Keno in California

California Hot Spot is California's keno-style draw game. Pick 1 to 10 spots from numbers 1 to 80, then compare your numbers against the 20 numbers drawn. California also offers Bulls-Eye, where one drawn number is marked as the Bulls-Eye for extra prize possibilities.

Hot Spot Lottery Keno Game
Every 4 min Draw Frequency
1–10 Spots Per Game
Bulls-Eye Optional Add-On
60+ Tribal Casinos Too

Does California Have Lottery Keno?

Yes. The California State Lottery runs a rapid-draw keno game called Hot Spot. Alongside Scratchers, Powerball, Mega Millions, and SuperLotto Plus, the California Lottery offers Hot Spot at thousands of retailers across the state. It is the same style of fast keno you find in other lottery states: pick your numbers, watch 20 get drawn, and win based on your matches.

Hot Spot also has an optional add-on called Bulls-Eye that lets you win bigger prizes. And because California is also home to one of the largest tribal casino markets in the country, you have a second way to play: live keno lounges and video keno at tribal casinos statewide. So California gives you both lottery keno and casino keno.

Two ways to play keno in California

1. Hot Spot (lottery keno): Run by the California State Lottery and sold at licensed retailers statewide. Draws every 4 minutes, no casino trip required. 2. Tribal casino keno: Offered at 60+ tribal casinos under gaming compacts negotiated with the state. Live keno lounges and video keno machines. Both are covered in detail below.

California Hot Spot Keno: How It Works

Hot Spot is the California Lottery's keno game. Here is how a standard ticket works:

The Bulls-Eye add-on

Bulls-Eye is an optional feature that can boost your prizes. When you add it, one of the 20 numbers drawn each game is randomly designated the Bulls-Eye number. If one or more of your matched numbers is the Bulls-Eye, you win a larger prize. Your Bulls-Eye wager must be at least $2 and must equal your Hot Spot wager. You do not pick any extra numbers for it.

How Bulls-Eye Works

Bulls-Eye does not require separate number picks. One of the 20 drawn numbers is designated as the Bulls-Eye number. If you played Bulls-Eye and that number is among your selected numbers, the Bulls-Eye prize table may apply.

The Bulls-Eye wager must equal the Hot Spot wager. For example, a $4 play means $2 goes to Hot Spot and $2 goes to Bulls-Eye.

California Hot Spot Draw Schedule

Draws every 4 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily. Players can play 1 to 5, 10, 20, 50, or 100 consecutive draws on one playslip.

California Hot Spot Paytable (Base Game and Bulls-Eye)

Below is the full California Hot Spot prize chart for every spot count, showing both the base Hot Spot prize and the Bulls-Eye prize. All amounts are the total return on a $1 wager (Bulls-Eye prizes are per $1 of Bulls-Eye wager). Wager more to multiply prizes proportionally.

1 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
1 of 1$2$54

2 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
1 of 2$15
2 of 2$10$70

3 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
1 of 3$6
2 of 3$2$20
3 of 3$25$155

4 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
1 of 4$4
2 of 4$1$11
3 of 4$4$37
4 of 4$78$300

5 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
1 of 5$3
2 of 5$6
3 of 5$2$16
4 of 5$15$80
5 of 5$435$1,000

6 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
1 of 6$5
2 of 6$2
3 of 6$1$7
4 of 6$6$40
5 of 6$67$250
6 of 6$900$2,000

7 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
1 of 7$5
2 of 7$2
3 of 7$1$3
4 of 7$3$20
5 of 7$12$68
6 of 7$190$575
7 of 7$2,000$10,000

8 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
0 of 8$1$1
1 of 8$5
2 of 8$2
3 of 8$2
4 of 8$7
5 of 8$12$50
6 of 8$80$200
7 of 8$550$1,300
8 of 8$10,000$30,000

9 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
0 of 9$1$1
1 of 9$5
2 of 9$2
3 of 9$2
4 of 9$5
5 of 9$6$20
6 of 9$30$90
7 of 9$135$475
8 of 9$2,750$6,000
9 of 9$30,000$65,000

10 Spot

MatchHot Spot ($1)With Bulls-Eye ($1)
0 of 10$2$2
1 of 10$5
2 of 10$2
3 of 10$2
4 of 10$2
5 of 10$3$9
6 of 10$17$60
7 of 10$42$215
8 of 10$575$1,400
9 of 10$5,000$15,000
10 of 10$100,000$300,000

Source: California Lottery (calottery.com). Prizes are quoted per $1 wagered and scale with your bet. Bulls-Eye requires a separate wager equal to your Hot Spot wager. Always verify the current prize chart with the California Lottery.

