Keno – The Rules

How to Play Keno – The Rules

Keno is one of the most popular number games on the planet. The fact that it can be found at many of the best Aussie online casinos makes it a firm favourite amongst Australians. It has a history of making big winners which is always an attractive drawcard. Learn all the Keno rules right here.

Often grouped with other games like Bingo and the Lottery, Keno provides the perfect balance of play principles to suit the online gambling environment and does not require multiple players like the other game variants mentioned do. This makes it the perfect game for the player who wants to take things at their own pace.

The game is super-easy to learn and playing it is a cinch once you are aware of the principles and rules. In this guide, we aim to teach you more about the game and its rules, so that you can combine your knowledge and make it work for you better.

What is the goal of keno?

The aim of the game in Keno is to make successful number matches. Your selected number combination will be compared against a draw of random winning numbers to meter your success.

The game will then pay you out for your matches, the rewards of which are determined by several factors, which we will get into depth with a little later in the guide. The general rule is that the more accurate matches you have, the more you stand to be rewarded when you win.

How does the passage of play work?

As with all casino games, Keno has a specific passage of play, which is unique to the game. It does not require too much planning or skill during the round, so each round goes by pretty quickly which means you can play dozens of games in any single sitting. The order of play includes:

• The placing of bets
• The choosing of winning numbers
• The exciting number draw itself
• Payouts

For more in-depth information on how this all comes together and what strategy can be used to maximise on the gameplay to benefit you, be sure to read of How to Play Keno Page.

How many digits are played?

Most of the top Keno games that you will encounter online will present you with a number grid with digits between 1 and 80 on it. You are required to select up to 10 or 15 lucky numbers, depending on the game variant you are playing.

Microgaming’s Keno usually offers you the chance to choose up to 15 digits, while NetEnt and Playtech’s common variants are capped at 10 numbers each.

The 10 or 15 numbers are the maximum combinations allowed in the game, but you can conveniently opt to play fewer digits if you choose. Some of the more popular and engaging game options will allow you to start off with a single digit, while others require a minimum of 2 numbers to be picked in each round. Be aware of the unique rules of each game you load up so that you can adequately strategize your path to success.

Once your numbers are picked, the lucky draw will commence. The machine will deliver 20 winning numbers. Your combos will then be compared against those 20.

It is important to understand that the number of selectable numbers and the number of digits picked by the machine may vary from game to game, but the core principles of Keno remain the same throughout.

What are the ins and outs of fair RNG outcomes?

As mentioned before, the winning lucky numbers are selected at random by the machine. This is done by sophisticated Random Number Generator (RNG) software. Each winning number drawn will appear on the screen and become conveniently highlighted on the grid at the same time for your benefit. This way, you will be able to see quickly whether you have made any matches.

At the top Aussie casinos, this software is regularly put through its paces by independent auditing companies to make sure that each outcome is 100% fair. The certification will be available to see on the site.

Tested RNG software ensures that each draw is unique so that neither player nor casino knows what the outcomes will be. You may ask then how the casino maintains the edge in each round – well, the house advantage is built into the mechanics of the game and in the probability of each number match.

What are the reward ratios?

Keno is an entertaining game where the rewards are determined by ratios. The more numbers you choose, the greater your chances of finding a match but the lower the payouts become for each match. For instance, if you draw five lucky numbers and match them, you will be paid out far more lucrative rewards than if you selected 10 numbers and matched 5 of them. Completed numbers are always more lucrative than partial combo matches.

As you choose your numbers, the paytable on the side of the screen will adjust reveal your potential prizes for each type of match. You will notice that the more numbers you choose, the lower the payouts become for combinations with fewer digits, but the higher the reward afforded on the top end of the combo.

As an example of the rewards you can expect from a common 15 number combination game, you can look to the stats below:

• 5 of 15 pays 1:1
• 6 of 15 pays 2:1
• 7 of 15 pays 5:1
• 8 of 15 pays 15:1
• 9 of 15 pays 50:1
• 10 of 15 pays 150:1
• 11 of 15 pays 300:1
• 12 of 15 pays 600:1
• 13 of 15 pays 1,200:1
• 14 of 15 pays 2,500:1
• 15 of 15 pays a massive jackpot reward of 10,000:1

You will notice that the odds of landing smaller combinations are much higher when more numbers are chosen. When choosing 15 numbers, matching 4 or fewer numbers is very easy, therefore only combos of 5 or more digits will receive prize rewards.

The probability of winning complete combinations is lengthened with each digit that you choose. For the formula to work out, the probability of winning on a given set of numbers, take 0.25 and multiply it by itself for each number that you choose. So, if you select 4 numbers, the easy to remember formula to work out your chances of success is 0.25 x 0.25 x 0.25 x 0.25. This means that the probability of matching all 4 digits with the draw is 0.00390625.

NB: The reason why the formula ratio is 0.25 for each digit, is because a 20-digit draw represents 0.25 (a quarter) of the 80 available numbers on the grid.

Tell me more about betting on keno

Now that you understand how the game works, let’s talk about betting. The general principle of betting follows all other casino games – The more you wager, the more you are likely to win if you are successful in the gaming round, as each reward is multiplied by your active stake.

There are so many Keno games on the market and many of them come with a different bet spread. Fortunately, this means that there is a game for every budget. Some games may only cost you a dollar per round, which is surprisingly cost-effective by casino game standards.

Simply toggle your desired wager up or down and then select your winning numbers by clicking on them on the grid. The potential rewards will be recorded on the side of the screen. If you feel that they are too small, you can simply adjust the bet again, which will automatically change the paytable for you again.

Continue to do this until the desired rewards reflect and then initiate the exciting draw.

Are there different types of keno bets?

Depending on the game you are playing, there are several bets you can place on a Keno machine.

• Straight Ticket: This is a straight-forward bet, where you choose a single combination of numbers of up to 10 or 15 digits.
• Combination Ticket: This allows you to conveniently bet on a more than one number combination on a single ticket.
• Split Ticket: You can conveniently select to play two or more Keno draws with the same numbers/ticket.
• Way Ticket: For more advanced games, you can choose to make multiple exciting bets on one ticket.
• King Ticket: In this type of game, you will select one of your digits in your combination as a King Number. If this number is matched in the draw, you will win a nice big prize.

For players who don’t want to tediously select numbers each round, most games will provide you with a quick-pick option. The game will choose your winning number for you.

Hot and Cold Numbers

Some casino games will display the hot (popular) and cold (unpopular) numbers that have landed over the last few exciting game sessions. While many players use these to make up their combination choices, you should realise that their frequency is a co-incidence. The RNG software sprouts number unbiasedly by chance. That means that the pattern of popular numbers will change over several rounds.

Top online keno rules FAQs