What are the odds when playing Keno?

Keno is similar to state lottery: you pick several numbers on a ticket, and hope to match the numbers drawn from the ping-pong ball machine. It’s also similar to the state lottery in that the odds are very bad. Keno in the casino has the highest edge of any game in the casino – 25% or more.

If you’re playing online the odds are much better. For example, the Pick 13 at Captain Cooks Casino offers a return of 96.54%. The pace of online keno is much faster, so you could still wind up losing more money by playing online even though the odds are better, because you’re placing so many more bets.

Many gambling authors will tell you to never play Keno because the edge is so high. In The New Gambler’s Bible, Arthur Reber says, “I wouldn’t play it with Monopoly money, and I hope you never will.” While Rebers has a point, if you’re only playing a few times for the thrill of a chance at a big win, losing a few bucks isn’t going to kill you. All educated people go into the casino with the understanding that they’re going to lose some money, so what’s the crime if you limit your Keno play to what you can afford to lose and you fully understand that the odds are bad? So long as you are aware of the odds, you play with them in mind, and you don’t bet more than you can afford, you’re in the clear.

What is the history of Keno?

Keno started in China, and the game was brought to the United States by Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century. Originally played with 80 Chinese characters, these were replaced by 80 Arabic numerals when the game became popular in the United States.

For a time in Nevada casinos, each number was accompanied by the name of a racehorse, and the game was known as racehorse keno. The horses’ names disappeared in 1951, as operators didn’t want their game mistaken as horse betting when a tax was placed on off-track betting on horses. However, vestiges of racehorse keno can still be seen: many casinos call each keno game a “race”, and if you bet on more than one game at one time, you buy a “multirace ticket”.

Although the game still remains more popular in the United States than in Australia, many casinos have keno lounges, where numbered balls are forced out through an air blower to determine the winners. Keno is a fun and exciting way to gamble, but keep in mind that the odds aren’t good!

Tips for responsible gaming

There’s an increasing awareness of problem gambling, and our site has a number of pages regarding responsible gambling, and how to recognise and what to do about a potential gambling problem. Dealing with a gambling problem after it has become a problem is very difficult. The best way is to gamble safely, responsibly and sensibly from the outset. This means gambling remains fun and enjoyable, and doesn’t turn into a nightmare for you and your family. Here are some tips for gambling safely. Read through them, and keep them as a reference point to check every now and again.

Do it Legally
The first thing when gambling responsibly is to make sure you are doing it legally. Make sure that the state that you are in allows gambling, and be aware of the laws for whatever type of gambling you are participating in.
Set a Limit
Before you even begin gambling be sure to set yourself a limit. An easy way to do this is to bring cash only. Do not use any debit or credit cards to get more money, and stick to the amount of cash you have set aside.
Don’t Drink
Gambling while drinking is a very bad idea. Drinking can cause you to become less rational and to make bad decisions. You don’t want to wake up the next day with a hang over and empty pockets.
Get Out
A great way to be a responsible gambler is to “quit while you’re ahead”. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop all together, but when you are running hot, step away for a while. Be aware that there are no such things as “winning streaks.” If you’re ahead, it’s against the odds – and the odds will even out eventually. Also make sure you set aside what you have won and go back to using the original cash.
Use Friends
If you are gambling with friends, make sure you hold each other accountable. Don’t let anyone you are friends with go too far, and make sure you have someone looking out for you as well.

Common Myths About Online pokies?

Below are some common myths or false beliefs people hold about gambling. Be aware of the reality.

Myth: If I keep gambling, my chances of winning are increasing, and I’ll win back the money I’ve lost.
Reality: Each time you place a bet, the outcome is completely independent of the previous one. This means that the odds are no more in your favour on the tenth bet than they were on the first bet. Over time, the more you risk, the more you’ll lose.

Myth: If I play more than one slot machine or in more than one poker game at a time, I’ll increase my chances of winning.
Reality: Sure, you may win more often by playing two slot machines or poker games at a time, but make no mistake about it: You’ll also spend—and ultimately lose—more doing so. Remember, over time, the more you gamble, the more you’ll lose.

Myth: I almost won; I must be due for a win.
Reality: There is no such thing as “almost” winning, especially with pokies. The machines are designed to make you feel this way. Either you win or, more often, you don’t. “Almost” winning in no way means that a real win is around the corner. Future gambling outcomes are in no way influenced by previous outcomes.

Myth: I have a special strategy that helps me win. I pick certain numbers for the lottery and press the stop button on a pokie machine at exactly the right time.
Reality: The outcome of most games of chance, particularly lotteries and pokie machines, is completely random: There is no way to influence it, regardless of what you do. For lotteries, this means that betting the same numbers every week won’t help you win any more than betting different numbers will.
Whether or not you win playing pokie machines is based solely on the randomly drawn numbers generated by the machine’s computer. These numbers that generate the outcome of the game have been selected by the computer before the reel stops. Pressing the stop button may speed up when you find out what the game’s outcome is, but it won’t influence what that outcome is in any way.

