Lottery games, both private and state operated, are popular with many people. The convenience with which players are able to purchase one or more tottery tickets for a state game encourages many persons to play who might otherwise not gamble. ! n addition ; a worthy cause such as charitable events, also encourages many people to play lotteries.

Most lotteries provide a single level of play in the form of one ticket price or denomination based upon the selection of several numbers. If the player wishes to play for a greater denomination then the player must purchase more tickets. If the player desires to change the odds, then the player selects a different number of numbers. The payoff for the game is based on the number of numbers selected, together with the number of numbers that are correct. The ticket prices are generally kept low in order to encourage play.

In order to encourage more players to play the lottery games other variations have been developed. One such variation is to provide relatively igh priced tickets, Relatively high priced tickets are ften provided for charitable causes in which only a relatively small predetermined nmber of tickets are sold for a relatively expensive prize. The relatively high ticket price increases the odds of a single ticket winning the jackpot or prize, but discourages bettors who may not wish to gamble such a large amount on a single ticket.

Markowicz, U. S. Patent No. 4,482,278, discloses the interconnection of two or more state lottery games into a national game.

Fienberg, U. S. Patent No. 5,046,737, discloses a lottery game in which multiple levels are achieved by certain players, by chance.

Mullins, U. S. Patent No. 5,158,293, discloses a multiple level game, in the sense that players may be sequentially eligible for different prizes or payoffs during the course of play.

Keesee, U. S. Patent No. 5,282,620, discloses a parimutuel game incorporating a plurality of game terminals and ticket printers which communicate with a central processor, in the manner of many known lottery type games.

Zalabak, U. S. Patent No. 5,407,200, discloses a pyramid type game in which successive wagering levels are provided, with each level providing an increased chance of winning due to the removal of at least one game symbol from each successively higher level.

Casa et al., U. S. Patent No. 5,613,679, disclose a game in which two drawings are held for each game. The first drawing determines the winning bettor, while me second drawings determines the winning recipient of a group of worthy recipients.

Fults et al., U.S. Patent No. 5.788, 237, disclose a bingo type game in which different levels of prizes or awards are provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a high-level architectural drawing illustrating the components of a system that operates in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Overview of System Components and Operation FIG. I illustrates the general architecture of a system that operates in accordance with the present invention. The system inctudes a player computer, and a web site, both of which are linked together by the Internet. The Internet may be replaced by any type of computer network. The player computer may be any type of computing device that allows a user ("player") to interactively browse web sites via a web browser.

FOr example, the player computer may be a personal computer (PC) that runs the windows NT operating system. The components and functions required to communicate over the Internet and operate a web site are described more fully in U. S. Patent No.

6, 09, 141, the complete disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.'Tiie method and system of the present invention may be used with any conventional hardware or software used to communicate over a network.

In general, the system provides a computer system that has a database of historical lottery games previously played. A remote player, using a web browser. communicates with the provider's web site by means of the web server. The playcr can view and search the database of previous games to determine if the player was a winner, can display information about the previous games, can play one or more future games, select the type of lottery game to be played, make the selections for any future lottery game, wager on lottery games, watch the selections drawn for the current lottery game, etc.

Lottery Database The lottery database contains information regarding the previous lottery games and the current game being played. In addition, the lottery database may include the selections for the past, current, and future for each player.

Web Site The system has a computer that hosts a web site to allow the provider to communicate with players. In a preferred method, when a consumer initially accesses the provider's web site, the web server provides a web page to the consumer that allows the consumer to play a lottery game.

State Based Games Another potential implementation of a lottery game is a traditional state sanctioned game Typically the state has a lottery commission that overseas the lottery game. Participation in the lottery game may be done in electronic form or by purchasing tickets from vendors, such as the state or local stores. After the lottery game for which the ticket \vas purchased the player maycheck to see if he is a winner.

Lottery Game <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> After consideration of all of the aforementioned attempts to increase the<BR> participation and interest in players playing number based lttery games, the present inventor came to the realization that attempting to modify the selection criteria of the numbers to entice players is a fundamentally flawed approach. Moreover, the appearance to the player of an"easy"win likewise increases the likelihood that players will play the lottery game. However, to reduce the payout paid to players, it is desirable that the actual likelihood of payoffs is low which increases the"profits"to the state or provider of the game. In addition, it is desirable that the lottery game is appealable to the player on a personal level, as opposed to merely selecting a set of numbers which has little, if any, emotional attachment to the player.

