Keno 101: Best Strategies & How to Win
Legend has it that over 2,000 years ago, a humble game played a monumental role in funding the Great Wall of China. Fast forward to the 19th century, when Chinese immigrants brought that same game to the U.S., and it evolved into the modern lottery-style sensation we know today. That game is – drum roll, please – keno.
Today, keno is a smash hit in land and online casinos worldwide. It has simple rules, and you can win huge payouts with small bets using basic keno strategy. It’s the classic, edge-of-your-seat experience of watching your numbers get drawn and knowing luck might be on your side.
Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned keno fan, we’ll break down how to play and share the best keno strategies to boost your odds for eye-popping wins.
Keno Strategy: What To Know
When it comes to playing online keno games, a good strategy isn’t about guaranteeing wins (if only!) but about making smart choices that could potentially see you win at keno. A solid keno strategy focuses on understanding the game’s mechanics and making the most out of your bets.
Knowing how to win keno comes down to finding the sweet spot with how many numbers you pick – the best keno number combinations. Then, bankroll management is essential to keep you in the game longer. Finally, paying attention to payout tables can make a big difference since most online keno games pay better depending on how many numbers you hit. But we’ll get into all of that in just a sec.
First, let’s make sure you know how to play keno. Then, we’ll cover your keno game strategy.
How To Play Keno
Here’s how keno works, in a nutshell. However, keep in mind there are multiple variations both online and in person, including a special version at Cafe Casino.
- You get a card with numbers ranging from 1 to 80.
- Pick anywhere from 1 to 20 numbers. They can be based on your lucky numbers, your birthday, or, in some online versions, an automatic selection.
- Once your numbers are in, it’s time to place your bet. You can bet as little or as much as you like, but remember, bigger bets could lead to bigger payouts.
- After your bet is placed, the game randomly draws a set of numbers, usually 20.
- The more of your numbers that match the numbered balls, the more you win. It’s like the lottery on caffeine.
Finding The Best Keno Strategy For You – Our Keno Tips
Keno may be simple, but there are a few simple strategies to help boost your odds and increase your payouts. The key is balance, like achieving the perfect ratio of cowbell to guitar… more cowbell, obviously.
Let’s take a look at some key keno strategies.
Choose Keno Games With Better Payouts
One key to building a solid keno strategy is to pay attention to the game’s payout structure. While the payout structures are similar overall, not all keno games are created equal – some offer much better payouts than others, depending on how many numbers you match. The trick here is to find the games that give you the best return for the numbers you’re playing.
For instance, certain keno games may reward you with higher payouts for matching fewer numbers, while others offer bigger jackpots for hitting more. If you’re looking for frequent smaller wins, go for games that reward matching fewer numbers. On the other hand, if you’re in it for the thrill of bigger jackpots, look for games with higher payouts for larger matches. The concept is similar to volatility in slots.
Ignore Hot & Cold Numbers
“Hot numbers” in keno are numbers that have been drawn most frequently over a set period and cold numbers are those which haven’t hit in a while. It’s easy to be sucked into a fallacy that cold numbers must hit soon if they haven’t in a while, but in truth, rounds are unpredictable due to RNG, with one round having no influence on the next.
When playing online keno, some versions display the top five hottest numbers as the rounds progress, while other games leave it to you to track the trends. Many players see these hot numbers as a good omen and use them in their next round of picks. If that helps you pick your numbers, then go for it!
However, it’s important to note that at a legit casino like Cafe Casino, each round is played independently from the last using number-jumbling software, used by practically every casino game. So, while those hot numbers might seem to have an edge, they’re just riding a streak of pure luck.
While the outcome of keno is strictly up to chance, Cafe Casino has a type of game that plays by a different set of rules. Hot Drop Jackpot slots come with jackpots that must drop by a given deadline, including one per hour and one per day. The trick to winning is simple: just be there when they drop!
7 Spot Keno Strategy
One of the most popular keno strategies is called the 7-spot keno strategy. This method aims to maximize exposure on your cards by focusing on specific sections. That’s opposed to spreading your numbers randomly across the entire board.
To use this strategy, you have to play a version of keno with four cards.
● You begin by dividing the keno board in half, with numbers 1 through 40 on the top and 41 through 80 on the bottom.
● Then, you split the board further into four quadrants. Without getting too math-y on you, we’ll just say that statistically, around 5 of the 20 numbers drawn in each game should fall within any given quadrant over time.
● The next step is to choose 7 numbers within one quadrant on your first card. This is called your “7-spot”.
● Then, pick different 7-spots within the same quadrant on each of your remaining cards. But here’s the key: the sets should share 3 or 4 overlapping numbers between them. This way, if certain numbers in your cluster hit, you have a better shot of landing wins on multiple cards. The point is to maximize exposure with fewer numbers.
Here’s another pro tip: if you play Cafe Casino with a friend, we’ll boost your odds by giving you a cash referral bonus for each friend who signs up. Add that to your bankroll and Keep On Keno-ing Like a King. Maybe we’ll make a t-shirt.
Should you use the Martingale System?
The Martingale System is when you double your bet after each loss in hopes of recovering your previous losses with one big win. It can be a great strategy for some games but not necessarily for keno. You wouldn’t want to use it unless you have the bankroll to support it, AKA a huge one.
While you can certainly win a pretty penny in keno, it has a lesser chance of scoring consistent wins. The Martingale system relies on regular, small wins to stay afloat, meaning you could drain your bankroll fast.
