Online Keno Odds and Best Strategies

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A common sense online keno strategy for the best odds of winning.

Keno is a basic lottery game. However, unlike most lotteries, it actually affords a decent chance of winning, if you happen to be educated in online keno odds. You must only make the best bets, and avoid all others.

The return to player (RTP) in keno ranges anywhere from a lowly 75%, to as high 94.9% or better. There’s absolutely no way to push the edge into the players favor unless you happen to be a computer genius who’s found a flaw in a particular casino’s system, like Daniel Corriveau did in 1994.

His CA-$600k win at Casino de Montreal came from hitting 19 of 20 numbers. But the casino’s outdated RNG software reset daily, giving anyone with an acute sense of observation the ability to win. And believe me, no land-based or online casino uses such systems anymore!

Today, we must rely on proper keno strategies and a bit of luck to outwit the unwavering house edge. What surprises most novice players is that the casino’s advantage is at its highest on the most common bets placed. A simple 1-number bet has the worst keno odds of just 75%.

Introduction to Keno

The concept is to select 1 or more numbers, hoping that all, or enough, of those number match the 20 (out of 80) computer generated numbers that follow. The more numbers you match, the higher the payout. Match no numbers, or too few (if you choose enough), and you lose.

There are many, many types of keno games out there today. They all have 80 numbers on the board, but come with variable paytables and max numbers to be selected. While the 1-20 number select games are still more common in land-based casinos, online keno games don’t usually go that high.

Microgaming‘s online keno software only permits up to 15 numbers. Playtech has several versions with only 1, 5 or 10 numbers to select. As an example, the following Keno Pays / RTP chart applies to the Microgaming version.

Microgaming Online Keno Odds & Paytable

Your #s	Numbers Hit
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
1	3
2	1	9
3	1	2	16
4	0.5	2	6	12
5	0.5	1	3	15	50
6	0.5	1	2	3	30	75
7	0.5	0.5	1	6	12	36	100
8	0.5	0.5	1	3	6	19	90	720
9	0.5	0.5		2	4	8	20	80	1200
10		0.5	1	2	3	5	10	30	600	1800
11		0.5	1	1	2	6	15	25	180	1000	3000
12			0.5	1	2	4	24	72	250	500	2000	4000
13			0.5	0.5	3	4	5	20	80	240	500	3000	6000
14			0.5	0.5	2	3	5	12	50	150	500	1000	2000	7500
15			0.5	0.5	1	2	5	15	50	150	300	600	1200	2500	10k
RTP%	75.00	92.02	93.04	93.79	93.87	93.79	94.15	92.90	93.43	94.54	93.10	94.22	94.90	94.27	94.39

Applying Keno Odds

Referring to the above chart, the RTPs at the bottom are the most important factor here. The highest of all is 94.90%, which applies to a selection of 9 numbers. This can only mean one thing. It would be stupid to select anything but 9 numbers. The object of any gambling strategy is to achieve the highest possible RTP.

Online Keno Strategies – Which Numbers Do I Choose?

Keno games operate on a random number generator (RNG). The games have no memory, and no preferences. It does not matter what numbers you choose, your odds will be exactly the same.

Some players think playing the same set of numbers every time will increase their odds. Again, the RNG doesn’t work that way. It’s 100% random, 100% of the time. If you’re playing at Royal Vegas or any other Microgaming-powered online casino, pick whatever numbers you want, just make sure you pick 9 of them!