Keno
Lottery-style casino game — players pick 1-20 numbers from 1-80; casino randomly draws 20 winning numbers; payouts based on how many of your picks match. Simple, fast-paced, high house edge (25-30%).
What is Keno?
Keno is a lottery-style casino game where players select numbers from a pool (typically 1-80) hoping to match numbers drawn by the casino. Origins traced to Han Dynasty China (~200 BC) — 'White Pigeon Ticket' game reportedly used to fund construction of Great Wall of China. Introduced to USA by Chinese immigrants in 1800s during California Gold Rush; original 'Chinese lottery' called 'Puk Apu' (白鴿票 'White Pigeon Ticket') used Chinese characters. Renamed 'Keno' with numeric 1-80 format for legal + cultural adoption. Modern casino Keno: draw 20 numbers from 1-80 by ball machine (or RNG). Player picks 1-20 numbers ('spots'); payouts based on how many spots match drawn numbers. Higher spots + more matches = higher payouts. House edge is HIGH — typically 25-30% (vs 1-3% for blackjack, baccarat) making it one of the worst-odds casino games mathematically. Popular for entertainment + jackpot dreams (top prizes $100K-$1M for hitting 10/10 or 20/20 spots — astronomically rare). Also state-lottery Keno (Massachusetts, Ohio, etc.) — public-benefit version. Online Keno widely available; Video Keno on casino machines. Simple to play (5-second decision), very fast (draw every 3-5 minutes in casino), low mental engagement — popular for casual + elderly players. Estimated 100+ million players globally.
Quick facts
Category
Casino & Gambling
Type
Individual
Players
1–100
Duration
~3 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Keno lounge (casino)
Country of origin
🇨🇳 China
Estimated origin
Han Dynasty China ~200 BC (White Pigeon Ticket); brought to US by Chinese immigrants during California Gold Rush 1849; casino Keno formalized in Nevada 1930s
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Match as many of your selected numbers ('spots') as possible with the 20 numbers drawn by casino.
Match structure
Player marks 1-20 spots on ticket + bet amount + games to play. Ticket submitted before draw. Casino draws 20 numbers from 80 via ball machine or RNG. Payouts calculated per pay table based on: (a) how many spots picked, (b) how many spots matched drawn numbers.
Rules
Basic rules
Pick 1-20 spots from 1-80
Choose any 1-20 numbers between 1 and 80. Most casinos limit to max 15-20 spots picked.
Bet amount + games
Set bet per game ($1-100+ typical) + number of consecutive games to play (1-100).
20 numbers drawn from 80
Casino draws 20 winning numbers via ball machine or RNG.
Payouts based on matches
Pay table specifies payout for each combination of spots picked + spots matched.
Higher picks + matches = higher payout
Hit 10/10 spots typically pays $100,000+ on $1 bet (~1 in 8 million odds). Hit 20/20 spots is astronomical (1 in 3.5 quintillion).
House edge 25-30%
One of highest house edges in casino — much worse than blackjack (0.5%) or baccarat (1.06%).
Some pay for 'catching zero'
Some pay tables reward hitting ZERO spots (if you pick many numbers) — quirky feature.
Advanced rules
Way tickets
Advanced ticket splitting your 20 picks into multiple 'ways' — increases hit chances at higher cost per ticket.
Combination tickets
Combine multiple ways on single ticket — computes many ticket variations at once.
King ticket
One 'king' number circled + played with all other groups; hitting king boosts other combinations.
Progressive Keno
Some casinos + online offer progressive jackpots for hitting all your spots at max bet.
Video Keno vs Live Keno
Video Keno faster + often better RTP than live Keno; live has 'social' atmosphere + slower pace.
State lottery Keno
Massachusetts (1993), Ohio, Michigan, etc. run public-benefit Keno; usually lower house edge than casinos (~35% for state).
Chinese Keno (Bingo variant)
Traditional Chinese variant closer to modern Bingo — 8-10 numbers picked, small win frequencies + big payouts.
'Catch-all' payouts
Some pay tables offer bonus for matching ALL of your spots regardless of number picked.
Scoring
Payouts vary by casino pay table. Typical: hit 3/6 spots pays even money; hit 6/6 pays 1500:1; hit 10/10 pays 100,000:1. House edge 25-30%.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Hit 3/3 spots (Pick 3) | 44:1 typical payout |
| Hit 6/6 spots (Pick 6) | 1500:1 typical |
| Hit 8/8 spots (Pick 8) | 10,000:1 typical |
| Hit 10/10 spots (Pick 10) — 'Solid 10' | 100,000:1 typical |
| Hit 20/20 spots (Pick 20) | 1,000,000:1 or progressive jackpot (odds 1 in 3.5 quintillion) |
Win condition · Match one or more of your selected spots with drawn numbers per pay table; higher matches = larger payouts.
