7 Tips to Help You Win at Online Keno

Few casino games have as long a history as keno does. This game is basically a combination of lottery and bingo, and it originates from ancient China. Keno is a game of chance, so the player’s skills are not important. What attracts most punters to play keno is that large sums can be won with small wagers unlike in casino games such as blackjack or roulette. But wins are few and far between. So, is there anything you can do to win at keno? We are asking Canadian iGaming expert Kevin N. Cochran to share with us his online keno tips.

Online vs brick-and-mortar casinos

Casinos want to make a profit on all games they offer and therefore they incorporate a house edge in all their games. There are games that have a low house edge and games that come with a higher one. Unfortunately, all lottery types of games fall into the latter category. Yet, the house edge tends to be significantly higher in land-based casinos (even around 40%) whereas online casinos where Canadian players can play online keno real money are able to offer a significantly lower house edge – sometimes as low as 5-6%. Therefore, it is a no-brainer that you should play online to boost your chances of winning.

Look out for the best payouts

Even if you play the same type of keno game with the same amount of numbers, the payouts can differ from one casino to another. You should do your research and play at the one that offers the best payouts. You should be able to find the paytable easily in the game description. To give you a couple of examples, you should aim at these payouts or better:

• Selecting 5 numbers: two pay 1 to 1, three pay 3 to 1, four pay 15 to 1, five pay 50 to 1
• Selecting 10 numbers: three pay 1 to 1, four pay 2 to 1, five pay 3 to 1, six pay 5 to 1, seven pay 10 to 1, eight pay 30 to 1, nine pay 600 to 1, ten pay 1800 to 1

Don’t select too many numbers

Different online casinos may allow you to select up to 10, 15, or 20 numbers. It is tempting to select all 20 as the online keno win real money payout can be incredibly high but the probability of winning this is also incredibly low; in fact, it is 1 in 3,535,316,142,212,173,800 Think about it!

Statistically, your best chances of winning are selecting 5 or 6 numbers.

Play free games first

Keno is not a complicated game but at first, it may seem overwhelming. Don’t just jump in and make bets you don’t fully understand. Online casinos that accept Canadian players often let you try the game in demo mode or using play money so you can get your head around the game before you risk your own money.

Play progressive jackpot keno

Some keno games are part of a progressive jackpot network. Every time a player buys a keno card in a participating game, the jackpot grows. It is always worth joining these games as you may just hit the jackpot. Though keep in mind that often you’ll have to place maximum wagers to be eligible for the jackpot win.

Don’t rely on strategies too much

Keno numbers are generated by a random number generator and are, therefore – well random. Some people believe that if a number hasn’t been drawn for a long time, it definitely will be in the next game, but this is not true. Cold or hot numbers, consecutive numbers, etc. may work or may not. Don’t be superstitious like most bingo players as that will just make you lose your money fast.

Bet low amounts

You’ll rarely win significant amounts in keno so there is no point in making large wagers. If you are lucky and get many numbers right, even a $1 wager will pay out nicely so there is no point in blowing all your bankroll on a single game.

Conclusion

Keno is a game of chance and there is not much you can do to guarantee a win. However, picking the right casino, the right game, and selecting 5 or 6 numbers will give you the best odds.