Online Keno Guide: How Casino Keno Works, Odds and Payouts

How does online keno work?

This online keno guide follows the game from the first pick to the payout. Keno is a lottery-style casino game. The board holds the numbers 1 to 80. You choose how many numbers to play, called spots, and which ones. The game then draws 20 numbers at random. You're paid according to how many of your picked numbers are among the 20, using the pay table for the number of spots you played.

Online keno uses a random number generator instead of a ball machine. At a casino licensed by the UK Gambling Commission that generator must be independently tested, so every draw is random and unrelated to the last one.

How do keno spots and pay tables work?

Most online keno games let you pick between 1 and 10 spots; some go higher. Every spot count has its own pay table. A one-spot game pays a small multiple when your single number is drawn. A ten-spot game pays nothing for most small results and a very large multiple when all ten land.

Before you play, open the pay table and check:

• what each number of matches pays for the spots you chose,
• whether matching zero numbers pays anything (some ten-spot tables do),
• the maximum win per draw,
• the game's return to player, usually in the help or information screen.

What are the real odds in keno?

The odds come from simple counting: 20 numbers are drawn from 80. Your chance of matching one number with one spot is 20 in 80, or 25%. The chances fall fast as you add spots and ask for more matches:

That's why a ten-spot jackpot is huge: it's paid very rarely. Most of the money in a keno pay table goes to the long-shot results, so the game's typical session is a slow series of small losses with the occasional small win.

Is keno a good game for the money?

Keno usually returns less than blackjack, video poker or most slots. Land-based keno has long been one of the costliest casino games, and online versions vary from game to game. Don't assume; open the information screen and compare the return to player before you choose. A game that hides its return is a game to skip.

Our guide to RTP and volatility explains how to read those numbers.

Do hot and cold numbers work?

No. Every draw is independent. A number that hasn't appeared for fifty draws has no better chance of landing on the next one, and a number that came up three times in a row has no worse chance. Picking the same numbers every time, quick-picking at random or following a "hot" list all have exactly the same odds. Any system that promises otherwise is selling something.

How can I make keno last longer?

• Play fewer spots. Lower spot counts pay smaller amounts more often, which keeps a session steadier.
• Lower your stake per draw, and watch the auto-play speed; fast draws spend money quickly.
• Set a loss limit and a time limit before you start, and stop when you reach either one.
• Don't chase a jackpot by raising your stake after a loss.

What are multi-draw and auto-play in keno?

Many online keno games let you play the same numbers for several draws in a row, called multi-draw or auto-play. You set the number of draws and the stake, and the game repeats without asking again. It's convenient, but it multiplies your total stake: ten draws at £1 each is a £10 bet, settled in a couple of minutes. If you use it, set a stop-loss and a stop-win so the run ends early when either is reached, and never leave it running while you do something else.

Is keno the same as the lottery?

They feel similar but differ in two ways. Keno draws run every few seconds or minutes, so you can lose far more in an hour than on a weekly lottery ticket. And a casino keno game is paid by the operator from a fixed pay table, not from a shared prize pool. That speed is the main risk to manage.

Where can I play keno online in the UK?

Keno sits in the specialty or instant-win section of many casino lobbies, but not all of them, so check before you deposit. Play only at casinos licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. Our list of UK casino sites shows licensed brands rated on our Trust Index, and every licensed site must offer the responsible gambling tools we explain in our guide.

Online keno guide: our verdict

Keno is simple to play and expensive to play fast. We'd pick fewer spots, a small stake per draw and a game that publishes its return to player, then set a stop-loss before using multi-draw. Treat the ten-spot jackpot as a long shot that most players never see: the odds of matching all ten are about 1 in 8.9 million. If you want a cheaper casino game, blackjack and video poker usually return more.

Keno's speed is the part to plan for. With a draw every few seconds, a £1 stake can add up to much more than £1 an hour, so decide the session budget before the first draw.

18+. Gamble responsibly. Free, confidential support is available from GamCare and the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.