Thursday, 25 September 2008 03:26

The formulas for calculating possibilities in the game of Keno are complex, but can be reduced to the following with these variables:

n = the number of player selections
k = the number of drawn numbers that match the player’s selections

  Probability(n, k) =  60! X 20! X n! x (80 – n)!
  ____________________________________
  80! X k! x (29 – k)! x (n - k)! x (60 – n + k)!

Aren’t you glad you asked?

In its very basic form, however, when it comes to playing Keno the odds are almost identical no matter what combination you play. The house edge is calculated to remain constant over all betting possibilities. While payouts increase with the numbers, they vary according to how many numbers you play with regards to how many number you catch.

For a $1 bet, to catch 3 numbers from 6 selections, you will win $1. But if you catch all 6 from 6 selections, a $1 bet will win $1,500. The odds of picking ten numbers from ten selections, for instance, are an astronomical 8,911,702 to 1.