Keno Odds
Here are all possible keno outcomes. For every possible number of spots played you can see both the probability of each outcome and the odds against that outcome happening. This shows, for example, that you have roughly a 71-1 shot at hitting a 3-spot, while you are almost 85% likely to catch only 0 or 1 on the same ticket. For very large or very small numbers, scientific notation is used. The term “e+nnn” means move the decimal point nnn places to the right, adding zeroes as appropriate. Similarly, “e-nnn” means to move the decimal point nnn places to the left, padding with zeroes. Thus, 1.42e-09 is shorthand for .00000000142, while 2.71e+6 is another way of writing 2710000.
Keno outcome probabilities
Play 1 spot
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.7500 0.3333
1 0.2500 3.0000
Play 2 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.5601 0.7853
1 0.3797 1.6333
2 0.0601 15.6316
Play 3 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.4165 1.4009
1 0.4309 1.3209
2 0.1388 6.2070
3 0.0139 71.0702
Play 4 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.3083 2.2434
1 0.4327 1.3109
2 0.2126 3.7029
3 0.0432 22.1225
4 0.003063 325.44
Play 5 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.2272 3.4017
1 0.4057 1.4650
2 0.2705 2.6974
3 0.0839 10.9140
4 0.0121 81.6970
5 0.000645 1549.57
Play 6 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.1666 5.0023
1 0.3635 1.7511
2 0.3083 2.2434
3 0.1298 6.7030
4 0.0285 34.0411
5 0.003096 322.04
6 0.000129 7751.84
Play 7 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.1216 7.2254
1 0.3152 2.1727
2 0.3267 2.0613
3 0.1750 4.7145
4 0.0522 18.1604
5 0.008639 114.76
6 0.000732 1364.98
7 0.00002440 40978
Play 8 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.0883 10.3294
1 0.2665 2.7529
2 0.3281 2.0474
3 0.2148 3.6558
4 0.0815 11.2694
5 0.0183 53.6371
6 0.002367 421.53
7 0.000160 6231.27
8 0.00000435 230114
Play 9 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.0637 14.6868
1 0.2207 3.5317
2 0.3164 2.1603
3 0.2461 3.0632
4 0.1141 7.7638
5 0.0326 29.6735
6 0.005720 173.84
7 0.000592 1689.11
8 0.00003259 30681
9 7.2428e-007 1.3807e+006
Play 10 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.0458 20.8385
1 0.1796 4.5688
2 0.2953 2.3869
3 0.2674 2.7397
4 0.1473 5.7880
5 0.0514 18.4448
6 0.0115 86.1126
7 0.001611 619.68
8 0.000135 7383.47
9 0.00000612 163380
10 1.1221e-007 8.9117e+006
Play 11 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.0327 29.5739
1 0.1439 5.9486
2 0.2681 2.7303
3 0.2784 2.5921
4 0.1786 4.5995
5 0.0741 12.4989
6 0.0202 48.4958
7 0.003608 276.18
8 0.000411 2429.62
9 0.00002837 35243
10 0.00000106 945180
11 1.6030e-008 6.2382e+007
Play 12 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.0232 42.0530
1 0.1138 7.7900
2 0.2378 3.2057
3 0.2797 2.5749
4 0.2058 3.8600
5 0.0994 9.0616
6 0.0322 30.0474
7 0.007027 141.30
8 0.001020 979.78
9 0.00009540 10481
10 0.00000543 184229
11 1.6727e-007 5.9783e+006
12 2.0909e-009 4.7826e+008
Play 13 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.0164 59.9918
1 0.0888 10.2600
2 0.2066 3.8398
3 0.2727 2.6665
4 0.2273 3.3998
5 0.1259 6.9442
6 0.0475 20.0521
7 0.0123 80.2008
8 0.002183 457.06
9 0.000260 3846.67
10 0.00002006 49844
11 9.4337e-007 1.0600e+006
12 2.3984e-008 4.1695e+007
13 2.4599e-010 4.0652e+009
Play 14 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.0115 85.9458
1 0.0685 13.5945
2 0.1763 4.6723
3 0.2590 2.8603
4 0.2422 3.1287
5 0.1520 5.5801
6 0.0658 14.2074
