Comps for Keno

12 September 2020

By John Marchel

Most of us know that keno is a game of chance. The fact is most of the games in today’s casino are also pure chance with the exception of blackjack, poker, video poker, sports betting and horse racing.

Still playing the other games like slots or baccarat / mini-baccarat you can get comps in a casino. You can even get comps playing keno.

Casinos have been known to give you back about 10-40% of your expected loss in the form of comps. Remember, comps are based on your theoretical loss, not your actual playing loss.

Next time you’re in a casino and you would like to try your luck at keno, be sure to show your rewards card to the keno runner. Your identity will be entered into the casino’s computers, just like in other games.

Every time you play keno put your account number on your ticket and you will get tracked automatically. This will allow you to qualify for casino comps every time you play the game. Remember, every little bit helps.


BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW

• In 1957, based on an idea from Gene Diullo, keno manager in Reno, Lee Jellison and Fred Howell (both employed by Harrah’s) designed and constructed the first keno ball blower (known as a goose). This device is still in use today by many casinos around the country.

• The keno history dates back to187 BC in China, where the game was developed by the head of state, Cheung Heung of the Han Dynasty. During that time carrier pigeons were used to inform surrounding towns and villages of the winning numbers. The game soon became known as the White Pigeon game.

• Before bingo was developed in the late 1920s, and before Chinese keno was revised in the late 1930s, Keno was introduced to the U.S. by Irish immigrants in the early 1800s. It became popular with Union soldiers in the Civil War. Players brought a slip of paper printed with three rows of numbers. Numbered balls were drawn and the first player to cover five numbers in a row was the winner. The game is similar in format to the way Bingo is played in the U.K. today.

• In keno, after the balls are mixed, the "caller" will operate a lever to allow a single ball to be forced up through a narrow neck (or "goose"), the section that the ball lands in is called the "rabbit ear."

• The odds of hitting 15 out of 15 numbers at keno are 428,010,179,098 to 1.

• Each winning keno ticket must be turned in before the next game begins or the ticket becomes invalid.

• There is a story about Nick “The Greek” Dandolos explaining the game of keno. He said a man might stick his head in a gas oven and get stuck by lighting before he was asphyxiated. The odds of that happing are about the same as hitting 14 out of 20 numbers while playing the game.

• April 26, 1936 The Palace Club in Reno, Nevada is the first casino to offer Race Horse Keno, later changed to just Keno. The game was played once a day at 12 noon.