Beginner
Keno Rules & How the Odds Work
Keno is a lottery-style casino game: pick your numbers, watch the draw, and get paid based on how many matches you hit.
House Edge
20-35%
Best For
Lottery-style fun
Read Time
4 min
How to play
Choose a set of numbers (typically up to 10-15) from a larger pool, usually 1 to 80. The game draws 20 numbers at random. Your payout depends on how many of your chosen numbers match the drawn numbers.
- Select your numbers ('spots') from the available range, commonly 1 to 80.
- Choose your bet amount per game.
- The system randomly draws 20 numbers.
- Payouts scale with how many of your numbers were matched, based on a fixed paytable.
💡 Pro tip
Keno has one of the highest house edges in the casino, so treat it purely as low-stakes entertainment rather than a serious way to win money.
Odds & house edge
Keno's house edge typically ranges from 20% to 35%, far higher than table games like blackjack or baccarat. This makes it one of the worst-value bets in the casino purely on the maths.
Strategy tips
- Play for entertainment value only, with small stakes you're comfortable losing.
- Compare paytables between casinos payouts for the same number of matches can vary significantly.
- Avoid progressive keno jackpots unless you understand they add even more variance on top of an already high house edge.
Common mistakes
Treating keno as a serious strategy game is the main pitfall it's closer to a lottery than a skill-based casino game, and no number selection method changes the odds.