Originally a Chinese game and dating back to 1000 BC, keno has rapidly gained popularity worldwide for various reasons. It’s similar to other forms of gambling such as the Lottos or bingo and uses numbers and basic probability to dictate your choices. A growing number of keno sites and online casinos offer the game, fuelling its growing global playing base.
Aussies are particular lovers of keno. Online gambling is incredibly popular across the country, and keno-style gambling is drawing more and more players into its lotto-based fun. Australia is also home to some of the largest jackpots, which makes it all the more tempting to join in on the action.
If you’ve played keno before, you’ll know how great it is. For those that haven’t, let us explain the rising popularity of keno in Australia. Keep reading for the lowdown!
What is Keno?
First things first, what is keno? It still isn’t as widely known as classic casino games like slots or roulette, so it’s worth exploring this question further. The Encyclopedia Britannica is often the benchmark for definitions. It says that keno is a “gambling game played with cards (tickets) bearing numbers in squares, usually from 1 to 80”.
Although keno wasn’t played much in the Western world before the late 1800s, it has very clear similarities with things like bingo and the lotto. The game is completely dictated by chance, with randomly selected balls bearing numbers drawn from a pot at regular intervals. Keno players then tick off any numbers on their tickets to win prizes.
What’s Behind Australia’s Love for Keno?
Keno is one of the world’s oldest gambling games, but it wasn’t played outside China before the 19th century. Australia was among the first countries to come into contact with the game after Chinese immigrants began arriving. The game also benefited from a close relationship with the US and the United Kingdom, two keen adopters of keno in the early days.
But what’s behind Australia’s modern love of keno? It has quickly become a popular lifestyle choice in the country, as more and more people try their luck at gaining prizes. The relaxing of gambling laws over the last few decades has also helped keno reach more people, especially with the modern dominance of online gameplay.
How to Play Keno: A Quick Overview
Fortunately, keno is a very straightforward game to learn how to play. This is one of the main reasons behind its growing popularity. Aussies can check out dedicated sites like keno Australia for tips, general news, and the best platforms. There are no confusing rules or elaborate game mechanics to wrap your head around, leaving much more time for simple enjoyment.
Here is a quick breakdown of how to play:
- Head to an keno platform
- Choose a game to play
- Select one to ten numbers from the grid
- Cross your fingers and hope they get picked
- The more numbers you successfully predict, the bigger your win!
As you can see, keno is an exceptionally easy game to enjoy. Modern online variants can come with bonus features or slight alterations, but the rules above are the standard. You won’t have any trouble playing other variations if you understand how they work.
A Brief History of Keno
Keno has been played in China for thousands of years, but it only spread across the rest of the world during the 1800s. The game has legendary stories regarding its early popularity. Keno is said to have been instrumental in funding the Great Wall of China.
The game started spreading as Chinese immigrants moved to places like the US to help build the first transcontinental railway. Keno landed in Australia during the 1800s, becoming very popular on the Victorian Goldfields. It was called “Pakapoo” in those early days, before adopting the modern name, keno.
Top Keno Tips and Strategies
Learning how to play keno is useless if you don’t know some of the main strategies to increase your chances of winning. It’s not just its ease of playing that has attracted Aussies to the game, as there are some pretty decent prizes on offer. Here are a few of the top keno tips and strategies to bear in mind:
? Choose the keno games with the highest payouts
? Try to choose between four and eight numbers
? Keep very tight control of your bankroll
? Don’t get sucked into the gambler’s fallacy, keno is completely random, so trying to follow patterns won’t get you far