How do you play keno?

Pick between 1 and 10 numbers from 1 to 80 on your ticket, then place a bet. The game draws 20 numbers at random. Any of your numbers that were drawn are called catches, and you are paid based on how many numbers you picked and how many you caught.

What is the house edge in keno?

It varies enormously by casino and pay table, from under 10% at the best video keno machines to over 30% at some live keno lounges. This trainer uses a representative published pay table with a house edge near 9% to 16% depending on how many spots you pick.

Does it matter which numbers you pick in keno?

No. Every one of the 80 numbers has exactly the same 1 in 80 chance of being drawn each game. There are no hot or cold numbers and no pattern to chase. The only choices that affect your odds are how many spots you play and which casino's pay table you play against.

Is this keno trainer free?

Yes. It runs entirely in your browser with nothing to download and no signup, in either a guided walkthrough or free practice mode.

Keno Trainer | Learn How to Play Keno, Free and No Signup

Pick your spots Choose 1 to 10 numbers, then place your bet.

Your ticket · numbers 1–80

0 / 10 spots picked

Balls drawn

Bet · $1 per ticket

Pick your numbers on the ticket above, choose a bet, then draw.

$1,000

Bankroll

Session return

Tickets played

Net result

Guided walkthrough Auto new ticket

Recent tickets

No tickets yet. Pick your spots to start.

Keno has no correct play. The game draws 20 of 80 numbered balls at random, and every number has exactly the same 1 in 80 chance on every draw. The only choices that affect your result are how many spots you pick and which pay table you are playing against. This trainer uses a real published pay table so you can see how the numbers actually work.

How a ticket is scored

Pick between 1 and 10 numbers. The house draws 20 numbers from 1 to 80. Any of your numbers that were drawn are a "catch." You are paid according to two things together: how many numbers you picked, and how many of them you caught. Picking 8 numbers and catching 5 pays a completely different amount than picking 5 numbers and catching 5, because each pick count has its own pay table row.

Return by number of spots

Return is the long-run percentage of every dollar bet that comes back as winnings. The rest is the house edge.

Full pay table (credits paid per catch, for a 1-unit bet)

Pay Table 4 as published by Wizard of Odds for standard spot keno. Source: Wizard of Odds, Spot Keno. Real casino pay tables vary widely: live keno lounges commonly return 65% to 80%, and video keno machines commonly return 84% to 95%. Always check the posted pay table before you play.

Common mistakes and myths

Chasing hot or cold numbers. Every ball has an independent 1 in 80 chance every single draw. Past draws have no effect on the next one.
Assuming more spots means a better game. A bigger pick count does not mean a better return. The pay table itself, not the pick count alone, drives the house edge.
Ignoring the pay table before sitting down. Keno pay tables vary more than almost any other casino game. A few dollars of difference in the top prize can swing the return several points.
Betting big to chase a jackpot catch. The top prizes hit extremely rarely, sometimes less than once in a million tickets. Keno is built around long-shot variance, not steady returns.
Treating live keno and video keno as the same odds. Video keno machines are typically far better than live keno lounges. If you must play, video keno is the better game.

Analysis by Michael Shackleford. Source: Wizard of Odds, Keno.

Reading this trainer

Turn on the guided walkthrough on the Trainer tab for step-by-step prompts through picking numbers, betting, and reading the draw. Turn it off for free practice once you know the flow. Every catch on the board glows gold on your ticket and green once it is confirmed as a catch, so you can see the math happen in real time.

About this keno trainer

Keno is a lottery-style lounge game with no dealer to beat and no decision to get right or wrong. You pick numbers, the house draws 20 out of 80, and you get paid for however many of your numbers came up. Because every ball is equally likely on every draw, there is nothing to strategize about beyond how many spots to play and which pay table you are sitting down to.

Why the pay table is everything

Two keno games with the same 1-in-80 odds for every ball can have wildly different returns to the player, because the payouts for each catch are set by the casino, not by the math of the draw. This trainer uses a real published pay table so you can watch how catching 4 out of 8 numbers pays differently than catching 4 out of 4, and why picking more numbers is not automatically the smarter move.

How the trainer works

Click up to 10 numbers on the 80-number board, or use Quick Pick to fill your ticket at random since your chosen numbers make no difference to the odds. Choose a bet size, then draw. The 20 balls appear one at a time, your catches light up gold and then green, and the payout is explained immediately. Turn on the guided walkthrough for prompts through every step, or turn it off for free practice. Your bankroll, session return, and a running log of your last several tickets update after every draw.

Practice without the cost

Everything here is play money. Run through as many tickets as you like to see how often big catches actually happen, how the return compares across different pick counts, and why keno carries one of the highest house edges on the casino floor. The full pay table and the odds behind it live under the Paytable & Odds tab for reference while you play.

Keep practicing

More free trainers for casino games that reward the same disciplined, decision-by-decision play: the Sic Bo trainer, the Big Six trainer, the Video Poker trainer, and the Crazy 4 Poker trainer. Or browse every free trainer on the Casino Trainer home page.