Keno Variations

Keno is a very easy, lottery-style game that does not require much skill. You must select a minimum of four numbers or spots from a keno card and hope they will be drawn during the call of random 20 numbers. So it is just like a lottery, where, if you are lucky, you might have a few numbers you selected match those that were drawn. This is the most basic game of Keno. But, a number of variations have been devised to make the game of Keno more interesting.

By now, you might have realized that the best way to win at Keno is to select as many numbers as possible in the hope of matching them at the random draw.  The payout for the winning numbers depends on various factors like the casino you are playing at, the number of spots you selected and how many matched the called numbers.  Suppose you marked six spots, you must get at least three numbers right to get a payout or if you marked 15 numbers, you need to get at least six right. The payouts will increase considerably if you match more numbers to the called numbers. So, if you have three out of five winning numbers, you might be paid 3:1, four out of five winning numbers, you get 36:1 and if all five numbers you selected match the called numbers, you get paid 332:1.

As we mentioned, there are a number of keno variations you could choose to play:

The Straight Ticket

This is the easiest and the most basic form of keno. Here, you mark the numbers that you hope will be called at the draw. You can mark a minimum of four numbers (spots) while the maximum number is ten. However, some casinos allow you to mark more than ten spots and the number could go up to 15. Some casinos may even allow you to select 20 numbers, the maximum number of balls to be randomly drawn.

Way Tickets

When playing way tickets, you use one keno ticket to mark two or more than two sets of numbers. It is similar to playing three one-way tickets and marking numbers individually. Everything else remains the same – your chance of winnings, the odds and even the payouts. The only advantage is that you are dividing the table minimum over three wagers so you get to bet low amounts than the table minimum.

Combination Tickets

When you play a combination ticket, you are combining the groups that were treated separately on the way tickets. Suppose you bet on 3 sets of four numbers each, you can add to that by betting 3 ways by making a 6, combining two of the groups. However, you must make sure that you mark off your selection and note it in the field provided on the ticket or you won’t get paid if your selection happens to win.

King Tickets

In King Tickets, you have a single number circled which can be used in combination with other groups of numbers.

There are other simpler online keno variations where you can divide the keno ticket in different ways. For example, you can play Top or Bottom which means you mark off the top or the bottom half which you’d like to bet on. However, in this game, thirteen numbers must fall in the half you bet on in order to win any money. Just like the Top or Bottom Half, you can choose the left or the right half, where the betting principle is the same. 13 numbers must fall in the half you have bet to win. Another variation is to bet on the numbers on the four edges. The casino decides how many numbers you must match to win.