Method and apparatus for operating lotteries and for generating and processing lottery entries

1. A method comprising:

receiving from a terminal a request of a customer to purchase a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing,

in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing,

in which the second lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing, and

in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is a winner;

registering the lottery entry for the customer; and

transmitting information about the registration of the lottery entry to the terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing; and

automatically entering the lottery entry in the second lottery drawing.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing; and

automatically entering the lottery entry in a subsequent lottery drawing.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selling the requested lottery entry for the first lottery drawing to the customer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

offering insurance to the customer.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a maximum prize amount for which the requested lottery entry is eligible;

determining a jackpot amount; and

providing, to the customer, a difference between the jackpot amount and the maximum prize amount.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining that the requested lottery entry matches a maximum number of selections.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining that the requested lottery entry is associated with insurance.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining that the maximum prize amount is less than the jackpot amount.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the requested lottery entry qualifies for a prize in the first lottery drawing.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

notifying the customer that the requested lottery entry is eligible for entry in a lottery drawing that is subsequent to the first lottery drawing.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating a record associated with the requested lottery entry to reflect eligibility in the second lottery drawing.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a price for the requested lottery entry.

14. The method of claim 13 , in which determining a price for the requested lottery entry comprises:

determining a price for the requested lottery entry based on an expected value associated with the requested lottery entry.

15. The method of claim 13 , in which determining a price for the lottery entry comprises:

determining a price for the lottery entry based on a top prize for which the lottery entry is eligible.

16. The method of claim 13 , in which determining a price for the requested lottery entry comprises:

determining a price for the requested lottery entry based on an average lottery payout for a given period of time.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving information about the requested lottery entry from the customer via a sense mark strip.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a record including an indication of the requested lottery entry after receiving data from a lottery retailer terminal.

19. The method of claim 1 , in which receiving the request comprises:

receiving the request from the customer via a sense mark strip.

20. The method of claim 1 , in which receiving the request comprises:

receiving the request via a Web site.

21. The method of claim 1 , in which receiving the request comprises:

receiving the request via a lottery retailer terminal.

22. A computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform steps of:

receiving from a terminal a request of a customer to purchase a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing,

in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing,

in which the second lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing, and

in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is a winner;

registering the lottery entry for the customer; and

transmitting information about the registration of the lottery entry to the terminal.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to perform steps of:

receiving from a terminal a request of a customer to purchase a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing,

in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing,

in which the second lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing, and

in which if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing the lottery entry is to be eligible automatically for subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is a winner;

registering the lottery entry for the customer; and

transmitting information about the registration of the lottery entry to the terminal.

24. A method comprising:

registering a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing;

transmitting information about the registration of the entry to a terminal;

if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing; and

if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is identified as a winning entry,

in which each lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing.

25. A computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform steps of:

registering a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing;

transmitting information about the registration of the entry to a terminal;

if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing; and

if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is identified as a winning entry,

in which each lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by the processor to perform steps of:

registering a lottery entry for a first lottery drawing;

transmitting information about the registration of the entry to a terminal;

if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the first lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into a second lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing; and

if the lottery entry is not a winning entry in the second lottery drawing, entering the lottery entry into further subsequent lottery drawings until the lottery entry is identified as a winning entry,

in which each lottery drawing subsequent to the first lottery drawing is associated with at least one lottery entry that was not entered in the first lottery drawing.