Free Casino Games / Keno / How to play keno
How to play keno
To play keno, you pick 1 to 10 numbers from 1 to 80 and choose a bet. Then 20 numbers are drawn at random. The more of your numbers that are drawn, the more you win, and the pay table tells you exactly how much.
One game, step by step
- Pick your spots. Each number you choose is a spot. Pick between 1 and 10 on the ticket, or tap Quick Pick and the game picks for you.
- Choose your bet. In our game a bet is $10 to $500 a draw, in play money.
- The draw. 20 of the 80 numbers are drawn. Each one lights up on the board.
- Count your catches. A catch is one of your spots that was drawn.
- Get paid. The pay table for the number of spots you picked shows what your catches pay.
An example ticket
You pick six spots: 71933425871, and bet $10.
The draw comes: 27111824293336404551555862666971747780
Four of your numbers were drawn: 7335871. That is 4 catches on a 6-spot ticket. On our pay table, catching 4 of 6 pays 4 for 1, so your $10 comes back as $40.
What "for 1" means
Keno pays are written "for 1". It means how much comes back for each $1 you bet, and that amount includes your bet. "4 for 1" on a $10 bet returns $40: your $10 back plus $30 won. "1 for 1" gives your bet back and nothing more.
How many catches you need
You don't need to catch all your spots to win. Each spot count has its own row on the pay table:
| Spots picked | Fewest catches that pay | Top prize, catch all |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 3 for 1 |
| 2 | 2 | 12 for 1 |
| 3 | 2 | 43 for 1 |
| 4 | 2 | 130 for 1 |
| 5 | 3 | 800 for 1 |
| 6 | 3 | 1,500 for 1 |
| 7 | 4 | 8,000 for 1 |
| 8 | 5 | 25,000 for 1 |
| 9 | 5 | 50,000 for 1 |
| 10 | 5 | 100,000 for 1 |
Few spots or many?
Fewer spots win small amounts more often. More spots win rarely, but the top prizes are far bigger. A 4-spot ticket pays something about 1 time in 4. A 10-spot ticket pays something about 1 time in 15, and catching all 10 is 1 in 8,911,711. No choice changes the house edge much: on our table every spot count returns between 72% and 75% of what is bet over time. How many spots to pick.
Two ways to play on our page
- Live Keno. One shared draw for everyone on the site, every 2 minutes, day and night. The balls come out one a second. You can play a ticket for 1, 5, 10 or 20 draws in a row. How live keno works.
- Quick Keno. Instant draws on your own. High Score gives you 50 draws from a $10,000 bankroll, and the bankroll you finish with is your score on the Top 25. Practice never ends and keeps no score. Quick Keno and video keno.
Does it matter which numbers you pick?
No. Every number has the same chance in every draw: 20 in 80, or 1 in 4. A Quick Pick has the same odds as numbers you choose yourself, and last game's numbers have no effect on the next. Are there best keno numbers?
Keno in a casino
In a casino keno lounge you mark a paper ticket, hand it in with your bet, and watch the numbers on a board. Lottery keno in bars and restaurants works the same way with a lottery ticket. The game itself is the same: 80 numbers, 20 drawn, paid by a table. Pay tables differ from place to place. The full rules.
Try it
The quickest way to learn is to play a few tickets. Our game uses play money, so you can try every spot count and watch how often each one pays.
Play free kenoNo signup. No download.
Questions
How do you play keno for beginners?
Pick 1 to 10 numbers from 1 to 80 and choose a bet. 20 numbers are drawn. The pay table shows what you win for the number of your picks that were drawn.
How many numbers do you need to win at keno?
It depends on how many you pick. With 1 or 2 spots you need all of them, with 3 or 4 spots you need 2, with 5 or 6 you need 3, with 7 you need 4, and with 8 to 10 you need 5.
What does 4 for 1 mean in keno?
You get 4 back for every 1 you bet, including your bet. A $10 bet returns $40: your $10 plus $30 won.
How many numbers are drawn in keno?
20 numbers are drawn from 80 in every game.
Can I play keno for free online?
Yes. Our keno game is free, uses play money, and needs no signup or download.
More: What is keno? · Keno rules · Keno payouts · Keno odds · Keno strategy · How to win at keno · Are there best keno numbers? · Hot and cold keno numbers · Live keno · Video keno