Where to Play Hot Spot in California

Hot Spot is sold at participating California Lottery retailers statewide, including many bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery stores. Fill out a Hot Spot playslip (or ask for a Quick Pick), choose your wager and number of draws, and the retailer prints your ticket. You can watch the draws on in-store Hot Spot monitors, or check results on the California Lottery website, the mobile app, or a Check-A-Ticket machine.

Tribal Casino Keno in California

On top of the lottery's Hot Spot game, California is home to over 60 tribal gaming operations, making it one of the largest tribal casino markets in the United States. Many of these casinos offer keno in some form, either as a traditional live keno lounge or as video keno machines on the gaming floor. This is a separate experience from Hot Spot, with casino paytables and a lounge atmosphere.

Tribal Casinos with Live Keno Lounges

Larger tribal casinos in California are more likely to have dedicated keno lounges with live draws. These include:

Note: Keno availability changes. Always call ahead or check the casino's website to confirm keno is currently offered before making a trip.

Video Keno at California Casinos

Many California tribal casinos that don't maintain a full keno lounge still offer video keno machines on the gaming floor. Video keno plays like live keno (you pick numbers, the machine draws, and you win based on matches), but it's a solo electronic experience rather than a communal draw.

Video keno machines at California tribal casinos typically offer:

Card Room Keno in California

California also has a unique card room industry: standalone card clubs that are licensed separately from tribal casinos. Some California card rooms may offer keno-adjacent games, though the primary focus of card rooms is poker and other card-based games. Card rooms operate under different rules than tribal casinos and are subject to California's card room gaming regulations.

How Tribal Casino Keno Works

Tribal casino keno in California follows the standard keno format:

What to Expect at a California Casino Keno Lounge

If you've never visited a keno lounge, here's what to expect at a California tribal casino:

Comparing Tribal Keno to Lottery Keno

FeatureCA Tribal Casino KenoState Lottery Keno (other states)
Draw frequencyEvery 5–15 min (live)Every 3.5–4 min
Number field80 numbers80 numbers
Numbers drawn20 numbers20 numbers (22 in MI)
Where to playTribal casino onlyAny licensed retailer
House edgeVaries by casino (often 20–30%)~25–30%
AtmosphereCasino loungeBar/restaurant/convenience store

Tips for Playing Keno in California

1

Always check the current paytable

Each tribal casino sets its own keno paytables. The same spot count can pay very differently at different California casinos. Before you play, ask for the printed paytable and compare it to what you see here.

2

Call ahead to confirm keno availability

Not every California tribal casino offers keno, and some that did in the past have discontinued it. Call the casino's gaming floor before making a trip specifically for keno.

3

Consider video keno if the lounge is slow

If the live keno lounge has infrequent draws or long waits, video keno on the casino floor is faster and lets you play at your own pace. The math is similar; the experience is more solo.

Use the Keno Odds Calculator

Results and payouts should always be verified with the California Lottery. KenoSpots is an independent informational tool and is not affiliated with the California Lottery. Questions or corrections? Email contact@kenospots.com.

Related Guides

Keno Odds Calculator

Calculate exact probabilities for any spot count. Works for California Hot Spot and tribal casino keno with the standard 80-number, 20-draw format.

Calculate Odds

Washington State Keno

Washington also relies on tribal casino keno rather than a state lottery game. See how the two states compare.

WA Tribal Keno

Where Keno Is Legal

See the full map of state lottery keno, tribal-only keno, and states with no keno at all.

Keno by State

Related Keno Resources

Keno Odds Calculator

Calculate exact probability for any spot count. Works for California Hot Spot keno and any keno game.

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Keno Payout Calculator

Enter your bet to see expected payouts and compare paytables.

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More State Guides

Find keno rules, paytables, and draw times for other states.

All States

California keno payout charts

Keno pays the same by spot count wherever you play. See exactly what each match is worth, then check it against the California game above.

New to spot counts? Start with the 5 spot keno payout chart for balanced play, or the 8 spot keno payout chart for bigger jackpots, then compare every option in the spot count comparison tool.

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