Patent ID: 8613652

Claim:
A hardware and software enabled method for implementing a ticket-based Internet lottery game, wherein winning plays of the ticket-based Internet lottery game are validated and redeemed through a lottery authority's existing on-line lottery ticket validation and redemption system, the method comprising: providing a set of physical lottery tickets, wherein each physical lottery ticket of the set includes a unique code that (i) provides a consumer access to a web server via a designated website; and (ii) enables game play of an Internet game having a prize structure separate from a prize structure of the set of physical lottery tickets; upon a consumer accessing the web site and entering a unique code associated with at least one of the physical lottery tickets, validating the unique code, wherein upon validation, the consumer gains access to the web server to engage in said game play of the Internet game; if said game play of the Internet game by the consumer results in a win, upon completion of said game play of the Internet game by the consumer, the web server generating a win file associated with the unique code and storing the win file in a virtual win file database for subsequent transfer to the lottery authority's existing on-line lottery ticket validation and redemption system; and periodically conducting virtual drawings within the lottery authority's existing on-line lottery ticket validation and redemption system in order to load the win file database corresponding to a plurality of winning plays of the Internet game into a winners database of the lottery authority's existing on-line lottery ticket validation and redemption system, wherein the win files corresponding to winning plays of the Internet game are merged with and emulate win files for winning plays of physical lottery tickets in the lottery authority's existing on-line lottery ticket validation and redemption system.