How to Play Keno
Keno is one of the oldest and easiest games to play. Players basically just have do decide whether to play a small number of numbers or a large number of numbers. In Keno, each ticket is numbered from 1 to 80. These numbers correspond to the 80 numbered balls from which 20 “winning numbers” are randomly drawn for each game. The goal of the game is to match the numbers that you picked on your ticket, with the “winning numbers”.
An intelligent player soon recognizes that the odds change with the number of numbers he or she picks. For instance, if a player picks just three numbers, there is a better chance to match a 100 percent of those, than it would be if he or she had picked ten numbers. However, a player does get paid much less for hitting all of his three picks, then for hitting all of his/her ten picks. For instance, hitting 3 out of 3 might pay $25, while hitting 8 out of 8 might pay $10,000 (if he/she bets $1 on the game).
There are basically nine different ways to play Keno:
Straight Tickets
Split Tickets
Way Tickets
Combination Tickets
King Tickets
Special Tickets
Top or Bottom Tickets
Left or Right Tickets
Edges Tickets
1. Straight Tickets
The Straight Ticket is the most basic and common Keno game. Here, you just pick your numbers, make your bet and wait for the draw. Most casinos allow you to choose between 1 to 15 numbers, but some might allow you to choose more. The payout will differ depending on how many numbers you have picked and how many of your picks actually are drawn as winning numbers.
For instance, on a 5-spot (meaning you picked five numbers), you usually have to hit three numbers in order to win anything. If you do hit three, you are usually paid around 3 to 1. If you hit four of the five numbers, you would be paid back at odds closer to 26 to 1. If you are lucky enough to hit all five numbers, you would be paid back closer to 332 to 1.
2. Split Tickets
A Split Ticket is merely two or more straight tickets played on the same physical ticket. Each ticket consists of a group of numbers that are either circled, or separated by a line. Each game (group of numbers) must have its own unique numbers, and cannot share numbers with any other group.
3. Way Tickets
Playing a Way Ticket means that you are using one ticket to mark two or more sets of numbers. In fact, playing one 3-way ticket is the same as playing three Straight Tickets and marking the numbers on those individually. Both offer the same chances of winning and the same odds. The only advantage is that you can bet lower amounts of money than the table minimum, by splitting the minimum over three bets.
4. Combination Tickets
Playing a Combination tickets allows a player to combine groups of straight bets on one ticket in different ways with the player betting one unit for each possible combination. Players can also combine straight bets and way bets on one ticket.
5. King Tickets
King Tickets have one number that is referred to as “the King” and used in combination with other groups of numbers on a ticket. King Tickets are marked in the same way as Way and Split Tickets with the number of combinations played and the amount wagered per group displayed on the ticket. Kings can usually be used on straight, way, and combination tickets.
6. Special Tickets
Casinos sometimes promote their keno games by offering special tickets. A special ticket must be played in a certain predetermined way and pays according to special payout schedule. This payout chart is usually marked on the special ticket itself. Special tickets usually offer slightly better deals than other keno tickets and are used to attract players to the game.
In addition to using the ways to play keno mentioned above, one can also simply divide up the ticket in:
7. Top or Bottom Tickets
When playing a Top or Bottom Ticket, the player just marks off which of the two areas he/she wishes to bet on. If 13 of the 20 numbers drawn fall on the player’s half, he/she wins.
8. Left or Right Tickets
When playing a Left or Right Ticket, the player just marks off which of the two areas he/she wishes to bet on. If 13 of the 20 numbers drawn fall on the player’s half, he/she win.
9. Edges Tickets
When playing Edges, the player just chooses to play the number on edges. Remember, it depends on the casino how many numbers you need to “catch” in order to win. (One will never be able to catch all of them since the total number of numbers on the edges is 32, while only 20 “winning numbers” are drawn each game).
Visit out our Online Keno Reviews section for some of the best casinos online that offer the game of Keno.
