Power Keno

The last ball drawn is the multiplier. Catch it and your win is quadrupled. Here is how the 4x mechanic works, what it is actually worth, and how to play it.

Power Keno is one of the simplest video keno variants on the floor. You play the base game exactly as you always would: pick your spots, watch 20 balls come out of a field of 80, and get paid on how many you catch. The variant adds a single extra rule at the very end of the draw, and that rule is the entire game.

If the 20th ball, the last one drawn, happens to be one of your selected numbers, your payout for that game is multiplied by 4x. There are no eggs to hatch, no free games to accumulate, and no side bet to opt into. One extra check, one big multiplier.

How Power Keno Works

Power Keno resolves in two steps. First the machine settles the base game, then it looks at the final ball.

The Draw, Step by Step

  • You pick your spots (typically 1 to 10) and set your bet per game.
  • The machine draws 20 numbers from 80 and pays your catch on the base paytable.
  • The machine then checks the 20th ball drawn specifically.
  • If that final ball is one of your picks and you have a winning catch, the whole payout is multiplied by 4x.
  • If the final ball misses, or if you did not win in the base game, you get the base result and nothing more.

The order matters, and it is worth being precise about it. The multiplier is not a bonus win in its own right. It scales a win you already earned. If the 20th ball is one of your spots but you only caught 2 of 6, you still caught 2 of 6, and 4x of a zero payout is zero. The bonus only has teeth when it lands on a ticket that was already cashing.

What the 4x Is Actually Worth

Because 20 of 80 numbers are drawn, any single ball has a 25% chance of being in the draw at all, and the last ball is just one of those 20 positions. Roughly speaking, the chance that the final ball is one of your picks scales with your spot count: it is about 1 in 80 per spot you hold. On a 6-spot ticket the last ball completes a pick around 7.5% of the time, and only a fraction of those games are also winners. The 4x is a genuine boost to expected value, but it is a garnish on the base paytable rather than a reason to expect a different long-run result.

Machines advertise Power Keno prominently because the last-ball reveal is good theatre. The outcome was already decided by the RNG the instant you pressed Play, but watching the final ball drop while you are one number from a 4x payout is the most tense three seconds in video keno.

Power Keno Strategy Tips

Power Keno gives you no in-game decisions, so strategy here is about picking the right machine and the right spot count before you start.

Compare the Base Paytable First

The 4x bonus adds a small amount to overall return. The base paytable decides the rest of it, and operators set that themselves. A Power Keno machine with a weak 6-spot schedule will lose to a plain Game King machine with a strong one, bonus included. Always read the help screen before the first bet.

Mid-Range Spots Suit the Bonus

More spots means a better chance the last ball is one of yours, but high spot counts win far less often, and the multiplier needs a win to multiply. The 5 to 8 spot range is where a decent hit frequency and a reasonable last-ball chance overlap.

Do Not Chase the Multiplier

Adding spots purely to raise your last-ball odds is a trap. You are trading a frequent, reliable base win for a rarer one, and the 4x cannot make up the difference. Pick the spot count you would play anyway and treat the bonus as upside.

Watch the Clock, Not Just the Bankroll

A video keno machine will happily run 700 games an hour. At $1 per game that is $700 through the machine in 60 minutes regardless of how the bonus behaves. Set a timer alongside your budget.

The honest summary: Power Keno is standard video keno with a fun rule bolted on. Play it because you enjoy the last-ball moment, not because you expect it to beat the base game. If you want to see exactly how spot count changes your odds, run the numbers in the odds calculator before you commit.

Power Keno Paytable

Power Keno pays on the standard IGT Game King schedule. The 4x bonus is applied on top of these numbers, so the table below is your win before the last ball is checked.

PickCatch 3Catch 4Catch 5Catch 6Catch 7Catch 8
4 spots5x40x
5 spots3x10x400x
6 spots2x5x49x1,000x
7 spots1x2x22x275x2,500x
8 spots1x2x10x40x500x5,000x

Payouts are shown as a multiple of your per-card bet on the standard IGT Game King schedule. The 4x last-ball bonus is not included in these figures.

Check the Machine Before You Play

Operators configure their own paytables, so two Power Keno machines on the same floor can pay differently for the same catch. The schedule above is the common baseline, not a guarantee. Pull up the machine's help screen and compare it against the keno odds calculator before you commit a session budget.

Calculate Power Keno Odds → Payout Calculator

Where to Play Power Keno

Power Keno is an IGT title and shows up wherever IGT video keno cabinets are installed, which covers most of the US casino market.

If you want to learn the base game before putting money through a machine, our free keno game runs the same pick-and-draw mechanic in your browser with no signup and no money involved.

Play Responsibly

Video keno resolves in seconds, which makes it easy to play hundreds of games an hour without noticing. Set a per-session budget before you sit down and leave when you reach it. For problem gambling resources, call 1-800-522-4700 or visit our resources page.

POWER KENO FAQ

Power Keno is a video keno variant where the 20th and final ball drawn acts as a multiplier. If that last ball matches one of your selected spots and you have a winning catch, your payout for that game is multiplied by 4x. Everything else plays exactly like standard video keno: pick your spots, 20 numbers are drawn from 80, and you are paid on your catch.

After the machine settles your base win, it checks whether the 20th ball drawn is one of your picks. If it is, and you already have a winning combination, the entire payout is quadrupled. The multiplier scales an existing win rather than creating one, so if the last ball is one of your spots but your catch does not pay, you win nothing.

The 4x last-ball bonus adds a small amount to the theoretical return, but the base paytable set by the operator matters far more. A Power Keno machine with a weak paytable will return less than a standard video keno machine with a strong one. Always compare the actual paytable on the help screen rather than assuming the bonus makes the game better.

They use the same 4x multiplier mechanic but trigger on opposite ends of the draw. Power Keno checks the last ball drawn, so you find out at the very end. Super Keno checks the first ball drawn, so you know immediately whether the multiplier is live and then watch the rest of the draw hoping your spots come in.

Most players do best in the 5 to 8 spot range. Higher spot counts slightly raise the chance the final ball is one of your picks, but they win much less often, and the multiplier needs a winning ticket to be worth anything. Choose the spot count you would play in standard keno and treat the 4x as a bonus rather than a reason to add spots.

Keep Exploring Video Keno

Video Keno Hub

How video keno machines work, RTP ranges, and every variant you'll meet on the casino floor.

Video Keno Guide

Play Free Keno

Practice the base game in your browser. No signup, no money, no download.

Play Now

Keno Odds Calculator

Exact probability for any spot count, plus what a bonus multiplier is really worth.

Calculate Odds