The best place to use the Martingale System in a game with more consistent, even-money bets like roulette. And we just so happen to have a guide on how to do so. ‘Magine that.
Play Keno For Free To Practice
If you’re keno curious, as they say in some circles, you don’t have to commit to a real-money game right out of the gate. You can test the waters a bit by playing keno for free – most online casinos will let you practice before you use real money.
At Cafe Casino, we have a unique version called Keno Draw. It’s a little different than your standard. There’s just one card, and you can pick 15 numbers instead of 20. Otherwise, the rules are the same, and with a maximudm payout of $250K, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Speaking of freebies. You can also play fun skill-based games like Cliff Hangers and Build a Burger online for free at Cafe Casino – just sayin’!
Keno House Edge
Like every game at a casino, keno has a built-in house edge or house advantage. The house advantage in keno comes from the large gap between the odds of matching numbers and the payout.
For example, hitting 6 out of 9 numbers has odds of 1 in 175, but you’re only paid $25 per dollar bet. Land casino keno typically has a low RTP of 60-70%, while online keno offers an astronomically better RTP of 85-95%.
Keno Payouts Charts & Keno Odds
Every keno game has a sliding scale for payouts based on how many of your chosen numbers match. Some games reward you more for hitting fewer numbers, while others pay out bigger prizes for matching more. When you play online, this payout scale is shown in an easy-to-read chart.
These charts typically display fixed dollar amounts for each match. For instance, if you pick 7 numbers and match 5, you might win $8. If you hit all 7, the payout jumps to $2,000 (as is the case in Cafe Casino’s version of keno).
| Numbers Picked | Numbers Matched | Prize Amount ($1 bet) | Odds |
| 1 | 1 | $2 | 1 in 4 |
| 2 | 2 | $10 | 1 in 17 |
| 3 | 3 | $25 | 1in 73 |
| 2 | $2 | 1 in 8 | |
| 4 | 4 | $50 | 1 in 327 |
| 3 | $5 | 1 in 24 | |
| 2 | $1 | 1 in 5 | |
| 5 | 5 | $500 | 1 in 1,551 |
| 4 | $15 | 1 in 63 | |
| 3 | $2 | 1 in 12 | |
| 6 | 6 | $1,500 | 1 in 7,753 |
| 5 | $50 | 1 in 324 | |
| 4 | $5 | 1 in 36 | |
| 3 | $1 | 1 in 8 | |
| 7 | 7 | $5,000 | 1 in 40,980 |
| 6 | $150 | 1 in 1,366 | |
| 5 | $15 | 1 in 116 | |
| 4 | $2 | 1 in 20 | |
| 3 | $1 | 1 in 6 |
Keno FAQs
Keno is super easy to play, but you might still have some questions about winning keno or how it works. We’ll touch on the most popular questions – grab your pens and Ke-note these down (ba-dum-tsss).
How many spots should I play in keno?
Here’s the thing about keno. You’re given the opportunity to select up to 20 numbers in most games. But does that mean you should always do so? Not necessarily.
If you choose too few numbers, like two or three, you limit your chances of hitting multiple matches. On the other hand, if you choose too many numbers, like 10, 15, or 20, you spread your odds too thin. That’s why many players believe the sweet spot is 7.
Plus, here’s some food for thought. The odds of hitting all 15 numbers are 1 in 428 billion, and the chances of landing all 20 are a staggering 1 in 3.5 quintillion. So… yeah. Save your money and stick to seven.
Is there a pattern to keno?
Like all games at a reputable casino, keno is a game of pure chance. There isn’t a predictable pattern to the numbers drawn, even though, at times, it sure as heck feels like it. It’s important to remember that each round is completely independent from the last, and the outcome is determined by a random number generator (RNG) in online games or by random draws in traditional keno IRL.
Is keno the same as bingo?
The short answer is “no”. The slightly longer answer is no way, José. And the reason is that in keno, you get to pick your own numbers. You win from those numbers regardless of where they match on the card.
Whereas with bingo, you get a card with numbers already on it, and your matches only award cash if they match a certain pattern. If you’ve never played bingo online, it’s one of our most popular specialty games, and you’d be pleasantly surprised at how unique and rewarding it is.
Is it better to play keno online?
Let’s put it this way. If one game said you could win 60% over time and another said you could win up to 95% over time, which one would you choose? Probably the latter. Well, those are the differences between land casino keno and online casino. The RTP of online casinos is way, wa-haayy better. Plus, you get more bonuses for playing online.
For instance, at Cafe Casino, you can collect bigger and better bonuses for playing with crypto. Using crypto means you get the chance to land daily spins on our Prize Wheel, where you can win up to 500,000 Perk Points every day. Try getting that at a land casino. SPOILER: it ain’t happenin’.
In summary, keno is an easy thrill, much like the Chipotle server forgetting to charge for guac – score! If you follow some key keno strategies, it’s an excellent way to get paid, too. Remember that while it’s always up to chance, you can utilize some smart betting systems to make the most of the game. Play for free at Cafe Casino, then fire up the game for realsies and take home the bacon as you win.
*We love winning – everyone does. That’s why it’s so important to remember that while winning is the goal, it’s never the guarantee. Never play keno unless you have a big enough bankroll to play, and never get caught up in cycles of “hot” and “cold” numbers. Remember that keno is strictly a game of chance, and it’s here for fun only, not necessarily for profit. The strategies outlined in this article are the opinions of the author and there is no guarantee in winning if followed. Play smart and have fun!
