Keno Rules

Keno is a game that is played in both live and online casinos. Keno is played by pulling twenty numbers out of an air machine like the one seen at bingo parlors. As the numbers are pulled, they are announced to the players. Called numbers are between one and eighty, which corresponds with a ticket that has eighty numbered squares. Each player marks up their number selections on the original ticket, wagers the money with a ticket taker at the Keno desk and receives back a copy of their marked ticket. The payouts on these tickets depend on the number of squares marked and the amount of the wager.

A player can mark sets of numbers on one ticket and cover several separate bets. For example they could mark an eight spot, a four spot and two single spots. A ticket marked this way would be four separate bets. If this ticket were to hit all the numbers marked, the payoff would be 5 digits on a $4 bet.

When a winning ticket is presented at the Keno desk in a live casino the ticket is checked against the original ticket. Once the ticket is validated, the player is paid their winnings.

The classic patterns of tickets that players have played over time are the four corners, an eight spot and a four spot. Players have played birthdays, anniversaries and children's ages, and if they were lucky they won. This game is all about luck and the casinos have a huge edge in this game, which is extremely profitable for the issuing casino. The payoffs are fixed and do not rise with an increased bet on one ticket for one set of numbers.

Some players have tried to keep track of called numbers over a set number of games, with the idea that numbers that have not been called are due. Since these pulled numbers are randomly drawn from the air mixing machine this exercise is again up to luck and there is no reliable way to pick numbers that has a proven track record.

One of the advantages that live casinos offer is the ability to play ten games at a time so that the player does not miss a game. Missing a game after hours of play can be a missed opportunity to the dedicated keno player. This ten game ability is a good way to prevent that for this type of player.

Many players swear that the way to beat Keno is to play single numbers over time. Again there is no track record that backs up this idea.

Many casinos will honor winning tickets for a period of days after the game is called. Online it does not matter as every thing is done by computer, but in a live casino, this is an important rule for some players that need to leave the premises for a day or so.

The odds on Keno hits of eight or more numbers is very large and the edge this gives the casino is one of the best bets for the house in any casino. Players play the game as there is no skill involved and it is simple to do at any time either online or in a live casinos.

As all casinos suggest, gamble in a responsible way by setting limits on what you are willing to lose in any one session. This is as true in Keno as it is in slots or Blackjack. Keno is about getting lucky for a moment in time and the rules are simple to understand and do not need to be studied like those for a dice table.