Method and apparatus that control risk and uncertainty in a promotional lottery game with a hybrid prize structure

A method comprising:

• generating a predetermined number of unique combinations of a set of game digits, each of the combinations having the same quantity of digits;
• generating a predetermined number of unique sub-combinations of a set of game numbers such that each of the sub-combinations having the same quantity of numbers and randomly selecting a single subset of the set of game numbers that has the same quantity of numbers as each of the sub-combinations;
• printing a set of promotional lottery tickets for a promotional lottery game such that each of the promotional lottery tickets in the set of promotional lottery tickets corresponds to one of the unique sub-combinations of a set of game numbers and distinctly corresponds to one of the unique combinations of the set of game digits;
• indicating a predetermined minimum number of primary prizes;
• indicating a plurality of secondary prizes, each of the secondary prizes in the plurality of secondary prizes having a lesser value than each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes;
• providing at least a subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets to a plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales;
• randomly selecting, according to a predetermined number of iterations that equals the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes, a distinct unique combination of the set of game digits, in each iteration, from the combinations of the set of game digits appearing on the promotional lottery tickets in the subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets provided to the plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales such that each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes is won in the promotional lottery game;
• randomly selecting a single subset of the set of game numbers that has the same quantity of numbers as each of the sub-combinations;
• providing each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes to each player with a distinct unique combination of the set of game digits from the combinations of the set of game digits appearing on the promotional lottery tickets in the subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets provided to the plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales;
• and
• providing a secondary prize from the plurality of secondary prizes to a player based on a type of match on a promotional lottery ticket of the player between the unique sub-combination corresponding to the promotional lottery ticket and the single subset of the set of game numbers that is selected.

A system comprising:

• a combination generation module that generates a predetermined number of unique combinations of a set of game digits, each of the combinations having the same quantity of digits;
• a printer that prints a set of promotional lottery tickets for a promotional lottery game such that each of the promotional lottery tickets in the set of promotional lottery tickets distinctly corresponds to one of the unique combinations of the set of game digits;
• a display module that indicates a predetermined minimum number of primary prizes;
• a ticket distribution module that provides at least a subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets to a plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales;
• a random selection module that randomly selects, according to a predetermined number of iterations that equals the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes, a distinct unique combination of the set of game digits, in each iteration, from the combinations of the set of game digits appearing on the promotional lottery tickets in the subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets provided to the plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales such that each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes is won in the promotional lottery game;
• and
• a primary prize distribution module that provides each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes to each player with a distinct unique combination of the set of game digits from the combinations of the set of game digits appearing on the promotional lottery tickets in the subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets provided to the plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales.

A system comprising:

• a combination generation module that generates a predetermined number of unique combinations of a set of game digits, each of the combinations having the same quantity of digits;
• a sub-combination module that generates a predetermined number of unique sub-combinations of a set of game numbers such that each of the sub-combinations having the same quantity of numbers and randomly selecting a single subset of the set of game numbers that has the same quantity of numbers as each of the sub-combinations;
• a printer that prints a set of promotional lottery tickets for a promotional lottery game such that each of the promotional lottery tickets in the set of promotional lottery tickets corresponds to one of the unique sub-combinations of a set of game numbers and distinctly corresponds to one of the unique combinations of the set of game digits;
• a display module that a predetermined minimum number of primary prizes and a plurality of secondary prizes, each of the secondary prizes in the plurality of secondary prizes having a lesser value than each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes;
• a ticket distribution module that provides at least a subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets to a plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales;
• a primary prize random selection module that randomly selects, according to a predetermined number of iterations that equals the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes, a distinct unique combination of the set of game digits, in each iteration, from the combinations of the set of game digits appearing on the promotional lottery tickets in the subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets provided to the plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales such that each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes is won in the promotional lottery game;
• a secondary prize random selection module that randomly selects a single subset of the set of game numbers that has the same quantity of numbers as each of the sub-combinations;
• a primary prize distribution module that provides each of the predetermined minimum number of primary prizes to each player with a distinct unique combination of the set of game digits from the combinations of the set of game digits appearing on the promotional lottery tickets in the subset of the set of promotional lottery tickets provided to the plurality of players in the promotional lottery game through ticket sales;
• and
• a secondary prize distribution module that provides a secondary prize from the plurality of secondary prizes to a player based on a type of match on a promotional lottery ticket of the player between the unique sub-combination corresponding to the promotional lottery ticket and the single subset of the set of game numbers that is selected.