Online Keno Guide

With so much money up for grabs, it comes as no surprise that keno has become such a popular game among gamblers. The game of keno has simple rules to learn with big cash prizes available. For that reason, gamblers find keno especially entertaining and lucrative.

Now with the popularity of online casinos steadily on the rise, New Zealand gamblers can play online keno games from anywhere, at any time. You can easily sit at home and play real money keno or risk-free demo games from your browser via instant play or by downloading casino software. Meanwhile, casino apps and mobile casinos make it possible to play keno on the go using your smartphone or tablet device.

Basic Rules

Perhaps one of the main reasons gamblers love to play keno is because of its simple rules. Gamblers love daily keno in particular because anyone can learn how to play. Learning the basics in how to play keno doesn’t require too much time and practice. Actually, for those of you who have never played keno, you might find it very similar to bingo.

Let’s begin by going over the basic rules of how to play keno. When starting out, you need to decide how many numbers you would like to play. With most games, players choose a maximum of 20 numbers ranging between 1 and 80.

After players have decided on their numbers and placed their bets, 20 numbers are drawn at random either with a ball or, in the case of online casinos, from a computer using a random number generator. Each time a number is drawn, players mark down the matching numbers on their card. With online keno, the computer may mark down the number automatically. You win according to how many numbers you “hit” or match on your card(s). That’s really all there is to it.

When you play online keno, each gambling site and software have their own payouts and pay tables to decide how much money a player receives for each win. Usually, the casinos base payout values on criteria such as how many numbers the person chose, the amount of matches, and the total amount bet.

Keno Variations

As we mentioned before, the original version of keno dates all the way back to ancient China according to legend. However, the first actual documentation of keno came about in the mid-1800s when the government of Portugal in Macau made a law requiring gambling establishments to apply for licenses in the colonial city, which is now a part of modern day China. Back then, the Chinese would play keno using sheets of paper printed with Chinese characters.

Eventually, Chinese immigrants brought the game to different parts of the world. Variations of keno started to pop up in land-based casinos where people would mark off numbers on tickets. In this case, players could each buy one ticket. This type of keno became known as straight ticket keno. Not long after, new versions of the game emerged such as combination tickets, split tickets, king tickets, top and bottom tickets, left or right tickets, and edge tickets. If you are not familiar with the different types of keno, we’ve included a quick rundown of each below:

• Straight ticket: Players mark down numbers and wait for the draw
• Combination ticket: Each player combines groups of straight bets on one ticket in various ways with the player betting one unit for each possible combination
• Split ticket: Two or more straight tickets played on the same ticket.
• King ticket: A ticket with one number that is circled. This number is the King and used in combination with other numbers on a ticket. King tickets are marked in a similar way to split tickets.
• Left or right ticket: A player chooses the left and right numbers of a keno card
• Top and bottom ticket: Players choose either the top 40 numbers or bottom 40 numbers on a card
• Edge ticket: Players select the edges of each keno card

Types of Online Keno Bets

Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s take a deeper look at the different types of bets available in online keno in more detail.

• Straight vs. Ticket Keno: Basically, keno has two different kinds of bets. Straight ticket bets refer to placing a single bet on your selected numbers. This simple type of keno bet makes a great choice for new players.
• King ticket keno, on the other hand, involves a more complicated betting system in which the player designates a certain number as “king”   used in combination with other numbers. With a combination keno ticket, you can pick different groups of numbers and bet on different combinations of the numbers.
• You’ll also find progressive jackpot keno games available at online casinos. That means that each time a player wagers, a portion of the bet goes toward a big jackpot pool of money. The pool continues to grow until someone hits the jackpot. Then, that lucky winner gets to keep all of the jackpot money!

Advantages of Playing Keno Online

New Zealand players will find many of these variations mentioned above at legitimate online casinos available in their country. You can try out different types of keno online to find out which you prefer the most. This lottery game has easy rules with the potential for substantial payouts, making it a popular choice among gamblers.

While players can enjoy keno at land-based casinos, online keno presents an even better option because it tends to have higher payout percentages. Land based casinos usually have an 80% payout rate. That compares to online keno games which typically offer payout rates of 95%.

Online keno games offer many other advantages as well in comparison to land-based casino games. New Zealand land-based casino games often have a 15 minute waiting period between each game. However, with online keno games, you can start playing as soon as you pick your numbers. All you have to do is hit play and then the game begins.

Online keno games also tend to charge less per ticket compared to land-based games. Land-based keno games usually charge a minimum of one dollar per game. Meanwhile, online keno games have tickets available that cost as little as twenty cents. This gives you the chance of playing more while still having the same opportunities to win big payouts.

Online Keno Odds

Knowing the odds of any casino game gives you the advantage to make better bets. Keno odds depend on how many numbers the player has chosen and how many of those numbers “hit”, multiplied by the proportion of the player’s initial wager to the base rate of the paytable. Typically, the more numbers a player selects and the greater the hit, the higher the payout, although sometimes paytables payout for hitting fewer numbers.

Whether a land-based or online casino, gambling establishments must turn a profit just like any other business. Therefore, casinos always incorporate a house edge into their games. The house edge gives the casino a long term advantage over the player so that the casino makes an overall profit. Although the house edge varies between each casino, the house edge for online keno usually ranges between 4% to 35%.

If you’re looking to play online keno in New Zealand, then you’ve come to the right place. Whether you are an experienced player or completely new to the game, our page offers all you need to know about online keno games. We feature a full guide to keno such as how to play keno and the best gambling sites offering online keno in New Zealand. In this guide, we also go over different types of online keno games, better types, and more.

Keno History

So you might wonder where does keno come from anyway. Actually, you might find it surprising that this game has quite a long history. In fact, it dates all the way back to ancient China originally. According to legend, the invention of the game saved a city in ancient China. During a period of wartime, the popularity of the game helped to raise money to build the Great Wall of China that ended up protecting the locals from foreign invaders. They used the funds from the bets to build the wall and protect their citizens. Even after the construction of the wall, the game continued to grow in popularity through the centuries, making its way across China.

Over the years, keno made its way from China to gambling establishments all over the world. Once online casinos came about, the gambling sites started to introduce keno along with its many variations into their gaming selection. Now it has become extremely popular and can be found at most online casinos. After all, keno provides an exciting game of chance with easy to learn rules and lots of opportunities to win real money online.

Conclusion

Online keno games offer a fun and exciting way to play online while also winning real money prizes. Gamblers keep coming back for more to experience the thrill of getting a match each time a number is drawn. In addition, the simple rules of the game make it easy to learn how to play without concentrating too much. Not to mention, since players get to choose many numbers for each card, you get plenty of chances of winning. Find out if you’ll take home the big win with online keno games.