US 5,679,077 AGranted

System and method for remote participation in bingo and other games of chance where players select numbers

OwnerTerrence Pocock, Andrew Pocockinventors

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Abstract

A system and method for remote players to select the numbers on a bingo card and to have this card played in a local Do-It-Yourself bingo game. Remote players wishing to play use a telephone to select the numbers on a game card that is entered into a remotely located bingo game. This entry process also acquires the players identification information. Billing is provided by a `900` number billing service or by charging a player's credit card account. A computer system plays the randomly selected balls against all the entered game cards, and determines the winners. No game cards are manufactured or distributed as the players create their own cards. Local and remote players are assured that the game is legitimately played as all the remote players cards are printed out at the game site and stored in lock boxes similarly to the local players' cards as proof of the bingo numbers selected and payment made for game entry.

Claims53

Dependent claims

A system for both local and remote players to play in a game wherein a remote player selects game numbers for entry and play in the same game that local players select numbers and play, comprising:

(A) a managing computer system for controlling peripheral systems and operating programs that accept and store game numbers selected by remote players, and play these game numbers against local randomly drawn numbers to determine if any of the remote players are winners;
(B) a communications system for providing to the computer system game information received via a communications connection which pertains to at least an identification of a remote player and the player-selected game numbers;
(C) a first database for storing information relating to the remote player-selected game information and the associated player identification that was received via the communications connection;
(D) means for printing game cards with the selected game numbers of the remote players and the associated player identification as physical proof of entry into the game;
(E) means to store duplicate cards of the local players' entries and the cards containing the selected bingo game numbers of the remote players' entries;
(F) means to randomly select game numbers;
(G) means to inform the players of the selected game numbers and game information;
(H) means to enter these random game numbers into the computer system;
(I) means to determine when the game numbers as they are drawn match all the remote player-selected game numbers stored in the first database to produce remote winner(s) of the game;
and
(J) means to determine and inform all of the players of the identification of the winning players.

8 more elements

A system for remote players to play in a game commonly known as Lightning bingo wherein a remote player selects three numbers on a bingo card and enters this card for play into a bingo game, comprising:

(A) a managing computer system that controls peripheral systems and operates programs that accept and store game number entries from remote players, and that plays these entries against randomly drawn numbers in the lightning bingo game to determine if any of the remote players are winners;
(B) a communication system for providing to the computer system game information which pertains to at least an identification of a remote player and the three player-selected lightning bingo card numbers;
(C) a first database for storing information relating to the remote player-selected game information and the associated player identification that was received via the communication system;
(D) means for the remote players to indicate to the computer system acceptance to pay the required ante to enter and play the game;
(E) means to randomly select game numbers and inform the players of these numbers;
(F) means to input the randomly selected numbers as drawn into the computer system;
(G) means to determine when a bingo number as it is drawn matches one of the remote player-selected game numbers stored in the first database, and to draw down a portion of the player's ante as recorded in the computer system;
(H) means to determine if a player's selected numbers match all three numbers as drawn;
(I) means to determine the identification of remote winning players;
(J) means to calculate the winning dollar amount of prize money by combining the remaining antes of players;
(K) means to award the prize money to the winning players.

8 more elements

A method for playing games of chance wherein a remote player who wishes to play in a local game selects and enters variable game information into the same game that local players have personally selected game information for play, comprising the steps of:

(A) operating a computer system that controls peripheral systems and operates programs that accept and store game numbers that are selected by remote players, and that plays these game numbers in a local game and determines if any of the remote players are winners;
(B) accepting telephone calls from remote players wishing to play who provide to the connected computer system at least the required game information and an associated player identification;
(C) accepting game information selected by the local players written on game cards for entry into the game;
(D) storing the information related to a game card with the associated player identification received via the telephone connection in a first database in readiness to play the game;
(E) printing the game cards of the remote players and the associated player identification as physical proof of entry into the game;
(F) storing duplicate cards of the local players along with the cards printed for the remote players;
(G) selecting game numbers at random;
(H) informing the players of the selected numbers;
(I) providing to the computer system the randomly selected numbers as they are selected during the game;
(J) matching the numbers as they are selected with the stored game cards to determine the first card where all of the numbers match to produce a remote player's winning card;
(K) matching the numbers as they are selected with the local players' cards to determine the first card in the game where all the numbers match to produce a local player's winning card;
(L) determining the player identification associated with the winning game cards and informing all the players.

9 more elements

A method for remote players to play in a game commonly known as Lightning bingo wherein a remote player selects three numbers on a bingo card and enters this card for play into a bingo game, comprising the steps of:

(A) operating a managing computer system that controls peripheral systems and programs that accept and store game-number entries from remote players, and that plays these entries against randomly drawn numbers in the lightning bingo game to determine if any of the remote players are winners;
(B) providing to the computer system game information received via a communication connection which pertains to at least an identification of a remote player and the three player-selected lightning bingo card numbers and which informs the players of aspects of the game as it is played;
(C) storing information in a first database relating to the remote player-selected game information and the associated player identification that was received via the communication connection;
(D) storing a remote player's wager in the computer system;
(E) randomly selecting game numbers and informing the local and remote players;
(F) inputting the randomly selected numbers as drawn into the computer system;
(G) determining when a bingo number as it is drawn matches one of the remote player-selected game numbers stored in the first database, and drawing down the player's ante as recorded in the computer system;
(H) determining if all three numbers selected by a player match the numbers that are randomly selected, thereby producing a winner of the game;
(I) determining the identification of winning players;
(J) calculating the winning dollar amount of prize money by combining the remaining antes of players;
and
(K) awarding the prize money to the winning players.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.