Most online keno players will say the best way to implement a keno strategy, if there ever was such a thing, would be to manage one's bankroll wisely. However, the truth of the matter depends on how extensive a player will be making their keno ventures. Online keno is a fun and entertaining gambling game with a very high House Edge.

Professional gamblers who can only bear to play casino games offering a large degree of game specific strategy and freedom would not do well with keno in the long run. However, if they are after some variety and would like to stretch their luck with a few dollars and throw a couple bets down, keno can be a rewarding experience. The bottom line is that keno is a game of chance, like all other casino games - Keno just happens to require more luck.

Therefore, for gamblers who simply would like to take a breather from blackjack and place no more than a handful of keno bets, a good strategy would be to go for the wagers that payout more. Picking anything under four spots on a keno ticket would produce moderate winnings, even with all four numbers matched. Four matches on a $1 bet (with a 30% House Edge mind you) will return about $80. The more attractive offer (still considering that luck is the key to winning) would be a ten spot, which pays out $10,000 with ten matches. Although the odds of winning this are several millions to one, for a player looking for some entertainment and a load of luck, this bet is the epitome of the lottery, and does happen every so often.

If keno produces such a high degree of chance, how do so many gamblers exist as long as they do in the keno lounge? For one, these players know how to manage their bankroll. In a land-based casino, this holds more true, since most casinos will allow bets as low as ten cents with certain tickets. In the online casino, many players will place a $1 wager with an amount of spots that has a substantial chance of returning at least their original wager back. For instance, a player can set $50 to the side for keno play, nothing more, nothing less, and make $1 wagers with 7 spots (at a keno game that allows bets as low as $0.25.

In order to come even and win back the $1, 3 spots need to be hit. This isn't the best odds in the world, but it can happen. It is merely an survival tactic to help the players bankroll stay alive longer. The real hope is that all seven numbers will hit. Again, these are not the best odds in the casino, but will payout $5,000 to $7,000 (depending on the casino) on a $1seven-spot ticket. In another online casino that only allows minimums of $1 tickets, a player can make 11 spots on a $1 ticket, and only need three numbers to return the $1.

This very same casino will return $0.50 on 2 spot matches. That means a player will stay alive much longer, in hopes of hitting 10 or 11 numbers. And although the payout is less in this particular payout scale, matching 11 numbers is still a very good return at $3,000. This being said, if a player seeks to hold out for a sustained length of time at online keno, as opposed to a quick gander at the big jackpot, the following strategy tips will help.

In the two examples above, one can see that a player's bankroll is more at risk in the first instance. Even if $0.50 tickets are more in range than $1 tickets for a limited bankroll, the earnings made off of tickets less than $1 can be negligible in the long run. In order for these tickets to return substantial winnings, the number of matching spots must increase, thereby increasing the odds. One of the best online keno games is one that allows up to fifteen spots with $1 minimum wagers, and a $0.50 return on two matches. By picking the right number of spots at this particular payout scale, players can stay in the game longer, thereby giving themselves more opportunity to win a larger payout.

Pick the most advantageous number of spots

The rule of thumb is to pick an amount of spots ranging from approximately 50% to 75% of the ticket's spot limit. In other words, a ticket that allows no more than 10 spots, would mean that 5 spots would be 50% of the limit and 8 spots 80% of the limit. Therefore, this ticket should be picked with no less than five spots and no more than eight. An amount of spots under 50% still will have relatively the same chances of staying alive; However the largest payouts these tickets can potentially produce are too small - and still do not afford very good odds.

Pick the most amount of spots that will not change affect an even return

Within the percentage range of spots as set forth in the previous tip, a player should create tickets with multiple spots, paying attention to how the payout scale affects an even return on the stake. (clicking on spots will update the payout scale in real time) For instance, on a ticket that allows fifteen spots, the most productive range of spots (50-75%) would be anywhere from 7 (47%) to 11 (73%) spots. On a $1 wager the payout scale will return a players money back ($1) if 3 numbers are hit on tickets with spots from 7 to 11. Since the threshold of the payout scale only grows larger within this range, a player has nothing to lose (except a slightly larger return on comparative spots) when betting the maximum number of spots (11). By picking an amount of spots closest to the 80% threshold, a player is eligible for a larger payout while still increasing their odds of at least getting their original wager back. Matching 3 out of 11 spots is better odds than matching 3 out of 7. And even though the odds of hitting 11 out of 11 is greater than matching 7 out of 7, the payout is more, and the players bankroll will last longer.

As far as strategy goes, this is not much to rely on when compared to a sound craps strategy. However, it helps to insure great bankroll management. The key points are to pick an online casino that offers keno with a payout scale that rests within a happy medium between maximum payout size and the minimum matching spots that will be paid out. This means to pick a game that doesn't offer as high as payouts as some casinos, but does offer return on fewer matching spots.