A method is provided of digitally imaging a secure portion and a non-secure portion of scratch-off-coating protected documents of at least one game using middleware. The method includes: (a) generating the secure variable indicia in non- vector raster format; (b) generating vector graphics to be imaged on physical document locations; (c) assigning the secure variable indicia in a non-vector raster format to documents in and shuffling the documents throughout a print run; and (d) linking via middleware the secure variable indicia in the non-vector raster format to associated vector graphics variable indicia to be digitally imaged on the documents and to generate vector graphics-formatted data for each document in the print run. The secure variable indicia assignment and shuffling are executed by non-vector raster game generation software output that is reinterpreted by the middleware to produce related vector graphic output for the secure variable indicia.

A lottery ticket vending machine configured to consistently repeated precisely align its ticket bursters with its ticket collection receptacle of its front door to ensure proper delivery of the lottery tickets from the ticket bursters to the ticket collection receptacle.

An instant lottery ticket vending machine configured to determine if its ticket bursters are improperly separating the lottery tickets received from the ticket drawers of the ticket drawer columns, and to make one or more adjustments and/or alert an operator if its ticket bursters are improperly separating the lottery tickets. In various embodiments, each of the tickets bursters includes a suitable ticket edge sensor configured to sense an edge (such as a leading edge) of each lottery ticket received in such ticket burster. In various embodiments, the lottery ticket vending machine includes one or more controllers configured to receive such signals from the ticket edge sensor and make such determinations regarding any adjustments and/or alerts, and to cause any such adjustments and/or alerts.

A scratch off lottery ticket and method of manufacturing the scratch off lottery ticket in which the lottery ticket contains multiple game play areas where a player can scratch off a layer of scratch off material to reveal the hidden results, and depending on those results, can be awarded prizes for each particular game play area or can be awarded prizes for the combination of the results from two or more of the multiple game play areas.

A lottery game system, product and method employs multiple connected crossword grids, where players can employ a set of player letters to form words within the crossword grids. In various embodiments of the present invention, a total number of potentially winnable prizes is provided, with a first subset of the potentially winnable prizes associated with the first crossword grid, a second subset of the potentially winnable prizes associated with the second crossword grid, and a third subset of the potentially winnable prizes associated with the first and second crossword grids together. In various embodiments, at least one game play element is not in either the first or second grids and is not player indicia.

A lottery system, ticket product and method incorporate a lottery ticket product having encrypted planar displays, wherein results are revealed through malforming the ticket, such as by manipulating the ticket to decrypt information contained on the ticket.

A lottery ticket vending machine configured to determine if lottery tickets received by a ticket burster from a ticket drawer of a ticket drawer column are connected by tape, and to take one or more actions if such lottery tickets are connected by tape. In various embodiments, each of the tickets bursters includes a suitable tape sensor.

A lottery ticket pack and associated method for manipulating such packs is provided. Each individual lottery ticket pack is wrapped with a wrapping material, and a label is adhered to the wrapping material. The label includes a first portion permanently adhered to the wrapping material and a second portion having a releasable adhesive applied to a surface thereof. The label is grasped and pulled away from the ticket pack in a manner that causes the permanently adhered first portion of the label to tear the wrapping material from the ticket pack. Then, the remaining wrapping material is manually removed from the pack. The second portion of the label is used to connect the last ticket in the ticket pack to a first ticket in a separate unwrapped ticket pack by pressing the side of the second portion containing the releasable adhesive across aligned ends of the adjacent tickets.

A lottery ticket vending machine configured to determine, for each of a plurality of ticket drawers, if lottery tickets are in the ticket drawer, and to take one or more actions based on such determinations.

A lottery ticket dispenser array includes a plurality of separate bins, with each bin defined by a housing having a defined first internal space for receipt of first stack of interconnected lottery tickets. A plurality of different sized bin inserts are also provided, with each bin insert insertable into the bin housings and defining a second internal space that is less than the first internal space of the housing for receipt of a second stack of lottery tickets having a lesser individual length than the first stack of lottery tickets. A controller within each bin housing recognizes placement and size of the bin insert within the housing. The controller is in communication with an electronic drive mechanism to modify operation thereof to accommodate the lesser individual length of the lottery tickets in the second stack of lottery tickets.