LOTTERY GAME CARD HAVING DUAL IMAGED INDICIA WITH SCRATCH-OFF LAYER

Abstract

A scratch off lottery game card including a substrate on which a plurality of original game indicia are printed on a substrate, and a replica set of the original game indicia is placed on the top of the original game indicia in a scratch-off material covering the same. The replica game indicia and original game indicia are preferably in contrasting colors to be visually different from each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a scratch-off game card according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the scratch-off game card of FIG. 1 with a few spots having game indicia scratched.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Briefly described, in one embodiment, the invention is a lottery game card in which a set of predefined game indicia is printed on a substrate and a replica set of the predefined game indicia is placed on the top of the original set via a scratch-off material to cover the original set. The original set of game indicia and the replica set are easily distinguishable from each other through color contrast; so if the placement of the replica set is defective, it can be easily detected. When a player scratches off a replica game indicia covering an original game indicia, the game indicia underneath is revealed. FIG. 1 illustrates a lottery game card 100 for a word puzzle game according to one embodiment of the invention. The lottery game card 100 includes a game indicia area 102 that includes a plurality of squares arranged in a matrix format, and some of squares having a letter in it and forming some words or predefined patterns. The lottery game card 100 also includes a player indicia area 104 labeled as “YOUR LETTERS” in which certain letters (player indicia) are printed and covered by a removable opaque material, such as a polymer-based layer that breaks into particles or collapses from the layer when scratched so that a portion of the layer can be removed leaving the letter underneath intact. The lottery game card 100 further includes a prize area 106, wherein a list of prizes is listed.

A player can purchases a lottery game card 100 at any lottery game retailer. After purchasing the lottery game card 100, the player scratches off the player indicia area 104 labeled as “YOUR LETTERS” to reveal the pre-assigned letters. After revealing the letters, the player can then match each letter listed in the player indicia area 104 with letters in the game indicia area 102. To track and easily identify the letters in the game indicia area 102 that match the letters in the player indicia area 104, the player scratches off the replica game indicia from the square having a letter that matches a letter in the player indicia area 104. The scratched area reveals the original game indicia, which is visually different from the replica game indicia, preferably by being a contrasting color from the replica game indicia, and thus making easily observable by the human eye. If the player matches a number of words that is listed in the prize area 106, then the player wins the prize that matches the number of words.

The game card 100 comprises a simple flat substrate of a suitable card stock material on which printing can be received, generally of paper. Onto the substrate is printed a first area having a plurality of squares in the game indicia area 102, a second area 108 with the game title, a player indicia area 104 with a pre-assigned letters, and a fourth area 106 listing prizes. After the first area is printed with an original set of game indicia in the squares, a replica set of the game indicia is placed on the top of the original set of game indicia preferably as a removable material, such as latex or other polymer. The game indicia in the replica set is preferably slightly larger than the game indicia in the original set. When the game indicia in the replica set is placed on the top of the game indicia in the original set, the replica game indicia covers the original game indicia. If the replica game indicia is different from the original indicia, the replica game indicia will not be able to cover the game indicia underneath. The original game indicia may have a color different from the replica game indicia, thus making it easier to identify any mismatch between the replica game indicia and the original indicia. The different color appearance between the replica game indicia and original indicia also makes easier for a player to distinguish removal of the scratch-off replica game indicia.

FIG. 2 illustrates a lottery game card 200 that illustrates a game card with the pre-assigned player indicia in the player area 202 revealed and few game indicia in the game area 204 scratched off. Because the replica game indicia, “E,” “G,” and “O” have been scratched off and the original game indicia in red color are revealed, the player can now easily identify the word he has formed so far.

In this embodiment, the lottery game card includes a substrate, a game indicia area, and a player indicia area. The game indicia area includes a plurality of original game indicia forming a plurality of predefined patterns. A replica set of the original game indicia is placed on the top of the original game indicia covering the original game indicia, wherein each replica indicia of the replica set covers a like original game indicia.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in the foregoing specification, it is understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to which the invention pertains, having the benefit of the teaching presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for the purposes of limiting the described invention.

Claims

1. A game card comprising: a substrate;a player indicia area;game indicia area;a plurality of player indicia positioned in said player indicia area;a plurality of game indicia positioned in said game indicia area; anda plurality of replica indicia, wherein each said replica indicia is positioned over a matching said game indicia so as to cover said plurality of game indicia, wherein said plurality of replica indicia comprise a layer of material removable by a player of the game card so as to reveal an underlying said game indicia.

2. The game card of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of replica indicia are slightly larger than the underlying said game indicia.

3. The game card of claim 2, wherein said plurality of replica indicia have a different color than said plurality of game indicia.

4. The game card of claim 1, wherein said plurality of replica indicia have a different color than said plurality of game indicia.

5. The game card of claim 1, further comprising an opaque material covering said plurality of player indicia, wherein said opaque material is removable so as to reveal said player indicia.

6. The game card of claim 1, wherein said plurality of game indicia are arranged into predetermined patterns within a grid.

7. The game card of claim 1, wherein said plurality of game indicia and said plurality of player indicia comprise alphanumeric characters.

8. The game card of claim 1, further comprising an opaque material covering said plurality of player indicia, said opaque material comprising a polymeric removable by rubbing or scratching.

9. The game card of claim 1, wherein said player indicia and said game indicia each comprise alphanumeric characters, and wherein at least one of said characters of said play indicia matches at least one of said characters of said game indicia.

10. A game card comprising: a substrate adapted to be printed upon;a player area located upon said substrate, said player area having at least one player indicia printed thereon;a game area located upon said substrate, said game area having at least one game indicia printed thereon; andat least one replica indicia located in said game area that matches said at least one game indicia, said replica indicia placed onto said game indicia so as to cover said game indicia, wherein said replica indicia are removable by a player of the game card.

11. The game card of claim 10, wherein said at least one replica indicia is slightly larger than said at least one game indicia.

12. The game card of claim 11, wherein said at least one replica indicia comprises a different color than said at least one game indicia.

13. The game card of claim 10, wherein said at least one replica indicia comprises a different color than said at least one game indicia.

14. The game card of claim 10, further comprising a removable, opaque material covering said at least one player indicia.

15. The game card of claim 10, wherein said replica game indicia comprises a coating of a polymer-based material.