Boomtown Sweepstakes System

The Boomtown Sweepstakes System game theme presents a video representation of a “spinning reel” game based primarily upon a 5-reel, 9-line display. Symbols presented as the entertaining result of the sweepstakes entries employ as many as 20 different themes, most of which can be seen on the products page of the website. The participant selects the number of entries to be revealed per line (1-10), which equate to the number of lines in play. Therefore, the number of entries per play the participant wishes to reveal will vary between 9 and 90, by multiples of 9. The maximum available play can be configured in the operator menu.

The Boomtown Sweepstakes System consists of one Sweepstakes Terminal computer, one Point of Sale computer, and one Card recharge station (kiosk). These components are networked together using a commercially available network switch.

To participate in the sweepstakes, the rules provide for various methods by which the participant may receive sweepstakes entries:
1. Purchase of a phone card through the Point-of-Sale Terminal
2. Request sweepstakes entries (no purchase required) at the POS Terminal
3. Request sweepstakes entries (no purchase required) through request by mail rules;
4. Using previously accumulated prizes to purchase additional phone time, entitling the participant to additional sweepstakes entries at the Sweepstakes Terminal;
5. Purchase additional phone time using the Card Recharge Station (kiosk)

If the participant purchases $1.00 of phone time then they are entitled to 100 sweepstakes entries. If the participant requests sweepstakes entries with no purchase at the location, the participant may receive 100 entries per day. The system does not distinguish sweepstakes entries granted through a purchase from those granted by request with no purchase necessary. Therefore all sweepstakes participants have the same chances of winning a prize on any sweepstakes terminal. The participant’s account is issued entitlement to sweepstakes entries. The player is given a card with a barcode that is linked to their account. This account retains all entitlements to sweepstakes entries and will store any prizes attained through revealing sweepstakes entries.

The participant reveals the sweepstakes entries at a Sweepstakes Terminal, which uses one entertaining game theme to display the content of the entries. To access the sweepstakes entries at a Sweepstakes Terminal, the participant is required to scan the card at that terminal. The participant then presses an available number (1, 5, 10, 20, max) on the attached keypad, which represents the arcade value of entries to place onto the terminal. The participant may elect to place 100, 500, 1000, 2000, or maximum entries onto the participant terminal, without exceeding 150,000 entries during any single session. The video screen will then display the number of sweepstakes entries available. The participant may then choose to play the sweepstakes games, redeem accumulated prizes (in 100 increments), or use any accumulated prize winnings to purchase phone time and receive additional sweepstakes entries.

Each sweepstakes terminal utilizes its own unique pool of finite game pieces. All terminals afford the participant an opportunity to reveal multiple sweepstakes entries simultaneously. In the instance when a participant elects to reveal multiple sweepstakes entries simultaneously, the odds of winning a prize remain the same. All sweepstakes prizes won are displayed as “Score” on the sweepstakes terminal.

To use any accumulated prizes to purchase additional phone time, which will grant the participant additional sweepstakes entries, the participant simply scans the card at the Sweepstakes terminal and presses the “Buy” button. The participant then presses one of the buttons on the keypad (1, 5, 10, 20, max) to select the dollar amount of prizes to use to purchase additional phone time. The participant may then utilize the sweepstakes entries in the previously stated matter.

Please note that revealing the sweepstakes entries does not diminish any phone time that has been purchased. The Boomtown Sweepstakes System is unable to keep track of the current phone time balance/usage. Pulsar Communications is the company that keeps track of all phone time after obtaining purchase information from the system at regular intervals.

A finite set of sweepstakes entries is stored on each Sweepstakes Terminal. Each sweepstakes terminal randomly selects and delivers the results of each entry to the participant. The total prize value of all entries revealed in a given play is converted into an entertaining display, by randomly selecting the positions of the five reels to represent the total prize amount. The entries are them removed from the finite pool of available outcomes and are not made available again until a new sweepstakes is generated. It allows a participant to reveal the content of the sweepstakes entries in an entertaining graphical manner using the available game theme and opportunity to select options that control the number of entries to be revealed at one time. None of these selections however change the outcome of the sweepstakes or increase a participant’s chances of winning any prize. These entries are randomly selected from the finite set without replacement. The reel positions are randomly selected to correctly match the total prize value of the revealed sweepstakes entries and will not alter the outcome of the sweepstakes entries after selection. The number of entries in the sweepstakes and associated prizes are determined before the sweepstakes begins and cannot be changed. Therefore, the odds of winning a prize remain the same regardless of the number of game entries revealed at any one time. Increasing the number of entries to be revealed at one time does not change the odds of winning any prize. Each sweepstakes terminal contains a pool of 32,334,379 possible entries. All participants reveal entries using any of these available sweepstakes terminals.