How to Play Keno
Keno Tickets
Straight Tickets
Split Tickets
Way Tickets
Combination Tickets
King Tickets
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How to Play Keno
To play Keno is as
easy and simple as to play your State Lotto. The routine involves few steps to
start and complete the whole process. If you have any questions you can find the
answers in supplied keno rate cards or from any employee inside the keno lounge.
Keno game consists of
random drawing of 20 numbered balls out of 80 placed into a transparent plastic
container called “goose”. The object of the game is for a player to match his
chosen numbers with the numbers on the 20 selected balls. To participate in the
keno draw a player must get a blank keno ticket and cross out from one to 15
numbers, which he thinks will be drawn. . Keno tickets and black crayons to mark
the numbers on the tickets are always available in the keno lounge, bars and
restaurants. The maximum number of spots to cross out is different in different
casinos. Some casinos have games with twenty and more numbers for the players to
choose. In addition to the crossed numbers on his ticket a player must also
write the total number of selections on the right side of the ticket and his
wager in the top right corner. The higher the bet is and the more crossed
numbers match those among the 20 randomly selected the higher the prize is for a
player. After a ticket has been completed and checked for errors, a player takes
it to a keno writer in the keno lounge, pays to place his bet and gets a
duplicate printed by a computer as a proof of his purchase. Duplicate ticket has
the same information as a player’s original ticket plus the date and a number of
the keno race, which this ticket is good for. With the duplicate in his hands, a
player sits down and waits for the drawing to begin. As soon as the keno ball is
selected during the game, its lit up number shows up on the big keno board in
the keno lounge and on the smaller boards spread over casino bars and
restaurants. When all twenty numbers are on the boards a player checks his
ticket and the rate card to see how many numbers he guessed correctly and how
big is his prize. A player takes his winning ticket to a keno writer in the keno
lounge and collects his winnings. The winnings must be collected before the
start of the next game, otherwise they become void and a player will not get
paid. A player does not have to be in the keno lounge to play the game. He can
play while drinking in the bar or stuffing himself in the restaurant. There are
always keno runners around to take player’s ticket and his wager. They’ll take
them to a keno writer and return back with the duplicate. If a player has a
winning ticket, a keno runner will cash it for him if the amount is small. If
the prize is big, a runner will collect it from a keno writer.
Keno Tickets
There are few types of
Keno tickets. All of them are the variations of the most basic type – “straight”
ticket.
Straight Tickets
That type of tickets
is the most basic way to play keno. Straight tickets have a certain quantity of numbers
crossed. The quantity allowed by casino is most often between one and fifteen
numbers chosen out of 80. The crossed out numbers are called “spots”. A ticket
wit six numbers selected is a 6-spot ticket. If there are ten selections on the
ticket it’s a 10-spot ticket etc. Straight tickets are straightforward in their
meaning. They can’t be misunderstood or interpreted in different ways. The
number of spots on the straight ticket plus the amount of the indicated wager
defines completely player’s game. Minimum rate for the straight ticket is
usually $1. Many players like to play straight tickets because they are
inexpensive and the winnings are easy to calculate. The payoff rates vary from
casino to casino. Below is an example of an 8-spot straight ticket.
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100 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
8 |
11 |
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13 |
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15 |
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17 |
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20 |
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27 |
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29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Keno Limit $50,000 to aggregate players each
game |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
60 |
51 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
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Split Tickets
Split
tickets is the next level in playing keno. The difference of
principle between straight and split tickets is that the split ticket represents
two or more tickets in one. The numbers that belong to such tickets are separated by the straight line or by the
circles. The line or the circle split the numbers into different groups and the
numbers from these groups are treated separately and can not be mixed when the
results of the draw are checked. The groups don’t have to contain equal number
of spots. Some casinos charge half of the minimum rate for every sub-ticket on a
split ticket. In this case if a split ticket represents for ex, 6 tickets, the
minimum price for that split ticket will be $3 instead of $6. Besides the marked
spots, the split ticket must show the total wager, the number and type of
sub-tickets and the player’s wager for each type of the sub-ticket. Below are
two examples of split tickets.
