The Basics of Keno
Keno is one of the most popular and longest-endearing casino games in the world. It might even be the oldest one in existence with its roots dating back nearly 3,000 years to ancient China. The game began in China as a state lottery and it's been active in some form or another ever since.
Keno Rules
The modern day version of Keno is a simple game. You purchase a card with 80 numbers printed on it and you can pick anywhere from 2 to 15 numbers to wager on. After you pick your numbers, the Keno organizers randomly draw 20 numbers between 1 and 80. If you guess enough winning numbers correctly, you'll be rewarded handsomely for your efforts.
If you only pick a few numbers, you'll be less likely to get hits but it will require fewer hits to get a prize. If you instead pick something like 15 numbers, you'll have to guess more of them correctly to win a prize.
For example, refer to the chart below to see the difference in payouts between two different picks:
As you can see, the more numbers you pick, the more money you can win. Of course it's a lot harder to guess as many numbers correctly but the payouts are huge when you do. The jackpot listed under the pick 10 number is different from casino to casino but it's always a massive payout. It doesn't hit often but it's always waiting for one lucky gambler to get all 10 numbers correct.
One piece of common Keno lingo you're likely to run into is the term "Spot X" where X represents how many numbers you will pick on your card. If you want to pick 10 numbers, your ticket will be called a "Spot 10 ticket."
Keno Strategy
Keno is a game of pure chance so there is no strategy you can use to increase your chances of winning. Despite that, there are several tips you can keep in mind to make the most of your time in the Keno hall.
Aggressive gamblers are always served best by picking as many numbers as possible to go for the jackpot win. By doing so, you'll win less often than if you pick fewer numbers but your occasional wins will be much larger.
Conservative gamblers, on the other hand, are best served by playing games in which they pick fewer numbers. It's easier to hit your numbers this way but the payouts are always smaller. This is because it's easier to guess only few numbers than it is to go for 10 or 15.
Whatever you do, do not waste your time or money on Keno betting systems. The numbers picked by the Keno machine are always random so there's nothing you can do to gain an advantage. Anyone who tries to sell you a sure-fire Keno system is either ripping you off on purpose or wasting your time with incorrect assumptions.
And last, always keep in mind that Keno is a fun game. You're not guaranteed to win anything at the game but people do win all the time. In the long run, it all evens out but in the short run, you never know what could happen.
For more in-depth strategy, check out our keno strategy article. You can also head over to our best online keno sites page if you are ready to play keno!