Keno Rules: How to Play Keno

Playing the game of keno is very easy at its very similar to playing the Lotto and Bingo as the same concepts are involved. Keno is relatively straightforward and is offered in a number of varieties.

The objective of Keno is for the player to guess which numbers, from 1 to 80, will be randomly selected by the Keno random number generator or machine. Each time the game is played, the player chooses 1 to 15 numbers as well as the amount of the bet. The machine will then randomly select 20 numbers. The objective is to have as many matches as possible between the numbers chosen and those randomly selected by the machine. The player is paid out on how many of the players numbers match the numbers drawn out by the keno’s random number generator.

The player begins by designating the numbers they want on the Keno board. You may also be given the option of having the computer select a random 10 numbers for you. When a number is chosen it turns will turn a different color to that of the rest of the board. If you want to de-select a number, click on it a second time. The screen should also show the potential payoff in one corner as more numbers are chosen.

When a player’s number matches it is called a “Hit.” The payoff in Keno also depends upon whether you bet the minimum or maximum bet.

Next you can select to play either 1 game of Keno or perhaps you may want to play a group of 4-5 games all in one go. The pace of this is much faster online than playing in land based casinos.

Different Types of Keno Cards

Not all Keno cards are as explained above. To keep the Keno game players interested and to change the odds, online casinos have begun using different types of cards for selection.
Popular cards include:

1.) A Way Ticket – allowing players to choose many sets and therefore, less money to play than straight tickets.

2.) A Split Ticket – This allows players to draw a line through the middle section of a card and then to mark the numbers on each side of this line. Play two games with the one ticket with less of a payout.

3.) A 20 Spot Ticket – This allows players to mark 20 spots on the card and has up to 18 ways of making a winning combination. Payouts are usually less as with 4-6 number matches will not pay.

Progressive Jackpots

The top payout on a progressive jackpot machine is not fixed as in regular keno machines. The Jackpot value starts at $50,000 and grows each time someone bets. To win on a Progressive Machine you need to play 10 numbers and match all ten.

There are however exceptions if the player manages to successfully match a smaller set of numbers they will be entitled to a fraction of the jackpot.

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