How to Play Keno
By Wilson of Predictem.com
Background:
First of all, we must give thanks to the Chinese for bringing the game of Keno to the United States sometime in the late 1800’s. The game was originally played by using Chinese characters, but once in the United States, the characters were substituted by Arabic numerals.When the game first hit the state of Nevada nearly all the casinos connected a racehorse to each number but after the state added a tax on off-track betting the casinos axed the horses from keno all together. There are still some casinos that call each keno game a race thus referring back to the old racehorse association. Usually a casino will operate the game of keno in a lounge-like setting to cater to the nature of the game as it is quite progressive and timely.
How to play:
If you’ve ever played bingo you may associate it with how the numbers work in keno as far as you need them to appear in order to win. But keno is more involved and you don’t have to sit around and listen to some guy that sounds like he’s trying to get a frog out of his throat!
Most keno lounges will have a writer’s booth or some kind of window that you can approach to place your bet. Simply follow the signs throughout the casino as most are well marked with bright neon signs pointing you in the right direction. If you're playing online, you will see a board and the balls taking their spots as they come out of the hopper.
To actually make a keno bet you will need to fill out a keno card which has 80 total numbers, but players may only mark 1 through 20 numbers on each card. The numbers are ordered in eight rows of ten. Once a player has made their picks they can take the card to the ticket booth and hand to a “ticket writer” who will in turn, place your bet and give you the claim ticket which you do not want lose. I’ve known guys who made several keno bets only to accidently toss them in the trash because their keno game didn’t start for an hour after they made the bet and they forgot all about the wager.
Now, if you are not the type of gambler who enjoys sitting in a lounge specifically waiting for numbers to pop up on a screen then you do have other options. A lot of casinos have keno runners, which can act as a middle-man in the keno betting process. This makes betting on keno available just about everywhere throughout the casino (Gee, isn’t that convenient). For example, a player can be enjoying a meal at one of the casino’s restaurants and fill out a keno card for a runner to take. Most restaurants will have keno cards and play rules at the tables.
Video Keno:
Video keno is basically the same as live keno. The big difference here, and it can be a huge difference, is the fact that you can play faster on a video keno machine which ultimately results in losing more money as you can get instant results as opposed to waiting for the live game to play out. The pay tables are usually a bit higher on video keno but that lure can cost you more money. Players can find video keno machines among the sea of other slot and video poker machines that dominate most casino floor space.
How many numbers can I pick?
Ok, there are a total of 80 numbers to choose from but you can only choose up to 20 numbers out of the 80. The wager is in multiples based on the house minimum net, which is normally $1 at most casinos. When the 20 numbers for your particular game are drawn then the winning tickets are paid based on a pay table that is usually different at each individual casino.
What’s the Pay off?
For example, if a player wagers $1 on four numbers (which means four numbers were picked to show out of the 80 available choices) he might get his dollar back if two of those numbers show, he might get $10 if three of his numbers show and $125 if all four numbers show. But this pay off could vary at another casino. Keno is difficult to gage an average return on your wagers because every casino pays differently and may offer different variations of the game. You can figure most paybacks spread from under 70 percent to above 80 percent.
If you’re on a budget and looking to relax a bit perhaps after a busy day exploring Las Vegas or another gambling destination then keno may be the best bet for you. You can choose to grab a cozy seat in a keno lounge or have a runner cater to your needs while you enjoy a fantastic meal at your favorite eating establishment. If you’re looking for a faster keno experience then you may want to belly up to a video keno machine and start picking your winners! Luck to ya.