Playing area
Called
Keno lounge (casino)
Dimensions
Draw board displays 80 numbers arranged 8×10 grid; player marks ticket with spot picks.
Casino: Keno lounge with large LED board displaying draw + current game. Players sit at tables, mark paper tickets with numbers, hand to Keno writer. Modern: video Keno machines (individual terminals) at slot floors.
Equipment
Keno ticket
Paper ticket with 80 numbers arranged 8×10 grid; player marks selected 'spots' with X.
Ball machine (draw)
80 numbered ping-pong balls; blower draws 20 at random. Modern: RNG software with certified randomness.
Draw board (LED)
Large display in Keno lounge showing 20 drawn numbers as they're called.
Keno crayon / pencil
For marking paper tickets before submission.
Video Keno terminal
Individual electronic machine with touchscreen — pick spots, run continuous games.
Keno writer
Casino employee who processes tickets + payouts.
Officiating
Casino Keno: dealers + supervisors monitor draws + payouts. Certified RNG for online + video. State-run lottery Keno operated by government agencies with strict oversight.
- Casino Keno writer
- Keno manager
- Ball machine operator
- State lottery officials (state-run)
Strategies
No strategy improves odds significantly
Pure luck game with 25-30% house edge; no picks are 'hotter' than others — RNG or ball draws are independent.
Compare pay tables
Different casinos offer different pay tables for same picks; find best RTP casino (85-90% RTP possible on 4-8 spot tickets).
Pick fewer spots for better RTP
Statistically, 4-6 spot tickets typically have better RTP than 15-20 spot 'jackpot' tickets.
Set fixed budget
Keno is entertainment gambling — set fixed loss amount + walk away.
Play video Keno over live Keno
Video Keno usually has slightly better RTP + faster pace; live Keno slower + social.
State lottery Keno if available
Public-benefit Keno typically ~35% house edge — even worse than casinos, but proceeds fund state programs.
Don't chase progressive jackpots
Progressive Keno requires max bet + hitting all spots (1 in millions) — mathematically expected loss much larger than jackpot expected gain.
Terminology
- Spot
- A number picked by player (1-20 spots typical selection range).
- Pick
- Selection of numbers (e.g. 'Pick 6' = choose 6 numbers).
- Catch
- Number picked that was drawn (a 'hit').
- Way ticket
- Ticket splitting picks into multiple groups for combined plays.
- King ticket
- Ticket with one 'king' number played in combination with all other groups.
- Pay table
- Chart showing payout for each pick/catch combination.
- RTP (Return to Player)
- Long-term percentage of bets returned as winnings; 70-90% for Keno depending on casino + spots.
- House edge
- Casino's mathematical advantage; 25-30% for Keno (very high).
- Solid 10
- Hitting all 10 spots on a Pick 10 ticket — top prize (~$100K on $1 bet).
- Progressive
- Jackpot that grows with each play until hit.
- Keno writer / runner
- Casino employee processing tickets + payouts.
- Keno lounge
- Dedicated casino area with tables, TV screens for draws.
- Ball number / Race
- Number in current draw (20 numbers per race).
- Rack rate
- Standard published pay table (vs promotional variants).
Major competitions
No professional Keno tournaments — pure lottery-style gambling
n/a · n/a
Progressive Jackpot Keno (online + Las Vegas)
continuous · worldwide · since 2000
State Lottery Keno drawings
every 4-5 minutes · USA state-level · since 1993
Where it is played
Governing bodies
State gaming boards (Nevada, California, etc.)
Founded 1931 · state-level USA
Macau Gaming Inspection + Coordination Bureau
Founded 1984 · Macau, China
State lotteries (Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan run Keno)
Founded 1993 · state-level USA
eCOGRA (online Keno certification)
Founded 2003 · UK/international
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- No named professional Keno players — pure luck game
- Various Keno jackpot winners featured in local news (rare hits of 8/8 or higher)
Records
Largest single Keno jackpot payout
Cynthia J. (Sunset Station, Las Vegas) — $6.4 million on Video Keno progressive (2018) (2018)
Odds of hitting 10/10 spots
Statistical — 1 in 8,911,711 (2020)
Odds of hitting 20/20 spots
Statistical — 1 in 3.5 quintillion (essentially impossible) (2020)
Ancient origins
White Pigeon Ticket, China — ~200 BC Han Dynasty (-200)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Understand it's a lottery game
Not skill-based; luck-only. Very high house edge; play only for entertainment with fixed budget.
