If you play your state lottery, you’re likely familiar with the keno game. Keno has been entertaining high-rollers and budget gamblers for thousands of years around the globe. The online casino also features keno which you can find in the specialty games lobby. But playing casino keno is a bit different than buying a keno card at your local lottery.
Explore some of the differences that you’ll experience at the Grande Vegas online casino when you play the casino’s exciting version of casino keno.
Keno
Keno originated during the Han Dynasty in China, in approximately 200 BCE. At that time, the government was trying to raise funds to build the Great Wall. To avoid raising taxes, they created a national lottery based on unique Chinese characters. In addition to the game, the government’s goal involved basing the characters on Chinese literature so that it would promote cultural knowledge and literacy.
The game proved to be immensely popular throughout the country and the proceeds contributed significantly to the Great Wall project. One unique aspect of the game involved the interaction between far-flung villages and towns where people competed as part of the national lottery. Once each draw’s results were announced, carrier pigeons would ferry those results to the different locations. Keno became known as the “White Pigeon Game” and in some parts of China, the game is still referred to in this way.
19th century Chinese immigrants brought keno to America and by the time Vegas casinos started to open in the 1930s, keno was a popular feature in these gambling houses. The casinos created keno games using Arabic numerals instead of Chinese characters to make it more enticing to an American audience. Slowly, keno became a staple of casino entertainment, both at American land-based casinos and in state lotteries.
When casinos opened on the Internet in the 1990s, keno was one of the first games to go online. Thanks to streamlining gameplay and computerized systems, keno adapted to online platforms where players who were looking for simple games with significant payouts could play at their leisure, at any time and from any location.
Today’s online keno incorporates the mystery of the ancient Chinese White Pigeon game along with adaptations and innovations that make it a popular casino event. If you’ve been playing lottery keno, you might want to check out keno at your favorite land-based or online casino.
21st Century Casino Keno
How does today’s casino keno differ from the keno games that are featured at the lotteries? Some elements that create a different keno experience include:
- Atmosphere – when you play keno at the casino you’ll enjoy interactive and vibrant energy. Flashing lights, the buzz of the machine and the sounds when a victory is declared make casino keno an immersive experience. Instead of buying your keno card and waiting at home to see if your numbers come up, you become part of the action, regardless of whether you’re playing online or in-person.
- Personalization – At the casino you can find video keno machines that allow you to play at your own pace. No one is standing behind you impatiently while you fill your keno card in and there’s no need to wait for hours or even days for the next draw. Online keno personalizes the gameplay to a point where you can tailor your gaming session to your personal style and needs.
- Speed – Casino Keno are designed for rapid play. That means that you can play multiple games in a short period. If you like your gaming event to be a fast-paced one, you’re likely to prefer casino keno.
- Payouts – When you play lottery keno, the payout options don’t give you the variety that you’ll find with casino keno. Casino keno tends to offer a wider range of payout options including large jackpots for more number matches. You should note that the odds of winning in casino keno are generally consistent with lottery keno, but the rapid pace of play can result in higher overall spending.
Bonuses
One of the advantages that casino keno players enjoy involves the bonus give-aways that they can add to their regular casino wins. All of the casino bonus promotions are applicable to keno games, providing keno players with free match gaming credits, casino cash and extra points so that they can play more games for more time for free.
Check your casino to determine which bonuses you can collect when you play keno – the casino offers promotions including Welcome Bonuses for new players, raffles, cashback deals, boosters, give-aways for Bitcoin bettors and more.
Both casino Keno and lottery Keno offer a unique experience that makes it fun and easy to try to predict the numbers that will come up on the keno draw. The game promises the possibility of big prizes and interactive fun and excitement. Playing casino keno has the added advantage of casual play and an increased number of draws so you don’t have to wait for the scheduled draws.
Understand these differences to choose the version of keno that best suits your gaming preferences and expectations.
