| The Strategy of
Keno |
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So as you watch the numbers
come up, you can mark them down on your card, much
like bingo. At the end of the drawing, the number
of matched numbers determines whether or not
you're a winner. The more numbers (or, more
precisely, the greater percentage of your chosen
numbers) that match, the more you win!
If you have enough matches to claim a winning
ticket (depends on how many you picked in the
first place), its time to head back over to the keno
clerk and let them pay you! If you are playing
individual games, be sure to keep on top of
things, because if you have a winning ticket on a
game and you fail to get your butt to a keno clerk
before the next game starts, your ticket is void
and you cannot collect any winnings. This sucks,
and the casinos understand this. That's why they
allow you to buy a large number of tickets using
the same numbers. Usually this number is limited
to twenty games. After this 'multi race' ticket
has lasted the 20 (or however many you choose)
games, you can go to a keno clerk and have them
check for winning games.
A third option exists for people who really don't
want to pay attention to the numbers being drawn.
At many casinos you can buy a 'stray and play' keno
ticket which applies to the next 'X' number of
games ('X' is usually greater than 20, or whatever
the maximum 'multi-race' game number is). The
difference here is, you don't have to show up
after your 25 or 30 games have run through. You
can come back any time. Most stray and play
tickets are good for up to a year. This means you
can buy a ticket for the 'next' 60 games, and if
you happen to match all the numbers without even
realizing it on the 36th game, you can leave the
country and come back to Vegas in eight months,
walk to the keno clerk, have them check your
ticket, and pick up your winnings.
Although payouts vary, there are some examples we
can look at just to give you a better sense for
playing the actual game. Players can pick from one
to 'X' numbers on their card, and winning is
dependent on a certain portion of those numbers
matching the computers. If you pick five numbers,
you usually have to hit three numbers to be able
to claim any cash. If you do hit three the odds
are paid back to you at (usually) 3 to 1. If you
were to hit on four of those five numbers, you
would be paid back at odds closer to 26 to 1. If
you were to hit all five you would be paid back at
close to 332 to 1. This is why keno is loved,
because 1 dollar could bag you 332
instantaneously. There's none of that slow
bankroll building you have to do in craps or
blackjack.
Another option for keno players is the choice of
combination or way tickets. A way ticket allows
the player to group different numbers, where each
group has the same number of numbers, to create
more than one way to win. Take for example a
3-3-3, 9-spot ABC way ticket. Long name, not that
long to figure out. It means you can select a
combination of three 3-spots. To do this you
simply mark your ticket in three groups of three
numbers. You can visualize this by marking the
first group of three numbers with big A's instead
of circling them. Mark three more with big B's and
three more with big C's. Now you have a 3-3-3,
9-spot, ABC, way ticket! What does this mean? It
means hitting any 3 out of 3 will pay you as
though you had a single 3-spot win. This common
3-3-3 bet can be expressed as a 3-way-3 or simply
3/3.
The purpose of all of these confusing ticket
variations is to make it supposedly easier, and
supposedly more exciting, for players to wager
more money on more numbers. The fact of the matter
is, playing a way or combination ticket offers no
advantage, and also no disadvantage, to the
player. The only possible thing you could take
advantage of is discounted minimums. If you are
playing three or more ways many casinos will
discount the price per 'way' (say they let you
place $0.50 per bet instead of the usual $1
minimum). This isn't much of an advantage though,
since you're only paid back on what you actually
bet.
Do you want to read more about Keno:
• Introduction
• History
• Rules
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