How to Play Online Keno
Keno is one of the most straightforward online casino games, yet it’s amusing and can be quite contagious. The object of the game of keno is to predict which numbers, ranging from 1 to 80, will be drawn by the casino computer. And if your numbers are selected, you win — it’s as simple as that! In today’s world, keno is available at many bars, hotels, restaurants, casinos, and now even online.
Online keno is in many ways similar to the lottery and bingo, but it’s way more fast-paced, and it’s played more frequently. So, if you like to gamble without risking too much, then keno is definitely something you might be interested in. It’s easy to learn, with no reasoning and strategy involved. You don’t need to take on a course in statistics and probability, or even learn about the keno’s history to play the game. However, like any other casino game, you need to familiarize yourself with the rules and understand some basic terms. For that reason, we’ve prepared an in-depth guide on online keno to help you master every facet of the game. Stay tuned!
Live Keno Options for Real Money
PlayOJO Casino
Visa Credit accepted
Interac accepted
Maestro accepted
MasterCard Credit accepted
MuchBetter accepted
PayPal accepted
Paysafecard accepted
Apple Pay accepted
AstroPay Card accepted
MasterCard Debit accepted
Payz accepted
Jeton accepted
Bank Wire Transfer accepted
- Games 6265
- Payout KYC: 48 hours; E-wallets: Pending time: Within few hours; Same day; Credit/Debit Cards/Wire Transfer: 2-7 business days
Wildz Casino
- Games 5088
- Payout KYC: Within 24 hours; Pending Time: 72 hours; E-wallets: Instant; Credit Cards/Bank Transfer: 1-3 business days
- Wagering req. 35xB
FortunePlay Casino
Litecoin accepted
Visa Credit accepted
Bitcoin accepted
Visa Debit accepted
Interac accepted
MasterCard Credit accepted
Ripple accepted
Dogecoin accepted
TRON accepted
Cardano accepted
Bitcoin Cash accepted
Paysafecard accepted
AstroPay Card accepted
iDebit accepted
MiFinity accepted
MasterCard Debit accepted
Skinsback accepted
Flexepin accepted
Payz accepted
InstaDebit accepted
Jeton accepted
Ethereum accepted
Tether accepted
CashtoCode accepted
Neosurf accepted
Bank Wire Transfer accepted
- Games 6160
- Payout KYC: Within 48 hours; Pending time: Up to 24 hours; E-wallets: Instant; Bank Transfer: 3-10 business days;
- Wagering req. 40xB
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Understanding the Game
If you have never played keno before, you might want to get to know the game before you start investing your money.
A standard real-money keno game has a few elements — a keno card, a few buttons, and a pay table. These are the basic elements that make up a keno game but keep in mind that most online casinos have their variations of keno.
- Keno Card — The keno card is a large reticulation of numbers. Unlike a lottery ticket, a keno card is much larger with numbers from one to 80 or eight rows of 10 numbers each. There are different variations of keno cards, but the 80-number card is the most common.
- Quick Buttons — If you prefer to play a quick game of keno and not spend any time choosing the numbers, you could hit the quick buttons that will select the numbers instead of you. This button is found in many state lotteries, which leads to yet another similarity between keno and lottery.
- Pay Table — The pay table shows your possible payout for the number of matches you make on your card. Interestingly, keno does not payout for the highest number of guesses, but for a high percentage of numbers you hit. For example, hitting eight out of eight numbers could get you 1000x your bet, but hitting ten out of 15 numbers could only get you 3x your bet.
Important Keno Rules
Although a straightforward game, there are a few rules that you might want to pay attention to when starting out — it certainly won’t do any damage.
- A typical keno card has a maximum of 80 numbers, but you cannot select all of them. Most players select a maximum of 20 numbers, but the usual amount of numbers selected is between 15 and 20.
- Since you’re playing in real-money casinos, you won’t be able to select only one keno number, although some casinos might allow it. You will need to select at least two keno numbers in order to place a bet.
- Online keno and land-based keno games differ in some ways, so be sure to make that distinction before you start playing.
