Keno is one of the easiest casino games to play. The aim of Keno is to predict which numbers are going to come up, exactly the same as you do with a lottery or bingo.

How To Play Keno – Online Keno

It is particularly easy to learn how to play online Keno. Most internet casinos offer Keno games. You may need to download some software in order to play it.

You will see a virtual Keno card that shows the numbers 1 – 80. All you do is click on the numbers you want to bet on and then start the game. The numbers will be drawn and if a certain amount of them match your numbers you win a specific amount of money.

The amount of numbers that you may choose and the amount that you need to draw in order to win any money vary from online casino to online casino. Different internet casinos also offer different prize amounts.

How To Play Keno – Land Casinos

If you want to play Keno in a land casino, the game is slightly more complicated due to the fact that there is such a wide range of types of bet that you can make.

How to Play Straight Keno in Land Casinos

Casinos offering Keno games usually have an area specifically for the game, but in many they employ people known as runners, who will take your bets from you wherever you are in the casino. In order to play Keno in a land casino, you need to complete a Keno card. You can find these cards in the Keno lounge or on tables throughout the casino. The casino also provides crayons with which you complete the Keno card.

You mark a cross against each number on the Keno card that you want to bet on – make sure that you have found out the maximum amount of numbers that the casino allows you to place bets on in each game of Keno.

You will also need to complete the sections on the ticket that ask for the number of games you want to play using these numbers, the amount you are betting in each game and the total amount of your bet if you are playing more than one game. The ticket will also ask you to indicate the number of spots or ways you are playing.

The term “spots” refers to the amount of different numbers you have chosen. So if, for example, you want to bet on six numbers your bet is referred to as a six spot.

If you only want to play a simple game of Keno, this is all you need to do. This type of Keno is referred to as Straight Keno. You then hand your Keno card to a Keno runner or the employee in the Keno Lounge who is known as the Keno Writer. In return you will receive a receipt as confirmation of your bet, which you should check carefully. You need this receipt to claim any winnings.

Once the game starts you will be able to watch the numbers come up on a board in the Keno Lounge. If you win, simply hand your ticket back to the Keno Writer and claim your prize.

It’s worth knowing that many casinos still won’t pay out unless you claim your prize before the next game starts. If this is the case with the casino you have chosen you will have to pay close attention to the draws. Some casinos, however, now offer you the chance to play “stray and play” Keno, which means that you buy tickets for a certain number of games and can claim your winnings later. Some “stray and play” Keno tickets are valid for up to a year.

How to Play Other Types of Keno in Land Casinos

Many land casinos offer a number of different Keno betting options in order to make the game more exciting. Here are some examples of the types of bet you might come across when playing Keno:

• Way Bets: If you want to bet on multiple groups of numbers, this is known as a way bet. For example, you might want to bet on two groups of three numbers. If when the Keno draw takes place, you have successfully predicted all three of the numbers in one of the groups being drawn, you will get the same pay-out as if you had only chosen those three numbers rather than six. This type of Keno betting can get fairly complicated when you are betting on different groups of numbers.
• Split Bets: A split bet means that you are choosing to play more than one game of Keno (or Keno race) using the same ticket.
• Combination Bets: A combination bet allows you to make various bets on the same ticket. You can make several straight bets, for example, or you can choose to make both straight bets and way bets.
• King Bets: Essentially this works in the same manner as a way bet, but you choose to prioritise one or more single numbers as “Kings” by circling them.

How to Play Video Keno in Land Casinos

Some land casinos have Video Keno machines. These are coin-operated machines that work in a similar way to internet casino, but operate by touch-screen. Video Keno is quicker to play than live Keno, and some experts believe that many video casino machines offer a lower house advantage than live Keno. However, the speed with which you can play Video Keno means that you may be opening yourself up to losing more money by playing Video Keno than if you spent the same amount of time playing live Keno.

Now you understand the aim and rules of Keno you are ready to begin. However, to learn how to play Keno like a professional, visit our Keno Hints and Tips page.