Keno Rules, Paytables and Odds Explained

How it works

The player picks a number of spots, usually between 1 and 10 (some games allow up to 15 or 20), and chooses a stake.
Twenty numbers are drawn, by a ball machine in land-based games or by a random number generator online.
The ticket is paid according to how many spots were "caught" (matched), using the paytable for that number of spots.

Each spot count has its own paytable. A 1-spot ticket pays a small amount for its one number; a 10-spot ticket pays nothing for a few matches and a very large multiple for all ten.

Odds and returns

The chance of catching every spot falls steeply as spots are added: about 1 in 4 for a 1-spot ticket, but roughly 1 in 8.9 million for all ten of ten. Because the draw is always 20 from 80, the paytable alone sets the game's return. Traditional land-based keno is known for low returns, with house edges commonly quoted at 20–30% or more. Online RNG keno is usually more generous and publishes its return to player in the game rules, but returns vary widely between games and even between spot counts in the same game.

Why it matters for operators and suppliers

Keno sits with instant-win, lottery-style and number games rather than with the main casino table games. Online, it is produced by RNG developers, often as part of a portfolio of quick-draw games, and some lottery operators run it as a draw game every few minutes. For operators, it is a low-maintenance product that appeals to lottery players; the paytable is the lever that sets the margin.

Example

A player picks 5 spots and stakes 1. If three are drawn, a typical paytable might return a small multiple of the stake; if all five are drawn, a much larger one. The chance of catching all five is about 1 in 1,551, which is why the top prize can be large while the game's overall return stays below 100%.

Bingo — a drawn-number game played for a shared prize pool.
RTP (return to player) — how keno paytables are compared.
RNG (random number generator) — how online draws are made.
Hit frequency — how often a ticket returns anything.

Find keno and number-game developers among game developers.

Frequently asked questions

There is no number that improves the odds. What differs is the paytable: compare the return for each spot count, which is shown in the game rules online.

The drawing works the same way, but keno pays from a fixed paytable and draws every few minutes, while a lottery shares a prize pool between winners.

Land-based keno has traditionally used paytables that return well under 90%. Online RNG keno is usually closer to other casino games, but returns still vary, so it is worth checking the game's published RTP.