Keno Online — Step by Step
Keno online has emerged as a result of the digital revolution that has been occurring for the last three decades or so. World’s shift from analog to digital has obliged many casinos to transfer their land-based gambling services over to the online realm. Fortunately, avid keno players who have been indulging themselves in the game at brick-and-mortar casinos for many years can have peace of mind knowing that the rules of the game have remained pretty much the same. The only notable difference between land-based keno and online keno is the fact that it’s played with a digital card instead of a paper one.
Even if you have never played keno in your life, there’s nothing to be worried about. The rules are simple as pie, and they are easy to implement. Take a look below and discover how it’s played!
Sign up at an Online Casino Which Offers Online Keno
Playing online keno has many advantages over playing the land-based version of the game. For one thing, you can play from the comfort of your home with no distractions. What’s more, online keno casinos usually offer hefty welcome bonuses and promotions for their players. This can obviously boost your bankroll and potentially increase your chances of winning. However, you can only receive an online casino welcome bonus once, so you should be careful when choosing the online casino to sign up with. While keno in its classic form is offered at almost every casino on the web, you should always have a look at the operator’s selection of keno variants as each version comes with a slightly different set of rules.
Select a Keno Online Variant to Play
After you’ve made up your mind and chosen an online casino you wish to play keno at, you need to select a version of keno according to your gambling preferences. While the classic version of keno is offered by virtually every casino operator, there are many other variants you can choose to play. Here’s the list of some of the most popular keno variants:
- Circus Keno
- Golden Hits
- Thunder Power
- Balloon Game Keno
- Fire Power Keno
- Liberty Stars
- Super Spot Keno
- Redneck Keno
- Critter Country Keno
Select the Numbers from the Keno’s Board
Once you’ve picked your preferred keno variant, it’s time to choose the numbers you think are likely to be drawn during the keno game. When playing the online version of the game, you’ll have to select the numbers by clicking on them with your mouse. Depending on the keno version you’ve opened, you will be able to choose between 1 and 20 numbers from a total of 80 numbers on the grid. When doing so, remember that there is simply no correct way to select the numbers, so you should go with your gut feeling. The keno software is powered by RNG (Random Number Generator), and it’s pointless even to try to create predictive models based on statistics or probability. Fundamentally, it’s all just a matter of how lucky you are at that point!
Place Your Bets
When you’ve made your selection of numbers that you assume are going to be drawn, you can select the amount you’d like to bet on the numbers. Generally, the minimum and the maximum betting amounts vary depending on a casino. Typically, the minimum amount you’ll be able to bet is somewhere around C$5, and the maximum is C$10.There are different types of bets, and we’re going to try to explain in detail the three most commonly used.
Straight Bet: Straight bet is the most commonly played type of keno bet. With straight bets, a player needs to select one group of numbers, place a bet on his or her card and choose the number of games to be played. In most casinos, players are given a chance to bet on up to 15 numbers in a straight bet. The minimum amount for this type of bet is usually C$1.
Split Bets: Split bets are essentially a combination of multiple straight bets. The only restriction here is that two bets cannot share any numbers. Once you’ve marked the numbers for each bet, put a slash in the middle of your ticket to specify the group of spots. Then, choose the total amount of bet on games, the number of bets and spots, as well as the number of games you’d like to play together.
Way Ticket: Way bet is similar to split bet. Players bet on a certain group of numbers that are placed on the same ticket. For instance, a player can choose four different sets of numbers, with two numbers in each group. In some casinos, it’s allowed to repeat numbers in different sets, while in others players must choose among unique groups of numbers predetermined by the operator for each set. Players opt for this bet to win less money, but on a more consistent basis. What’s more, some casinos offer discounts for those who use this type of bet.
Bear in mind that once you’ve selected your numbers and pressed the ‘Play’ button, there is no going back on your decision. So, in hindsight, you should be careful when placing your bets.
Wait for the Draw
Collect Your Winnings
Progressive Keno
Some casinos offer progressive jackpots for keno games. Much like with other games, keno progressive jackpots pot keeps building up until there is a big winner. Then, the prize is restarted and starts accumulating once again. In some cases, the progressive jackpot pot gets so high that the operator is actually offering more than 100% payback. This is undoubtedly the best way to make the big bucks with keno.
Keno Payouts and Odds
Keno players usually engage in this game, hoping to win big for small wagers. However, the casino edge is significantly high in this game of chance. The potential payouts are highly dependant on a few things. Namely, these include the number of spots you’ve chosen, the number of spots you’ve hit, and of course, the amount you’ve wagered.
