The game of Keno itself is very simple:

In each Keno game, 20 numbers are drawn from a pool of 80.
The object of the game is for the player to guess what some of those numbers will be.
You indicate your choices before the draw begins by completion of a 'keno ticket'
You place your bet by submitting and paying for the ticket
After the draw you receive winnings according to how many numbers you guessed correctly
Filling out your ticket
To fill out a basic ('straight') keno ticket all you do is;

mark one or more numbers on the blank ticket, usually up to a maximum of 15
indicate how many consecutive games you wish to play with those numbers
write the amount you would like to bet on each game
present your ticket to the Keno desk and pay for your ticket
You can generally play as many tickets as you wish on any one draw.

In a few minutes, twenty numbered Keno balls will be drawn, and if enough of your selected numbers are drawn, you are a winner.

There are various more complicated ways you can complete a ticket, but they're not necessary. Find out about other tickets

House rules for keno

The basics of the game are the same regardless of where you play it, but the payouts and guidelines can vary from casino to casino. And individual casinos can offer their own special games with their own rules.

It is recommended that you stop by a Keno counter and pick up a free booklet outlining the house rules and payouts.

Keno Odds
Before you start playing Keno, it is wise to know something about your chances (or odds) of winning.
Check out the best online keno odds in our

Video Keno Reports
Top 20 casinos for Keno
Keno is, after all, pretty much a game of chance. And whilst you may win big, you should know how likely this is. So what are the odds of winning at keno? Expected Keno Odds
The table on this page shows the percentage chances of any given keno result - that is the number of times each result is expected in every hundred keno games.

For example:

If you pick a 3 spot, the chances of catching all 3 numbers are 1% or 1 in 100...
If you pick a 4 spot, the chances of catching 3 of your keno numbers are 4%, or 4 in 100...
If you pick 15 numbers, the odds of getting all 15 are infinitesimal!
Of course, if you look at the schedule of any Keno game, you will soon see that the results that have a high chance of occurring have a low or zero payment attached. And those with a low probability of occurring attract the highest payouts and keno Jackpots.

The schedules for the best online Keno games are designed so that, over time, you can expect to get back around 85-95% of your total stakes.

(describes the maths behind keno)

NUMBER OF SPOTS SELECTED & CAUGHT KENO ODDS
(% CHANCE OF THIS RESULT)
1-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
1-Spot
75%
25%

2-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
2-Spot
56%
38%
6%

3-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
3-Spot
42%
43%
14%
1%

4-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
4-Spot
31%
43%
21%
4%
0.3%

5-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
5-Spot
23%
41%
27%
8%
1%
0.06%

6-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
6-Spot
17%
36%
31%
13%
3%
0.3%
0.01%

7-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
7-Spot
12%
32%
33%
18%
5%
1%
0.07%
0.002%

8-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
8-Spot
9%
27%
33%
21%
8%
2%
0.2%
0.02%
0.0004%

9-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
catch 9
9-Spot
6%
22%
32%
25%
11%
3%
1%
0.06%
0.003%
0.0000007%

10-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
catch 9
catch 10
10-Spot
5%
18%
30%
27%
15%
5%
1%
0.2%
0.01%
0.0006%
0.0000001%

11-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
catch 9
catch 10
catch 11
11-Spot
3%
14%
27%
28%
18%
7%
2%
0.4%
0.04%
0.003%
0.0001%
0.00000002%

12-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
catch 9
catch 10
catch 11
catch 12
12-Spot
2%
11%
24%
28%
21%
10%
3%
0.7%
0.1%
0.01%
0.001%
0.0000002%
0.000000002%

13-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
catch 9
catch 10
catch 11
catch 12
catch 13
13-Spot
2%
9%
21%
27%
23%
13%
5%
1%
0.2%
0.03%
0.002%
0.0000009%
0.00000002%
0.0000000002%

14-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
catch 9
catch 10
catch 11
catch 12
catch 13
catch 14
14-Spot
1%
7%
18%
26%
24%
15%
7%
2%
0.4%
0.06%
0.006%
0.0004%
0.0000001%
0.000000003%
0.00000000003%

15-Spot
catch 0
catch 1
catch 2
catch 3
catch 4
catch 5
catch 6
catch 7
catch 8
catch 9
catch 10
catch 11
catch 12
catch 13
catch 14
catch 15
15-Spot
0.8%
5%
15%
24%
25%
18%
9%
3%
0.7%
0.1%
0.02%
0.001%
0.0000006%
0.00000002%
0.0000000004%
0.000000000002%

The best way to appreciate these odds, and how they are reflected in the payout schedules is to try a free game at one of our recommended keno sites or the free keno game on our site.