SYSTEMS AND METHODS WHEREIN A LOTTERY NUMBER COMBINATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES

1 - 55 . (canceled)

56 . A method, comprising:

receiving, from a player device, an indication of a request by a player to purchase a lottery ticket for a lottery drawing;

receiving, from the player device, an indication of a lottery number combination to be associated with the lottery ticket;

determining, based on a request associated with a previous player, that the lottery number combination is unavailable; and

providing an indication of a suggestion for an alternate lottery number combination.

57 . The method of claim 56 , further comprising:

determining the alternate lottery number combination.

58 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the determining of the alternate lottery number combination comprises:

determining a set of available lottery number combinations, such that each lottery number combination of the set is associated with a number of occurrences that is less than a maximum number of occurrences indicated by the request associated with the previous player; and

selecting the alternate lottery number combination from the set of available lottery number combinations.

59 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the determining of the alternate lottery number combination comprises:

determining an alternate number for at least one number of the lottery number combination, to define the alternate lottery number combination; and

determining that the alternate lottery number combination is available.

60 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the providing comprises:

causing the player device to prompt the player to select the alternate lottery number combination.

61 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the providing comprises:

providing an indication that the lottery number combination is unavailable.

62 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the indication of the suggestion comprises an indication of an alternate number that the player may choose to replace a number from the lottery number combination, to define the alternate lottery number combination.

63 . The method of claim 62 , wherein the indication of the suggestion further comprises an indication that the alternate lottery number combination is available.

64 . The method of claim 56 , further comprising:

providing, to the player device, an indication of the alternate lottery number combination.

65 . The method of claim 56 , further comprising:

storing an indication of a price for the lottery ticket.

66 . The method of claim 56 , further comprising:

causing a printing of the lottery ticket, the lottery ticket comprising an indicia of the alternate lottery number combination.

67 . The wherein the determining that the lottery number combination is unavailable comprises:

determining a maximum number of occurrences associated with the lottery number combination;

determining a total number of occurrences, inclusive of the lottery ticket, that the lottery number combination is associated with; and

determining that the total number of occurrences is greater than the maximum number of occurrences.

68 . The method of claim 67 , wherein the maximum number of occurrences is defined by the request associated with the previous player.

69 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the player is associated with a particular class of player.

70 . The method of claim 69 , wherein the particular class of player is defined by the previous player.

71 . The method of claim 56 , wherein the player device comprises a lottery terminal.

72 . The method of claim 71 , wherein the player device comprises a lottery terminal at a retail store.

73 . A lottery system apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

receive, from a player device, an indication of a request by a player to purchase a lottery ticket for a lottery drawing;

receive, from the player device, an indication of a lottery number combination to be associated with the lottery ticket;

determine, based on a request associated with a previous player, that the lottery number combination is unavailable; and

provide an indication of a suggestion for an alternate lottery number combination.

74 . A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to:

receive, from a player device, an indication of a request by a player to purchase a lottery ticket for a lottery drawing;

receive, from the player device, an indication of a lottery number combination to be associated with the lottery ticket;

determine, based on a request associated with a previous player, that the lottery number combination is unavailable; and provide an indication of a suggestion for an alternate lottery number combination.

75 . A system comprising:

a user interface; and

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface and adapted to:

receive, from the user interface, an indication of a request by a player to purchase a lottery ticket for a lottery drawing;

receive, from the user interface, an indication of a lottery number combination to be associated with the lottery ticket;

determine, based on a request associated with a previous player, that the lottery number combination is unavailable; and

provide an indication of a suggestion for an alternate lottery number combination.

76 . The system of claim 75 , wherein the system is embodied in a mobile terminal.

77 . The system of claim 75 , wherein the user interface is embodied in a mobile terminal.

78 . The system of claim 77 , wherein the mobile terminal comprises one or more of a PDA, a pager, a telephone, and a smart card.