The History of Keno: From Ancient China to Modern Casinos

Keno is one of the oldest casino games in the world, and It’s made a surprise return to popularity within the online casino sector. In this guide, we’re going explain the history of keno and how this 2,000-year-old game has progressed from Ancient China to the bright lights of modern-day casinos.

• What Is Keno?
• The Ancient Origins of Keno History
• Keno’s Journey to the West
• Keno’s Evolution in Modern Casinos
• How to Play Keno Online
• Comparing Keno with Other Lottery Games
• Best Strategy for Keno
• Play Keno Using the Best Casino Bonuses

What Is Keno?

The simplicity of the keno is one of the game’s most significant attributes. Essentially, it’s a lottery-based game where players choose up to 20 numbers ranging from 1-80 and win prizes as their numbers are called.

You must match all the numbers to win. The more numbers you pick, the bigger the prize.

In a brick-and-mortar casino, numbers are drawn sporadically throughout the day. They use this process as a method to keep players within their four walls.

Online, draws are made instantly. This allows you to play games in quick succession.

Prizes are cash-based for the most part, but it’s not uncommon to have physical products as part of the pool, usually paid alongside cash money.

The Ancient Origins of Keno History

There aren’t many (possibly any) casino games that date back 2,000 years, but that’s how long keno history dates back.

The game was first created in China during the Han Dynasty between 205 to 187 BC. The ruler at that time was Cheung Leung, who needed to generate money to fund his depleting army.

Leung struggled to collect taxes from his already burdened citizens. To help overcome this financial shortfall, he created keno, giving people the chance to win money while keeping a percentage of the profits as a tax for playing.

Money earned from the game would later help build the Great Wall of China.

To boost numbers, players from small hamlets and villages outside of the cities were encouraged to play. Results would be sent by carrier pigeon, thus creating the name Baige Piao, translating to “White Pigeon Ticket.”

Instead of choosing numbers for the tickets, players selected characters from a poem or Chinese symbols.

Keno’s Journey to the West

To learn more about what keno is, we want to highlight how it evolved outside of China.

Keno migrated to the West towards the end of the 19^th Century. Chinese workers were leaving the country for work, notably working on the first transcontinental railroad and mining during the California Gold Rush.

Many of the Chinese community continued to play the game, but it was in close-knit circles, with very few Westerners initially taking it up. However, where there is money to be won, people will naturally become curious, and the game soon starts to expand.

Most referred to keno as the “Chinese Lottery,” with the literal term “White Pigeon Ticket” failing to translate.

To make it easier for Westerners to understand, they changed the symbols for numbers and the name to keno, which is a Latin word for “five winning numbers.”

Keno’s Evolution in Modern Casinos

By the mid-20^th Century, keno had become a staple in American casinos. Early versions of the game included cards and balls drawn from a rotating cage, much like bingo is today.

Players would mark their cards, choose their numbers, and wait for the numbers to be drawn. It was often referred to as the casino lottery, but on a much smaller scale than any state or national draw.

Even though the core rules of the game have remained the same throughout the history of keno, technology has had its say on how the game is now played.

Random number generators are used, much in the same way that you’d find with online slots, and players can make their selections on paper or electronically.

Table setup

Most casinos have dedicated areas for keno. There will be a large table that includes a board with numbers from 1-80.

Some of the newer casinos will allow you to input your numbers digitally, but many are still old-school, with a ticket where you mark off your selections.

If the latter, you then submit your ticket to the cashier, often located near the table, and pay your entry fee for the game. The results are posted on a large screen that you can watch live, or you can return with your ticket to see if you’ve won.

Keno betting options

To learn more about what keno is, you need to understand how the five betting options work:

• Straight ticket: This is where you mark numbers on a single ticket.
• Split ticket: This gives you the option to choose numbers that run across multiple games.
• Way ticket: A way ticket allows you to group numbers across different combinations.
• King ticket: Choosing one number to be used with all combinations for a single ticket.
• Combination ticket: Combination of the above bets on a single ticket.

Your winnings are calculated based on the bets you’ve placed and the combinations with each ticket. Essentially, each combination will get a dividend, which is paid out based on your stake.

How to Play Keno Online

Once you’ve learned to play keno in a brick and mortar casino, then you already know how to play keno online – it works the same, just electronically.

You will access an online casino, choose your numbers, and then wait for the results.

Numbers are drawn using a random number generator. This takes all 80 of the numbers on the ticket and randomly draws numbers from those.

In the history of keno, games can take hours or even days, as they did back in Ancient China. Online, they are completed in minutes.

With this, you get bigger prize pools as there are more players, much in the same way that you’d play the weekly lottery.

Comparing Keno with Other Lottery Games

The history of keno would suggest that this is very much the OG of lottery-based games. Since the turn of the second century BC, there have been several games that are very similar.

In the table below, we’ve highlighted the origin, the object of these games, the hose edge, and the player strategy to help answer the question: what is keno?

Popular online variants

When you play keno, there are often multiple versions of the game. We’ve outlined these below and explained how they work.

• Power Keno: Multipliers are applied to certain numbers and winning combinations.
• Super Keno: Gives you a bonus for matching the first drawn number in a game.
• Progressive Keno: Includes a progressive jackpot played across a network with massive prizes on offer.

Best Strategy for Keno

If keno history has taught us anything, no two games are the same. There are subtle differences in house rules across casino and game providers, which introduces an element of strategy.

Here are our top top online keno strategies:

• Find the best odds: Look for the games with the biggest keno odds and prizes. Progressive jackpot games are expensive but can have life-changing sums of money up top.
• Lower variance with more cards: Playing multiple cards in a single game allows you to spread risk and lower variance. Cover a wide range of numbers and combinations across each.
• Bankroll management: Keno is a high variance game, so only play stakes where you are comfortable absorbing longer losing streaks than most casino games.

Play Keno Using the Best Casino Bonuses

Playing keno online with a casino bonus is one of the most practical ways to enjoy the game.

The type of bonus can vary, with deposit matches allowing you to claim multiple hundreds of dollars and no deposit bonuses allowing you to play for free.

Your bankroll and the stakes you want to play for will determine which is best. For smaller bankrolls, utilize the no-deposit bonus, which is where the casino will give you bonus cash without making a deposit.

For players with larger bankrolls, a deposit bonus will be best. This will earn more money in the long run as the casino rewards you for using your own money.

Take a look at the best no-deposit bonuses in Canada that you can use to play keno online.