A method of embedding an optical signature in a document and document produced therefrom. The optical signature is an optical pattern preferably being a series of discrete marks that can be aligned in a grid that generates a known value, and the same value can be generated from examination of a document by aligning at least an X-Y coordinate grid over the embedded optical pattern. The document can be validated, authenticated, or the determination of a valid copy of an original document with the embedded optical signature made through comparison of the known value and the value generated from the optical pattern on the document. The optical pattern can also be generated from other identification codes on the document.

A method of embedding an optical signature in a document and document produced therefrom. The optical signature is an optical pattern generated from a known value, such as a mathematical, geometric, trigonometric, size, phase, and the like, and the same value can be generated from examination of a document having the embedded optical pattern. The document can be validated, authenticated, or the determination of a valid copy of an original document with the embedded optical signature made through comparison of the known value and the value generated from the optical pattern on the document. The optical pattern can also be generated from other identification codes on the document.

A gaming apparatus may comprise a value input device and a controller operatively coupled to the value input device. The controller may comprise a processor and a memory, and may be programmed to receive wager data in response to a wager made by a person on a game, where the wager data may comprise a first plurality of indicia of a first type selected by the person, to receive data representing a second plurality of indicia of the first type, where the second plurality of indicia of the first type may be randomly selected, to replace one or more of the indicia of a first type in at least one of the first plurality of indicia and the second plurality of indicia with an indicia of a second type, to determine whether any of the first plurality of indicia of the first type match any of the second plurality of indicia of the first type, to match the indicia of the second type with at least one of the second plurality of indicia of the first type if the indicia of a second type replaced an indicia of a first type from the first plurality of indicia, to match the indicia of the second type with at least one of the first plurality of indicia of the first type if the indicia of a second type replaced an indicia of a first type from the second plurality of indicia, and to determine a value payout associated with an outcome of the lottery game.

The present invention relates to a sporting event based lottery game wherein the lottery game result depends on the performance of competitors in the sporting event and the prize determination process does not involve any comparison among the game tickets. The lottery game authority or player selects a sporting event and determines the rules of the lottery game. The rules and the list of competitors in the sporting event are made available to players. The player may be randomly assigned a plurality of competitors that may perform well under the rules of the lottery game and a ticket with the randomly assigned competitors is issued to the player. As the sporting event progresses, a score is assigned to each competitor according to their performance. At the end of the sporting event, the player computes a score for his ticket and if the score is higher than a predetermined score, the player wins a prize.