Keno was created in two hundred BC by the Chinese army commander, Cheung Leung who used this game as a way to finance his failing army. The metropolis of Cheung was at war, and after some time seemed to be facing country wide shortage of food with the dramatic drop in supplies. Cheung Leung needed to create a rapid fix for the financial adversity and to create money for his military. He, as it follows created the game we know today as keno and it was a wonderful success.
Keno used to be known as the White Pigeon Game, seeing as the winning numbers were broadcast by pigeons from bigger municipalities to the lesser villages. The lottery ‘Keno’ was brought to the USA in the 1800s by Chinese migrants who came to the States to work. In those times, Keno was played with 120 numbers.
Today, Keno is generally bet on with 80 numbers in almost all of the US based casinos as well as internet casinos. Keno is mainly played today because of the laid back nature of playing the game and the basic fact that there are little skills needed to play Keno. Despite the fact that the chances of coming away with a win are terrible, there is always the hope that you will win quite big with little gaming investment.
Keno is enjoyed with 80 numbers and 20 numbers are picked each round. Gamblers of Keno can select from 2 to 10 numbers and bet on them, whatever amount they are able to. The pay out of Keno is dependent on the bets made and the roll out of matching numbers.
Keno has grown in popularity in the US since the end of the 1800’s when the Chinese letters were changed with more familiar, US numbers. Lotteries weren’t covered under the legalization of wagering in Nevada State in Nineteen Thirty One. The casinos renamed the ‘Chinese lotto’ to ‘horse race keno’ utilizing the concept that the numbers are horses and you want your horses to come in. When a law passed that taxed off track wagering, casinos quickly altered the name to ‘Keno’.