After further consideration the present inventor determined that an improved lottery game replaces the selection of numbers with letters, as illustrated by FIG. 2. The letters include, for example, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, I, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, and z. The paradigm change from numbers to letters provides many previously unrealized benefits.

First, in a simple three number lottery where each of the numbers may be selected the odds of selecting the single winning number is 1/1000 (103). In contrast, in a sin3 le three letter lottery using the letters a.. z the odds of selecting-the single winnmg combination is 1117, 576 (26') The odds of selecting the particular winning set of tetters in the letter based lottery are significantly reduced which mayresult in the state or provider of the game accumulating greater profits.

Second, a letter bsed lottery game provides the player with the ability to select their favorite words which may include words that have personal meaning in their lives. Such words, may include for example, happy, birthday, dog. Sally, Tom. Tina, Kevin, Rob, Nelson, winner, puppy, money, etc. In this manner, the player may select words that have personal meaning to their lives, which increases the likelihood that players will play the game In essence, there is an emotional attachment with the selection of the words, as opposed to merely selecting a set of numbers which ! acks the emotional attachment for the player.

Third, the selection of a set of letters for a lottery game results in a deceptively simple game. Many players will consider the selection of letters to have the same general odds as selecting a set of numbers. However, such a surprisingly simple game is considerably more difficult to win because of the increased number of potential choices for each selection in the game, i. e., from 10 (0-9) to 26 (A-Z).'Ihe deceptively simple nature of the game encourages players to play the game, while simultaneously decreasing the odds that the player will actually win.

An option to the lottery based game may include the player selecting a particular set of letters and predicting the order in which the provider will select those letters. In this manner the player may select actual words, which if selected by the provider of the lottery game, results in a winning selection.

Another option to the lottery game may include permitting the selection of duplicate letters by the player and/or the provider. In this manner the player has a greater range of available letters from which to select words, such as, "Bob". ALternatively, the lottery game may prohibit the selection of duplicate letters, if desired.

Another option to the lottery game mayinclude selecting one or more numbers, such as 0-9, together withone or more letters. This permits greater flexibility for selecting emotional based words, such as F 150 for a Ford truck.

The game may permit the selection of different sets of letters, for example, a set of one letter, two letters, three letters, and so on. In addition, the game may provide winnings based on ranges of letters selected, such as for example, one letter, 1-3 letters, 2-5 letters, 3-6 letters and 4-33 letters.

The winnings for any particular lottery may be based on matching all the letters, or less than all of the letters, such as 5 out of 6 letters selected. In addition, the lottery game may use the entire alphabet or a subset thereof.

While the selection of letters provides significant flexibility and enticement for players to play the game, some players may believe it is to difficult to win.

A further option is to provide one or more wildcard selections which may be substituted for any letter and/or number. This option entices more players to play the game, and hence increases the potential profit of the providers. The number of wildcard selections should be limited to no more than the number of letters selected. In addition, to increase revenues the selection of each (or a set of) wildcard letters may incur an additional fee for the-lottery ticket.

Another option for the lottery game is to permit the player to select a playing including a heart, a club, a spade, or diamond. The provider of the lottery game may likewise select a playing card, including a heart, a club, a spade, or a diamond.

Anothe option for the lotterygame i to premit the slection of the color of any of the selections from a defined set of colors such as red, blue, green.

One of the potential concerns of those implementing a letter based lottery game is the selection, by the player, of words that are rude or otherwise inappropriate.

Such words, may include for example, bitch, shit, ass, etc. In addition, these words may likewise be indicated as inappropriate even if included as a portion of another word, such as"assign"for"ass". Accordingly, the lottery game may include a list of inappropriate words that are not permitted. If the player attempts to select such a letter combination then the lottery game may force the player to select another set of letters.

Another potential concern for those implementing a lottery is the selection, by the proprietor, of an inappropriate selection of letters, as previously described. To overome this limitation, the preferred lottery system monitors the order in which the letters are selected. Based on the order in which the letters are selected, the lottery system may reorder the selection presented to the player so that the selection of letters does not match an inappropriate word or letter group.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scops-ofthe Invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.