Updated on: January 6th, 2025
Online keno is a game of chance similar to bingo, originating in China, some 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 a thrill-a-minute game that is becoming more and more popular at the Best USA Online Casinos.
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RULES OF ONLINE KENO
Playing real money keno is quite easy and a lot of fun. The rules of online keno are exactly similar to that of live keno. The only difference is that players play by themselves in a game of online keno, whereas live keno games are often played in big groups, Â similar to 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, giving them more chance 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 has been called by the keno caller; 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 can only apply to one player in a game, the catch all game rules apply to everyone taking part.
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 gets to play a game of online keno without having to make a wager. Players do not usually get to keep any of the winnings earned during free play.
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 normal keno ticket, 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.
ONLINE KENO FAQS
For sure. Most online casinos, and especially those featured on Casino US, allow keno players to play online keno for free before having to make a wager. When playing for free, players won’t be able to keep their winnings, so hitting a jackpot while playing for free won’t be so much 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 chosen.
No. All the online casinos featured on Casino US use a Random Number Generator (RNG) to determine the outcome of each game of online keno. This means that neither the player nor the casino has an unfair advantage. All casinos on Casino US are also regulated by various casino governing bodies, such as eCOGRA, to ensure that fair play is actually taking place.
Yes. Because the reputable casinos featured on Casino US use an RNG to determine the numbers placed on an online keno card, the odds of a game of online keno are exactly the same as those of a game of live keno.
Yes, but the odds of hitting all 20 are extremely unlikely. 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. This gives the player much better odds of winning. The odds of hitting all 20 numbers has been calculated as 1 in 3 535 316 142 212 173 800.000.
Some live casinos will offer players the chance to play two games of keno at once. This is often referred to as the ‘red’ and the ‘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 gets to play two games at once, increasing their chances of winning, while the casino gets the ability to host two games of keno without needing to add more tables for players, or staff to run the games. This means more games being played and less floor space being used.
THE HISTORY OF ONLINE KENO UP TO TODAY
During the Han Dynasty, China was caught up in a hard war that was severely affecting the country. According to legend, Cheung Leung, ruler of China, already taxed his people so much, in his effort to fund the war, that he had to think of new ways of funding the fight.
Leung eventually came up with a lottery that the people of China could play. All the profits from the lottery went to the country’s war efforts.
Years later, keno was once again employed to help the monarchy help raise funds, this time, to help build the Great Wall of China.
Keno was originally played with Chinese alphabet characters, and not with Arabic numerals, as played today. The game was also played with 120 characters, instead of 80 as today.
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 with 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 simply referred to as ‘racehorse keno’. Many believed it was just another game based on horse racing.
This lead to common keno phrases that are still being 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.
