There are 2 parts to a keno game. Your ticket and the 20 random numbers called by the house.
Your ticket consists of a bet and your pick of 1 to 15 numbers (a way).
The idea of the game is to match your numbers to the ones called by the house. The more numbers you
you match the more money you win.
Keno ticket variations exist to create more excitement and offer a little diversity.
Straight Tickets
One of the easiest ways to play keno is by simply playing a straight ticket.
It is straightforward and eliminates any kind of confusion.
To play a straight ticket, you need to mark off the numbers you hope to come up
in the draw.
The maximum number of spots you can mark off depends on the casino,
but the limit will never exceed 20, as that is the number of balls drawn
there are exceptions to the 20 rule. See below.
Way Tickets
Playing a way ticket means that you are using one ticket to mark two or more sets Straight Tickets.
In fact, playing one 3-way ticket is the same as playing three Straight tickets and marking the numbers
on those individually. Both offer the same chances of winning, the same odds and, of course, the same payouts.
The advantage is also that you can bet lower amounts of money.
You will mark each way on you ticket, then place a single bet. This bet would then be
divided by the number of ways you picked.
Combination Tickets
Combination tickets are multi-way tickets that will also play the different combinations as addityional ways.
This ticket requires an example: You select 3 ways on your ticket
Way #1 : 3-14-36
Way #2 : 17-18-44-55
Way #3 : 43-54-66-77
The combination ticket will now play the following combinations:
Way #1 : 3-14-36
Way #2 : 17-18-44-55
Way #3 : 43-54-66-77
Way #1,#2 : 3-14-17-18-36-44-55
Way #2,#3 : 17-18-43-44-54-55-66-77
Way #1,#3 : 3-14-36-43-54-66-77
King Tickets
King tickets are exactly like combination tickets. but 1 of the ways is a single number. The combinations are
played with the single number.
Top or Bottom
When playing a top or bottom ticket, you simply mark off which of the two areas of the keno card
you wish to bet on, the top or the bottom.
If 13 of the 20 numbers drawn fall on your half, you win
Left or Right
The same concept applies to this ticket as to the "top or bottom". In this case, you are selecting either the left or the right half of the ticket. Again, 13 numbers must fall on the side you have chosen for you to win
Edges
When you choose to play the edges, all the edges of the keno card are marked.
This will result in 32 numbers being picked.
Well, there really isn't much to be said about strategy when it comes to the game of keno.
Being a game of pure luck, the numbers you pick don't play a role in whether you win or lose,
but as in any casino game, there are of course things you can do to make for a better game.
Wagering more than you can afford is a risky business but one that's quite popular among
gamblers at the casinos. Before I start explaining what the strategy actually entails, you
need to know that there isn't a keno strategy in existence that can increase your chances of
winning. Having said that, you could wear your lucky shoes or bring your lucky pendant, because
luck is the only thing that can make a difference.
Let's take a closer look at the game, shall we? Starting off, you have the ticket in front
of you and you're probably wondering to yourself how to play it so that this time you hit
the jackpot. Well, if there were a way to do that, everyone would be raking in the state
lottery more than once in his or her lifetime. Unfortunately, randomness plays a very
important role in keno and there's no way to beat it. Lady Luck is your best friend in this
game of chance.
So, how do you play the game to give yourself the best chances? Money mangement and favourable odds.
Money Management
Money management is a very big issue when it comes to gambling,
and keno is no exception. How you manage your money is a critical factor in a
good keno strategy, because that's what allows you to play. Such is the world -
not much comes free. The risks of falling into debt aren't normally that high because
usually, you're wagering only small amounts each time; however, the game does
have the potential to cross the safe line when people are betting more than
they should. With the various ways to play the game, it's easy for all the bets
to add up to a high amount. Although normally keno isn't a very expensive game to
play, with most betting limits being around $1 or $2, it can end up costing more than
a person can afford to lose.
Getting Favourable Keno Odds
Favourable Odds, keno is unique in that you can easily calculate the odds of a true keno game by
looking at the payout table. A bit of math will show you wich casino offers you the best odds.
You can download this keno odds calculator
spreadsheet. There is an example of the odds at the billy keno room at
www.ibingo.com which I feel has the best keno odds on the Internet!
This calculator only works with real keno games that deliver 20 random numbers. Video keno games do not
deliver 20 truley random numbers and their odds typically are a lot worse than truely random games.