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200 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1/5
1
1/3
1 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Keno Limit $50,000 to aggregate players each
game |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
60 |
51 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
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400 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1/2
2
2/3
1
|
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Keno Limit $50,000 to aggregate players each
game |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
60 |
51 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
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The split ticket on the right is
split with a diagonal line into two tickets - 5-spot ticket (spots 2, 8, 13,
35 and 52) on the top and 3-spot ticket (spots 30, 45 and 67) on the bottom.
The total wager is indicated in the top right corner. The types of the tickets
and the quantity of them on that split ticket are shown on the right side
of the ticket. Also, the wager for each ticket is shown under it.
The split ticket on the right is split into 3 tickets by 3 circles -
two 3-spot tickets and one 2-spot ticket.
Way Tickets
Way
tickets add more options to your keno play. A way ticket must have 3 or more
groups of equal number of spots. The groups are combined to create new
"ways" to play. Way tickets are more versatile than straight and split
tickets. They give more chances to a player to win but they are more
expensive. Below are two examples of the way tickets.
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300 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
3/6
1 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Keno Limit $50,000 to aggregate players each
game |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
60 |
51 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
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600 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
6/4
1 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Keno Limit $50,000 to aggregate players each
game |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
60 |
51 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
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The ticket on the left has 3 groups of 3 spots each.
They are combined into three possible straight tickets 6-spot each.
The ticket on the right has 4 groups of 2 spots each. They are used to make
6 possible "ways" to play 6 straight tickets 4-spot each.
Combination Tickets
Combination tickets add even more sophistication to
your keno play. The difference between a combination ticket and a way ticket
is that the groups of spots to be combined on the combination ticket may
include different number of spots. Also, the number of possible combinations
may cover all possible combinations producing straight tickets of all
possible sizes. Some casinos charge cheaper than minimal rate per
combination on a combination ticket. Below is a typical example of a
combination ticket.
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700 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1/2 1/3 1/4
1/5 1/6 1/7 1/9
1 |
11 |
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13 |
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17 |
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29 |
30 |
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32 |
33 |
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35 |
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37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Keno Limit $50,000 to aggregate players each
game |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
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60 |
51 |
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67 |
68 |
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70 |
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72 |
73 |
74 |
75 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
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This combination ticket has 3 unequal groups of 4,
3 and 2 spots. These groups and their combinations represent 7 possible
straight tickets of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 spots. If a player paid $1 per
combination the total wager is on that ticket is $7.
King Ticket
King ticket expands more player's choices in his keno
play. That ticket has one number which is called a "king" number because it
can't be played by itself but must be combined with other king numbers (if
there are more than one king on a ticket) or groups of numbers to create
different "ways" (possible straight tickets) to play. Below is an example of
a simple king ticket.
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600 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
1/3 2/4
1/5 1/7 1/8
1 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
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23 |
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25 |
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27 |
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29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
40 |
Keno Limit $50,000 to aggregate players each
game |
41 |
42 |
43 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
47 |
48 |
49 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
57 |
58 |
59 |
60 |
51 |
62 |
63 |
64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
68 |
69 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
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74 |
75 |
76 |
77 |
78 |
79 |
80 |
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This king ticket has one king number - 17. It is combined with 3-spot (13, 23
and 33) and 4-spot (55, 56, 57 and 58) groups to make 4-spot, 5-spot and 8-spot
"ways" to play. Also 3-spot and 4-spot groups are united to make a 7-spot
straight ticket. In addition 3-spot and 4-spot groups are played by themselves
as 3-spot and 4-spot straight tickets. In result the ticket above has a total of
6 straight tickets in one. If a bet was $1 per "way" the total wager is $6.
Copyright Progress Publishing Co. 2006