Keno is one of the simplest online casino games that you will find. However, there are many who avoid keno for the simple reason that they believe that the game is just too simple and novel. In order to understand the game of keno it is important to know the origins of the game.
Where the Game Started
If you are under the impression that keno is just a passing phase, then keep in mind that the game, in one or another, has been around for more than three thousand years thereby making it one of the oldest games on the planet.
The game originated in China by the then ruler of the Han Dynasty, Cheung Leung. Keno was actually invented as a way of drawing money from the commoners without fear of tax riots.
Although the game has changed since its inception, the core of the game has remained the same. However, it is quite surprising that keno only became popular in the last hundred years outside of mainland China.
There are inklings of keno having leaked into Europe in the middle ages with the rise of lottery-type games. The fact remains, however, that no direct line can be traced from lotteries to keno, even though the two are almost identical in nature.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, keno found its way to San Francisco from the decks of Chinese merchant ships where it was adopted by many members of the underworld who were fed up with the USA's strict anti-gambling policies. The game grew in popularity not only due to its "secret" status but also due to its simplicity and fun.
Even though gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931, lotteries remained illegal and keno was considered a lottery game. The casino owners found a loophole in the system and renamed keno "racehorse keno". The Chinese characters were replaced with common numbers and each number symbolized a horse - even though the game had absolutely nothing to do with horse racing.
Keno Today
Today, keno is one of the most basic online games you will find. The game offers high payouts on low bets. In essence, all a player needs to do is mark off what they think the winning numbers will be and then wait to see if they are a winner.
How the Game Works
All keno cards operate off a keno card which has umbers from 1 to 80. You will then choose a wager amount and choose a series of numbers that you predict will be drawn - much like a lotto. You can choose only one number or up to 15 or 20 - depending on the casino's rules.
Twenty numbers are then drawn and the numbers that you have marked which correspond with the drawn numbers will be highlighted on your card. The more numbers you have correctly chosen, the higher your payout will be.
In short, this is the play sequence:
- You pick how much you wish to bet
- You click on the number(s) you think will be picked
- Once you are happy with your selection you can choose to play
- The computer will then select 20 numbers that are completely randomized
- You can then see your results and how much you have hopefully won
There are also some online casinos which offer a shortcut key of 5 or 10 numbers. By clicking on this shortcut the computer will randomly pick 5 or 10 numbers on your card. Other casinos offer you the option of preloading your numbers so that you can select the same numbers every time.
Every number has the same chance as another of coming up, so it does not matter which numbers you pick. However, if you believe in luck then choosing personal numbers like anniversaries or street addresses could be worth your while.
