Keno is one of the oldest games played at casinos. Keno is a lottery type game, in which the player chooses numbers out of a certain range they think will come out during the draw. The more numbers the player matches, the higher the payout. Keno has more numbers (1-80) then any traditional lottery ticket game that I know, but also allows the player to choose how many numbers they would like to play.

Keno Basics

- Keno bets are made on a Keno card. A Keno card has 80 different numbers to choose from.

- You can pick anywhere from 1 to 10 different numbers out of the 80 on the Keno card.

- In every game of Keno, 20 numbers are drawn.

Rules to Playing Keno

The rules are often printed on the keno cards and can vary from casino to casino. Usually the rules consist of the following:

1. Mark your numbers with a big X.
2. Mark at least 1 number and no more then 10 numbers (some rooms may allow more).
3. Write down how many numbers you have chosen on the ticket.
4. Write down how much you are wagering on the ticket.
5. Write down how many games or "races" you are playing this ticket for. You can play the same numbers and same ticket over and over.

Keno Terms

Spot - any number that you select for a Keno game. Spots is also used to distinguish how many numbers you are playing for the game.

Catch - when one of your "spots" has been drawn, it is considered a catch.

Video Keno

Video Keno is offered at many casinos as an alternative to playing the live keno version. A video keno machine is similar to a video poker or video slot machine, where you can insert money directly into the machine, make your selections and play them game. When you play video keno, there are a few subtle differences from the live version.

You can play at your own pace - Live keno usually involves filling out a card, handing it to a keno runner, getting a ticket back, watching the numbers come out on a screen, seeing if you won, waiting for the next game to start, and then repeating the process. Video Keno takes out needing someone else to place your bets and the waiting.

Fixed odds - Live Keno odds can be changed by the host casino at will, where as video Keno has fixed odds for payouts. Many times the payouts our more favorable on the video keno machine. Since the casino can change the live keno odds, it is a good idea to find out the different payout tables between the two.