Wendy is an expert in online casino reviews, poker, blackjack and slot games, and she has created many informative and factual articles on these topics for various websites in the last two years. She writes for Sportslens and The Sports Daily, among others. She became a part of the Basketball Insiders writing team in December 2022.
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Neil is a gambling industry veteran with over 15 years experience as a content writer, editor and speaker at events. He has a Masters degree in English Literature and Philosophy and has combined this analytical inquisitiveness with a passion for sports betting and casino gaming. Neil started his career with Bettingpro.com and helped build not only that site but various others such as LiveTennis.com, LiveDarts.com and numerous other sports informational sites, including GG.co.uk and RacingTips.com He then made the transition to the North American market, working both in the UK and in New Jersey to launch various sports betting and casino sites, including AmericanBettingExperts and NewAmericanCasinos. Working with regulators, Neil has helped to review sports betting sites and also test the regulated betting apps in a professional capacity. He now works almost exclusively in the US market and is one of the main reviewers and fact checkers on SportsLens gambling content. He also speaks at various gambling conferences including ICE, iGB Live and SBC Americas and has contributed to GamblingInsider, EGR Magazine and a number of others in a consulting capacity.
All posts by Neil RoartyKeno is a lottery style gambling game that is popular among online casino players, as well as at land based casinos. It is also available as a game in various lotteries. How to play keno is relatively simple. Players place bets by selecting numbers between 1 and 80. Twenty numbers (some variations draw less numbers) are picked at random, either using a ball machine or using a random number generator, after each participant has placed their bets.
Returns are then paid to players who match different numbers of balls based on pay tables provided by the casino in question. The amount of numbers selected, the number of numbers matches and the amount wagered all factor into how much the player is paid.
What is Keno?
Often compared to lotteries and bingo, keno is a game of chance that requires the player to select a certain amount of numbers between one and eighty, hoping that as many of them as possible will match the numbers drawn by the house thereafter.
The term “keno” has Latin or French roots (L. quini, “five each”; Fr. quine, “five winning numbers”) nonetheless, the game is believed to have originated in China. According to legend, the creation of the game prevented a city from being destroyed during a war, and its enormous popularity helped earn money for the construction of the Great Wall of China. Prior to the late 19th century, the concept of utilizing lotteries to finance a public institution was not widely accepted in modern China.
Today gamers will be able to play different variants of the keno game at offshore online casinos as well as land based casinos not only in the US but all around the world.
Is it Legal to Play Online Keno?
In the US, the legality of playing online keno depends on the state that you are in, due to the complex legal landscape of gambling. Some states have embraced online gambling, including keno, by legalizing and regulating it. In these states, players can enjoy online keno games on licensed platforms without worrying about legal ramifications.
However, in states where online gambling is not explicitly regulated, the availability of online casinos becomes more difficult. Residents of these states can usually bet in person at tribal casinos or can safely access offshore casinos which offer a range of benefits. Betting at these sites is not expressly forbidden under US law, however, these do exist in something of a gray area and therefore we would suggest using a VPN and crypto deposits just to truly protect yourself.
Keeping informed of any changes in state gambling regulations can help ensure a safe and legal gaming experience.
Image source: luckyblock.com Basic Understanding of Keno Rules
Keno is a pretty straightforward game that anyone can pick up quickly and begin playing. You can quickly and easily follow the numbered list of keno rules below to get a better understanding of the game and before trying to understand keno strategy. It is recommended to play the game in demo mode initially to acquire a feel for it if you are new to the game and unsure of the keno rules.
- Twenty numbers are chosen at random from a pool of eighty in each keno game.
- The participants’ primary goal in the game is to predict what numbers will be drawn.
- Players must fill out a “keno ticket” to indicate their selections before the draw.
- You select your numbers and place your bets.
- Depending on how many numbers you accurately predicted, you will be paid your keno winnings after the draw.
Explaining the Keno Card
Purchase a keno card. Keno cards are typically found in designated keno lounges. A keno card will appear on your screen immediately after you enter into a game if you’re planning to play keno online. The numbers on the card one to eighty correspond to the numbers on the aerated keno machine’s balls. Mark the keno numbers you’ve chosen on your keno card. The term “keno spot” refers to each number you choose. There are ten columns and eight rows on your keno card. The amount of numbers you may select is indicated on the card.
