Keno Tutorial

The game of Keno can be traced back to ancient China and it is still played today in thousands of traditional and online casinos across the globe. With its bingo-like elements, the game of Keno is simple to follow and requires almost no skill – making it a popular choice among players. While the house edge for Keno is one of the highest in the industry among all casino games, Keno still manages to draw the crowds. For one, the game is easy to play and it is also attractive to budget gamblers who are attracted to the low sums required to bet on this game.

Keno is played in specially designated booths in a traditional casino and it is quite common to see busy gamblers taking a respite in the Keno lounge, while trying their luck at this game. Keno is also popular online and most internet casino sites will offer the game to their players. Players can also play video Keno in the form of a video game, where they have a go against the machine. Video Keno has all the elements of online casino Keno and is also very easily understood.

The most common theory regarding the origin of the game of Keno traces it back to the ancient Han dynasty of China. It is believed that, in a bid to finance his expensive war efforts against the Barbarians, the Chinese general Cheung Leung created a bingo-like game and turned it into a popular gambling pastime among the people in China. In no time, Cheung Leung had enough money to continue with his defensive plans of the country and it is also believed that much of the ancient Keno money went towards building the famous Great Wall of China that still stands today.

The game of Keno, (known as the White Pigeon Game due to the use of carrier pigeons to carry winning number combinations to the far corners of the dynasty), was an extremely common pastime for hundreds of years in China. It eventually made its ways to the shores of the United States in the mid nineteenth century with the immigration of workers from China who came to build the railway. The game was known as Chinese Lottery and eventually the Chinese characters were changed to numbers so that other members of the population could join in the fun. The 120 original numbers in the game were dropped to 80, making it easier to play and win.

Keno was first introduced into the gambling halls of America in the 1930s and has continued to attract players through the years. The game went through several changes due to gambling laws of the time, but in the late 1980s, casinos were finally allowed to offer unlimited jackpots on all games and Keno became a much sought-after game because of the potential of winning huge sums if the jackpot was hit.

Keno made a successful jump into the world of internet gambling when it hit the scene in the mid 1990s. Players did not have to adapt much of their offline gambling knowledge of the game to its new online format and it soon became part and parcel of the line up of online casino games offered to players. Today it is quite possible for players to access a Keno lounge from the comfort of their own home and try their luck at this superb game that has withstood the test of time.

All or Nothing: A Keno ticket that pays out if (a) all the numbers are drawn or (b) none of the numbers are drawn.

Blank: A Keno ticket that has not been used.

Buy-in Tournament: A Keno tournament that requires participants to pay a specific entrance fee.

Call: An announcement over a PA system that calls the numbers that were drawn.

Catch: A winning number that was marked on the Keno card.

Combination Ticket: One Keno ticket with several different Keno bets on it.

Draw Sheet: A print out showing the winning numbers in the previous Keno game to facilitate checking winning combinations.

Edge Ticket: 32 numbers are marked around the outer rim of this Keno ticket.

Exacto: A special Keno ticket that can be used for two games.

Free Play: A win on a Keno game that allows players to play for free in the next round.

Inside Ticket: A completed Keno card given to the casino.

Keno Board: An electronic board that displays the winning Keno numbers.

Pay Any Catch Ticket: A Keno ticket that always pays something, irrespective of the number of spots that are caught on the ticket.

Payoff: The sum of money paid to the player for a winning ticket.

Quick Pick: A computer generated Keno ticket with numbers chosen by the player.

Race: One Keno game.

Spot: The number marked on a Keno card.

Stud: A progressive type of Keno game that has the top prize increasing until a lucky player wins it.

Way: A separate bet on a ticket that allows multiple wagers.

Winning Numbers: The 20 numbers drawn and on which the payoffs are based for winning combinations.

[ Continue to Final Part of this Keno Guide ]