Keno is viewed by most people as a lottery and has been compared to bingo. Both rely on the random picking of numbers. Traditionally, keno involves the drawing of 20 numbers. Online keno is slightly different, if only because the player doesn’t have a paper ticket showing the chosen numbers.
In standard keno play a range of 80 numbers is used. Players usually pick 10 numbers and wait to see how their choices match with the 20 numbers selected in live play or randomly chosen in online keno.
House Edge is High
Veterans of the casino world know that, traditionally, the house percentage is a bit higher in keno than in other popular games. Video versions of keno have become quite popular in recent years, along with the rise in popularity of online keno. Some live casinos no longer offer keno with its large display boards, waiting area and paper tickets. Keno in a land-based casino is not much different from online/computer keno now.
Playing online is quite simple. Most Web-based casinos offer keno as a specialty game. A “big board” shows numbers from 1 to 80. Players simply click on the numbers they want. In some online casinos players choose as many as 15 numbers. Bet amount is selected from a display in the center of the screen, using the “+” and “-“ buttons. A range of $1 to $10 per game is common.
The Numbers Roll
Numbered balls roll from the container to be displayed along the rail. The numbers that fall from the container are highlighted on the board, with winning matches shown in another color, such as green. Players may choose to bet once or may choose to play five or 10 games in a row with the same numbers.
Payouts range from no money for matching one or two balls to half the bet for three and four, even money for hitting five numbers, 150 times the bet for 10 numbers and 10,000 times for getting all 15 numbers correct. For example, if the player bets $5 and hits six numbers he or she wins $10 (twice the bet amount).
Keno is a game of luck so the only real strategy involves understanding the pay schedule. These vary from one site to another and from one casino to another. It is also important to know how payouts are made for different wagers. Each number space on the keno ticket is referred to as a spot. A game in which you choose four numbers will be called a Spot 4. If you hit three of the four, for example, you might win four dollars for a one dollar bet. If you are playing a Spot 10 game, you could get almost $600 for hitting eight of the numbers. With keno it’s pay your money and take your chances.
