The variety of lottery games available today is astounding. You can test your luck through countless types of scratchcards, raffles, bingo, and “instant win” products that are offered both online and in the real world. All of these genres arguably originated from keno — a Chinese lottery-like game that has been played since antiquity.
In this article, we’ll discuss the rules, pros and cons of online keno to help you determine if it’s something you’ll enjoy. Those who’d like to test their luck immediately are welcome to select one of the approved operators from the below list.
Best Casino Sites That Offer Keno
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The Keno Rules Explained
If you’ve ever watched or took part in a lottery, you’ll quickly understand how keno works. The concept is the same — you pick a bunch of numbers, decide how much to wager for one round, and tell the game to start drawing numbers at random. If the ones that you’ve selected match those that were drawn, you win.
Most often, keno games online use a range of numbers that goes from 1 to 80 and pick 20 of them per round. The size of your reward dependent on 3 factors:
- the size of your bet
- the size of your selection of numbers
- how many of your picks match those that came up during the draw
How many “spots” (selections) you can make per round is determined by the specific keno version you play. Some of them will allow you to bet on up to 20 numbers but most will limit you to 10 to 15 picks.
What Are the Odds & Payouts of Keno Online?
The keno game rules won’t tell you that hitting 20 out of 20 spots is next to impossible, although this is common sense. To be more precise, it’s 1 in 3,535,316,142,212,174,320. That’s one in 3.5+ quintillion. That being said, downing the jackpot in this game often requires fewer hits — 7, 10, 17, or whatever the game developers decide. As such, the size of the pot also varies — it could be $10,000, $100,000, $500,000, $1 million, and so on.
Keno can make top coin for casinos, as its house edge can sometimes exceed 30%. This means that your average expected loss can be as high as $0.30-$0.35 for every dollar you wager. Still, there are plenty of online casino keno versions with RTP rates of 92%-96%, making them comparable to online slots.
The best thing you could do before you begin betting is ensuring that the payouts are as good as possible. This can be done easily if you can find the Return to Player percentage. If not, compare the paytable of the game you’re testing to this one.
If the rewards of the software you’re examining are noticeably lower than these, it’s best to look at some other options.
The Internet Casinos Offer More Variety – Other Types of Keno Games
Savvy gaming software developers dare to experiment and introduce new versions of keno. As we already mentioned, this game is known for its large house edge. Thus, it makes sense to sacrifice some of the casino’s hefty advantage and create a more exciting product that will appeal to a broader audience. A typical example of this is “Wolf Run Keno.”
This release is themed after a famous slot from IGT that carries the same name. It includes a special feature that one can typically find in reel machines. To play, you’ll have to pick 3 to 10 regular spots. Afterward, you’ll get to choose five additional “bonus” spots. Then, the game draws 20 numbers, and you’ll get paid as usual. Additionally, if 4 or 5 of the bonus numbers you’ve marked are hit, you’ll enter a special “free game” round.
During the bonanza, this online casino keno will first let you pick random multipliers. Then, you’ll enter the second phase — one of the multipliers you’ve picked will be randomly chosen and applied to the next draw. You’ll get to choose regular & bonus spots as usual, and Wolf Run Keno will insert the multiplier into a number that’s not in your selection. During the next draw, any winnings you get will be boosted by the multiplier. The bonus ends when the spot containing the multiplier is drawn, although the feature can be re-triggered if 4+ bonus numbers are hit again.
Is There Such a Thing as a Working Keno Strategy?
For some people, gambling and superstition seem to be joined at the hip. They think that selecting a specific set of numbers will somehow help them win more often or outright beat the house, which is preposterous. Don’t get us wrong; we won’t hold it against you if you play with your favorites, as long as you’re not under the illusion that they’re guaranteed to put you ahead. Each of your selections has a 1:80 chance of being hit, and nothing can change that.
Playing smart is the only “keno strategy” that can have a positive effect on your purse. Wagering small, even amounts of money and setting realistic win goals while limiting your losses are tips that you can use with this and any other game of chance. As we already mentioned, finding software with higher RTP rates is worth it, so don’t be afraid to look around. Also, the number of selections you make every round will influence your long-term returns. According to statistics, it’s best to stick to 4-8 picks.
Remember to Pick a Reputable Online Casino to Play At
Keno’s straightforward nature is the main reason for its long-lasting appeal. It has been played for over 2,000 years because nearly every person from every generation could understand the rules and, consequently, try their luck. Unfortunately, even today, there are plenty of software developers and casinos that tweak the game to offer sub-optimal return rates.
That’s why it’s of utmost importance that you select a reputable online casino for keno. Our top internet casinos have been approved by our experts. Their software is fair, tested, and licensed. If you decide to wager real money, make sure to do it in a safe environment.