One such game is the unique game of chance called Keno. Namely, Keno comes somewhere between lotto and bingo games. It involves guessing numbers and offers generous prizes to the luckiest players.
In terms of history of Keno, the game originates from China. Its original form included playing with Chinese symbols rather than numbers. This changed as soon as immigrants from China took the game to the West, where the symbols were replaced with numbers. It is believed that Keno first got its name in 1866 in Texas, because before that it was played either under the name puck-apu or boc hop bu.
Online Keno House Edge
House edge is always one of the most interesting things regarding a casino game as it reveals the players’ odds. When it comes to Keno, it’s not easy to give correct numbers as everything depends on the exact number of numbers featured in the game. For example, some Keno variants are played with numbers from 1-80 and others with numbers from 1-90. Plus, the house edge is affected by the number of picks chosen by the player, as they can pick as little as one number, but also much more. Generally speaking, nevertheless, the house edge starts at 4% and goes up to too-high 35%. Therefore, in terms of house edge, Keno may not be the best option out there.
How to Play?
Well, if you don’t care about house edge and simply enjoy the action Keno provides, let’s learn how to play this game. Everything starts with the Keno ticket, which is similar to a lottery ticket. On the ticket you will notice numbers from 1-80 or 1-90 or something similar. What you need to do is pick your favourite numbers by selecting them with the mouse (or tapping on mobile devices). Once you select the desired number of picks, you simply start the game and wait for the results.
At this point, you need to remember a few things. First, the total number of picks affects the total bet amount. Second, the total number of picks affects the house edge. Third, each game is resolved within seconds as the outcomes are generated by an RNG. No worries, though. Trustworthy software providers supply the RNGs that determine Keno results at reputable online casinos. Thus, every outcome is 100% fair and random.
Playing Strategy
Even though most games come with at least one optimal playing strategy, Keno doesn’t really have one. After all, is a game of chance and players can’t really improve their chances of winning. Two possible things to have in mind is to first play the game for free and then to avoid selecting too many picks. The first step helps you get familiar with the game, while the latter makes it possible to win with fewer hits and lower bets. Other than that, everything is pure luck, so you should make sure to have your lucky charm nearby when playing Keno.
Correct Guesses or Hits
So, you started the generation of winning numbers. What happens next is the RNG providing, usually, a total of 20 random numbers. Whether you win a prize or not depends on the number of correct guesses or, widely known, as hits. As a player can choose many numbers for a single Keno session, having hits not always results in scooping prizes. For example, if you have selected more than 5 picks, then you’ll need at least two or three hits to win a prize. Therefore, choosing more numbers not only increases your chances of correct guesses and bet size, but also the threshold for winning something.
Hit Payouts
Since we already mentioned that the number of picks on Keno affects pretty much everything else, it’s easy to guess that it affects the payouts too. Moreover, not all Keno games come with identical pay tables and/or rules. Therefore, the information here is true for some Keno games, but for exact payouts you should check out the payout table. Nonetheless, if you have a single hit, the most common prize to expect is triple your bet. On the other hand, if you have two picks, a single hit won’t earn you anything. However, in the same scenario, two hits would come with a generous payout of 12 to 1. Five out of five at some online casinos has impressive payouts of 490 to 1. So, just like we pointed out, everything depends on the number of picks, hits and Keno variant.
Bet Limits
Betting limits are a crucial part of any game since it easily reveals the target consumers. Well, once again the exact numbers vary depending on where you play Keno. Nevertheless, as a general rule, you can expect the minimum bet amount to be around £1, while the max bet can go up to £10. In other words, Keno is a game most suitable to low and medium rollers, while table games remain the best options for high rollers.