The Best Keno Strategy

BetMGM Aug 05, 2024, 4:49 PM
min read
Vibrant keno balls falling randomly against a rainbow-colored background.

If youโ€™re interested in playing keno at BetMGM Casino but donโ€™t have a lot of experience, you might be under the misperception that there is no strategy whatsoever involved in playing the game. The truth is that while keno is absolutely a game of chance, your choices can influence how you come away from playing the game.

Like with many other online casino games at BetMGM, strategy at keno is a matter of identifying your goal in playing and then betting accordingly. A winning strategy also involves avoiding some of the common pitfalls that players can fall into.

If you play wisely, you can enjoy your time playing keno on BetMGM and even come away with some winnings if luck is on your side. BetMGM wants to give you the best possible chance to have fun and win.

How Do You Play Keno?

Keno is quite a simple game in terms of how you play. There is a set of numbers you can choose from as you try to pick which of the numbers will be included in an upcoming drawing.

In a standard game, the set features all numbers from 1 to 80 and 20 of those will be part of each drawing. To win, all the numbers you choose must be part of that subset of 20 that were drawn.

Games vary in how many numbers you can choose. In Lightning Box Keno, for example, you must pick at least three numbers but may not select more than 10.

So while the game is simple, winning isnโ€™t necessarily easy. Keno is a game of chance, meaning luck must be on your side.

Does Anyone Ever Win at Keno?

Yes, people win while playing keno every day. Because there is a finite number of possible combinations in the drawings, only so many different ways that players can configure their bets, and thousands of games happening, the simple math dictates that some plays must be wins.

Your odds of winning depend on the size of the pool of numbers you have to pick from, how many of those numbers are part of the drawings in the game, and how many numbers you choose to select as part of your bet. Each number has an equal chance of being selected in any given draw.

Does Keno Have The Worst Odds?

As with any other comparison, the distinction of the best or worst depends on the context of the comparison. Keno does have a larger house edge than many other casino games, with the standard version sitting at 30%.

Some keno variants will have a lower house edge while others will have a higher house edge. Despite this high house edge compared to other games, people still love keno because of its simplicity and fast pace.

How To Win Keno

Winning at keno is simple but not easy to do. Most plays will not result in a win, as there are many more numbers that are not part of winning draws than those which are part of the draw.

The path to a win is nonetheless simple, though, as if the numbers you pick are part of the draw, you win. In most games, all the numbers you select must be found in the draw in order for your wager to be graded as a win.ย 

What Are The Best Numbers For Keno?

In keno, each number has the same chance of being selected in any drawing as all the others. In general, there are no best numbers in keno.

Some players may look at past draws to detect any โ€œcoldโ€ or โ€œhotโ€ numbers, but that really doesnโ€™t indicate much. Each drawing is independent of all those before it and doesnโ€™t affect those that come after it.

Because the odds reset after each draw, youโ€™re better off spending your time deciding how much youโ€™re going to wager and how much risk you want take on rather than studying the results of past draws.

What is the Best Keno Strategy?

Because keno is a game of pure chance, strategy in the game doesnโ€™t as much involve a certain set of numbers to pick or tracking numbers as it does managing your bankroll. To do that successfully, you need to set a budget and decide how many draws you want to play.

From there, itโ€™s just a matter of deciding how much risk you are comfortable with during your session. Those three considerations will dictate how much you wager on each play.

Sticking to your plan will help you avoid mistakes like chasing losses. Understanding how the game works will also help you avoid falling prey to superstitions.

What Are Keno Hot Numbers?

As youโ€™re learning how to play keno, you might notice that a certain number is coming up in multiple consecutive drawings. That doesnโ€™t mean that number is โ€œhotโ€ or that other numbers on the grid are โ€œcold,โ€ though.

Thatโ€™s just because on a defined number grid, there are only so many possibilities for a selection from those numbers. If you pick 20 numbers out of 80 enough times, eventually youโ€™re going to repeat some of those numbers in your selections.

With each drawing, however, the field completely resets. A number being part of previous drawings has no bearing whatsoever on whether it will be part of the next.

Top Keno Tips

Beyond bankroll management, another helpful tip for keno players is assessing your risk for each play. The rule of thumb for keno is that the more numbers you select for a draw, the less likely you are to win.

Your odds are better with a smaller set of numbers but that also means your payout will be smaller should you win. So, if you want to grow your bankroll during a keno session, you should vary your risk levels between plays.

You can vary up your risk not only by picking fewer or more numbers but also by decreasing or increasing the size of your wager. As long as you have budgeted for such deviations, you can still play smart and take larger risks at times.

What Is The Secret Keno Pattern?

If youโ€™re playing with a casino that is on the up and up, there will be no such thing as a secret pattern or secret set of numbers that win more often than others. A fair game of keno gives equal weight to each number in the set.

Should you come across a person or website advertising a secret way to win at keno, steer clear. Itโ€™s a scam.

Best Odds For Keno

In a traditional keno game, youโ€™ll always get the best odds by picking the smallest set of numbers that the game allows. If the minimum for a play is two numbers, for example, youโ€™ll get the best odds if you stick with that.

That doesnโ€™t mean that youโ€™re guaranteed to win if you only pick the minimum, though. You could still lose. Some variants of keno will give you a better shot to win.

What Is 4 Card Keno Strategy?

Among all the variations of keno, 4 Card Keno is among the most popular because it gives you better odds than the standard version. In 4 Card Keno, you can submit up to four sets of numbers instead of just one.

While you might win more often in 4 Card Keno, you also might go through your bankroll faster as you have to bet on each card you complete. Thereโ€™s no guarantee that your winnings will even cover your losses, much less grant you a profit.

Still, some players prefere 4 Card Keno because it reminds them of another popular numbers game.

How Is Keno Different Than Bingo?

Both bingo and keno involve drawings of numbers. However, the similarities really end there. In bingo, youโ€™re trying to complete a pattern instead of predict numbers in the drawing, which is your objective in keno.

Furthermore, in bingo, each number is drawn individually. In keno, all the numbers are drawn at the same time.

One other similarity is that to win both games, you need to get lucky. While outcomes are random, there is still keno knowledge that comes with experience.

Keno Secrets

Veteran keno players know that no matter how you plan to approach the game staying aware of any bonuses that BetMGM offers for keno players is a wise move. Those benefits, like deposit matches and free plays, can limit your risk and deepen your experience.

BetMGM refreshes its player bonuses regularly, so checking in frequently is a good play. For players new to BetMGM, though, itโ€™s especially important to act quickly.

BetMGM is offering a casino welcome bonus that pairs perks like bonus funds and a deposit match, which can get you off to a good start playing keno or any other of BetMGMโ€™s thousands of games. While winning with your money is great fun, turning house money into winnings is a blast.

All the entertainment and potential winnings associated with keno are available when you register for BetMGM. With these strategy tips, youโ€™ll be prepared to make the most of your play.

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