Online Keno Rules

Keno is a game that has been around, in one form or another, for quite a long time. The earliest known version of the game was used over two thousand years ago in China as a way for local leaders to raise money and, in the time that has passed since then, the game slowly morphed into the thing that we recognize as Keno today. As always, the appeal of Keno relies on the fact that players can make relatively small wagers and have a chance to win massive, life changing payouts. It’s similar to the lottery, but you don’t have to wait nearly as long to see the results. It also appears to be relatively easy to win – even if that is not really the case. Keep reading as we go through the rules of this simple game of chance.

Make Your Wager

Each player starts off with a Keno card. This has a 10x8 grid with all of the numbers from one to eighty, and it is the tool you use to make your wagers. Most casinos let you choose anywhere from one to fifteen different numbers (known as spots), but this frequently varies between operators. Just fill in each of the spots that you want to play, record the size of your wager, and then write the total number of spots that you are playing. In a live casino you may not use a pen or pencil to complete this card – only use the black Keno crayons supplied by the house.

Take your completed Keno card to the register and you will receive a duplicate ticket after paying for you bet. Once enough time has passed, the casino will announce that they are no longer accepting more bets. The betting period typically lasts five minutes. At this point, it is time to see who has won. To do this, the casino relies on a device called the goose. This is a spinning barrel that contains eighty balls numbered from one toe eighty. Twenty of these are drawn at random and the results are made public, typically by being displayed on a large digital flashboard.

Huge Potential Winnings

Based on how many numbers you chose, and how many you chose correctly, the casino will determine your payout. The great thing about Keno is that a mere one-dollar wager can net a prize of $50,000 in some casinos! For a casino game, that is extremely impressive. The catch is that Keno has one of the highest house edges of any casino games. This means that the casino has a huge advantage and, statistically speaking, you are more likely to lose at Keno than other options on the casino floor. Don’t forget, though, that there will always be some lucky players that hit the top prize regardless of the house edge. Your job is to decide if you are more interested in the thrill of chasing such a large prize, or if you are more concerned with what the numbers have to say.