In the “quick pick” portion of some cards, you can instruct the computer to make a random selection for you. No matter how you fill in your numbers, your chances of winning stay the same. There are several keno results boards that show “hot numbers” and “cold numbers.” In contrast to cold numbers, which haven’t lately emerged, hot numbers are those that frequently come up.
You have the option to play many games using the same numbers on each keno card. Additionally, if your spots are chosen, you can multiply your wager to improve your overall winnings.
Image source: bovada.lv Different Types of Keno Bets
Straight keno bets, split keno bets, way keno bets, and other varieties of keno bets are among the numerous varieties available at offshore online casinos. When learning how to play keno you shouldn’t have any concerns about the various keno bet kinds, but it is still vital to be aware of them since they can have a big impact on the game and how it is played.
Straight Keno Bets
Most players are familiar with standard keno bets when they learn how to play keno because they are the most basic variety. On a standard keno card, you indicate the numbers you want to wager on. The number of numbers you can choose varies depending on the casino’s rules, but no matter what you wager on, you hope those numbers will be called. The more numbers you select that are correct, the higher your reward.
Way Keno Bets
Way keno bets are placed on groups of numbers rather than individual numbers as in standard keno. This is far more difficult to achieve because, in essence, you might wager on different groupings of numbers appearing in the same game. On one card, for instance, you might choose three smaller groups of three numbers, in this scenario, you would be placing a wager on these groupings. This means that even though you would have gotten three numbers right if one from each group appeared, it would not count because they are not part of the same group.
However, Way keno bets let you combine these groupings if necessary, improving your odds while making the game play even more enjoyable. Because you can combine these groupings, this final element is what gives Way Keno Bets its alternate moniker of combined keno bets.
Split Keno Bets
Split keno bets allow you to play effectively multiple games simultaneously on the same ticket. On your keno card, you can choose your numbers exactly like you would for a straight wager, but you can choose multiple sets of numbers, allowing you to play many games simultaneously.
Top/Bottom Keno Bets
Instead of selecting individual numbers, the player bets on more numbers being drawn from the top Forty or bottom Forty digits. Or the player may select to bet on the top or bottom half if they think all the numbers will land on that section of the ticket.
Combination Keno Bets
The player places a bet on a specific set of numbers as an addition to the usual selection. Typically, this wager uses sets of two or four digits. A bonus payout is given to the player in accordance with the casino’s odds if all the numbers in a combo are chosen.
Odd/Even Keno Bets
The participant bets on whether there will be more even or odd numbered balls chosen.
Keno Odds and Payout
Let’s take a look at the probable odds as well as the payouts for those who do not yet know how to play keno.
Payouts
Keno payouts are completely automatic when you play keno online. The casino will immediately credit your account with the winnings if you properly predicted winning numbers. Each online casino is unique and has its own payout structure, which is outlined in the keno guides or payout schedules shown throughout the establishment. If you’re playing video keno, a payout table may be found on each machine.
The winnings for a 1-coin wager are displayed in the tables. These sums must be multiplied by the wagering amount. As an illustration, if you wager $2, choose 4 positions, and hit 3 of them, you will earn $12. That is equal to $2 multiplied by 6. If no numbers match, you do not win.
Odds
Every “spot” you select on your card that matches a result is a “catch” in most keno games, which use 80 numbered balls to calculate outcomes. Only 20 balls are drawn on average throughout a round. As a result, there is a 25% probability that each spot will appear in a drawing, or 1 in 4 chance.
When you select multiple numbers in a keno game, the math odds get more challenging. You have a better chance of hitting a single spot. Since there are still only 20 numbers in the draw, catching them all gets harder as you select more numbers.
You must also take into account the payouts for all potential winning levels for the number of slots you want to select in order to accurately determine your projected return. For instance, if you choose to play five numbers, you may get paid if you receive 3, 4, or 5 balls.
