, and a telephone interface device 130 in data communication with the processor 120.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, each card 110 may include an electronic data storage portion 112 (e.g., a magnetic strip, barcode, etc.) that allows the cards 110 to be machine-readable and contact information 114 (e.g., a toll-free phone number). Additionally, or alternately, each card 110 may include a unique user identification code. In some embodiments, the unique user identification codes are temporarily obscured (e.g., before the cards 110 are purchased). For example, a removable coating, sticker, or other element may initially cover the unique user identification codes.

[0017] The processor 120 may be any commercially available processor capable of performing the functions set forth herein, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Further, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, the processor 120 may be a single processor or may be a plurality of processors, and the physical location of the processor 120 is not critical to the current invention.

[0018] The telephone interface device 130 is schematically represented in FIG. 1, and may include various technologies that input data received from a telephone 10 to a machine-readable form that can be utilized by the processor 120. Examples include (nonexclusively) touchtone input devices, voice-recognition input devices, and input devices operable by an operator or customer service agent. It is understood that the telephone interface device may alternatively be provided by a computer network interface between a consumer's computer and the processor 120.

[0019] Various programming may be in data communication with the processor 120, some of which is described in the flowcharts of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 showing process 200. For example, at step 202, a person may purchase a respective card 110. An adjustable monetary value may be associated with the card 110 (and its identification code) at the point of purchase (e.g., using the electronic data storage 112 to identify the card 110 and communicating the monetary value to the processor 120). It may be preferable for an initial monetary value to be associated with a respective card 110 only after payment is received. The process 200 continues from step 202 to step 204.

[0020] At step 204, the owner of the respective card 110 calls a given telephone number (e.g., contact information 114) and provides the card's unique identification code to communicate with the processor 120 through the telephone interface device 130. While at step 204, the owner may choose to proceed to steps 206 and 208, or to proceed to step 210.

[0021] At step 206, the unique identification code may be personalized. For example, a personalized PIN/password may be added, or the unique user identification code may be replaced by a user name and a PIN/password. For clarity and convenience, "user identification code" is generally used herein to refer to the identification codes associated with respective cards, regardless of whether originally provided with the cards 110 or added later through step 206. At step 208, the owner's personal information (e.g., name, address, bank information, credit card information, etc.) may be input to the processor 120 and associated with the card 110. The process 200 may end at step 208 or may proceed from step 208 to step 210.

[0022] At step 210, the processor 120 determines (e.g., using data input through the telephone 10 via the interface device 130) whether the card owner wants to place a wager. If so, the process 200 proceeds to step 212; if not, the process 200 continues to step 230.

[0023] At step 212, the processor 120 begins selecting a wager type from a plurality of wager options utilizing data received through the telephone interface device 130. The wager options may include, for example, national and state lotteries (shown at 212a, 212b) that each have at least two possible outcomes, and/or a plurality of event-specific wagering options that each have at least two possible outcomes (e.g., sporting events, election outcomes, natural weather occurrences, market events, etc.). The process 200 continues from step 212 to step 214.

[0024] At step 214, the processor 120 selects a wager amount utilizing data received through the telephone interface device 130. The wager amount may include, for example, a number of tickets if a lottery is being played or a dollar amount if event-specific wagering has been selected. The process 200 continues from step 214 to step 216.

[0025] At steps 216 and 218, the processor 120 finishes selecting the wager type begun at step 212. More particularly, at step 216, the processor 120 determines from data received through the telephone interface device 130 whether the wager outcome (e.g., the lottery numbers or the outcome of the chosen event-specific option) is to be selected at random. If so, the wager type is finalized and the process 200 proceeds to step 220. If not, the process 200 continues to step 218, where the wager outcome is selected using data received through the telephone interface device 130. The process 200 proceeds from step 218 to step 220.

[0026] At step 220, the selected wager type (from steps 212, 216, 218) and the selected wager amount (from step 214) collectively define a selected wager, and the selected wager is associated with the respective user identification code (from step 204, 206). Also at step 220, the monetary value associated with the card 110 (e.g., from step 202) is adjusted by decreasing the monetary value by the selected wager amount (from step 214), and the processor 120 may ensure that the selected wager amount is not greater than the monetary value. The process 200 continues from step 220 to step 222.

[0027] At step 222, the processor 120 determines if the selected wager (from step 220) is a winning wager. If not, the process 200 ends at step 224; if so, the process 200 continues to step 226. It should be appreciated that, depending on the selected wager, various amounts of time may be required to determine if the selected wager is a winning wager.

[0028] At step 226, the processor 120 causes the owner of the card 110 with the winning wager to be notified that the selected wager is a winning wager. Notification may be automated (e.g., through pre-recorded message, text message, email, etc.) or may be, for example, through a call from a representative. Though not mentioned above, the notification method may be selected at step 208. The method 200 continues from step 226 to step 228.

