Let's Play Keno! Trivia Quiz

Answer: The building of the Great Wall

History dates the origins of Keno back to the Han Dynasty (somewhere between 205 and 187 B.C.). The first tickets actually contained 120 characters and were known locally as "white pigeon tickets", as the results of games held in larger cities would be delivered to the smaller surrounding communities by carrier pigeons.

The game also involved some spirituality, as the game was based on a beautiful popular poem "The Thousand Character Classic", and the top and bottom halves of the ticket represented opposing forces, or the "Yin" and the "Yang".

While there is evidence that the popularity and profits of Keno did support the military at the time, the game is best known for providing funds to build the Han Dynasty portion of the Great Wall. Keno eventually made its way to America in the 19th century along with the Chinese immigrants who came to work on the trans-continental railroad, in which the characters were changed to numbers and reduced to 80. I had the opportunity to see some very old Keno tickets (early 1920's) from San Francisco, and I was amazed at the beautiful artwork and detail.

Answer: The "Rabbit Ears"

After the balls are mixed, the "caller" will operate a lever to allow a single ball to be forced up through a narrow neck (or "goose"), and then up to one section of the "rabbit ear". The caller will continue until the ear is full (the first 10 numbers), then close that section, open the next ear, and "call" the remaining 10 numbers the same way.

At the same time the numbers are drawn, the caller will press the corresponding number on a light board, so that the winning numbers may be displayed on the Keno boards throughout the casino.

In the days before computerized Keno, another employee (the "punch") would operate a drill press to drill holes through a book of "inside" tickets (with the same corresponding game number as the current game being called), to create overlays (or "draws") for use to determine the winning numbers "caught" on a ticket.

Answer: Brush and Ink

Using a Keno brush and ink (either Chinese or Indian), the Keno writer would copy the players ticket onto a "live" ticket, which would be numbered according to the next game to be called. When my Keno department converted to computers in the mid-80's, I was the first to admit that the improvements in the overall efficiency of the game were without question. Yet, I was quite a bit saddened at the time (along with many customers) to see the passing of the old style brush-marked tickets.

It took a fairly high degree of skill to mark the ticket quickly and accurately, while at the same time making it look attractive. I will say I wasn't bad during my writing days, but I knew some fellow employees who were truly artists. Even the computerized tickets of today still show the simulated brush stroke of the original Keno "masters".

Answer: "Way" tickets

A straight ticket would simply consist of marking from one to 12, or one to 15 (depending on the casino) numbers on a ticket and wagering the house minimum (usually $1.00). Many casinos also have a special 20 spot house ticket. An example of a combination ticket would be six numbers (or six spot) in which two groups of three are separated.

The player would then be playing one six and two three spot combinations on the same ticket. Way tickets get more interesting. An example of a popular way ticket would be the same six numbers with three groups of two (or deuces) separated or circled. Now the player would be playing a six spot, three "ways" to make fours (using two groups at a time), and three "ways" to make two. of course, the player would have to place a wager on each of the total ways (in this case seven) to be eligible to win. Payoffs are determined by the amount of winning numbers a player has on the ticket, as well as the amounts wagered.

As all casinos have different pay tables, it is important for the players to know what the pay tables and house rules are before they play.

Answer: A "King"

King tickets are my personal favorite tickets to play, as they can really liven up a Keno ticket. The following example is actually the ticket I used to play when I worked in the industry; a six spot ticket with two groups of deuces (twos) and two kings, or two groups of one. Written out, this example would show as 2-2-1-1.

As I would play all the ways available (except for the ones), I would play one six spot (total numbers), two five spots (2-2-1 x2), three four spots (2-2 x1, 2-1-1 x2), four three spots (2-1 x4), and three two spots (2 x2, 1-1 x1) for a total of 13 ways. I would bet $1.00 on the six spot, and .50 on the remaining ways, so that my ticket would cost $7.00. Obviously, the amount of the numbers played, and the more groupings involved, will determine how many ways are available to the player (and how complicated the ticket becomes). Bottom line, way and king tickets make playing Keno much more exciting, and increase the opportunities for payoffs, but they are much more expensive tickets to play.