7 0.0199 49.3746
8 0.004182 238.14
9 0.000608 1643.09
10 0.00005974 16739
11 0.00000381 262396
12 1.4784e-007 6.7640e+006
13 3.0840e-009 3.2425e+008
14 2.5700e-011 3.8910e+010
Play 15 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.008016 123.75
1 0.0523 18.1281
2 0.1479 5.7595
3 0.2404 3.1597
4 0.2502 2.9966
5 0.1762 4.6770
6 0.0863 10.5810
7 0.0299 32.4563
8 0.007331 135.40
9 0.001267 788.16
10 0.000152 6575.37
11 0.00001234 81020
12 6.4960e-007 1.5394e+006
13 2.0677e-008 4.8363e+007
14 3.5046e-010 2.8534e+009
15 2.3364e-012 4.2801e+011
Play 16 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.005550 179.19
1 0.0395 24.3395
2 0.1223 7.1798
3 0.2185 3.5768
4 0.2515 2.9762
5 0.1971 4.0738
6 0.1084 8.2251
7 0.0425 22.5240
8 0.0120 82.6408
9 0.002406 414.59
10 0.000343 2913.53
11 0.00003403 29387
12 0.00000228 438862
13 9.8402e-008 1.0162e+007
14 2.5449e-009 3.9295e+008
15 3.4507e-011 2.8980e+010
16 1.7972e-013 5.5641e+012
Play 17 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.003815 261.10
1 0.0295 32.9185
2 0.0996 9.0417
3 0.1948 4.1324
4 0.2467 3.0542
5 0.2138 3.6779
6 0.1309 6.6405
7 0.0576 16.3649
8 0.0183 53.4990
9 0.004234 235.16
10 0.000703 1421.34
11 0.00008285 12069
12 0.00000678 147516
13 3.7247e-007 2.6848e+006
14 1.3069e-008 7.6517e+007
15 2.7039e-010 3.6983e+009
16 2.8643e-012 3.4912e+011
17 1.1233e-014 8.9026e+013
Play 18 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.002604 383.00
1 0.0218 44.8670
2 0.0800 11.4963
3 0.1707 4.8576
4 0.2366 3.2267
5 0.2255 3.4342
6 0.1527 5.5490
7 0.0748 12.3710
8 0.0267 36.4013
9 0.006990 142.06
10 0.001331 750.43
11 0.000183 5475.01
12 0.00001775 56324
13 0.00000119 839002
14 5.3209e-008 1.8794e+007
15 1.4936e-009 6.6952e+008
16 2.4142e-011 4.1421e+010
17 1.9256e-013 5.1932e+012
18 5.3489e-016 1.8695e+015
Play 19 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.001764 565.86
1 0.0160 61.6531
2 0.0635 14.7549
3 0.1471 5.7962
4 0.2223 3.4975
5 0.2320 3.3101
6 0.1728 4.7879
7 0.0936 9.6853
8 0.0372 25.8502
9 0.0109 90.5347
10 0.002356 423.39
11 0.000371 2696.22
12 0.00004197 23824
13 0.00000335 298668
14 1.8263e-007 5.4756e+006
15 6.5224e-009 1.5332e+008
16 1.4304e-010 6.9912e+009
17 1.7408e-012 5.7445e+011
18 9.8350e-015 1.0168e+014
19 1.7254e-017 5.7956e+016
Play 20 spots
Catch probability odds-to-1 against
0 0.001186 842.38
1 0.0116 85.4464
2 0.0497 19.1150
3 0.1249 7.0087
4 0.2050 3.8773
5 0.2333 3.2867
6 0.1902 4.2583
7 0.1133 7.8265
8 0.0499 19.0554
9 0.0163 60.4198
10 0.003940 252.80
11 0.000702 1422.82
12 0.00009117 10968
13 0.00000847 118084
14 5.4888e-007 1.8219e+006
15 2.3951e-008 4.1751e+007
16 6.6828e-010 1.4964e+009
17 1.1035e-011 9.0624e+010
18 9.5126e-014 1.0512e+013
19 3.3943e-016 2.9461e+015
20 2.8286e-019 3.5353e+018
Keno Tips
The gaming process is split into two stages. Firstly, you should fill in the Keno sheet, then pass over to observing the numbers drawn and checking if they match those marked on your sheet. The keno sheet is a table of numbers from 1 to 80 organized in rows and columns.
Before the game round which is called ‘Keno race’ you should mark on the Keno sheet the numbers you suppose to win on. The minimum and maximum quantities of spots you are allowed to mark are determined by the casino rules. Usually these figures are from 1 to 15. At this stage you also decide whether you would change your number choice for the next round or have a multi-race run, i.e. stay with the same numbers for a couple of rounds, whichever the casino rules allow.
