Play Keno Online in the USA
Online keno is a game of chance like bingo. It started in China about 3000 years ago during the Han Dynasty. It involves the drawing of random numbers and comparing them to the numbers chosen by the player.
Keno is still widely played today, making it one of the oldest gambling games in the world. Online keno is an exciting game that is getting more popular at the Best USA Online Casinos.
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Accepts players from: United States
Updated: 21st April, 2025
Keno Online in the USA
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RULES OF ONLINE KENO
Playing real money keno is relatively easy and a lot of fun. The rules of online keno are precisely similar to those of live keno. The only difference is that players play alone in an online game. In live keno games, people often play in big groups, like in bingo.
Players are given a card with 20 numbers on it. These numbers are randomly selected from a pool numbered 1-80, and printed on each card. A caller then randomly selects 20 balls and calls out each number. Players then mark off each number if it corresponds to a number printed on their card.
A Player can play up to two games of keno at a time during a live keno game. Players can also split one card or make multiple bets on one keno card.
STRATEGY TO PLAY
There is no strategy players can use when playing keno for real money. Keno is a game of chance, and all results are determined at random. Players can, however, choose split cards, allowing them to play two games at a time and giving them more chances to win.
This isn’t a game of skill, like poker, so players looking for that might want to look elsewhere. Keno strategies cannot improve your chances of winning but could help you make your bankroll last longer.
ONLINE KENO GLOSSARY OF TERMS
All or Nothing
When a player buys an online keno ticket that only pays out if they hit all 20 numbers. If they don’t hit all 20, they don’t get any money whatsoever.
Blower
The part of the keno draw machine used to draw the selected ball. The ball is sucked from the holder with a vacuum and sent trough a plastic tube to the caller. The keno caller then removes the ball from the tube and calls out the number.
Bubble
The see-through container that holds all 80 keno balls.
Caller
The person who calls out each number that has been drawn in a game of live keno.
Catch
This is when a number on a player’s card is called by the keno caller; it is also known as ‘catching a number’.
Catch All
A game of online keno that only pays out if a player hits all the numbers on a card. Unlike an ‘all or nothing’ card, which only works for one player, the catch-all game rules apply to everyone.
Catch Zero
The opposite of a ‘catch-all’ game. This requires that the player match/catch none of the numbers called out. This has much better odds than a ‘catch-all’ game.
Combination ticket
A keno ticket with multiple wagers on it.
Free play
When a player plays online keno for free, they usually cannot keep any winnings from that game.
Keno balls
These are the same size as bingo balls. Keno balls are numbered 1-80.
Number pool
The whole series of numbers from which the keno numbers are drawn. A typical keno number pool ranges from 1-80.
Race
A term given to a game of keno. This is a slang term from a time when each number in a keno game represented a horse in a race.
Straight ticket
A standard keno ticket is used for both live and online keno games.
Split ticket
A keno ticket that has two or more sets of numbers on it and is played simultaneously.
Quit Race
When a player cashes in a multiple bet or multi-game ticket before all play is finished.
Keno FAQs
For sure. Most online casinos, especially those on Casino US, let keno players try online keno for free. Players can do this before they need to place a bet. When playing for free, players cannot keep their winnings. So, hitting a jackpot while playing for free is not very fun. Players should always play a game of online keno for free to ensure they understand all the rules before they make their first wager.
Online keno is a game of chance, so there isn’t a strategy players could use to improve their luck. Keno is a lottery-style game, which means that all the numbers are chosen at random. Players have no control over what numbers are selected.
No. All the online casinos on Casino US use a Random Number Generator (RNG). This RNG decides the outcome of each online keno game. This means that neither the player nor the casino has an unfair advantage. Different governing bodies regulate all casinos on Casino US. One of these is eCOGRA. This helps make sure that fair play happens.
Yes. The trusted casinos on Casino US use an RNG to decide the numbers on an online keno card. This means the odds of online keno are the same as those of live keno.
Yes, but the odds of hitting all 20 are improbable. The odds of hitting all 20 numbers in one go are around 3.5 quintillion to one. Most casinos recognize this fact, and therefore payout when a player hits a number close to 20.
Some will pay out if a player hits 17/20, which gives the player much better odds of winning. The odds of hitting all 20 numbers have been calculated as 1 in 3 535 316 142 212 173 800.000.
Some live casinos offer players the chance to play two games of keno at once. These are often referred to as the ‘red’ and ‘green’ games. Players have the choice to bet on either one or both. These games are advantageous to both the player and the casino.
The player can play two games at the same time. This increases their chances of winning. The casino can also host two keno games. They do not need to add more tables or staff to run the games. This means more games are being played and less floor space is being used.
Some will pay out if a player hits 17/20, which gives the player much better odds of winning. The odds of hitting all 20 numbers have been calculated as 1 in 3 535 316 142 212 173 800.000.
THE HISTORY OF ONLINE KENO UP TO TODAY
During the Han Dynasty, China was caught up in a complex war that severely affected the country. According to legend, Cheung Leung, the ruler of China, taxed his people heavily to fund the war. He needed to find new ways to pay for the fight.
Leung eventually devised a lottery that the people of China could play. The profits from the lottery went to the country’s war efforts.
Years later, Keno was once again employed to help the monarchy raise funds, this time to build the Great Wall of China.
Keno was originally played with Chinese alphabet characters, not Arabic numerals, as it is today. The game was also played with 120 characters instead of 80.
As the game’s popularity spread, the Chinese symbols were changed to Arabic numerals and numbered 1-80. Today, the game is still played in China, but it has 80 Chinese symbols.
In Nevada, in the early twentieth century, gambling was legal, but lotteries were not. To disguise the game from authorities, it was referred to as ‘racehorse keno’. Many believed it was just another game based on horse racing.
This led to common keno phrases that are still used today. Numbers are often still called ‘horses,’ and a game of keno is called a ‘race’.
Today, keno is enjoyed across the world, both in live casinos and in the best online casinos.
