System and method for instant ticket-based entertainment game

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for playing an instant ticket-based entertainment game combining elements of chance and player skill. In an embodiment of the present invention, a game player receives an electronic scratch-off instant ticket from a central server over a communications network (e.g., a mobile phone network). The instant ticket may provide an instant prize and may also provide entry into an interactive multiplayer bonus game (e.g., a car racing game) by awarding the game player with at least one game attribute (e.g., car type, time in which to complete race) to be used during play of the bonus game. Scores are reported to the game server upon completion of the game and winners are determined by the game server based on game player rankings at various checkpoints throughout the bonus game. Another embodiment of the present invention may include a mystery promotion prize feature.

1 . A gaming system for an instant ticket game combining elements of chance and user skill, the system comprising:
 a game server comprising:
 a processor, 
 a memory unit, and 
 a storage device which stores game data and user data and maintains user accounts; 
   computer instructions for causing the gamer server to generate at least one electronic instant ticket edition file, with a pre-selected total payout, the instant ticket edition file comprising a set of bonus games with randomly assigned game attributes for use during bonus game play and a set of instant tickets comprising a state selected from the group consisting of new, last-not-played, and played, wherein at least one instant ticket selected from the set of instant tickets comprises:
 a base game corresponding to an instant-win play area which corresponds to an instant-win prize awarded upon completion of the base game, and 
 at least one randomly assigned game attribute which is a random game parameter for use during play of an interactive multiplayer bonus game during which the user competes against other players, the bonus game selected from the set of bonus games, 
   the computer instructions providing betting game logic, fraud protection, and player protection logic with regard to peer-to-peer bets;   a user device for playing the instant ticket game;   a communications medium which enables communication between the game server and the user device; and   an electronic game client, wherein the game client is downloaded from the game server to the user device over the communications medium, the game client loads the at least one randomly assigned game attribute for bonus game play and the outcome of the bonus game is at least dependent upon at least one randomly assigned game attribute combined with the skill and performance of the participating user during bonus game play, and wherein a user's performance is measured at least in part by the user's ranking position relative to the other players,   wherein, in the game, the game client communicates events in real time with the server, all information required at one point in time is comprised in one message, and the game client provides online and offline messaging among users.   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the communications medium comprises the Internet. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the communications medium comprises a mobile network. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 3  wherein the user device comprises a mobile phone. 
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the game client authenticates a user prior to game play. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the game client requests the at least one instant ticket from the game server via the communications medium. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 6  wherein the game client receives the requested at least one instant ticket from the game server and displays the requested at least one instant ticket on the user device. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the game client reports a game score to the game server via the communications medium upon completion of the bonus game. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The gaming system of  claim 1  further comprising a storage device for storing user information and for maintaining user accounts. 
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein at least one bonus game of the set of bonus games comprises a car racing game. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one randomly assigned game attribute is a car type. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one randomly assigned game attribute is a time in which to complete the race. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one randomly assigned game attribute is a time in which to pass a checkpoint. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming system of  claim 14  wherein the car racing game comprises at least four checkpoints. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the pre-selected total payout comprises:
 a fixed total prize amount equal to the sum total value of instant-win prizes awarded in the set of instant tickets of the at least one instant ticket edition file; and 
 a fixed total amount of potential prize winnings based on successful completion of a game checkpoint by the participating user under pre-selected circumstances during bonus game play, the fixed total amount of potential prize winnings equal to the sum value of all possible prize winnings for all game checkpoints. 
 
     
     
         18 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A gaming system for an instant ticket game combining elements of chance and user skill, the system comprising:
 an electronic instant ticket file object comprising an instant-win game and an interactive multiplayer bonus game during which a participating user plays against other players, each instant ticket file object corresponding to a game having a state selected from the group consisting of new, last-not-played, and played;   a game device for playing the instant ticket game; and   a central server comprising a processor, a memory unit, and a storage device which stores game data and user data, and maintains user accounts, the central server configured for generating the instant ticket file object and for distributing the instant ticket file object to the game device via a communications network,   wherein the game device receives the instant ticket file object and displays a graphical representation of the instant ticket file object;   wherein the graphical representation of the instant ticket file object comprises:
 an instant-win game play area corresponding to the instant-win game and an instant-win prize awarded upon completion of a base game, and 
 an interactive bonus game play area corresponding to the interactive bonus game during which the user competes against other players, 
   wherein the game device receives input entered by a user to advance play of the instant-win game and contains computer instructions providing betting game logic, fraud protection, and player protection logic with regard to peer-to-peer bets, and the game device communicates events in real time with the server, all information required at one point in time is comprised in one message, and the game device provides online and offline messaging among users,   wherein the game device receives input entered by the user to advance play of the interactive bonus game, and   wherein the result of the instant-win game is based on a random parameter and the result of the interactive bonus game is based at least partly on a game attribute randomly assigned to the interactive bonus game play area of the instant ticket file object and the skill and performance of the participating user during bonus game play, and wherein the user's performance is measured at least in part by the user's ranking position relative to the other players.   
     
     
         34 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein the bonus game is interactive and played between the participating user and other players. 
     
     
         38 . The gaming system of  claim 1  wherein at least one instant ticket of the series of instant tickets corresponds to a mystery promotion winning ticket located at a pre-selected position within the series of instant tickets. 
     
     
         39 . The gaming system of  claim 38  wherein a mystery promotion counter value corresponding to a pre-selected minimum value is assigned to the first instant ticket in the series of instant tickets and the value assigned to each subsequent ticket in the series of instant tickets corresponds to a uniformly increasing amount such that the mystery promotion counter value assigned to the mystery promotion winning ticket corresponds to a pre-determined mystery prize value.