Why is Keno so Hard to Win?

Why is keno so hard to win? Keno is a game of chance, similar to the lottery β€” while there's no guarantee you'll win, some people win big.

Casinos

Keno is a lottery type game which requires players to select up to 20 winning numbers out of 80. Most keno games have players choose up to 10 winning numbers, but some online casinos allow players to select 15 or 20 numbers. So, why is keno so hard to win? What makes it more difficult to win than the lottery? In this article we will be exploring this in more detail and let you in on the best keno strategies.

ELI5: Why is Keno so hard to win?

Keno, unlike blackjack or poker, is a game of pure probability. This is key to understanding what makes keno so difficult to win. Also, while the lottery and keno share similarities, there are some key differences that make the lottery and keno distinct from one another. The main differences are the number pool, numbers selected, payout, and speed of play. We go into depth on these points in our keno versus lottery article if you are interested in reading more.

Keno requires players to match up to 20 numbers out of a possible 80. The odds of you guessing all 20 numbers correctly is pretty much impossible. If you do the math, you would see that there is a 1 in 3.5 quintillion chance of guessing all 20 numbers correctly. This number is so large that it’s hard to wrap your head around it.

The difficulty in guessing keno numbers lies in the fact that each round gives a completely new set of random numbers. This makes it impossible to predict which numbers will come next. The game also has one of the highest house edges of all online casino games for real money. The house edge easily runs up to 25%, and in some cases over 35%. Keno is by far the casino game with the highest house advantage. In comparison, most real money online casino slots will have a house edge of around 3-4%.

Try Keno

  • Top Rated Casino
    #1
    5/5

    BONUS $400
    Min Deposit $20 650+ Slots
    Deposit Methods
    E-Wallet
    E-Wallet
    ecoPayz
    ecoPayz
    InstaDebit
    InstaDebit
    +6
    Interac E-transfer
    Interac E-transfer
    Mastercard
    Mastercard
    Neteller
    Neteller
    Skrill
    Skrill
    Trustly
    Trustly
    Visa
    Visa
    Payout Speed

    1 day (Process) up to 10 days (payment)

    #2
    4.9/5

    BONUS $1000
    Min Deposit $20 300+ Slots
    Deposit Methods
    eCheck
    eCheck
    ecoPayz
    ecoPayz
    Flexepin
    Flexepin
    +6
    InstaDebit
    InstaDebit
    Interac E-transfer
    Interac E-transfer
    Maestro
    Maestro
    Mastercard
    Mastercard
    Neosurf
    Neosurf
    Visa
    Visa
    Payout Speed

    24-48 hrs

    #3
    4.8/5

    BONUS $1500
    Min Deposit $20 400+ Slots
    Deposit Methods
    Bank Transfer
    Bank Transfer
    ecoPayz
    ecoPayz
    InstaDebit
    InstaDebit
    +7
    Interac E-transfer
    Interac E-transfer
    Mastercard
    Mastercard
    Neosurf
    Neosurf
    Paysafe Card
    Paysafe Card
    Skrill
    Skrill
    Visa
    Visa
    Voucher
    Voucher
    Payout Speed

    1-5 days

    #4
    4.75/5

    BONUS $3000
    Min Deposit $25 12+ Slots
    Deposit Methods
    American Express
    American Express
    Bank Transfer
    Bank Transfer
    Bitcoin
    Bitcoin
    +8
    Bitcoin Cash
    Bitcoin Cash
    Discover
    Discover
    Ethereum
    Ethereum
    Litecoin
    Litecoin
    Mastercard
    Mastercard
    Person to Person Methods
    Person to Person Methods
    Ripple
    Ripple
    Visa
    Visa
    Payout Speed

    Instant (Bitcoin) 10 days (check)

    #5
    4.72/5

    BONUS $3000
    Min Deposit $20 150+ Casino Games
    Deposit Methods
    American Express
    American Express
    Bank Transfer
    Bank Transfer
    Bitcoin
    Bitcoin
    +8
    Discover
    Discover
    ecoPayz
    ecoPayz
    Ethereum
    Ethereum
    Litecoin
    Litecoin
    Mastercard
    Mastercard
    Ripple
    Ripple
    Skrill
    Skrill
    Visa
    Visa
    Payout Speed

    1 to 15 Business Days

Tips to Win Keno

Now that we have established just how difficult it is to win keno, we will point out some keno tips which will assist you in your online keno experience. Given that keno is a game of pure luck, there are still some strategies that we can recommend that will significantly improve your chances of winning.

Read Each Game’s Rules

Keno has been played for thousands of years, with online keno for real money being the most recent development. The rules of keno are super simple, even the most novice of gamblers will be able to play the game with ease. However, depending on which version of keno you are playing, the rules might be slightly different than a standard keno game. Caveman Keno, Cleopatra Keno, Klub Keno, and Superball Keno are all different versions of the game so it is important to familiarize yourself with these rules before playing.

Read Casino Reviews

stars on blue and pink background to represent reviews

Read reviews before playing online games.

Looking to play keno online? The first step is to read trusted online casino reviews to determine which casino is offering keno and other online casino gamesΒ that you would like to play. Reading reviews is a great way to find out about casino bonus offers that are available, such as no deposit bonus deals and more.

Reading online casino reviews will help you find the best casino for you as you want more than just an offering for online keno. Does the casino also have safe and secure withdrawal methods and 24/7 customer support? The only way to know this is from reviews that have real-world experience of the casino brands.

One thing to look for when reading through our online casino reviews are VIP loyalty programs. These programs reward players with special bonuses that improve your casino experience tremendously.

Understand Probability

To understand keno, as well as your chances of success, you will need to get a good understanding of keno odds. In a standard game of keno where you are required to select 20 numbers, you have about a 20% probability of guessing 4, 5, or 6 numbers correctly.

These are the highest probabilities in a keno game of this type. A good strategy would be to review which casino will pay out the most for guessing 4, 5, or 6 correct numbers as this will come up more often. Every casino sets its own keno paytable; find out which ones have the best odds on these numbers (or the type you like most) and bet on them. For example, you can place a bet on drawing 0 winning numbers and one casino will pay $500 for this winning bet and another one will pay $1,000. This is how you will get the most out of keno in the long run.

Be careful of some of the keno tips and strategy guides out there that promise bulletproof strategies to win at keno as this will more than likely lead to disappointment. There is no sure way to win at keno, and like all casino games, the house will always come out on top. We wish you the best of luck on your next keno adventure, and whatever the outcome, we hope our tips ensure you have an enjoyable time on this wonderful game.

Dave Consolazio

Dave Consolazio has been passionate about writing and sports journalism since his high school years. He has a degree in Broadcast Journalism from USC where he worked with the school's radio and television stations. His work has been featured in SportsbookReview, Sports Illustrated and SB Nation. Dave's experience ranges across multiple fields in the gambling industry. You can find his sports, casino, and poker articles in GambleOnline.co.

Back To Top
Back To Top