[0029] At step 228, the processor 120 associates a payout with the user identification code. For example, the monetary value associated with the card 110 (e.g., after being adjusted at step 220) is adjusted by increasing the monetary value. Based on the wager type, the increase may be proportional or disproportional with the selected wager amount (from step 214). The process returns from step 228 to step 210.

[0030] Turning now to step 230, the processor 120 determines (e.g., using data input through the telephone 10 via the interface device 130) whether the card owner wants to request a redemption. If not, the process 200 ends at step 232; if so, the process 200 proceeds to step 234.

[0031] At step 234, the processor 120 selects a redemption method (e.g., crediting a bank account or credit card account, mailing a check, etc.) using data from the interface device 130, and the method 200 proceeds to step 236.

[0032] At step 236, the processor 120 selects a redemption amount using data from the interface device 130, and the method 200 proceeds to step 238.

[0033] At step 238, the processor 120 may ensure that the redemption amount is not greater than the monetary value associated with the card 110. It may then adjust the monetary value associated with the card 110 by decreasing the monetary value by the selected redemption amount and provide the selected redemption amount (from step 236) via the selected redemption method (from step 234) to the owner of the card 110. The process 200 may then return to step 210.

[0034] While the process 200 may of course be executed in various ways to arrive at different outcomes, an exemplary use will now be described to further illustrate the current invention. At step 202, a card 110 is purchased. At step 204, the card's owner calls the given telephone number (e.g., contact information 114) and provides the card's unique identification code to communicate with the processor 120 through the telephone interface device 130. If the owner wants to update the unique identification code or personal information (or if the user has never used the card 110 before), the user proceeds to steps 206, 208 to update that information. Next, the user proceeds to step 210 and indicates that he wants to place a wager, and then continues to step 212. At step 212, the user selects a lottery from various national and state lotteries, and then the user selects a wager amount (i.e., chooses how many lottery tickets he wants to purchase) at step 214. The user then finishes selecting the wager type at steps 216, 218 by selecting the lottery numbers, and the selected wager is associated with the user identification code at step 220. Also at step 220, the monetary value associated with the card 110 is adjusted by decreasing the monetary value by the selected wager amount. The processor 120 determines that the selected wager is a winning wager at step 222, the card owner is notified at step 226, and a payout is made to increase the monetary value associated with the card at step 228. The card owner continues placing wagers and increasing or decreasing the value associated with the card 110 through steps 212 through 228 until the card owner desires to redeem some or all of the value associated with the card 110. To redeem some or all of the value associated with the card 110, the card owner proceeds to step 230 from step 210, and then to step 234, where the card owner selects a redemption method. The card owner continues from step 234 to step 236, where he selects how much of the value associated with the card to redeem, and the redemption is provided at step 238.

[0035] It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A system for wagering, comprising: a plurality of cards, each having a unique user identification code; means for associating a respective monetary value with each user identification code, each monetary value being adjustable; a processor; a memory in data communication with said processor, said memory having a plurality of processor executable programming instructions stored therein; a telephone interface device in data communication with said processor; said plurality of programming ructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to: select a wager type from a plurality of wager options utilizing data received through said telephone interface device; select a wager amount utilizing data received through said telephone interface device; said selected wager type and said selected wager amount collectively defining a selected wager; associate said selected wager with a respective user identification code received through said telephone interface device; adjust said monetary value associated with said user identification code by decreasing said monetary value by said selected wager amount; determine if said selected wager is a winning wager; and if said selected wager is a winning wager, notify said owner of said card having said user identification code that said selected wager is a winning wager, said notifying said owner being one of delivering a prerecorded message, delivering a text message, transmitting an e-mail, or prompting a lottery representative to call said owner of said card; if said selected wager is a winning wager, associate a payout with said user identification code by increasing said monetary value associated with said user identification code; adjust said monetary value associated with said user identification code by decreasing said monetary value by a selected redemption amount; provide a redemption corresponding to said selected redemption amount to an owner of said card having said user identification code; and wherein said telephone interface device is configured to receive said selected redemption amount therethrough.

2. (canceled)

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for associating includes programming instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to associate an initial monetary value with a respective user identification code only after receiving payment.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. The system of claim 1, wherein: said wager amount is not greater than said monetary value; and said redemption amount is not greater than said monetary value.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for temporarily obscuring said user identification codes.

8. (canceled)

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of wager options include a plurality of lotteries each having at least two possible outcomes.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of wager options include a plurality of event-specific wagering options each having at least two possible outcomes.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said telephone interface is a computer network interface.

Images