Electronic gaming apparatus and method

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of dispensing gaming tickets containing indicia thereon upon actuating the apparatus and displaying indicia correlated to the indicia on the dispensed gaming ticket;

• said apparatus comprising:
• a) a plurality of tickets with each ticket having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface;
• b) indica used in the play of the game on the first surface of each ticket and where the indicia on some of the tickets represents winning indicia;
• c) means for dispensing the ticket upon actuation of the apparatus;
• d) a code on said ticket which is machine readable and not readily discernable by visual examination;
• e) reading means forming part of said apparatus for reading the code on the dispensed ticket and which code represents indicia correlated to the indicia on that ticket;
• and
• f) means for generating and displaying the indicia from the code on that ticket and which displayed indicia corresponds directly to the indicia on the ticket which is dispensed.

An electronic gaming arrangement including a group of preprinted tickets and an electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia contained on the tickets used in the play of a game of chance on the gaming apparatus upon actuating the apparatus, said arrangement comprising:

• a) each ticket containing indicia thereon and where the indicia on each of the tickets is directly involved in the play of the game and the indicia on certain of the tickets may represent winning or scoring indicia which is preprinted on the ticket with the element of chance being determined at time of production of the ticket, so that the game of chance can be played independently of and without the electronic gaming apparatus by enabling the player of the game to determine whether or not the player has a winning or scoring ticket by visually examining the indicia on the ticket;
• b) a machine readable code associated with the indicia on each ticket and such code being correlated to the indicia on that ticket, information contained in said machine readable code not being readily discernable by visual examination;
• c) reading means on said apparatus for reading the machine readable code of each ticket which is drawn for play of the game on said apparatus;
• and
• d) display means connected to said reading means for displaying indicia related to that on the drawn ticket to enhance the play of the game so that observation of the indicia on the ticket or on the display means or both advises a player of a winning or scoring condition.

An electronic gaming combination including a group of preprinted gaming tickets and an electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia used in the play of a game upon actuating the apparatus and where displayed indicia is related to that on a gaming ticket drawn from the group thereof, said combination comprising:

• a) a ticket having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface;
• b) indica used in and necessary for the play of the game on the first surface of each said ticket and where the indicia on each of the tickets is directly involved in the play of the game and the indicia on certain of the tickets may represent winning or scoring indicia which is preprinted on the ticket with the element of chance being determined at time of production of the ticket, so that the game of chance can be played independently of and without the electronic gaming apparatus by enabling the player of the game to determine whether or not the player has a winning or scoring ticket by visually examining the indicia on the ticket;
• c) a machine readable code associated with each said ticket which is machine readable and not readily discernable by visual examination and which code is related to the indicia on that ticket;
• d) reading means associated with said apparatus for reading the machine readable code on the ticket;
• and
• e) a monitor associated with said apparatus for displaying indicia generated pursuant to the code on the ticket thereby enhancing play of the game so that observation of the indicia on the ticket or in the monitor or both advise a player of a winning or scoring condition;
• and
• f) means for displaying on the monitor indicia generated from the code on the ticket which is drawn and which is related to the indicia on the ticket.

A method of playing a game of chance where a player obtains a ticket containing indicia and in which the player will win or score in a game if the indicia on the ticket corresponds to winning or scoring indicia, said method comprising:

