Lottery ticket selling systems and methods
A lottery ticket selling system including a point-of-sale system and a lottery ticket vending machine, and methods employing such POS system and lottery ticket vending machine to enable the purchase and dispensing of lottery tickets.
1 . A lottery ticket selling system comprising:
a lottery ticket vending machine comprising a payment mechanism, a scanner, and a plurality of ticket drawers configured to hold a plurality of different lottery tickets, each different lottery ticket including a different barcode that identifies that lottery ticket, the lottery ticket vending machine configured to:
communicate via a data network with a lottery central system,
communicate data to the lottery central system relating to each of the different lottery tickets that are available for purchase via the lottery ticket vending machine,
enable purchase via the payment mechanism of each of the different lottery tickets directly via the lottery ticket vending machine, and
communicate data to the lottery central system regarding each of the different lottery tickets dispensed by the lottery ticket vending machine and purchased directly via the payment mechanism of the lottery ticket vending machine; and
a point-of-sale (POS) system comprising:
a POS system server,
a POS system terminal communicatively connected to the POS system server,
a POS system scanner communicatively connected to the POS system terminal, and
a POS system receipt printer communicatively connected to the POS system terminal,
wherein:
the POS system scanner is configured to scan a lottery ticket data provider to obtain a UPC code for a first lottery ticket of the different lottery tickets held in the lottery ticket vending machine, wherein the UPC code for the first lottery ticket is different than the barcode of the first lottery ticket,
the POS system is configured to create a ticket availability request for the first lottery ticket based on the UPC code,
the POS system is configured to transmit the ticket availability request for the first lottery ticket to the lottery central system,
the POS system is not configured to communicate with the lottery ticket vending machine, and the lottery ticket vending machine is not configured to communicate with the POS system,
the POS system is configured to receive a ticket availability response for the first lottery ticket from the lottery central system, and determine that the first lottery ticket is available from the lottery ticket vending machine based on the ticket availability response,
the POS system is configured to determine a purchase price for the first lottery ticket,
the POS system is configured to determine a one-time use code for the first lottery ticket, and
the POS system is configured to cause the POS system receipt printer to print a voucher with the one-time use code for the first lottery ticket, wherein the voucher is readable by the scanner of the lottery ticket vending machine to cause the lottery ticket vending machine to dispense the first lottery ticket,
wherein the lottery ticket vending machine is further configured to:
communicate data to the lottery central system regarding first lottery ticket dispensed by the lottery ticket vending machine and sold via the POS system.
2 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different lottery tickets is an are instant lottery tickets.
3 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 1 , wherein one of the POS system server and the POS system terminal is configured to determine the purchase price of the first lottery ticket based on the UPC code and add that purchase price to an electronic shopping list.
4 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 3 , wherein the POS system is configured to display a total amount for purchase of products and the purchase of the first lottery ticket and enable payment for the total amount before causing the POS system receipt printer to print the voucher.
5 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 3 , wherein the voucher is part of a printed receipt for the products.
6 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 1 , wherein the POS system terminal is configured to display an indication if a another one of lottery tickets is not available from the lottery ticket vending machine.
7 . A lottery ticket selling system comprising:
a lottery ticket vending machine comprising a payment mechanism, a scanner, and a plurality of ticket drawers configured to hold and dispense each of a plurality of different instant lottery tickets for different instant lottery games, each different instant lottery ticket including a different barcode that identifies that instant lottery ticket, the lottery ticket vending machine configured to:
communicate via a data network with a lottery central system,
communicate data to the lottery central system relating to each of the different lottery tickets that are available for purchase via the lottery ticket vending machine,
enable purchase via the payment mechanism of each of the different lottery tickets directly via the lottery ticket vending machine, and
communicate data to the lottery central system regarding each of the different lottery tickets dispensed by the lottery ticket vending machine and purchased directly via the payment mechanism of the lottery ticket vending machine; and
a point-of-sale (POS) system comprising:
a POS system server,
a POS system scanner,
a POS system terminal communicatively connected to the POS system server and the POS system scanner, and
a POS system receipt printer communicatively connected to the POS system terminal,
wherein:
the POS system is not configured to communicate with the lottery ticket vending machine, and the lottery ticket vending machine is not configured to communicate with the POS system,
the POS system scanner is configured to scan an instant lottery ticket data provider to obtain a UPC code for a first instant lottery ticket of the instant lottery tickets held in the lottery ticket vending machine, wherein the UPC code for the first instant lottery ticket is different than the barcode of the first instant lottery ticket,
the POS system is configured to determine the availability for the first instant lottery ticket based on the UPC code and instant lottery ticket availability data received from the lottery central system,
the POS system is configured to determine a purchase price for the instant lottery ticket,
the POS system is configured to determine a one-time use code for the first instant lottery ticket, and
the POS system is configured to cause the POS system receipt printer to print a voucher with the one-time use code for the first instant lottery ticket, wherein the voucher is readable by the scanner of the lottery ticket vending machine to cause the lottery ticket vending machine to dispense the first instant lottery ticket.
8 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 7 , wherein the POS system terminal is configured to enable selection of each instant lottery ticket held in the lottery ticket vending machine at the POS system terminal.
9 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 7 , wherein the POS system terminal is configured to enable payment of the purchase price for each instant lottery ticket at the POS system terminal.
10 . The lottery ticket selling system of claim 7 , wherein the voucher is independent of a printed receipt for any other purchased products.
11 . A lottery ticket selling system comprising:
a lottery ticket vending machine comprising a payment mechanism, a scanner, and a plurality of ticket drawers configured to hold and dispense each of a plurality of different lottery tickets for different lottery games, each different lottery ticket including a different barcode that identifies that lottery ticket, the lottery ticket vending machine configured to:
communicate via a data network with a lottery central system,
communicate data to the lottery central system relating to each of the different lottery tickets that are available for purchase via the lottery ticket vending machine,
enable purchase via the payment mechanism of each of the different lottery tickets directly via the lottery ticket vending machine, and
communicate data to the lottery central system regarding each of the different lottery tickets dispensed by the lottery ticket vending machine and purchased directly via the payment mechanism of the lottery ticket vending machine; and
a point-of-sale (POS) system comprising:
a POS system server,
a POS system terminal communicatively connected to the POS system server,
a POS system scanner communicatively connected to the POS system terminal, and
a POS system receipt printer communicatively connected to the POS system terminal,
wherein:
the POS system is not configured to communicate with the lottery ticket vending machine, and the lottery ticket vending machine is not configured to communicate with the POS system,
the POS system is configured to receive a request for a first lottery ticket of the lottery tickets held in the lottery ticket vending machine based on a UPC code for the first lottery ticket, the UPC code being different than the barcode of the first lottery ticket,
the POS system is configured to verify availability of the first lottery ticket from the lottery ticket vending machine by transmitting a ticket availability request to a lottery central system and by receiving a ticket availability response,
the POS system is configured to determine a purchase price for the first lottery ticket if the first lottery ticket is available from the lottery ticket vending machine,
the POS system is configured to display an unavailable ticket indication if the first lottery ticket is not available from the lottery ticket vending machine, and
the POS system is configured to cause the POS system receipt printer to print a voucher for the first lottery ticket, wherein the voucher is readable by the scanner of the lottery ticket vending machine to cause the lottery ticket vending machine to dispense the first lottery ticket.