5 Spot Keno Payout Chart
Five-spot keno is the sweet spot between frequent wins and a payout big enough to feel like a real prize. Below is a representative payout chart showing what each match level pays on a $1 bet, alongside the exact odds of landing it. Casino paytables are generally more generous than state-lottery paytables; both are shown.
| Matches (Catch) | Typical Casino Payout ($1 bet) | Typical Lottery Payout ($1 bet) | Odds of This Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 of 5 | $0 | $0 | 1 in 4.4 |
| 1 of 5 | $0 | $0 | 1 in 2.5 |
| 2 of 5 | $0 | $0 | 1 in 3.7 |
| 3 of 5 | $1 | $1 | 1 in 11.9 |
| 4 of 5 | $12 | $11 | 1 in 82.7 |
| 5 of 5 (jackpot) | $810 | $640 | 1 in 1,551 |
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 — always check it.
5 Spot Keno Odds Table
These probabilities are fixed by the math of the game: 20 numbers are drawn from a field of 80, and you hold 5 of them. No system changes them. Here is the probability of every possible outcome:
| Outcome | Probability | Odds (1 in X) |
|---|---|---|
| Hit 0 of 5 | 22.718% | 1 in 4.4 |
| Hit 1 of 5 | 40.569% | 1 in 2.5 |
| Hit 2 of 5 | 27.046% | 1 in 3.7 |
| Hit 3 of 5 | 8.394% | 1 in 11.9 |
| Hit 4 of 5 | 1.209% | 1 in 82.7 |
| Hit 5 of 5 | 0.0645% | 1 in 1,551 |
The probability that pays: 3 or more
On most 5-spot paytables you need at least 3 matches to win anything. The chance of catching 3, 4, or 5 is about 9.7% — roughly 1 winning ticket in every 10 you play. The other ~90% of the time, a 5-spot ticket pays nothing.
Is 5-Spot Keno Worth Playing?
Here's the honest answer: like all keno, 5-spot has a house edge that's much steeper than table games. But within keno, it's a reasonable choice. The representative casino paytable above returns about 75% of money wagered over the long run — meaning a house edge near 25%. Lottery paytables are worse, often returning closer to 63% (a 37% house edge).
What 5-spot gets right is balance. You win something on roughly 1 in 10 tickets, the $810 top prize is large relative to a $1 bet, and the swings are moderate. It won't drain your bankroll as fast as a 10-spot, and it pays far more than a 4-spot when you do hit the top. If you enjoy the chase but want your money to last, 5-spot is a defensible pick — just go in knowing the edge is real.
Expected Return: The Math, Shown
Expected value (EV) is the sum of every payout multiplied by its probability. For the representative casino paytable on a $1 bet:
| Matches k | Probability P(k) | Payout | P(k) × Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0.08394 | $1 | $0.0839 |
| 4 | 0.01209 | $12 | $0.1451 |
| 5 | 0.000645 | $810 | $0.5224 |
| Total Expected Return per $1 bet | $0.751 | ||
| Return to Player (RTP) | 75.1% · House edge 24.9% | ||
In plain terms: for every $1 you wager on this 5-spot paytable, expect to get back about 75 cents over the long run. Any single session can swing far above or below that — the jackpot does most of the heavy lifting in the EV.
How 5-Spot Compares to Other Spot Counts
Picking more spots makes the jackpot harder but bigger. Here's where 5-spot sits:
| Spots | Odds (Hit All) | Typical Top Payout ($1) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 spot | 1 in 326 | $100 | Frequent small wins |
| 5 spot | 1 in 1,551 | $810 | Balanced play |
| 6 spot | 1 in 7,753 | $1,600 | Most popular |
| 10 spot | 1 in 8,911,711 | $100,000 | Jackpot chasing |
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 5-spot numbers
Open the keno odds calculator pre-filled for 5 spots to see the exact probability and "1 in X" for every match level, with the hypergeometric formula on screen.
Frequently Asked
On a typical $1 bet, 5 spot keno pays around $1 for 3 matches, $12 for 4 matches, and $810 for hitting all 5. Lottery keno pays a bit less — roughly $1, $11, and $640 for the same matches. Exact amounts vary by casino and state, so always check the local paytable.
The odds of hitting all 5 numbers in 5 spot keno are 1 in 1,551 (about 0.0645%). This comes from the hypergeometric distribution: 20 numbers drawn from 80, with you holding 5 of them.
It depends on what you want. 4 spot hits its jackpot far more often (1 in 326 vs 1 in 1,551) and wins something more frequently, making it better for long, low-variance sessions. 5 spot pays a much bigger top prize and often carries a slightly higher return-to-player, making it better if you want a larger payout for the same bet.