Methods and apparatus for enhanced interactive game play in lottery and gaming environments

A computerized method for enhanced lottery play in a multiple user environment, the method being adapted to interface first and second electronic communications devices through a communication system, the first and second electronic communications devices including displays for presentation of game information to the players and with input devices for receiving game play information, the first and second electronic communications devices having graphical display capability, the graphical display capability of the first electronic communications devices being different than the graphical display capability of the second electronic communications devices, comprising the steps of:

• providing a central system including:
• memory for storing user identification data, user game information including a user's accumulated point value, the geographic location of a user's game play and for control of interaction with the system,
• a graphical information display generator for generating displays of information regarding a plurality of variable duration game rooms, at least two of the game rooms having different durations, the graphical information display generator generating first displays for the first electronic communications devices and second displays for the second electronic communications devices wherein the first displays and second displays are of different degrees of resolution, and
• a control processor coupled to the communication system to selectively provide the first displays to the first communications devices and the second displays to the second communications devices,
• receiving at the central system an indication from multiple users of interest to participate in a game, including receipt of user identification information and the geographic location of the user, storing the user identification information and the geographic location of the user information in the memory,
• receiving at the central system and indication from multiple users of interest to participate in a unique game room, the unique game room being subject to a fixed time duration,
• excluding a user if play is not permitted in the geographic location of the player;
• generating at the central system and transmitting a display of user selectable icons arranged in a grid,
• receiving at the central system an indication of one or more selections from one or more of the multi-users of user selectable icons based at least in part on the geographic location of the user's game play, wherein if a user fails in a timely manner, randomly select the number for the user who failed to provide a selection in a timely manner,
• selecting at the central system one of the selectable icons, and
• awarding prizing by updating the user's accumulated point value of the game information for the users by:
• (i) providing a first positive point value to a user if the user selected icon exactly equals the icon selected by the central system, adding the first positive point value to the user's accumulated point value stored in memory,
• (ii) providing a second, positive point value, where the second positive point value is numerically less than the first positive point value to the user if the user selected icon does not exactly equal the icon selected by the central system, but is geometrically adjacent the system selected icon, the second point value being based at least in part on the user's geographic location, adding the second point value to the user's accumulated point value stored in memory, and
• (iii) deducting a point value from the user's accumulated point value stored in the memory if the selected icon is other than the system selected icon and icons proximal to the system selected icon.