Winning Numbers: All About Keno
You know a game is good when it’s been around for a while. There are some seriously old-school games on the menu at Cafe Casino; Keno is the oldest of them all, dating back thousands of years to ancient China. You’ll also find Keno in more places than any other game, from the most glamorous casinos in the world to your corner keno lottery booth. But the best Keno game around is Keno Draw, which you can play right here at Cafe Casino. We’ll tell you all about it in our latest guide – and we’ll show you how to score some extra bonus cash along the way.
What is Keno?
Like much of ancient China, the history of Keno is written in legend. It is said that the first lottery game was invented by a Han dynasty warlord named Cheung Leung, who was looking for a way to raise funds for his army. He took 120 words (written in Chinese characters) from a poem called The Thousand Character Classic, which was used in schools to teach the language; players would select at least 10 of these characters from the board provided. Over time, the number of characters on the board shrank gradually to 80.
You’ll be playing almost exactly the same thing when you play Cafe Casino Keno. Games historians may not agree on how true the legends are, but we do know this ancient pastime was brought to America in the mid-19th Century by railroad workers from China; the only real thing that’s changed is the use of the numbers 1 through 80 instead of Chinese characters. Well, that and the internet. Everything is automated now with online Keno – no more drawing numbers from lottery machines.
Keno vs. Bingo: Similarities and Differences
If you’ve ever played Bingo (and most Americans have), you’ll know how similar that game is to Keno. Bingo uses the numbers 1 through 75, and you buy a 5x5 card with 24 different numbers – plus a Free Space in the middle – printed on it, hoping to complete a pattern on the card using the numbers 1-75 that are drawn at random, one at a time. Live Bingo players even use daubers to mark their selections in ink, much like Keno players did in ancient China.
That’s pretty much where the similarities end. Bingo isn’t considered a lottery game in the same sense as Keno; you don’t get to choose your own numbers when you play Bingo. This is why Bingo is usually treated as a game of chance, and regulated as such. As a lottery, Keno remained banned in the United States even when gambling was legalized in 1931. Warren Nelson got around that distinction in 1936 by starting a Keno-style game at the Palace Club in Reno.
Now that state lotteries are both legal and flourishing, you’ll find Keno at just about every lottery kiosk around the country, as well as the casinos. Bingo still lives on in its own world, but in the end, you can enjoy playing both games for real money at Cafe Casino – anytime, day or night.
How to Play Keno
One of the biggest reasons Keno has survived the test of time is how simple the game is to play. All you have to do to play Keno Draw is buy your card (denominations range from one cent to $10), then select anywhere between one and 15 numbers from the Keno board, which features everything from 1 to 80 inclusive. Once you’ve made your selections, 20 numbers will be drawn at random; the more matches (or “catches”) you have, the more you win.
That’s all you need to know to play Keno – but there’s plenty more to the game where that came from. Savvy Keno players who want to get the most value from their gaming experience will know that the house edge for Keno depends on how many numbers you choose in the beginning. Generally speaking, it’s better to select more numbers; however, keep in mind that Keno Draw is meant to be played for entertainment purposes, so play it the same way you would the slots at Cafe Casino.
Smart Keno players will also plan their sessions ahead of time. Are you just getting in a quick card or two while you’re on the go? Do you want to spend 30 minutes playing? An hour? Depending on your answer, and the size of your bankroll, you can figure out how much you should bet on each Keno card you play. Once you’ve figured this out, stick with that denomination; never increase your bet size to chase down wins or losses, and don’t fall for any get-rich-quick Keno betting systems. They don’t work. If they did, Cheung Leung would have been in big trouble.
Deposit With Bitcoin to Win Extra Bonuses
What you can do to maximize your Keno experience is make sure you claim all the great bonuses we have for you at Cafe Casino. Our Welcome Bonus is one of the most generous in this business; we’ll match your first deposit by 250%, for up to $1,500 in free bonus cash. Deposit with Bitcoin, and we’ll crank that bonus all the way up to 350% and $2,500. Bitcoin is easily the best way to make fast and secure transactions at Cafe, so join the crypto train if you haven’t already – our Bitcoin FAQ will tell you how to get on board.
Now that you know the ins and outs of Keno, you’re ready to play Keno Draw at Cafe Casino. You can learn more by consulting the game description to the left of your display, and by tapping/clicking the hamburger icon at the top left to access the Rules section. Enjoy playing Keno Draw, and don’t forget to check out our useful archive of articles for all the great games here at Cafe.