Apart from online video slot games, keno offers players one the best opportunities to get their hands on some big prizes with reasonably small bets. As is the case with most lottery-style games, the odds of winning a jackpot aren’t high, and there are no strategies or viable systems that can increase your chances of winning. Nevertheless, you can still win some decent sums of money in these games.
Keno is often referred to as the “casino’s lottery”, which is a pretty accurate description. Keno is a game of chance and a game of relaxation. Not only is it easy to play, it’s also played at a pretty slow pace in comparison to other casino games, like roulette.
In land-based casinos, keno is played with 80 numbered balls and 20 of them are picked out by the casino at random before they are displayed for the rest of the gaming floor to see on the screens. As each number is called, players are required to mark off any of the numbers called if they are featured on their cards.
In some venues, you can see employees collecting winning tickets from players and paying out their prizes. These are known as ‘keno runners’, and while you won’t see a little virtual person doing this on your screen or hearing an old man bellowing out the numbers in the online version, bets are placed and winnings are handed out in more or less the same way. The only difference is that you use the screen arrows to place your wages, and the cash is paid into your bankroll automatically.
But, what if you want to experience the same easy-going gameplay that keno offers without having to bet any real money? That’s where free online keno comes in, and it’s a great way to practice the game without risk, and without worrying about a budget.
How to Play Free Online Keno
As mentioned, free online keno is played in the same way as the real money version and the version in land-based casinos. The game is played with numbers from 1 to 80. When it comes to your playing card, you can typically choose to play between 4 to 15 spots, and at some casinos, you might even be able to play 20 spots. The objective of the game is simply to mark off as many spots as possible to hit the biggest possible payout.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to play keno online for free. Note that once you’ve loaded up the game, all free bets are placed by clicking on the + or – buttons on your game screen. From there, you will need to do the following:
- Choose between 3 and 10 numbers.
- Select the number of rounds to play and your free video Keno online game will begin.
- The number of hits (the total correct numbers guessed) and the payout per hit appears on the board after each round.
- Click the “Clear” button to begin a new game and select new numbers.
Keno slot machines are played almost exactly as described above except a keno slot machine picks up the pace. Choose your numbers, place your bet, and the machine draws automatically, giving you instant results without having to wait between rounds.
Keno slot machines also offer more bang for your buck by allowing you to switch between different games; despite the name of the machine, you might actually be able to play several different games not normally found on slots.
Rules and Gameplay
Next we’ll discuss the rules and jargon that you will come across when playing! It’s best to familiarize yourself with these terms and rules, so that you’ll have a better footing with the game if you choose to play keno online for real money, or keno in a land-based casino.
The Bets
Players determine how much they want to wager on their keno ticket according to the table limits for the specific site they are playing at. The paytables are designed to give you an idea of the potential payouts based on the number of winning spots versus the number of spots selected on your card. Once you have finished picking your spots, you’re ready to start the game.
Drawings
Once the betting closes, your computer will pick out 15 to 20 numbers at random, drawing one ball at a time. The number of balls drawn on your screen typically coincides with the number of maximum spots you’re permitted to choose for each game.
Payouts
Payouts are awarded according to how many winning numbers you have on your keno ticket.
Even though this guide is about free keno, to give you an overview of how payouts are determined, we’ve listed the payout ratios for various winning numbers below.
For the purposes of this guide, we’ll assume that you’ve selected 15 spots, which means 15 balls will be drawn each time. The payouts usually start at 3-4 “catches” from 15 keno spots with a payout of $.50 on the dollar. The remaining payouts look something like this:
5 of 15 = 1-1
6 of 15 = 2-1
7 of 15 = 5-1
8 of 15 = 15-1
9 of 15 = 50-1
10 of 15 = 150-1
11 of 15 = 300-1
12 of 15 = 600-1
13 of 15 = 1,200-1
14 of 15 = 2,500-1
15 of 15 = 10,000-1
Some gambling sites also offer a bonus of $500-$1,000 if you pick 15 spots and come back with 0 catches. The reasoning behind this is that it is nearly impossible to pick that many numbers and not get a single one on your card, hence why casinos essentially offer you a “sore loser” bonus. To put this into context, the probability of hitting 0 out of 20 numbers is about 1 in 843 and 20 out of 20 spots, which works out to be 1 in 3,535,316,142,212,173,800 chances.
Online Keno Tips
Look for Value – Even if you only plan to practice keno for free, know that some online casinos offer a better return on their games than others. Depending on which approach or strategy you decide to use, you should take some time to look for reputable sites that offer the best keno odds to get the most value out of your wagers. Feel free to take a look through our shortlist of the best online casinos to ensure you get the best return on your keno game sessions.
Adopt the Right Attitude – Keno is practically the same as playing the lottery. This means that the odds are always going to be in the casino’s favor, so it’s best not to take the game too seriously or have too high expectations about hitting a jackpot. The game is designed to be casual, easy, and pleasant to play, so don’t let the disappointment of not winning ruin your enjoyment of the game.
Avoid Playing Maximum Spots – It can’t be denied that the huge payout potential for landing 15 of 15 or 10 of 10 spots on your keno card are very tempting bets to go for. The harsh reality is that those kinds of payouts are staggeringly high and set this way for a reason. Nevertheless, if you want to play these long-shot bets and can let go of any expectations of winning, then it could well be worth taking a chance.
Play Multi-Game Tickets – If there are a particular set of numbers you like playing, online keno gives you the option of playing the same keno card for a specified number of games consecutively. Since the process for drawing balls is always random, there is no point in trying to guess what the machine is going to churn out next. So, you may as well save yourself a lot of unnecessary time and effort by playing a multi-game keno ticket.
Play a Small Number of Spots – If you do decide to play keno for real money and truly want a realistic chance at winning something, consider playing a smaller number of spots. Depending on the keno format at the casino you’re playing on, sticking to 3-6 spots consistently is the best course of action to hit some small returns. This is because keno is a game based on momentum, and spots with fewer numbers tend to hit more often. You might end up hitting 5-6 games in a row and make a nice little sum of cash if you play your card right.
Play Number Clusters – For some unknown reason, keno numbers have a tendency of showing up in clusters. To maximize your chances of a payout, you might want to employ some blind faith, and consider playing small number clusters on your keno card.
Check Out Our Free Flash Game!
And there we have it! An easy guide to free online keno with some tips if you want to play for the real deal in real money keno. If you want to get some proper practice in with keno, feel free to check out Gambling City’s free flash game. Simply choose your desired numbers, name your wager and click play. Watch the Random Number Generator light up the ticket and find out if you’re a winner in seconds.
If you want to try your turn at a full casino game without risking your own money, claim one of the free no deposit bonuses offered at top online casinos. Good luck.