• a) actuating an apparatus containing a plurality of preprinted tickets stored therein with each ticket having indicia directly involved in the play of the game associated therewith and which indicia has been preprinted on the tickets so that the element of chance is determined at the time of production of the tickets and only a limited number of the tickets may contain winning or scoring indicia thereon;
• b) advancing a ticket through the apparatus upon actuation of the apparatus;
• c) dispensing a ticket having certain indicia thereon to the player of the apparatus;
• d) allowing for the play of the game of chance independently of and without the apparatus, thereby enabling the player to determine whether or not the player has a winning or scoring ticket by visually examining the indicia on the ticket;
• e) scanning a machine readable code associated with the ticket and which is not readily understandable by visual examination;
• f) substantially simultaneously generating indicia from the machine readable code and displaying that indicia on a display screen on the apparatus and which displayed indicia is correlated to the indicia on the ticket enhancing the play of the game;
• and
• g) determining a winning or scoring in the game by observation of the indicia on the ticket or observation of the generated indicia on the display screen or both.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia contained on a ticket used in the play of a game of chance upon actuating the apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket containing indicia thereon;
• b) a machine readable code associated with the indicia on the ticket and such code being correlated to the indicia on the ticket, information contained in said machine readable code not being readily discernable by visual examination;
• c) reading means for reading the machine readable code of each selected ticket;
• d) display means connected to said reading means for displaying indicia correlated to that on the dispensed ticket from which the code was read;
• and
• e) a cover means releasably covers the indicia on said ticket until a removal from the ticket.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia contained on a ticket used in the play of a game of chance upon actuating the apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket containing indicia thereon;
• b) a machine readable code associated with the indicia on the ticket and such code being correlated to the indicia on the ticket, information contained in said machine readable code not being readily discernable by visual examination;
• c) reading means for reading the machine readable code of each selected ticket;
• and
• d) display means connected to said reading means for displaying indicia correlated to that on the ticket from which the code was read substantially simultaneously with a dispensing of the ticket.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia contained on a ticket used in the play of a game of chance upon actuating the apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket containing indicia thereon;
• b) a machine readable code associated with the indicia on the ticket and such code being correlated to the indicia on the ticket, information contained in said machine readable code not being readily discernable by visual examination;
• c) reading means for reading the machine readable code of each selected ticket;
• d) display means connected to said reading means for displaying indicia correlated to that on the ticket from which the code was read;
• e) a money receipt mechanism for receiving a selected amount of money when deposited therein;
• and
• f) advancing means for moving a ticket through the apparatus, said advancing means being connected to said money receipt mechanism and being actuated only when a selected amount of money is deposited in the apparatus.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia contained on a ticket used in the play of a game of chance which aids in the game of pull tab upon actuating the apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket containing indicia thereon and which is dispensed upon actuation of the apparatus and where each dispensed ticket constitutes a separate pull tab;
• b) a machine readable code associated with the indicia on the ticket and such code being correlated to the indicia on the ticket, information contained in said machine readable code not being readily discernable by visual examination;
• c) reading means for reading the machine readable code of each selected ticket;
• and
• d) display means connected to said reading means for displaying indicia correlated to that on the ticket from which the code was read.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia upon actuating the apparatus and where displayed indicia is correlated to that on a drawn gaming ticket, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface;
• b) indicia used in the play of the game on the first surface of said ticket;
• c) a code associated with said ticket which is machine readable and not readily discernable by visual examination;
• d) reading means associated with said apparatus for reading a code corresponding to the indicia on the ticket;
• e) means for displaying information relating to indicia generated from the code on the ticket which is drawn;
• and
• f) means for dispensing the drawn ticket upon actuation of the apparatus.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia upon actuating the apparatus and where displayed indicia is correlated to that on a drawn gaming ticket, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface;
• b) indica used in the play of the game on the first surface of said ticket;
• c) a code associated with said ticket which is machine readable and not readily discernable by visual examination;
• d) an opaque cover strip disposed over the indica to preclude view of the indicia until removal of the cover strip;
• e) reading means associated with said apparatus for reading a code corresponding to the indicia on the ticket;
• and
• f) means for displaying information relating to indicia generated from the code on the ticket which is drawn.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia upon actuating the apparatus and where displayed indicia is correlated to that on a drawn gaming ticket, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface;
• b) indica used in the play of the game on the first surface of said ticket;
• c) a code associated with said ticket which is machine readable and not readily discernable by visual examination;
• d) reading means associated with said apparatus for reading the code corresponding to the indicia on the ticket;
• and
• e) means for displaying indicia which is the same as that on the ticket which is dispensed and in the same arrangement.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of displaying indicia upon actuating the apparatus and where displayed indicia is correlated to that on a drawn gaming ticket, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket having a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface;
• b) indicia used in the play of the game preprinted on the first surface of said ticket;
• c) a code preprinted on said ticket which is machine readable and not readily discernable by visual examination;
• d) reading means associated with said apparatus for reading that code corresponding to the indicia on the ticket;
• and
• e) means for displaying information relating to indicia generated from the code on the ticket which is dispensed.

An electronic gaming apparatus capable of dispensing a ticket and displaying indicia contained on a ticket used in the play of a game of chance on the gaming apparatus upon actuating the apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a) a ticket retaining means in said apparatus for retaining a group of tickets used in the play of the game and each ticket containing indicia thereon and where indicia on each of the tickets is directly involved in the play of the game and the indicia on certain of the tickets may represent winning or scoring indicia;
• b) a machine readable code associated with the indicia on each ticket and such code being correlated to the indicia on that ticket, information contained in said machine readable code not being readily discernable by visual examination;
• c) reading means for reading the machine readable code of each selected ticket;
• d) dispensing means in said apparatus for dispensing a selected ticket from which the code was read after the reading thereof;
• and
• e) display means connected to said reading means for displaying indicia related to the indicia on the dispensed ticket such that observation of the indicia on the ticket or on the display means or both advises a player of a winning or scoring condition and thereby enhances the play of the game.