Best Way to Play Keno: Tips on How to Win at Keno More Often
- This is the most complete collection of Keno tips on the web
- It's a perfect article to know how to get the best odds to win at Keno machines
- It covers also topics like 'the best Keno numbers' and the 'top bonuses you can use to play Keno online'
Keno is probably the most underrated casino game out there because it is too controlled by luck.
While this is somehow true (it's a gambling game), there are some tips that can help you figure out how to play Keno optimally. Especially if you know the best way to play the game correctly and apply some smarts to managing your money. You should also consider checking which online casinos have bonuses or promotions relating to table games.
Use these Keno strategy tips to play the top Keno games online. Sign up for free to access all games.
Play NowThis isn't an article that promises you'll win at Keno every time you play.
Whether you win at Keno or not is a matter of luck, as happens with all gambling games. If you are looking for misleading content on ways to win at Keno, I am sure you can find plenty of Keno strategies that are created to make you lose every time. You can't really beat the house edge at any casino game, and playing, not realizing this is a big mistake.
Nevertheless, I prepared a few tips for you that actually work to increase your chances of winning at Keno. It's not a betting system with a funny name. Neither is it a strategy cheat sheet to win every single bet. Also, these are not the kind of tips that would get you kicked out of a casino in Las Vegas.
These are the Keno strategy tips that were proven to work by many players worldwide. And there's no harm in trying them yourself, especially since you start by playing Keno for free online here.
Looking for the top Online casinos to play keno?
Best Way to Play Keno - 5 Strategy Tips to Win more often
1. Choose Casinos (and Games) With Better Payouts
This may seem obvious to you, but you'd be surprised at how many players don't follow this simple rule.
Even when you have your favorite online casino to play slot machines or other casino games, it may not be the perfect fit to play Keno there.
You need to check how many variants of Keno they have and what are the payouts for guessing the right numbers.
In most online casinos you can either choose up to 10, 15, or 20 numbers to bet on and 20 numbers out of 80 are drawn.
The best payouts online usually look like this.
Keno Odds Payouts
| How many numbers chosen | How many of them get drawn & Payout |
|---|---|
| One | One 1 to 1 |
| Two | One 1 to 1, two 9 to 1 |
| Three | One 1 to 1, two 2 to 1, three 16 to 1 |
| Four | One 0.5 to 1, two 2 to 1, three 6 to 1, four 12 to 1 |
| Five | One 0.5 to 1, two 1 to 1, three 3 to 1, four 15 to 1, five 50 to 1 |
| Six | One 0.5 to 1, two 1 to 1, three 2 to 1, four 3 to 1, five 30 to 1, six 75 to 1 |
| Seven | One 0.5 to 1, two 0.5 to 1, three 1 to 1, four 6 to 1, five 12 to 1, six 36 to 1, seven 100 to 1 |
| Eight | One 0.5 to 1, two 0.5 to 1, three 1 to 1, four 3 to 1, five 6 to 1, six 19 to 1, seven 90 to 1, eight 720 to 1 |
| Nine | One 0.5 to 1, two 0.5 to 1, three 1 to 1, four 2 to 1, five 4 to 1, six 8 to 1, seven 20 to 1, eight 80 to 1, nine 1200 to 1 |
| Ten | One 0, two 0.5 to 1, three 1 to 1, four 2 to 1, five 3 to 1, six 5 to 1, seven 10 to 1, eight 30 to 1, nine 600 to 1, ten 1800 to 1 |
This progression can follow further if you can choose more than ten numbers. For example, if you can choose 15, for guessing all of the right you'd be paid out 10000 to 1.
Not bad, right?
These are the optimal payouts when playing Keno online. Don't go for anything offering less.
As a rule, online casinos have better payouts than brick-and-mortar ones. Thus, it's always better to play online.
The best payouts I've seen are available at Quickfire (Microgaming) Keno platforms. One I really like is a simple classic platform to play called Monkey Keno.
If you play Monkey Keno, the numbers are not drawn but thrown to the board by a monkey. And they come in the form of coconuts.