Myth: I have a feeling that today is my lucky day. I just know I’m going to win.
Reality: Hoping, wishing or even needing to win money has absolutely no influence on the outcome of a game of chance.

What is the history of pokie machines?

The first “slot machine” was developed in the United States of America by Charles Fey. It was a very simple game called the Liberty Bell and was an instant hit. The first slot machines, or pokies, arrived in Australia In the early 1900′s. They became instantly popular with gamblers, despite their illegality.

In 1953 an Australian company called Aristocrat saw that pokies meant big business for gambling, and asked Joe Heywood to develop their first game, which was known as the Clubman. In 1955 the Clubman was replaced with the Clubmaster.

A year later, in 1956, the government of NSW legalised gaming machines in registered clubs. This was the single decision that changed the face of gambling in Australia and around the world forever. The pokies were very soon a huge hit with players despite their relative simplicity – they didn’t even have lights until the 1960s.

The next few decades were pretty quiet in terms of innovation in the area of pokie machines. All pokies had three spinning reels and either one, three or five lines. The jackpots were small by today’s standards and interactivity was limited to pulling the lever and waiting for the reels to stop.

It was not until the mid 1980s that the first video slots were produced and released to the public. This was the biggest development in gaming since that first Liberty Bell game. Not only did the games have five reels but the also had many more lines and offered additional ways to win such as bonuses.

Today no matter where you are, if you walk into a casino you are sure to see whole rows of video pokies. From Las Vegas to Sydney the pokies are the most popular form of gambling today.

With the development and popularisation of the internet, online pokies have become a sensation among gamers. With even greater chances to win, and no need to leave the comfort of your home, gamers have discovered online pokies are the future of gaming.

How do you play Keno?

In the live version, the player may mark anywhere from 1 through 20 numbers on a card that has 80 numbers arranged in eight rows of ten. The player then takes the card to a keno writer and places a bet that the numbers selected will be among the 20 drawn in the next game. Alternatively, the player sitting in one of the casino restaurants can mark a card and give it with a bet to a keno runner, who takes it to the keno writer and then brings back the ticket. The bet is in multiples of the house minimum — usually $1 nowadays.

After the 20 numbers are drawn, winning tickets are paid according to a table that varies from house to house. For example, a four-spot ticket with $1 wagered might return the $1 if two numbers hit, bring $5 if three numbers hit, and pay $120 if all four come in. But in another casino, the three-number hit might pay $6 and all four $125, and in another the payoffs might be $5 and $110. Because of the variation, no payback percentage is common enough to be called average. Paybacks range from below 70 percent to more than 80 percent.

Way to Bet

Straight ticket: Betting the numbers marked as a single wager is called betting a straight ticket. It’s the simplest way to play, but many players like to bet more combinations. One popular method is the “way ticket.” For example, a player might mark six numbers, circle two groups of three, and mark on the side of the ticket, “2/3, 1/6.” The player then would bet $3 to have $1 wagers on each of two three-spot combinations and on the six-spot.

King ticket: A number circled by itself is the king, which is used in all combinations marked. Let’s say a seventh number in the previous example was circled as a king. The player then could mark “2/4, 1/7″ to bet two four-number combinations — the king joining each of the three-number groupings — and the overall seven numbers.

Combination ticket: The player marks several number groupings and plays combinations of them. For example, a ticket with two-, three-, and four-number groupings can be played as 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5 (the two- and three-number groups together), 1/6 (two- and four-number groups), 1/7 (three- and four-numbers), 1/9 (all three groups). At $1 per game, the ticket would cost $7.

Progressive Jackpots

For higher-number totals played, or for bigger bets, many keno games offer progressive jackpots. Sometimes the progressive jackpot gets high enough that the house is actually offering more than 100 percent payback. Late in 1994, the jackpot on a $2 eight-spot ticket surpassed $200,000 at a casino in Las Vegas. At the $250,000 jackpot cap, the player would have an edge of 17.4 percent. Now that doesn’t mean a player could sit down and win steadily at a 17 percent rate. Results can vary wildly over a short period of time. A player can expect to hit eight-of-eight on the average of once every 230,000 trials, and the casino’s eight-spot was paying nothing below five-of-eight spots, so only 2 percent of all tickets would collect anything at all.

Strategy

Overall, the returns at keno are too infrequent for anyone to play the game seriously. A game or two over breakfast in the casino coffee shop or relaxing in the keno lounge is plenty for many people. But some players on a tight budget enjoy sitting in the keno lounge, being served free drinks and playing a buck at a time as an inexpensive way to spend the day.

For someone who wants to play seriously enough to go from casino to casino, the best strategy is simply to compare pay tables and play at the house that pays the most for the number of spots you select. There is no strategy for selecting numbers — any number is as likely to come up as any of the others.

