The background of Keno
Keno was first played in 200 BC by the Chinese military leader, Cheung Leung who utilized this game as a way to finance his failing army. The city of Cheung was waging a war, and after some time seemed to be facing national shortage of food with the excessive drop in supplies. Cheung Leung needed to develop a quick response for the financial calamity and to acquire revenue for his army. He, as it follows developed the game we know today as keno and it was a great success.
Keno once was known as the White Pigeon Game, because the winning numbers were broadcast by pigeons from larger cities to the smaller villages. The lotto ‘Keno’ was brought to America in the 19th century by Chinese newcomers who headed to the US to work. In those times, Keno used 120 numbers.
Today, Keno is regularly enjoyed with 80 numbers in most of the US land based casinos as well as net casinos. Keno is mainly played today because of the laid back nature of betting the game and the simple reality that there are little skills required to enjoy Keno. Despite the fact that the odds of succeeding are terrible, there is always the possibility that you will win quite big with little gaming investment.
Keno is played with 80 numbers with twenty numbers selected each round. Players of Keno can select from two to 10 numbers and bet on them, as much or as little as they want to. The payout of Keno is dependent on the wagers made and the roll out of matching numbers.
Keno grew in popularity in the United States near the end of the 1800’s when the Chinese letters were changed with more familiar, American numbers. Lotteries weren’t covered under the legalization of gambling in the state of Nevada in Nineteen Thirty One. The casinos renamed the ‘Chinese lottery’ to ‘horse race keno’ utilizing the idea that the numbers are horses and you are looking for your horses to come in. When the Nevada government passed a law that levied a tax on off track betting, the casinos quickly adjusted the name to ‘Keno’.