Keno Rules

Posted by: SharpGambler on Sun, 22 January 2006 19:08:47 +00:00 (2576 Reads)


Keno Rules
The objective of Keno is to guess which numbers, between 1 and 80, will be randomly selected by the Keno machine. Each time the game is played, the player chooses between two and fifteen numbers (between 1 and 80) and the wagering amount.


There are many variations of Keno, and payouts vary widely from casino to casino.

At the beginning of the game you have a card with 80 numbers (1 to 80). From these 80 numbers you have to choose between 2 and 15 numbers - spots. The Keno machine indicating the winning numbers will then randomly select 20 numbers. The objective is to match as many numbers as possible. The number of matches will be highlighted and a possible payout will be rewarded based on the number of matches.

The number of spots you can choose will vary from casino to casino regarding the rules they follow. Some casinos allow you to choose between 2 and 15 numbers, others allow a choice between 1 and 10. According to the number of spots you choose, the payout varies.

Let's look at a payout table taken from a casino to better understand the idea behind Keno:

Matches/Spots 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1 3 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 - - - - - -
2 - 9 2 2 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 - - - -
3 - - 16 6 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
4 - - - 12 15 3 6 3 2 2 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.5
5 - - - - 50 30 12 6 4 3 2 2 3 2 1
6 - - - - - 75 36 19 8 5 6 4 4 3 2
7 - - - - - - 100 90 20 10 15 24 5 5 5
8 - - - - - - - 720 80 30 25 72 20 12 15
9 - - - - - - - - 1,200 600 180 250 80 50 50
10 - - - - - - - - - 1,800 1,000 500 240 150 150
11 - - - - - - - - - - 3,000 2,000 500 500 300
12 - - - - - - - - - - - 4,000 3,000 1,000 600
13 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6,000 2,000 1,200
14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7,500 2,500
15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10,000


The first column is numbered between 1 and 15. This column indicates the number of matches you have. The top row indicates the number of spots you choose. For the number of spots you choose you have to look at the row that indicates the number of matches you have, to see your payout. The cells with the mark "-" mean that there is no payout for that specific combination, either because the casino does not pay for that number of matches or because it is an impossible outcome (like matching 6 numbers when you are playing with 5!).

Let's try to read the table with an example:

You choose 6 spots and you want to know your payouts. Let's look at the column with the number "6" at the top, and intersect it with the row of matches. For example: what is the payout when you match 4 numbers? The answer is 3. You will be paid $3 for evey $1 wagered. Your pofit is $3 - $1 = $2.If you guess 5 numbers, the payout is 30, and if you guess 6 numbers the payout is 75. You just need to multiply the payout by the amount of your bet to see your return. Subtracting the amount of your bet to this return you will have a figure that represents your net profit. An example: you bet $3 and choose 10 spots. The 20 numbers are drawn by the Keno machine, and you have 8 numbers correct. The casino pays 30X your bet. You receive 30 X $3 = $90, and your profit is $90 - $3 = $87.

The table above reflects a game of Keno in which you are able to select between 1 and 15 spots. As I said earlier, there are many variations of Keno amongst online casinos regarding the number of spots you may choose. The idea behind is the same at all variations. You choose a certain number of spots in a card with 80 numbers, then 20 numbers are randomly drawn by the Keno machine, and you are paid accordingly to the matches you have. Generally, the more matches you have, the more you win.

It is important to note here, that Keno is a simple game but there is a possible strategy to follow in order to maximize your winning probability. The strategy is simple, and varies from casino to casino. The idea is to identify the number of spots that have the highest expected value, for the specific payout schedule. Then you play with that number of spots. It depends on the implicit probabilities behind the keno payout schedule and varies from casino to casino.At some casinos the best strategy may be to choose 4 spots and at others to choose 15. I don't want to extend more on the strategy issue here. If you want to learn more about the math behind the game, look at the article Keno Payout and Strategy Report. If you want to do some calculations about Keno look at the article Keno Payout Calculator. Both tools are are very helpful for all Keno lovers. I hope you enjoy them.

Keywords: Casino Game Rules Keno Keno Rules