How Keno Payouts Work
Keno payouts are multipliers of your bet. The pay table tells you how much you win for each possible match count, expressed as a multiplier. If the paytable says "4 matches pays 5" and you bet $2, you collect $10.
A few important things to know upfront:
- Payouts are based on matches, not on any particular numbers you picked
- The paytable is specific to both the number of spots you played and the casino or lottery you're playing at
- Most payouts do not include your original bet back — a "$5 payout" on a $1 bet means you net $4 profit (this varies by casino; some list payouts as profit, others as total return)
- Higher match counts pay exponentially more because they're exponentially rarer
Reading a Keno Pay Table
Here is a sample 6-spot paytable from a generic casino. The "Catch" column shows how many of your 6 spots were drawn. The "Payout" column shows the multiplier applied to your bet.
| Catch (Matches) | Probability | Payout ($1 bet) | Profit on $1 bet | Expected Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 catches | 16.60% | $0 | −$1.00 | $0.000 |
| 1 catch | 36.39% | $0 | −$1.00 | $0.000 |
| 2 catches | 30.83% | $0 | −$1.00 | $0.000 |
| 3 catches | 12.98% | $1 | $0.00 | $0.130 |
| 4 catches | 2.85% | $4 | $3.00 | $0.114 |
| 5 catches | 0.31% | $100 | $99.00 | $0.310 |
| 6 catches (jackpot) | 0.013% | $1,500 | $1,499.00 | $0.193 |
| Total Expected Return per $1 bet | $0.747 (74.7% RTP) | |||
Notice that 0, 1, and 2 catches — which account for 83.8% of all games — pay nothing. The game's return is built almost entirely on the rare higher-match outcomes.
Understanding Return to Player (RTP)
Return to Player (RTP) is the percentage of total money wagered that is paid back to players over many games. A 74.7% RTP means that for every $1 bet, players get back $0.747 on average.
RTP is a long-run statistical measure. In any single session, your results can deviate dramatically from RTP. You might win big, or lose everything. Over millions of games, the results converge toward the RTP.
RTP vs. House Edge
RTP + House Edge = 100%. If RTP is 74.7%, the house edge is 25.3%. The house edge is the casino's average profit per dollar wagered. It's mathematically guaranteed over the long run — individual sessions are not.
How Paytables Vary
This is one of the most important things to understand about keno: the same game with a different paytable can have a dramatically different RTP. Two casinos running identical keno draws can offer very different expected returns purely through paytable differences.
Here's a comparison of 6-spot payouts across three common paytables:
| Catch | Generic Casino | Massachusetts | Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–2 catches | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 3 catches | $1 | $1 | $1 |
| 4 catches | $4 | $4 | $4 |
| 5 catches | $100 | $87 | $60 |
| 6 catches (jackpot) | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,100 |
Ohio's paytable pays $60 vs $100 for 5 catches, and $1,100 vs $1,500 for the jackpot. These differences compound into a meaningfully lower RTP for Ohio players — despite being the same underlying game.
How to Compare Paytables
To properly compare two paytables, you need to calculate the expected value (EV) for each and sum them up. The formula:
Expected Value Formula
EV = ∑ [P(k matches) × Payout(k)]
RTP = EV / Bet × 100%
You multiply each possible payout by its probability, then sum all the results. This gives you the expected return per dollar wagered.
Worked Example: 6-Spot Generic Casino RTP
Let's calculate the full expected return for the generic 6-spot paytable, step by step:
| Catch k | Probability P(k) | Payout | P(k) × Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0.16601 | $0 | $0.0000 |
| 1 | 0.36385 | $0 | $0.0000 |
| 2 | 0.30832 | $0 | $0.0000 |
| 3 | 0.12982 | $1 | $0.1298 |
| 4 | 0.02848 | $4 | $0.1139 |
| 5 | 0.00310 | $100 | $0.3100 |
| 6 | 0.00013 | $1,500 | $0.1929 |
| Total EV (per $1 bet) | $0.7466 | ||
| RTP | 74.7% | ||
The house keeps 25.3 cents of every dollar wagered, on average, over many games.
What RTP Means in Practice
Most keno games return 65–80% of wagered money. Compare this to other gambling options:
| Game | Typical RTP | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Keno (lottery/casino) | 65–80% | 20–35% |
| Video Keno machines | 75–92% | 8–25% |
| Slot machines | 92–96% | 4–8% |
| American Roulette | 94.7% | 5.3% |
| European Roulette | 97.3% | 2.7% |
| Baccarat (banker) | 98.9% | 1.1% |
| Blackjack (basic strategy) | ~99.5% | ~0.5% |
Keno has a higher house edge than most other casino games. That's a fact worth knowing before you play. However, keno offers something those games don't: a massive jackpot payout for a tiny wager, and a completely relaxed, no-skill-required experience.
Tips for Getting Better Value from Keno
- Compare paytables before you play. If you're in a casino with multiple keno options, the paytable matters. A few minutes of comparison can meaningfully change your expected return.
- Lower spot counts have more frequent (but smaller) wins. If you want to play longer on a fixed budget, 4- or 5-spot keno gives you more winning events per session than 10-spot.
- Set a session budget and stick to it. With a ~25% house edge, your expected loss is $25 per $100 wagered over time. Decide what you're comfortable spending before you start.
- Multi-race tickets (where available) let you play the same numbers across several upcoming draws at once — convenient, but doesn't change the math.
- There is no system that beats the house edge. No number selection strategy, betting progression, or pattern improves your mathematical odds. Every draw is independent and random.
Calculate Payouts for Your Game
Use our payout calculator to see expected returns, RTP, and house edge for Generic Casino, Massachusetts, and Ohio keno paytables — for any spot count and bet size.
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