System and method for performing lottery ticket transactions utilizing point-of-sale terminals
View Patent ↗A system and method for performing integrated lottery ticket and merchandise transactions using a point-of-sale terminal that generates a single sales receipt containing all pertinent lottery ticket and merchandise transaction information. The lottery tickets generated include fractional value and “quick-pick” lottery tickets. A group of point-of-sale terminals are connected to a POS controller which communicates with a lottery data processing system. An encrypted authentication code also printed on the sales receipt allows the lottery player to verify all lottery ticket transaction information, as needed.
1. A system comprising:
a lottery data processing system;
a controller including a storage device storing merchandise information, said controller adapted to receive lottery information from said lottery data processing system;
at least one point-of-sale terminal connected to said controller, for performing merchandise transactions and lottery transactions in accordance with the received lottery information,
said lottery transactions comprising the providing of a fractional lottery ticket in exchange for an amount of change that is based on the merchandise transaction, the fractional lottery ticket having a fractional value based on the amount of change; and
said at least one point-of-sale terminal including a recorder for recording on a recording medium the merchandise and lottery information.
2. The system of claim 1 , in which the controller and one of the at least one point-of-sale terminal are embodied in a stand-alone unit.
3. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform steps of:
determining a purchase price of a purchase;
determining an amount of change based on the purchase price;
establishing a fractional value for a fractional lottery ticket based on the amount of change; and
selling the fractional lottery ticket to a customer in exchange for the amount of change.
4. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform steps of:
calculating a change amount that is based on a transaction;
transmitting a request for a lottery ticket, the request including the change amount;
receiving lottery ticket information including an indication of a fractional value that is based on the change amount; and
printing the lottery ticket information on a receipt.
5. The computer readable medium of claim 4 , the instructions being further configured to perform a step of:
generating transaction information; and
in which the step of printing comprises:
printing the lottery ticket information and the transaction information on the receipt.
6. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform steps of:
receiving a request for a lottery ticket, the request including a change amount that is based on a transaction;
transmitting lottery ticket information including an indication of a fractional value that is based on the change amount; and
storing the lottery ticket information including the indication of the fractional value.
7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , in which the lottery ticket information comprises at least one of: a price, the change amount, a code, and a plurality of lottery numbers.
8. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , the instructions being further configured to perform a step of:
creating an entry for a lottery ticket after receiving the request.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , the instructions being further configured to perform a step of:
creating an entry for a lottery ticket based on the lottery ticket information.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , in which the request further includes at least one of: a lottery game, a number of lottery tickets, and a plurality of lottery numbers.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , the instructions being further configured to perform a step of:
generating a plurality of lottery numbers.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , the instructions being further configured to perform a step of:
selling a lottery ticket to a customer in exchange for the change amount.
13. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a computing device to perform steps of:
determining a fractional purchase amount, in which the fractional purchase amount is any fraction of a full price of a lottery ticket and is based on a change amount of a transaction;
generating a fractional lottery ticket based on the fractional purchase amount; and
exchanging the fractional lottery ticket for the fractional purchase amount.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , in which determining the fractional purchase amount comprises: receiving a request for a lottery ticket, the request indicating the fractional purchase amount.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , in which receiving the request comprises: receiving the request in a stand-alone transaction.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , in which the fractional purchase amount is less than one dollar.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , in which the full price is a multiple of one dollar.
18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , the instructions being further configured to perform a step of:
determining a fraction of a winning prize based on the fractional purchase amount; and providing the fraction of the winning prize to a holder of the fractional lottery ticket.