The return to player ratio of Monkey Keno is 94.9 percent, and the game features the following special features:
- you can choose games randomly instead of selecting individual numbers
- you can choose to autoplay the game
- it shows hot and cold maps (the numbers which were drawn most and least in the game)
2. Play For Free to Learn How To Play Keno
Keno is not a complicated game. Thus, many Keno players dive right into real money play. And they lose, a lot.
No matter what casino game it is, always play it for free first to get used to the game. Take a look at our top Free Online Games to get started.
There may be some major differences in payouts or minor differences in the game platforms. Casinos may be lagging a lot and thus restarting the game before it's finished.
While it makes little difference when playing for free, it may cost you lots of bets when playing for real money.
And even if you learn the best tips on how to improve your chances to win at Keno and you're 100 percent sure of your skills, still practise for free first. You never know what can happen.
But it's always better if something wrong happens and you don't lose your cash in the process.
Open a FREE casino account and receive your bonus!
(T&Cs Apply, 18+, BeGambleAware)
3. Select Between Four and Eight Numbers
When you have an option to choose up to 15 or 20 numbers with the same wager, the logical question is how many numbers is the right number?
Many Keno beginners believe the more, the better. It makes sense, considering the more you choose, the better chances of getting more of them correct you have.
But keep in mind that the payouts change depending on how many numbers you choose in total.
If you guess five out of five chosen, your payout may be of 50 to 1. That's really sweet. But if you guess five out of 10 chosen, that reduces to 3 to 1.
So, what's the optimal number?
Choose between four to eight numbers.
Think about it. When you choose less than four, any chance of winning is extremely low. There are 80 numbers in the Keno machine (or RNG), after all.
Then again, if you choose more than eight, you will always need to hit at least four or more numbers to get any extra money above what you've already spent for the wager.
And that's not that easy either.
Though, if there is a progressive jackpot attached to the game, it may be worth to choose more numbers. If you can afford that, of course.
4. Choose Consecutive Numbers or The Cold Ones
The next tip related to numbers is which numbers to choose when betting. A common advice is to choose the consecutive numbers.
When it comes to playing video Keno, the numbers are drawn by a random number generator, thus the outcomes are random. But many Keno players researched the outcomes and believe playing consecutive numbers can help you.
Same goes for the cold numbers - the numbers that haven't been drawn the longest period of time.
Does it work betting like that? No.
Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't. It's 100% down to chance. If you don't have a different betting strategy, you may as well try it.
If you play for free, you have nothing to lose. And maybe you'll discover what Keno numbers are most worth betting on.
Regarding betting on cold numbers, or the opposite, choose a platform that shows the most and least drawn numbers in the game.
One of such platforms is Monkey Keno.
5. Play Keno at a Reliable Casino
If you want to know how to have the best chance to win at Keno game, many of your choices need to be related to a specific game platform and casino. Since we already talked about the payouts and platforms, it's time to cover the casinos.
The casino needs to be trustworthy. Even if you discovered a brilliant Keno strategy, it's pointless if all your money goes to the illegal casino, and you'll never see your winnings.
My advice?
Play Keno on this gaming site.
Not only it has both of the Keno platforms mentioned (the classic game of Keno and Monkey Keno, of course), but there are also great Keno variants you can try for free and for real money.
More Casino Game Strategy
If you're a table game player at heart, swing by our best Casino Strategy guide pages to pick up the best casino tips:
Best Sites to Play Keno Online
For players based in the US, online Keno for real money is available to play only in regulated States such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Jersey.
If you're looking to get started playing Keno right now, then we recommend FanDuel Casino or PokerStars Casino.
For players based outside of the US, there are many options for playing Keno, including these three: 888casino, bet365 Casino and PokerStars Casino.
How to Win at Keno FAQs
Can you win at Keno?
Yes, you can win at Keno if the numbers you select match those drawn randomly.
What is the house edge in Keno?
The house edge for Keno can vary, depending on the casino. The edge can range from 5% to 40%, with online casino games usually having a bigger house edge.
How much can you win at Keno?
This depends on many factors, including the house edge of the casino, the amount you wager, and how many numbers you match.
Is Keno skill or luck?
Keno is largely a game of luck, with the probability of certain numbers being picked a significant factor in winning. The more numbers a player selects, the bigger chance of matching a number.
