Keno is often played in bingo halls. Players buy their tickets at the booth and mark them. At regular intervals twenty numbers are randomly drawn and called out. The players match them with their tickets and collect their winnings from the cash counter. The sale of tickets for the next round begins. Keno is also played in casinos, where electronic technology is used to make the game go faster. Tickets are sold by “keno runners”, who also record the numbers marked by the players. A computer periodically generates 20 numbers and flashes them on monitors throughout the casino. The keno runners collect the winning tickets from the players and cash them. This enables players to play keno while playing other casino games as well.
However it is online keno that is most popular. Players log onto the keno site and generate the ticket. The betting options available are indicated on the ticket. The players select the stake they want to play with. The ticket is also marked on line by clicking the selected numbers. Most keno sites offer a “Quick Pick 10” option in which 10 random numbers are automatically marked on the ticket. The players can then generate the 20 numbers online by clicking the “Play” button. The computer matches the numbers and calculates the payout and credits the players’ accounts. The results, which include the numbers chosen, the numbers correctly predicted, the wager amount and the payout, are shown on the screen. If the players want to continue playing they can avail of one of the following options. By clicking the Play button the game is repeated for the same wager and same selected numbers but a new set of 20 random numbers. By clicking the Clear button a blank keno ticket is generated. Or the player can make selective changes to the existing ticket. In this manner the players can play keno continuously without a break.
Keno odds are determined mathematically and do not differ from casino to casino. The formula for calculating the odds depends on the total numbers on the ticket, i.e. 80; the number of numbers drawn, which varies between 10 and 20; the number of numbers marked on the ticket and the number of winning numbers. The more the numbers marked the greater are the chances of winning. However the payout varies from casino to casino because different casinos employ different house edges. Hence it is important to consult the payout table before playing.