Illustration of an electronic keno machine showing an 80-number game grid, paytable, and betting controls with the headline "How to Play Electronic Keno Machines: A Complete Guide" against a bright casino background.

by Steve Bourie

Electronic keno machines sit in a curious spot in the casino ecosystem. They look like slot machines, they play like a lottery drawing, and they offer some of the widest — and most player-friendly — payback ranges of any game on the floor, if you know where to look. For casual players who enjoy a slower pace and the thrill of watching numbers light up on screen, keno can be an entertaining and occasionally profitable way to spend time at the casino. Here’s what you need to know to play it well.

The Basic Rules of Electronic Keno

Electronic keno is a video version of the classic lottery-style game found in casino keno lounges. The mechanics are simple:

  1. The number field. Every keno machine displays a grid of 80 numbers.
  2. Pick your spots. Players select between 1 and 20 numbers (often called “spots”) that they think will be drawn. Most players choose somewhere between 4 and 10 numbers, since payouts and hit frequency balance out best in that range.
  3. The draw. The machine (or, in live keno lounges, a random number generator tied to a physical or digital draw) selects 20 numbers out of the 80.
  4. Matching. The more of your chosen numbers that match the drawn numbers, the higher your payout. Miss too many, and you win nothing.
  5. Betting. Players wager a set amount per game, and the payout scales based on both the amount wagered and how many spots were matched.

Unlike table games, there’s no strategy in the traditional sense — you can’t count cards or read a dealer. Keno is a game of pure chance, closer in spirit to a scratch-off ticket than blackjack. That said, understanding the math behind the machine can meaningfully change your expected losses over time.

How RTP Is Determined on Keno Machines

RTP, or Return to Player, is the theoretical percentage of all wagered money that a game returns to players over a very large number of plays. If a keno machine has a 90% RTP, the math says that for every $100 wagered across all players over the long run, $90 is paid back out in winnings, while $10 is retained by the casino as revenue. This is a statistical average calculated over millions of spins — it says nothing about what happens on any single play, only what happens in aggregate.

RTP on keno machines is built into the pay table, which is the chart showing how much a win is worth based on the number of spots picked and the number of matches hit. Because keno pay tables are published and fixed (they don’t change hand to hand the way a slot’s bonus features might), the RTP for a given keno paytable can actually be calculated with precision using combinatorial math — specifically, the probability of drawing each possible combination of matches, multiplied by the payout for that combination, summed across all outcomes.

Here’s the practical part: keno RTP is not standardized. Two keno machines sitting next to each other on the same casino floor, made by the same manufacturer, can have significantly different payback percentages depending on the pay table the casino has chosen to install. This is different from a game like blackjack, where the rules of the game itself set the house edge in a fairly narrow range. With keno, the operator has substantial control over how generous or stingy the payouts are, spot by spot.

A few factors that shape RTP on any given keno machine:

  • The pay table structure. How much does the machine pay for matching 6 of 8 spots versus 7 of 8? Small differences in these payout tiers add up to meaningful differences in overall RTP.
  • The number of spots offered. Some pay tables are more generous on certain spot counts (like 6-spot or 8-spot games) than others.
  • House-set hold percentage. Casinos set an internal target for how much of every dollar wagered they intend to keep. This target directly shapes how the pay table is built.
  • Bonus or multiplier features. Some electronic keno machines include multiplier bets or bonus rounds, which change the effective RTP compared to a straightforward pay table.

Keno’s RTP tends to run lower than many other casino games. Electronic keno paybacks commonly fall in the 85% to 95% range, with the exact figure depending heavily on the casino and the specific pay table installed — as a general rule, the nicer or more upscale the casino, the tighter the machine tends to be set. Nevada, for example, requires electronic gaming machines to return at least 75%, though most casinos set their games well above that regulatory floor to stay competitive. This puts keno’s house edge — typically somewhere between 5% and 15% on electronic machines — above staples like blackjack (often under 1% with proper strategy) and video poker (which can run into the high 90s or even over 100% on rare full-pay machines with perfect play), and generally comparable to many slot machines.