Maximums and minimums are stipulated by the casino gambling rules. Usually they start from 5 cents and mount up to more than 1 dollar. Apart from standard wagers there can be variations, e.g. ‘top-or-bottom’, ‘against’, ‘catch all’ and other bets that differ in the spot selection and payoff schedule.
Your prize will depend on the number of spots chosen and their matching the numbers drawn by the Keno machine. To have more precise information about payouts, check the Keno rules of every particular casino you are playing at.
Keno Strategy
It doesn’t really matter how many numbers you choose, or if you combine or wheel your bets. Choose less numbers if you like to win a little bit, a little more often; choose many if you only really want to win once in Keno, but you want it to put yourself in the lap of luxury for life.
Keno Ordinance in McCook Passes
On November 6th, 2007, the McCook City Council was informed that the keno machines that are used in McCook is not the same with the old machines that are available in another keno store in Nebraska, when staff were allegedly tampered with the machines.
A complete description of the differences between the two types of keno machines was enough to convince at least a single council member and by a five-four vote, the council passed on its first reading a modified ordinance that will permit keno outlet operators and their staff to enjoy the game after working hours at the outlet that they are working in.
Council man Lonnie Anderson, who voiced concern at a meeting on October 15th, 2007 about the possibility that the keno machines can be tampered, had voted with Councilman Jack Rogers against reconsidering the keno ordinance. But after his concerns were answered, he voted in favor of the ordinance with Mayor Dennis Berry in favor of modifying the keno rule while Councilman Rogers remained against the keno measure.
Councilman Rogers started the discussion by referring to the October 25th articles printed in the Omaha World Herald that the employees allegedly tampered with keno machines. Mike Nevrivy, who operates keno machines in Nebraska, commented to the council that the outdated machine was utilized at that keno outlet and those keno machines are different from what is used in his outlet.
Nevrivy said that a rabbit ear type of keno machine was utilized at that location where live keno balls are manually released to two plastic tubes before being drawn. This type of keno games generally give problems and are nothing like the machines at his keno outlet. Nevrivy said the numbers are generally chosen by the computer on his keno equipment.
Councilman Aaron Kircher said that he had talked with a representative from the State Gambling Commission about the different kinds of keno machines and the problems that are with it.
Kircher said that another type of keno machine, KL 2000, is also suspected that it allows individuals to manually manipulate the machines. The main purpose of the amended keno ordinance would permit more people to participate in the game.
Keno Gets Another Chance in McCook
On November 2nd, 2007, a modified ordinance that would permit the operator of a keno outlet, together with their employees, to participate in games when they are not busy working, is up for the initial approval by the McCook Council during its meeting at the City Council Chambers.
The present ordinance does not allow operators of keno outlets and their employees from participating in the games, where players chose the numbers they want and take home some money if the computer randomly chose those numbers.
On October 19th, 2007, the council has decided to revive the proposal for further study, after accepting a request made by Mike Nevrivy of Hastings. Nevrivy supplies keno computer games and checks up its receipts at different locations in Nebraska like the Rockin Robins Overtime in McCook.
Councilmen Lonnie Anderson and Jack Roger opposed the idea of bringing back the ordinance for study while Mayor Dennis Berry and Council members Colleen Anderson and Council members Colleen Anderson and Aaron Kircher supported the proposal.
The modified ordinance that would prohibit the operator of the establishment that offers keno and its staff from participating in the game one hour before and after selling keno tickets.
This is not the first time that the keno issue was discussed by the City Council. Back in August 2006, Nevrivy made the same proposal. The proposal was defeated in a split decision during the 3rd reading.
Stanton Voters Decide on Keno Fate
On November 10th, 2007, although the Election Day has long been overdue, the voters in Stanton, Nebraska are nearing the deadline of a special referendum to consider offering keno in the area. Voters have until Tuesday to decide and pass their ballot.
Keno, which is very similar to the lottery, has not been played in the community of 1,600 people for more than two decades. Keno was not that popular at that time and was removed from the area. The keno issue resurfaced months ago when a proprietor of a local facility signified his interest in offering the game in Stanton. City leaders did some study on how much the community will benefit from the keno game.
Stanton Mayor Colleen Paden commented that the city will not need to spend anything and they would receive 8% of the total profit. She added that they will give 2% so they will receive 6% of the total profits and they can use that money for the different projects in the community. City officials then found an organization that is willing to give the service and began the voting process.
But Mayor Paden has not heard any criticism for the plan and most comments have been pretty positive. Paden says that they want their town to have a steady source of income and money to use for improvements. All voters in the city of Stanton were mailed a ballot with a postage paid envelope which need to be mailed to the county clerk office on Tuesday.