9 Spot Keno Payout Chart
Nine-spot keno is one notch below the famous 10-spot, offering a near-maximum jackpot of around $40,000 on a $1 bet with slightly better odds. A small 4-catch prize keeps tickets paying often enough to stay interesting. Below is a representative payout chart showing what each match level pays on a $1 bet, alongside the exact odds of landing it.
| Matches (Catch) | Typical Payout ($1 bet) | Probability | Odds of This Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 of 9 | $0 | 6.375% | 1 in 15.7 |
| 1 of 9 | $0 | 22.067% | 1 in 4.5 |
| 2 of 9 | $0 | 31.643% | 1 in 3.2 |
| 3 of 9 | $0 | 24.611% | 1 in 4.1 |
| 4 of 9 | $1 | 11.411% | 1 in 8.8 |
| 5 of 9 | $5 | 3.260% | 1 in 30.7 |
| 6 of 9 | $40 | 0.5720% | 1 in 175 |
| 7 of 9 | $280 | 0.0592% | 1 in 1,690 |
| 8 of 9 | $4,000 | 0.003259% | 1 in 30,682 |
| 9 of 9 (jackpot) | $40,000 | 0.0000724% | 1 in 1,380,688 |
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.
9 Spot Keno Odds Table
These probabilities are fixed by the game: 20 numbers drawn from 80, with you holding 9. No betting system changes them. Here is the probability of every outcome:
| Outcome | Probability | Odds (1 in X) |
|---|---|---|
| Hit 0 of 9 | 6.375% | 1 in 15.7 |
| Hit 1 of 9 | 22.067% | 1 in 4.5 |
| Hit 2 of 9 | 31.643% | 1 in 3.2 |
| Hit 3 of 9 | 24.611% | 1 in 4.1 |
| Hit 4 of 9 | 11.411% | 1 in 8.8 |
| Hit 5 of 9 | 3.260% | 1 in 30.7 |
| Hit 6 of 9 | 0.5720% | 1 in 175 |
| Hit 7 of 9 | 0.0592% | 1 in 1,690 |
| Hit 8 of 9 | 0.003259% | 1 in 30,682 |
| Hit 9 of 9 | 0.0000724% | 1 in 1,380,688 |
The probability that pays: 4 or more
On most 9-spot paytables you start winning at 4 matches. The chance of catching 4 or more is about 15.3%, or roughly 1 winning ticket in every 7. The all-9 jackpot at 1 in 1.38 million is the rare top end that puts a $40,000 prize within reach of a single dollar.
Who Should Play 9-Spot Keno
Nine-spot lives in the high-variance neighborhood just below the 10-spot. It fits a specific kind of player:
- You want a near-maximum jackpot. A $40,000 top prize is close to the biggest keno pays, but the odds are about 6 times better than a 10-spot.
- You still want some frequent action. Unlike the 8-spot, a small 4-catch prize means you win something on about 1 in 7 tickets.
- You enjoy a long prize ladder. Payouts climb dramatically from 6 matches up, so catching 7 or 8 pays hundreds or thousands.
- You can handle the swings. The big prizes are rare, so a comfortable bankroll helps you stay in the game.
If the 10-spot jackpot tempts you but its 1-in-8.9-million odds feel out of reach, 9-spot is the slightly friendlier way to chase a five-figure prize.
State Payout Variations: Casino vs Lottery
Casino keno usually pays a little more than state lottery games. Here is how a representative casino 9-spot payout compares with typical state lottery games in Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio:
| Matches | Typical Casino ($1) | Lottery: MA / NY / OH ($1) | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 of 9 | $5 | $4 | 1 in 30.7 |
| 6 of 9 | $40 | $35 | 1 in 175 |
| 7 of 9 | $280 | $250 | 1 in 1,690 |
| 8 of 9 | $4,000 | $3,500 | 1 in 30,682 |
| 9 of 9 | $40,000 | $30,000 | 1 in 1,380,688 |
The casino sheet here returns about 71.7% of money wagered, while the lower lottery payouts return closer to 61.4%. The gap is wide on this ticket, so comparing paytables is well worth it. For state context, see the Massachusetts keno guide, New York Quick Draw, and the Ohio keno guide.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0.114105 | $1 | $0.1141 |
| 5 | 0.032601 | $5 | $0.1630 |
| 6 | 0.005720 | $40 | $0.2288 |
| 7 | 0.000592 | $280 | $0.1657 |
| 8 | 0.0000326 | $4,000 | $0.1304 |
| 9 | 0.00000072 | $40,000 | $0.0290 |
| Total Expected Return per $1 bet | $0.717 | ||
| Return to Player (RTP) | 71.7% · House edge 28.3% | ||
The headline $40,000 jackpot adds only about 3 cents per dollar to the return. Most of 9-spot's payback comes from the 6, 7, and 8-catch prizes, while the small 4-catch prize keeps tickets winning often.
How 9-Spot Compares to Other Spot Counts
| Spots | Odds (Hit All) | Typical Top Payout ($1) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 spot | 1 in 7,753 | $1,600 | Most popular |
| 7 spot | 1 in 40,979 | $7,000 | Bigger jackpot hunt |
| 8 spot | 1 in 230,115 | $20,000 | High variance jackpots |
| 9 spot | 1 in 1,380,688 | $40,000 | Near-max jackpot |
| 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 9-spot numbers
Open the keno odds calculator pre-filled for 9 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, 9 spot keno pays around $1 for 4 matches, $5 for 5, $40 for 6, $280 for 7, $4,000 for 8, and about $40,000 for catching all 9. State lottery games pay a bit less. Amounts vary, so always check the local paytable.
The odds of catching all 9 numbers are 1 in 1,380,688 (about 0.0000724%). This comes from the hypergeometric distribution: 20 numbers drawn from 80, with you holding 9 of them.
Nine spot is for players who want a near-maximum jackpot but slightly better odds than a 10 spot. A small 4-catch prize keeps tickets paying on about 1 in 7 plays, while the all-9 jackpot of roughly $40,000 is the headline draw. It is a high-variance bet best suited to jackpot chasers; for more frequent wins, try 6 spot.