Keno is a lottery game. There are many variations. This game is so popular that it can be played on scratch cards, scan cards, and video machines.
The basic game is the same worldwide. There are variations, and it is always best to read the rules of any keno game you play before you start placing bets. Mathematicians and statisticians who calculate the odds and probabilities of gambling generally agree that the game has the highest return rate of any gambling game.
Lottery game experts also point out that Keno payouts tend to be much lower than similar prizes from state-run lottery games. So why do people enjoy playing Keno games?
Perhaps because, among all casino games, Keno payouts can be much higher than those from other games. But Keno is one of the most flexible gambling games available. This variation may be part of its appeal. The basic game uses numbers from 1 to 80. The drawing is held, and 20 numbers are drawn. The drawing can be done electronically or with balls and lottery machines.
The odds of payout in Keno are complex and really require studying the pay table for the specific game you’re playing. These tables are displayed on help screens on video machines. Experts generally agree that the best payout odds are found in games with 4, 5, 6, and 7 picks. The pick refers to the number of numbers you bet on. If you play a 5-pick game, you will select 5 numbers. If these five numbers appear among the 20 numbers drawn for the game, you will win the maximum 5-pick prize. You can still win a smaller prize if only 2, 3, or 4 of your 5 numbers are drawn.
1 – Are Keno winnings taxable?
Yes, Keno winnings are taxable if you pay income tax. In the United States, you are required to report gambling winnings over a certain amount. In fact, if you win $500 every week throughout the year, the government expects you to report that as income. That would total $26,000. While many players don’t report these kinds of winnings, it’s usually because they’ve also lost a lot of money.
How do you keep track?
Bookkeeping is the player’s responsibility, but the casino will ask you to fill out paperwork if you win more than $1,200. This may vary by jurisdiction.
2 – Are Keno numbers random?
Assuming the game is fair, yes, Keno numbers are random. I can’t guarantee every game in the world is honest. I’ve read about villages in Asia and Africa where local games are operated by independent providers.
If you’re playing the game in a licensed casino, on a state-registered Keno machine, or through a verified Keno card game, the numbers are as random as humanly possible. If you play and feel like you were cheated, remember what I wrote above: gambling experts consider this one of the worst options among all games offered in casinos.
You have a 1 in 4 chance of matching any drawn number. To calculate the odds of all your numbers being drawn, multiply 0.25 by itself as many times as the number of picks you’ve made. In a 5-pick game, your chance of matching all 5 drawn numbers is:
0.25 × 0.25 × 0.25 × 0.25 × 0.25 = 0.0009765625
That’s roughly 1 in 1,024.
You actually have a better chance of winning a similar prize on a slot machine. So while the numbers are random, the more numbers you pick, the lower your chances of hitting the jackpot.
3 – Are Keno machines rigged?
Legally installed and operated video Keno machines are regulated. Like popular slot machines and video poker games, all video Keno games are supposed to use random number generators (RNGs). If you opened up a gaming console and looked inside, all you would see are some electronic components with chips.
You have no way of confirming that those chips are legal RNGs and processors. But casinos and other businesses with video Keno games are only interested in having happy customers. They have no need to cheat you — the games are already designed in favor of the house.
If you’re playing in an underground casino, there’s no way to ensure that the Keno machines haven’t been tampered with. There’s no guarantee they aren’t rigged. State-run games are handled with equipment provided by the same companies that manufacture and certify other lottery gaming machines. The same applies to Keno cards.
4 – Why is it hard to win at Keno?
I already explained the basic rules of the game above, and I also gave an example of how to calculate the odds of winning. But winning at Keno isn’t necessarily that hard. People who feel it’s hard to win might be playing too aggressively. If you’re betting on 10 numbers (or more in some variations), you’re really stacking the odds against yourself. You’re more likely to get partial matches than full matches — and these partial wins can still pay out some decent prizes.
However, you’re also playing a game with much longer odds than standard lottery games like EuroMillions, MegaMillions, or Powerball. A typical lottery requires you to choose 5 numbers from a smaller pool than Keno (plus an extra number from a second set). In American Powerball, players pick 5 numbers from a pool of 69, plus an extra number from a pool of 26.
Those are much smaller combinations compared to Keno’s 80-number pool. This means your chances of winning the Powerball 5 + 1 are actually better than winning the top prize in a 6-pick Keno game. And to make things worse, if you do win the top prize in this game, it’s usually much smaller than the grand prize in a state lottery like Powerball.
5 – Who Invented Keno?
Many people are curious about the history of Keno. The usual answer is that historians speculate the ancient Chinese invented it thousands of years ago to fund government projects, like wars or the construction of walls. Many articles about the history of this game claim it was brought to America in the 1840s by Chinese immigrants. However, this seems unlikely, as Keno tables are mentioned in various American court cases and laws in Alabama, Georgia, and New York dating back to at least the 1820s.
Chinese immigration was first recorded about 10–15 years after that, but there were no mentions of their gambling practices. The truth is, no one knows when the game was actually invented. Even if ancient Chinese people were playing lottery-style games 4,000–5,000 years ago, it’s doubtful they called any of them “Keno.”
Modern Keno was first documented in the 19th century in Asia. It’s possible that people simply assumed that since it came from Asia and ancient Chinese played lottery games, it must be very old. Lotteries have been documented throughout history and across many parts of the world. So, there’s no real way to confirm that it originated in ancient China.
Keno is a great game in its own unique way. It’s not for everyone, but it’s often called the “working man’s lottery.” Maybe that term is a bit outdated. The game has earned a fair reputation for being hard to win, but not hard to play—and some players swear by it.
If you enjoy Keno and want to learn more, be cautious of the many history articles you’ll find online. If anyone has done serious research into the history and variations of the game, their work is likely buried deep in some archive, yet to see the light of day.