Online Keno Glossary

Online Keno Glossary Header Image

Keno is one of the oldest gambling games in the world dating back to similar games played in ancient China. Now, Keno has become a popular lottery-style casino game that anyone can play. The rules are simple, and no skill is required to play. There are some Keno tips, though, that will help players along the way!

45 Keno Terms to Know

Here are the most common keno terms that any player should know before starting a game of Keno.

1. Aggregate Limit: The maximum amount of winnings that the casino will award during a round of keno.

2. All or Nothing: A type of bet that pays the player out if they hit all their picked numbers or none of their numbers.

3. Bank: The money the casino has available to pay winning players.

4. Bankroll: Refers to the amount of money a gambler has set aside for all gambling games.

5. Ball Game: The most common form of keno where numbered plastic balls are drawn live like a bingo draw. The balls are typically numbered 1 through 80.

6. Blank: A keno ticket that has not been filled out.

7. Blower: Portion of the keno machine that picks a ball from the bowl into a clear tube. The keno caller uses this machine to present the winning numbers.

8. Buy-In Tournament: A contest hosted by the casino where players play a pre-determined amount of keno games. The casino awards prize money to the top finishers of these games in addition to the money the players win from the keno drawings themselves. These tournaments are a great way to play keno because the added tournament money reduces the casino edge significantly!

9. Call: Announcement of the winning keno numbers.

10. Caller: The casino employee who runs the keno game and announces the winning numbers as they are drawn.

11. Catch: Hitting a number marked on your keno ticket.

12. Catch All: A keno bet where the player must hit every number they’ve marked on their ticket to win.

13. Catch zero: A keno bet where the player must avoid hitting any number they’ve marked on their ticket to win.

14. Close: The moment prior to the keno draw when the casino stops taking keno wagers.

15. Combination Way Ticket: A single keno ticket where a player makes multiple keno wagers.

16. Computer Ticket: A keno ticket where a computer picks the numbers instead of the player.

17. Conditions: The rules of the different keno games that the casino offers.

18. Deuce: Two keno spots grouped together on the card.

19. Draw: A round of keno where the casino picks 20 numbers randomly. Online keno operators use a random number generator or sometimes a live caller over video to complete a draw.

20. Draw sheet: A record of past keno games where the casino displays the winning numbers from previous draws.

21. Edge Ticket: A keno ticket where a player picks all 32 numbers around the edge of the ticket. The ticket cost is typically around $5. The player wins if either he catches between 1-6 numbers or if he/she catches 10-20 numbers. The payout tables vary per casino.

22. Enhanced Payoff: Increased payoffs for more difficult keno wagers.

23. Exacta: A wager that requires the player to make winning picks in two consecutive keno games. This increased difficulty leads to better payoffs for players.

24. Field: The marked numbers on the keno card that are not circled.

25. Hold: The casino profit after a round of keno.

26. House Edge: The percent advantage that the casino holds over the player for a given gambling game.

27. Inside Ticket: A completed keno ticket that is turned in to the casino.

28. King: A single circled number on a keno ticket that can be used on its own or combined with other groups to form a unique wager. Payout tables vary with a king ticket bet but they certainly offer enhanced payoffs.

29. Left/Right Ticket: A ticket where the player has marked the numbers vertically down the center. The wager pays if the player catches numbers on one-half of the ticket. Similarly, the player can win if he or she catches non-numbers on one-half of the ticket.

30. Multi-game keno ticket: Playing several keno wagers on a single keno ticket.

31. Pay Any Catch Ticket: A low-risk low reward type of bet. This wager pays as long as the player catches at least one number on his ticket.

32. Pay Tables: A matrix that the Casino posts for each of their keno games. They present how much each wager is paid out to winning players.

33. Progressive Jackpot: A keno game where the highest payout wager keeps growing with losing wagers. Until the game is won, the pool of money will keep increasing. Progressive Jackpot wagers are a great way for advantage players to decrease the casino’s edge.

34. Random Number Generator: Used primarily in online keno, a random number generator is a computer program that allows for fair unbiased draws.

35. Rate: The price the player pays for a keno ticket.

36. Rate Card: An outline provided by the casino that illustrates the payouts and costs of different keno bets.

37. Replayed Ticket: Re-using the same numbers in consecutive keno games.

38. Sleeper: An uncashed winning keno ticket.

39. Split Ticket: A keno bet where the player plays multiple groups of numbers separately on the same ticket.

40. Spot: The numbers chosen and marked by the player on the keno ticket.

41. Straight Ticket: The standard keno tick provided by the casino.

42. Stud: Another term used for progressive jackpot casino games.

43. Top Bottom Ticket: A variation on a Left/Right ticket where the horizontal line crosses the middle of the ticket separating the numbers into 2 halves “top” and “bottom.” The wager hits when only numbers in the top portion or in the bottom portion are exclusively drawn.

44. Video Keno: A version of Keno where only 1 player is taking part. A random number generator provides on-demand draws for the player. This version of keno allows players to play many more games in a shorter amount of time.

45. Way: A separate secondary bet placed on a keno ticket.