Keno has become one of the most popular casino games because it is very easy to learn how to play, it delivers a more relaxed, sociable and uncompetitive form of gambling than many casino games and not least, it offers the chance of very big jackpots for small stakes!!
Placing a keno bet in a casino
- Take a blank Keno card from one of the supplies around the casino. Guess which numbers are going to come up when the draw is made and mark your numbers on the card. It’s up to you how many numbers you want to pick, it doesn’t affect the cost of your bet. You can usually choose up to a maximum of 15 numbers.
- Decide how much you want to bet. Usually there’s a minimum of $1. The more you bet, the more you win if your numbers come up. A $2 stake wins twice as much as $1, $3 wins three times as much and so on.
- In many casinos, “multi-race” Keno is featured, where you can play a number of consecutive Keno races at one time. In this case, decide how many consecutive games (ie draws) you want to play with this set of numbers.
- Place your bet by taking your card to the ‘dealer’ or ‘writer’ at the Keno terminal and handing over your money. Or you could make use of a Keno ‘runner’. These are staff that wander around all parts of the casino with supplies of blank Keno cards and will go to the terminal on your behalf to get your ticket, and collect your winnings.
- Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help in filling in your ticket or understanding the house special games. The staff are used to it. The casino staff can also help you check your ticket once the draw has been made. (Note: they’ll expect a tip – especially if you have a good win!)
- You will then be issued a ticket detailing your selections and which games you are playing. You should check that this ticket does match what you wrote down, as the casino won’t take responsibility for any mistakes.
- Wait for the numbers to be drawn – usually every 10 minutes or so in a casino. They will appear on the Keno screen.
- If you win, cash in your ticket by taking it to the terminal before the next game starts.
- If you’re playing several consecutive games on the same ticket (‘Multi-race’ Keno) you don’t need to cash in your winnings until the end of your last game.
- If you want to use the same set of numbers for another game just hand the ticket back to the clerk or runner and say you want to play them again. They’ll give you a new ticket with the same numbers.
Special Keno Tickets
For the practised player there are complicated variations when it comes to selecting and writing down your numbers. But all of them are really just ways of betting on more than one set of numbers on the same ticket. The aim remains the same for each set of numbers – if enough of them are drawn out, you win.
Casinos will also offer their own house specials, including Jackpot draws and tickets featuring specific rules and payout schedules. Information about these will be displayed in the casino.
Video Keno
In a casino you’ll probably also find Video Keno machines.