Answer: "Aggregate"

Players will see this (or a similar) disclaimer on the "outside" (or original) tickets the casino provides at the Keno marking stations, as well as on their "live" tickets: "$50,000.00 limit each game to aggregate players." In this case, $50,000.00 is the house limit for standard Keno payouts (some casinos might have a $25,000.00 limit, others might be higher due to special tickets or promotions such as progressive or multi-race tickets). What this means is that the casino has the option not to pay out any more than the house or game limit during any one game. So, if two players happened to hit for $50,000.00 each during the same game, the casino has the right to split the winnings, paying them $25,000.00 each.

In my 18 year career, I know of only two instances in which this happened in my casino, and both times the players split the payout.

However, this policy does not apply to other players who might have smaller payouts at the same time.

Answer: $1,500.00

Net winnings simply means that the price of the ticket is deducted from the payout amount. If a player happens to win a total payout of $1,510.00 on a single ticket, but the ticket price was $12.00, the net amount of the players winnings would equal $1498.00.

In this case, the player would not be required to fill out any tax forms or report the payout to the IRS. This rule also applies to multi-race tickets, as payoffs are still broken down to the per-game level. Many players will adjust their ticket and pricing strategies (especially when playing way tickets) because of this rule.

The $1,200.00 example is actually the payoff amount in which Slot players must report their winnings (per jackpot).

Answer: 21

Before computerized Keno, players were required to collect on their winning tickets before the next game started (although late pays, which had to be approved by management, seemed more the rule than the exception). Computerized Keno, and the ability to play multi-race tickets, truly changed the face of the game, and made Keno even more popular with the gaming public.

The player could prepay for the tickets( providing the tickets were played for 21 games or more), and then go to play other games, or leave the casino entirely. Most larger clubs have T.V. telecast of the Keno game(s), so the players can actually keep track of their tickets while in their hotel room. Booking the tickets in for the 1000 game maximum gives the player approximately a weeks worth of keno (there are also special-price house tickets for 21 games or more), and there is never a worry about missing a game or having a ticket mismarked.

Answer: "Runner"

Traditionally, Keno runners are female, and many casinos require a uniform similar to a cocktail waitress, but with enough differences to distinguish between the two. However, quite a few casinos now allow more of a casual uniform for the runners, much like the black-and-whites most floor personnel wear (such as Keno writers, dealers, or slot change-persons), and I have known many highly successful male runners as well.

In several emergency situations, I was asked to run tickets, and I had a great time doing so.

Many Keno employees are crossed-trained to be able to do both, which is very helpful during busy periods when they can run and then process their own tickets during the game. The runners will pick up and deliver tickets to practically anywhere on the casino floor, including the Pit areas, Poker and Race/Sports-book lounges, bars, and restaurants (no, not the bathrooms or hotel rooms!), and they do work hard. One runner I knew wore a pedometer during a busy Saturday, and she logged just over eight miles..in high heels!

Answer: six numbers "caught" out of 10 played

There are many websites that will break down keno odds and tables from the one spot ticket all the way to a 20 out of 20 hit (approximately 3.5 quintillion to one, or in more simpler terms..never!). In the given examples, the odds of catching six numbers out of 10 is approx. 86 to one; five numbers out of seven is 115 to one, eight numbers out of 15 is 135 to one, and seven numbers out of 12 is 141 to one. No matter what the bet, Keno payouts will vary according the increasing or decreasing of the particular odds based on the amount of winning numbers versus the amount of numbers played.

In other words, catching all six numbers on a six spot ticket is much harder than catching six numbers on an eight spot ticket, so the six out of six will have a much higher payout rate. Thanks again for playing!