Numbers Explanation 1 You have a one in four chance of selecting one number and matching one of the 20 winning ones. 2 Your odds of matching both numbers in keno are 1 in 17 when you have two selected numbers. 3 Your chances of winning keno are 1 in 73 for hitting each of the three numbers along with 1 in 8 for at least two out of the three numbers. 4 You have a 1 in 327 probability of hitting all four numbers, a 1 in 24 chance of matching three of the four numbers, and a 1 in 5 chance of matching only two of them. 5 Your likelihood is one in 1,551 for five numbers, one in 83 for four, and 1 in 12 for three. Pros and Cons of Playing Keno
Pros:
- When playing online casino keno, you have a wide variety of keno games to choose from.
- You will be able to use bonus money to play keno depending on the site you are playing at.
- Depending on the website you are playing keno at, you will be able to utilize bonus money to play.
- Keno is a very simple and easy game to learn.
- Players have the potential to win large amounts of money.
- New gamers will have the option to play with low minimum bets when playing online.
Cons:
- There is a risk of addiction.
- Easy to exhaust your bankroll.
Tips to Playing Keno
For the gamers who want to know how to play casino keno, the game is simple to comprehend as well as easy to master, there are a lot of other things you should be aware of about keno strategy before putting your cash in the game.
- Choose an online casino that is licensed.
- Select the game with the best payouts
- Make sure you know the winning odds
- Learn the key terms in keno
- Keep you selection of numbers between 4 and 8
- Focus on cold and hot numbers
- Don’t change your number selection to often
Keno vs. Bingo
Keno and choosing lottery numbers have much more in common than bingo. The two games keno and bingo are practically opposites of one another.
- Bingo: Tickets with numbers are given to players. Participants dab the numbers which appear during the draw in the hopes of producing a winning card.
- Keno: Individual numbers are chosen by players. Then, just as in bingo, it is their duty to keep record of every time one of their numbers were drawn.
Although the number card as well as the draw are the same for both games, keno requires more player interaction and decision. In contrast to bingo, keno supports manual number selection.
Image source: betus.com Online Keno vs. Land Based Casinos
Below you will find the pros and cons of playing keno at an online casino against a land-based casino.
Online Keno
Pros:
- Can play the game at your own pace
- The payouts are much higher
- Some games have progressive jackpots
- Larger variety of games available
- Able to play multiple games at once
Cons:
- Easy to exhaust your budget
Land Based Keno
Pros:
- Enjoyment of a social experience
Cons:
- The game pace is a lot slower
- Keno winnings will be smaller than online games
- Can only play one game at a time
Important Keno Terms to Understand
Let’s go over the Keno terminology in the table below for a better understanding for those who are learning how to play keno.
Keno Term Explanation Aggregate Limit The casino will never pay more than this to all winners in a single keno draw. For instance, if the game’s aggregate maximum is 100,000 and you choose 10 numbers and hit them all, you will be rewarded the aggregate limit. Balls Keno Balls are comparable to the dice used in the game of craps as well as the roulette wheel. These are similar to ping pong balls with labels on them that list numbers from 1 to 80. Caller The caller, a casino employee, will announce the winning numbers throughout the game if you are playing at a physical casino. Closed The period of time prior to the drawing of the keno balls is regarded as closed. No keno tickets can be issued during this time. Draw The panel of 20 drawn keno balls displays the winning numbers. Field On the keno ticket, there are a number of circles with no labels in them. Hit When one of your numbers is called it is a hit. Open You will be able to buy your tickets and make a wager before they announce it is closed. Pay Table A chart that shows the compensation for each win. Random Number Generator A system used by both offline and online casinos to create random results and ensure the fairness of each game. Spot The term “keno spot” refers to the number you have selected. Ticket You use keno tickets to place your bets in keno. A board of 80 numbers, ranging from 1 to 80, on which you can select your numbers and choose the size of your wager. Tournament A collection of games that a casino hosts. The atmosphere and tempo of tournaments are completely different from those of regular keno games. Additionally, tournament payouts are typically larger than those awarded during regular keno games. Way Ticket Use of a keno “way ticket” is defined as utilizing a ticket with two or more bets. 
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