1 Spot Keno Payout Chart
One-spot keno is the simplest bet on the board. You pick a single number, and if it lands among the 20 drawn, you win. It wins more often than any other spot count, which makes it a friendly starting point for new players. Below is a payout chart showing what each outcome pays on a $1 bet, alongside the exact odds.
Playing a state lottery? Your prizes are different
The chart on this page is the representative 1 spot paytable. Real lottery prizes vary by a lot between states, so if you are playing a specific game, start with its own chart:
| Matches (Catch) | Payout ($1 bet) | Probability | Odds of This Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 of 1 | $0 | 75.000% | 1 in 1.3 |
| 1 of 1 (win) | $3 | 25.000% | 1 in 4.0 |
Payouts are representative of common paytables and are quoted as total return on a $1 wager. Your local casino or lottery paytable is the final word, so always check it.
1 Spot Keno Odds Table
The odds here could not be simpler. Twenty numbers are drawn from 80, so any single number you pick has a 20-in-80 chance of being one of them. That is exactly 1 in 4.
| Outcome | Probability | Odds (1 in X) |
|---|---|---|
| Hit 0 of 1 | 75.000% | 1 in 1.3 |
| Hit 1 of 1 | 25.000% | 1 in 4.0 |
The probability that pays: 1 match
A 1-spot ticket wins on a clean 25% of plays, or 1 in 4. No other keno bet pays this often. The catch is that the prize is small, so frequent wins do not add up to a big return.
Why 1-Spot Keno Suits Casual and New Players
One-spot keno will not change your life, but it has real appeal for relaxed, low-stakes play. Here is why casual players, especially those just learning the game, reach for it:
- It wins constantly. One in four tickets pays. Seeing a win every few games keeps the session fun and easy to follow.
- Nothing to learn. Pick one number, watch for it, done. There is no paytable to study and no decision fatigue.
- The gentlest variance there is. Your balance moves in tiny, predictable steps, so a small budget lasts a long time.
- A perfect warm-up. It is the easiest way to get comfortable with how a draw works before moving up to a 4-spot or higher.
If you want maximum playing time for minimum risk, and you are happy with small wins, 1-spot is the most forgiving ticket in keno.
State Payout Variations: Casino vs Lottery
One-spot keno is unusually sensitive to the paytable because there is only one prize. A casino sheet that pays $3 returns far more than a state lottery sheet that pays $2 for the same catch. Here is how a representative casino payout compares with typical state lottery games in Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio:
| Catch | Typical Casino ($1) | Lottery: MA / NY / OH ($1) | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 of 1 | $3 | $2 | 1 in 4.0 |
That one-dollar gap matters more than it looks. A casino sheet paying $3 returns about 75% of money wagered, while the $2 lottery payout returns only 50%. If you can choose where you play 1-spot, the higher payout is a big deal. For state-by-state context, see the Massachusetts keno guide, New York Quick Draw, and the Ohio keno guide.
How 1-Spot Keno Payouts Vary by State
A 1-spot ticket has just one prize: catching your single number. Most state games pay about double your $1 bet, but a few are more generous. Virginia tops the list at $3.
| State / Game | Catch 1 of 1 ($1 bet) |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $2.50 |
| Ohio | $2 |
| California Hot Spot | $2 |
| New York | $2 |
| Pennsylvania | $2.50 |
| Maryland | $2 |
| Georgia | $2 |
| Connecticut | $2.50 |
The spread is small in dollar terms but real in percentage: a $2.50 payout returns far more of your money than a flat $2. See each state’s full paytable in the Massachusetts keno guide, Pennsylvania keno guide, or Connecticut keno guide. These are official base-game prizes on a $1 wager; optional multiplier and bonus add-ons are excluded.
Expected Return: The Math, Shown
Expected value (EV) is every payout times its probability, summed. For the representative casino paytable on a $1 bet:
| Matches k | Probability P(k) | Payout | P(k) × Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.25000 | $3 | $0.7500 |
| Total Expected Return per $1 bet | $0.750 | ||
| Return to Player (RTP) | 75.0% · House edge 25.0% | ||
At a $3 payout, 1-spot keno is actually one of the better-returning keno bets, because the single prize is priced fairly against the 1-in-4 odds. Drop the payout to $2 and the return falls all the way to 50%, which shows how much the paytable alone drives the result.
How 1-Spot Compares to Other Spot Counts
| Spots | Odds (Hit All) | Typical Top Payout ($1) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 spot | 1 in 4 | $3 | Simplest, most frequent wins |
| 2 spot | 1 in 17 | $12 | Easy, frequent wins |
| 3 spot | 1 in 72 | $43 | Low cost, real jackpot |
| 4 spot | 1 in 326 | $100 | Frequent small wins |
Want to model any spot count head-to-head? Use the spot count comparison tool to see variance, hit frequency, and jackpot odds side by side.
Run your own 1-spot numbers
Open the keno odds calculator pre-filled for 1 spot to see the exact probability and "1 in X" for every match level, with the hypergeometric formula on screen.
Know the odds but not the money? Calculate your expected payout for a 1-spot ticket against your state's real paytable, at any bet size, with the return-to-player worked out for you.
Frequently Asked
On a typical $1 bet, 1 spot keno pays around $3 when your single number is drawn. State lottery games tend to pay less, often $2 for the same catch. Amounts vary, so always check the local paytable.
The odds of catching your single number are 1 in 4 (exactly 25%). That is because 20 of the 80 numbers are drawn, so any one number you pick has a 20-in-80 chance of landing.