System and Method for Lottery Ticket Verification by Players

Abstract

A first server system stores a validation file having validation records for lottery tickets provided to players and is accessible by authorized lottery personnel for verifying the status of a lottery ticket. A second server system stores a verification file having verification records for the lottery tickets provided to the players and is made accessible to players prior to redemption of the lottery ticket, wherein a player enters a code provided on the lottery ticket that is linked to the specific verification record for the lottery ticket and is provided with the winning or losing status of the lottery ticket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for verifying lottery tickets that are provided to players by a lottery gaming authority, comprising:
 on a first server system maintained by the lottery gaming authority, storing a validation file having validation records for the lottery tickets provided to the players, the respective validation records containing information as to the winning status of the lottery ticket and, for a winning ticket, the value of a prize amount;   the first server system being accessible by authorized lottery personnel for verifying the status of a lottery ticket submitted for redemption by a player by entering a validation code provided on the lottery ticket, the validation code linked to a specific validation record for the respective lottery ticket;   on a second server system, storing a verification file having verification records for the lottery tickets provided to the players, the respective validation records containing information as to the winning status of the lottery ticket;   making the second server system accessible by players prior to redemption of the lottery ticket, wherein a player enters a code provided on the lottery ticket that is linked to the specific validation record for the lottery ticket and is provided with the winning or losing status of the lottery ticket; and   wherein the player is thus independently informed of the status of their lottery ticket prior to submitting the lottery ticket to the lottery personnel for redemption.   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the second server system is accessible by players via the Internet with an Internet-enabled device. 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the verification file stored on the second game server is a form of the validation file stored on the lottery gaming authority server. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the verification records in the verification file also include information that positively indicates to the player a losing status of a lottery ticket. 
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the verification records in the verification file also include information that indicates to the player the prize amount for a winning lottery ticket. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the validation file and verification file are generated by a lottery provider, the validation file supplied to the lottery gaming authority from the lottery provider, the lottery provider maintaining the verification file on the second server system. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 6 , wherein the code entered by the player in the second server system is the same validation code entered in the first server system for validation of the lottery ticket. 
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 7 , wherein the validation code is provided on the lottery ticket under a scratch-off coating that is removed by the player. 
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 6 , wherein the code entered by the player in the second server system is different than the validation code entered by the lottery personnel in the first server system. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 9 , wherein the code entered by the player and the validation code are provided on the lottery ticket under the same or separate scratch-off areas on the ticket. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein the code entered by the player is randomly generated and linked to a specific verification record in the verification file. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 11 , wherein the code is provided in machine-readable form on the lottery ticket for subsequent reading and entry by a device that is in communication with the second server system. 
     
     
         13 . A computer implemented system for verifying lottery tickets that are provided to players by a lottery gaming authority, comprising:
 on a first server system maintained by the lottery gaming authority, the first server system comprising a validation file having validation records for the lottery tickets provided to the players, the respective validation records containing information as to the winning status of the lottery ticket and, for a winning ticket, the value of a prize amount;   the first server system being accessible by authorized lottery personnel for verifying the status of a lottery ticket submitted for redemption by a player by entering a validation code provided on the lottery ticket, the validation code linked to a specific validation record for the respective lottery ticket;   a second server system comprising a verification file having verification records for the lottery tickets provided to the players, the respective verification records containing information as to the winning status of the lottery ticket;   the second server system accessible by players prior to redemption of the lottery ticket, the second server system configured to provide the player with the winning or losing status of the lottery ticket when the player enters a code provided on the lottery ticket that is linked to the specific verification record for the lottery ticket; and   wherein the player is thus independently informed of the status of their lottery ticket prior to submitting the lottery ticket to the lottery personnel for redemption.   
     
     
         14 . The system as in  claim 13 , wherein the verification records in the verification file also include information indicating the prize amount associated with a respective winning lottery ticket, wherein the player is also informed of the prize amount when verifying a winning lottery ticket. 
     
     
         15 . The system as in  claim 13 , wherein the second server system is accessible by players via the Internet with an Internet-enabled device. 
     
     
         16 . The system as in  claim 13 , wherein the verification file stored on the second game server is a form of the validation file stored on the first server system. 
     
     
         17 . The system as in  claim 13 , wherein the verification records in the verification file also include information that positively indicates to the player a losing status of a lottery ticket. 
     
     
         18 . The system as in  claim 13 , wherein the validation file and the verification file are generated by a lottery provider, the validation file supplied to the lottery gaming authority from the lottery provider, the lottery provider maintaining the verification file on the second server system. 
     
     
         19 . The system as in  claim 18 , wherein the code entered by the player in the second server system is the same validation code entered in the first server system for validation of the lottery ticket. 
     
     
         20 . The system as in  claim 19 , wherein the code entered by the player is provided on the lottery ticket under a scratch-off coating that is removed by the player. 
     
     
         21 . The system as in  claim 18 , wherein the code entered by the player in the second server system is different than the validation code entered by the lottery personnel in the first server system. 
     
     
         22 . The system as in  claim 21 , wherein the code entered by the player and the validation code are provided on the lottery ticket under the same or separate scratch-off areas on the ticket. 
     
     
         23 . The system as in  claim 22 , wherein the code entered by the player is randomly generated and linked to a specific verification record in the verification file. 
     
     
         24 . The system as in  claim 23 , wherein the code is provided in machine-readable form on the lottery ticket for subsequent reading and entry by a device that is in communication with the second server system.