It’s worth distinguishing electronic keno from live keno, the traditional lounge-based version where a clerk fills out a paper ticket and drawings happen every few minutes. Live keno paybacks tend to run substantially worse than electronic keno — surveys of Las Vegas live keno lounges have found paybacks as low as the 60s and even 50s percent-wise, compared to the mid-80s to mid-90s typically seen on video keno machines. A Wizard of Odds’ 2001 Las Vegas survey found returns ranged from 65% to 80%, and a 2012 survey of Laughlin live keno found a range of return of 50% to 74%. A more current Vegas Advantage survey similarly found Las Vegas live keno lounge paybacks range from 57% to 77%

The gap exists partly because live keno carries staffing overhead (ticket writers, runners) that video keno doesn’t, and partly because live keno’s slower pace lets casinos get away with a bigger bite per dollar wagered. If you see both options at a casino, video keno is almost always the better math for your bankroll — just be aware that its much faster pace of play means you’ll also wager, and be exposed to the house edge, far more often per hour. It’s important to go in with realistic expectations either way: keno is generally one of the worse bets on the floor from a pure math perspective, even though it can still be won.

What Players Should Look For When Choosing a Keno Game

Because RTP varies so widely from one keno machine to the next, doing a little homework before sitting down can meaningfully improve your odds. Here’s what to check:

1. Compare Pay Tables Side by Side

If a casino offers multiple keno machines or terminals, look at the printed or on-screen pay tables before committing to one. Pay particular attention to the payouts for matching most or all of your chosen spots, since these represent the bulk of a machine’s overall payback. A machine that pays generously on 8-of-8 or 9-of-9 hits, even if it’s stingier on lower matches, may carry a higher overall RTP than one with flatter, less exciting payouts across the board.

2. Understand the Spot Count Sweet Spot

Different spot counts (how many numbers you choose per game) often carry different RTPs on the same machine. It’s worth checking whether the casino or machine publishes spot-specific payback information. In general, mid-range spot selections (around 6 to 8 spots) tend to offer a reasonable balance between hit frequency and payout size, though this varies by pay table.

3. Ask About or Research Published RTP

Some jurisdictions require casinos to make payback information available, either posted near the machines or accessible upon request. Gaming control board websites in regulated markets (such as Nevada, New Jersey, or various tribal gaming commissions) sometimes publish average payback percentages by game type and even by casino, which can help players compare options before ever sitting down.

4. Watch for Multiplier and Bonus Features

Machines with “power play,” “multi-card,” or bonus multiplier features can boost potential payouts, but they may also carry a different underlying RTP than standard keno. Read the machine’s help screen, which typically explains how these features affect payouts, before assuming they’re purely additive to your expected return.

5. Consider Bet Size and Minimum Wagers

Some keno machines offer better payouts per dollar wagered at higher bet levels. If your bankroll allows it, compare whether betting max credits changes the proportional payout structure. Not all machines reward higher bets proportionally, so this is worth checking on the paytable screen rather than assuming.

6. Factor in Pace of Play

Electronic keno machines run through draws much faster than live keno lounges, sometimes allowing dozens of games per minute if a player wants to play quickly. Faster pace means faster exposure to the house edge, so players focused on stretching a bankroll may want to slow their pace intentionally, even on a machine with a favorable pay table.

Playing Smart

Keno will never be a game where skillful play overcomes the house edge — the numbers are drawn randomly, and no amount of number selection strategy changes the underlying probabilities. What players can control is which machine they choose to play, how much they wager, and how quickly they play. Comparing pay tables, understanding how RTP is calculated, and setting a budget before sitting down are the most effective tools any keno player has. Treated as entertainment with a built-in cost, rather than a reliable way to make money, keno can be a genuinely enjoyable part of a casino visit.

Steve Bourie is a casino industry author, publisher, and gambling expert with more than 35 years of experience covering U.S. casinos. He is best known as the author of the American Casino Guide book, a long-running resource used by casino players seeking information on casino games, player rewards programs, casino promotions, slot machines, video poker, blackjack, craps, and gambling strategy.

As the founder of AmericanCasinoGuideBook.com, Steve regularly publishes casino news, casino reviews, strategy articles, and player education content designed to help gamblers make informed decisions. His work has been featured by national media outlets, and he is frequently sought out for commentary on casino trends, player behavior, and the evolving gaming industry.