- 2
Try free online Keno
Countless free apps + browser games; practice ticket-marking + pay tables without real money loss.
- 3
Play state lottery Keno first
Public-benefit + smaller bets ($1-2 tickets); learn mechanics without high casino minimums.
intermediate
- 1
Compare casino pay tables
Not all Keno equal — find best RTP casino. Some pay 1500:1 for 6/6, others 1000:1.
- 2
Optimal spots range
4-8 spots generally give best RTP; 15-20 spot 'jackpot' tickets have worse math.
- 3
Understand variance
Even 'optimal' Keno loses money long-term; huge variance means occasional big wins possible.
advanced
- 1
Way + king ticket combinations
Advanced ticket construction combining multiple ways + king numbers; increases hit chances at cost of larger ticket bet.
- 2
Progressive Keno hunting
Some progressive jackpots reach mathematical positive-EV territory ($10M+ on Solid 10) — very rare + requires max bet.
- 3
State lottery vs casino Keno tradeoffs
State: worse odds but funds public programs. Casino: better math (still bad) + faster games + higher jackpots.
Frequently asked
How do you play Keno?+
Player picks 1-20 numbers ('spots') from 1-80 on ticket. Casino draws 20 numbers randomly from 1-80. Payouts based on how many of YOUR spots match drawn numbers. Higher spots picked + more matched = higher payout per pay table. Set bet amount + optional number of consecutive games to play. Simple 5-second decision; games run every 3-5 minutes in casino Keno lounges.
What are the odds of winning Keno?+
Depends on spots picked: Pick 4, hit 4/4 — 1 in 326. Pick 6, hit 6/6 — 1 in 7,753. Pick 8, hit 8/8 — 1 in 230,115. Pick 10, hit 10/10 — 1 in 8,911,711. Pick 15, hit 15/15 — 1 in 4.28 quintillion. Pick 20, hit 20/20 — 1 in 3.5 quintillion (essentially impossible; would take billions of lives worth of play). Better to pick fewer spots + focus on 3-6 matches which are much more likely + still pay reasonably.
Where did Keno come from?+
Ancient China — 'White Pigeon Ticket' (Baige Piao 白鴿票) reportedly played during Han Dynasty (~200 BC), possibly to fund Great Wall construction. Used Chinese characters instead of numbers. Brought to USA 1849 by Chinese immigrants during California Gold Rush. Renamed 'Keno' (from French 'quine' meaning 'five winning numbers') to appeal to non-Chinese American players. Formalized as casino game in Nevada 1930s. State lottery Keno began Massachusetts 1993, spreading to ~15 US states.
Why is house edge so high in Keno?+
Casino Keno has 25-30% house edge — worst of any casino table game (blackjack 0.5%, baccarat 1.06%, roulette 2.7% European). Reasons: (1) Simple pay tables benefit house heavily. (2) Number pool huge (80 numbers) makes hitting many spots astronomically hard. (3) Payouts scaled to preserve edge regardless of picks. (4) Lottery-style attracts casual players uneducated on odds. (5) Slow pace (3-5 min per draw) limits games/hour = lower player losses per hour vs slots. Video Keno + state lottery slightly better (35% state) but all Keno mathematically bad for players.
Can I win big at Keno?+
Yes but extremely rare. Notable wins: Cynthia J. won $6.4 million on Video Keno progressive at Sunset Station, Las Vegas (2018). Typical big win: hit 8/8 spots on $1 bet ~$25,000 (odds 1 in 230,000). Hit 10/10 spots on $1 bet ~$100,000 (odds 1 in 8.9 million). Given the 25-30% house edge, average player loses money long-term even with occasional wins. Play Keno for lottery-dream entertainment, not income — never bet money you can't afford to lose entirely.
What's the best strategy for Keno?+
No strategy overcomes 25-30% house edge in the long run. But to minimize losses: (1) Pick FEWER spots — 4-6 spot tickets typically have better RTP than 15-20 spot tickets. (2) COMPARE PAY TABLES across casinos — some pay 1500:1 for 6/6, others only 1000:1. (3) VIDEO KENO usually slightly better RTP than live Keno + faster pace. (4) SET STRICT BUDGET — Keno is entertainment gambling only, use fixed loss cap. (5) AVOID SUPERSTITIONS — no numbers 'hotter' than others, ball draws are independent. (6) Consider ALTERNATIVES like blackjack (0.5% edge) if you want actual competitive casino gambling.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Keno— Wikipedia
- Wizard of Odds — Keno house edge analysis— Wizard of Odds