Have in mind that most casinos have a maximum payout limit called the aggregate payout. This includes the winnings from all the players for a particular game. For example, if the casino’s aggregate payout is C$2,000,000 and there are five winners, each winner will be entitled to receive C$400,000.
| Correct Numbers | Payout | True Odds |
| Catch 4 spots | 1-to-2 | 8-to-1 |
| Catch 5 spots | 3-to-1 | 30-to-1 |
| Catch 6 spots | 40-to-1 | 174-to-1 |
| Catch 7 spots | 300-to-1 | 1700-to-1 |
| Catch 8 spots | 4000-to-1 | 30,000-to-1 |
| Catch 9 spots | 37,500-to-1 | Over 1 million-to-1 |
As you can see, the keno winning odds are not particularly favourable. However, the fact that you can bag a massive win with only C$2 is what draws people to the game. If you don’t have high expectations and merely want to have some fun, the prospect of winning substantial amounts with small wagers may make keno an enjoyable game.
Keno Online Tips
Although keno is a game of chance where the outcome is entirely random, you can follow some keno tips to maximize your winning chances. Take a look at our strategy tips below that can help you beat the odds:
- Play keno for free before playing for real money to get a better understanding of the game
- Choose an online casino with a lucrative welcome bonus
- Find a casino that has a great maximum payout
- Consider the odds
- Don’t select too many numbers — the more numbers you select, the lesser the chance you’ll win something
- Don’t stick to the same numbers all the time. Every draw is random, and there is no pattern which will guarantee you that you’ll win if you play the same numbers
- Manage your bankroll wisely.
Choose a Fair Online Keno Casino
There are a few ways to check whether an online keno casino is safe for you to invest your hard-earned money. Our first step for checking the casino’s legitimacy is finding out if the casino has been licensed by proper gambling authorities. Check for gambling licences typically stated in the casino’s terms and conditions as they represent a safe gambling environment.
Moreover, pay attention to the casino’s security measures. Top-rated casinos will employ high-class security measures that will protect players from possible cyberattacks and security breaches. Powerful firewalls will additionally provide security for your data. Furthermore, the casino needs to be audited for security and fairness by organizations such as iTech Labs or eCOGRA.
All these features and many more guarantee a safe and secure gambling environment, so pick carefully where you spend your money and time.
Final Thoughts
Although keno is a relatively simple game to master, there are a few key takeaways that you should remember. As we have explained above, playing online keno has its advantages and playing from home will ensure a safe gambling journey if you stick to regulated online keno websites.
Start slow and build your way up in a few simple steps. Hopefully, you will be able to maximize your winnings and enjoy an exciting keno game at the same time. Remember to gamble responsibly, and good luck!
Common Questions about Keno
Although learning how to play keno is pretty straightforward, it can also be a bit overwhelming, especially for less-experienced gamblers. If you still have some informational dilemmas after reading our guide, take a look at the mini FAQ below as it might contain the answers you were looking for.
What is keno?
Keno is a fast-paced lottery-style game of chance where you choose up to 20 numbers ranking anywhere between 1-80. Once you’ve chosen the numbers you want to bet on, you must wait for the draw. The machine chooses 20 random numbers and, if your chosen numbers match — you win. The more numbers you’ve guessed right, and the bigger the wager, the more money you can win.
Are online keno games fair?
Yes, they are, thanks to the Random Number Generator that powers up the keno software. The RNG ensures that all the draws are genuinely fair and random.
Is there a strategy I could employ to increase my winning chances?
Like a lottery or bingo, keno is a game of chance, meaning that the outcome depends entirely on luck. There are a few strategies that may help you increase your winning chances a bit, but you can’t influence the numbers that are drawn.
Will I have to pay taxes on my keno winnings?
It depends on the casino and the country you are the resident of. Some casinos (and countries) require gamblers to pay taxes on winnings, while others don’t. You should get in contact with the casino customer service support for more information on this topic.
Can I play keno for free?
Yes, you can! Some casinos offer players the chance to try out the free version of keno before making a real money deposit.
Can I play keno on the go?
Yes, you can, provided that the online casino you’ve selected has a mobile version of the site or a dedicated mobile casino app.