Video Keno

Video keno is essentially the same game. The same 80 numbers are arranged in the same eight rows on a video screen. You just need to touch the screen to choose your numbers. Pay tables usually are better than at live keno, but, as with online keno, you play the video game much faster and risk more money per hour than with the live game.

Thanks to John Grochowski for his helpful article at “How Stuff Works: How to Play Keno”.

How can I play the pokies safely and responsibly?

Signs you may have a gambling problem

There are many signs that may indicate a problem with gambling. The more of these signs you recognise as part of your behaviour, the more likely it is that you have a gambling problem, and the more we recommend that you seek professional help. Some of these signs include:

• Spending more time or money on gambling than you can afford
• Finding it difficult to control, stop, or cut down gambling, or feeling irritable when trying to do so
• Feeling a sense of emptiness or loss when not gambling
• Constantly thinking or talking about gambling
• Gambling more in order to win back losses or get out of financial trouble
• Thinking that your gambling will get under control as soon you have a ‘big win’
• Often gambling until all of your money is gone
• Having increased debt, unpaid bills, or other financial troubles because of your gambling
• Borrowing money, selling things, committing (or considering committing) criminal acts in order to get money for gambling
• Gambling to escape personal problems or to relieve feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, or other negative emotions
• Getting irritated more easily or having less patience when dealing with normal, everyday activities
• Needing to gamble with larger amounts of money or for longer periods of time in order to get the same feeling of excitement
• Experiencing extreme highs from gambling wins and extreme lows from gambling losses
• Feeling guilty about gambling or what happens while gambling
• Getting criticized by others for your gambling
• Having arguments with friends or family about money and gambling
• Refusing to discuss gambling with others or lying to cover it up
• Hiding bills, past due notices, winnings, or losses from your partner or family member
• Gambling instead of attending family or other social functions
• Neglecting family or household responsibilities because of gambling
• Neglecting work or school because of gambling
• Neglecting basic personal needs (e.g., for food, sleep, hygiene) because of gambling
• Consistently or always planning holidays where gambling is available

If you feel you display a number of the above signs, and may need help addressing you gambling problem, check our page Who can I call if I think I have a gambling problem? For support services available depending on your location.

Who can I call if I think I have a gambling problem

Gambling support services are generally organised on a state level. Below is a list of available support services with phone numbers depending on your location.

State Services Available

Australian Capital Territory

• Lifeline Gambling and Financial Counselling – Ph: (02) 6247 0655

New South Wales

• G-Line – Freecall™ 1800 633 635

Northern Territory

• Amity Community Services – Freecall™ 1800 629 683

Queensland

• Gambling Help (Relationships Australia) – Freecall™ 1800 633 649 or (07) 3349 5111
• Gold Coast – Ph: (07) 5575 6122
• Rockhampton – Ph: (07) 4927 4000
• Cairns – Ph: (07) 4050 4955
• Toowoomba – Ph: (07) 4632 2615
• Townsville – Ph: (07) 4772 7799

South Australia

• Gambling Helpline SA – Freecall™ 1800 060 757

Tasmania

• Gambling Helpline Tasmania – Freecall™ 1800 858 858
• TTY – Freecall™ 1800 000 974
• Anglicare Tasmania – Freecall™ 1800 243 232
• Relationships Australia, Tasmania – 1300 364 277

Victoria

• Gambler’s Help – Freecall™ 1800 156 789
• Gambler’s Help Central – Ph: (03) 9653 3250
• Gambler’s Help Eastern – Ph: 1300 131 973
• Gambler’s Help Northern – Ph: 1300 133 445
• Gambler’s Help Southern – Ph: (03) 9575 5333
• Gambler’s Help Western – Ph: (03) 9296 1234
• Ballarat – Ph: 1800 243 696
• Bendigo – Ph: (03) 5434 4300 or Freecall™ 1800 244 323
• Broadford – Ph: (03) 5784 1306
• Geelong – Ph: (03) 5278 8122
• Gippsland – Ph: Freecall™ 1800 242 696
• Colac – Ph: (03) 5230 0180
• Horsham – Ph: (03) 5381 1062
• Mildura – Ph: (03) 5023 5966
• Shepparton – Ph: (03) 5831 2012
• Stawell – Ph: (03) 5358 3700
• Swan Hill – Ph: (03) 5032 4479
• Wodonga – Ph: (02) 6022 8888 or Freecall™ 1800 657 573
• Warrnambool, Hamilton, Portland & Camperdown – Ph: 1300 361 680

Western Australia

• Breakeven – Ph: (08) 9325 5133
• G-Line – Freecall™ 1800 622 112

How can I break my gambling habit?

Gambling help organisation Problem Gambling Victoria gives some helpful strategies on breaking a gambling habit that has become a problem.

Practical tips for breaking your gambling habit [Read more]