How to Play Keno

Keno is a gambling game that originated in China centuries ago. With the prominence of online casinos in different parts of the world, keno has become a globally popular game, with several variants available at the best online casinos. 

One of the reasons for keno’s popularity is the simplicity of the gameplay. It is similar to lottery games, as players must pick numbers that they hope will be randomly drawn to award a payout. 

Every keno game begins with a card, which presents players with the opportunity to select between one and ten (or, in some cases, 15) numbers. The draw is then made, and if the chosen numbers come up, the player wins a payout, depending on the numbers they selected. 

Keno games are fast-paced and extremely easy to play, making them a great option at online casinos. Read on to learn how to play keno and discover our top tips for enjoying this classic casino game. 

You first need to understand the rules to learn how to play keno. Central to the game is the keno card, which indicates the keno numbers that you can bet on. Below is a step-by-step guide that shows you how to place keno bets and, hopefully, how to win a keno game: 

• Receive a keno card: When you enter an online keno game, you will see the keno card in front of you. The card usually consists of 80 numbers, but some variants have more or fewer numbers than this. 
• Select your numbers: After checking the card, you must decide which numbers to select. Most keno games allow you to choose up to ten numbers, while some allow you to mark up to fifteen. The card is typically laid out in a 10×8 format, but again, this can vary from game to game. 
• Decide on your stake: As soon as you have marked your chosen numbers on the keno grid, you can decide how much to bet. Note that the bet amount at the bottom of the screen indicates the total bet for the entire grid. You can adjust the bet amount according to your available bankroll –check the minimum and maximum betting limits before choosing a keno game that matches your available betting budget. 
• Check the paytable: Open up the keno paytable before confirming your bet to see how much you can win. Keno payouts are awarded when you predict numbers correctly. Most games offer payouts when you select two or more numbers, but some require at least four numbers for a payout. Check the paytable so you know how much you can win if your numbers come up. 
• Place your bet: It’s now time to place your bet. In most keno games, this is as simple as clicking the “bet now” button. The numbers will then be drawn, and you can see if you have predicted correctly.
• Check for winnings: The final step is to check if you have won any money. Again, refer to the paytable for information about how much you can win. If you wish to play again, place another bet and repeat the process above.

As you can see, keno is one of the simplest online casino games you can play. All you need to do before playing is decide how much to bet per round and which numbers to place. If you don’t want to select your own numbers, you can choose the auto-pick option to make things even easier.

Though keno is a disarmingly simple game at online casinos, you can spice things up by playing keno variants with exciting themes and styles. 

For instance, while writing this guide, we enjoyed playing American Keno by FlipLuck. It’s a popular keno variant and is widely available at many of the best online casinos. We love the simplicity of the gameplay, and the American theme and quirky soundtrack made it a fun-filled gaming experience.

No matter which online casino you decide to play at, check the game library for its keno variants and choose a game you like the look of. Check the paytable, RTP, and other important metrics before playing so you have a good idea of how much you can win if you accurately select the numbers that come up. 

It’s easy to see why some people confuse keno with bingo and vice versa. After all, the games are remarkably similar, as they both involve random draws and grids of numbers. Also, the outcomes in both games are based on pure chance, and no skill or experience is required to play.

However, you nee to be aware of some important distinctions between keno and bingo. The main difference is that in keno, you can choose your numbers if you wish. In bingo, you have no choice over the numbers you are given. Of course, in keno, you can also randomly select your numbers, but having a choice makes keno more similar to lottery games than bingo. 

Another difference when considering bingo vs keno is that you don’t place a bet on the former. Instead, you buy a bingo card (or several bingo cards) for a fixed price. Then, if you win by forming a line of numbers or a full house, you receive a prize. 

In keno, it’s up to you how much you bet per round, and you can adjust your stake depending on the minimum and maximum bet amounts stipulated in the game. Some keno games allow you to bet with $1 or less, while some high roller games offer bet amounts that exceed $100, meaning you can easily find a game to suit your gambling budget and preferences. 

Finally, when comparing keno vs bingo, it’s worth noting that keno is more widely available at online casinos than bingo. You will find keno within most game libraries, but not every casino offers bingo. In fact, many countries have bingo-only sites that exclusively provide bingo variants.

These sites are a good option if you only want to play bingo online. Still, you can sign up for an online casino if you want to enjoy keno alongside other games (like slots, roulette, blackjack, and baccarat). 

You can enjoy keno at online casinos, but you can also play the game at brick-and-mortar venues. We recommend playing keno online, as it’s widely available, and you can play it online at any time, no matter where you are. 

Another thing that we love about online keno is that so many keno variants are available at online casinos, including games with intriguing designs, layouts, and themes to keep things interesting as you play. We think this variety is important, as keno is a fairly simple game that can sometimes be repetitive. 

For instance, while writing this guide explaining how to play keno, we tested several different variants of the game. One of our favourites was Jungle Keno by Caleta, which featured an awesome jungle theme and a quirky soundtrack. There was also the jungle bonus wheel, which offered a multiplier that attached itself to specific wins, as shown in the images below: 

One of the best things about playing online keno is that you can access such bonus rounds. When we triggered the multiplier wheel in Jungle Keno, we received a 6x multiplier that turned a $100.00 win into a $600.00 win. 

Of course, another benefit of online keno is that you can play at your own pace and at any time of the day or night. You can even set the game to autoplay mode, so you don’t need to change your numbers between game rounds. 

What’s more, most online keno games are mobile-optimised, meaning you can play them anywhere on your smartphone or tablet. As a result, convenience is one of the biggest factors to consider when comparing online vs offline keno and is one of the reasons why the online game is such a winner. 

Check out our handy table below that runs through some of the differences between playing keno online and offline so you can decide which variant of the game is best for you: