Online Video Keno
For the player that craves a quicker game and more excitement than the usual Keno game, video Keno offers an alternative.
Video Keno – Online Video Keno
With the rise of video poker in the 1980’s, it was almost inevitable that the old, lottery-like casino stalwart Keno would get similar treatment. Soon enough video Keno games started showing up, especially in restricted venues like riverboat casinos that didn’t have a large enough clientele for a full-blown Keno lounge. Today, the game has made the jump to the Internet and PCs, and it is now possible to play video Keno in the privacy of one’s own home, just as it’s possible to play online Keno of the more conventional type.
A Quicker Pace
Classic Keno proceeds at a leisurely pace. The Keno runners distribute cards, players fill them out, the runners take them back to the Keno lounge or pit, and register the cards, the bring back the outside ticket. At a preset time, the game is called, the balls are drawn one by one, and the Keno board updated. Players cluster around the lounge’s master board, or else walk up to outside video monitors, and compare their tickets with the winning numbers. Depending on their hits or catches, players would then bring their tickets up to the cage for their payouts, usually having to do so before the next game was called. But with 15 or 20 minutes between games, or even an hour or more, there was plenty of time to do that before the next game was called.
By contrast, video Keno proceeds with the more hurried pace of a slot machine. As quickly as the player can feed in a coin and tap the screen to select his or her numbers the numbers are “drawn” and a payout, if any, comes spitting out of the slot. A quick player can play 7 to 10 games per minute, or even more if constantly playing the same numbers.
Because the players can run through so many games in a given period of time, most casinos adjust the paytables so that there’s a better chance of winning a jackpot. Knowing that the odds are better, more players flock to the consoles. It’s understandable how the game has grown in popularity so quickly.
From the Keno Lounge to Your Lounge Chair
Playing video Keno at home is a little bit different from the casino game, but not by much. There’s no way to stuff coins into a personal computer, nor will one’s keyboard suddenly start shooting out a jackpot of coins or tokens. And very few individuals have touch-sensitive screens in their homes. But outside of these hardware -imposed restrictions, the game play is remarkably similar, and just as fast-paced as the casino machine’s version.
Typically, the home edition of the game involves software that is downloaded onto the player’s PC, and which communicates with the sponsoring casino over the ubiquitous Internet link. The monetary transactions themselves are generally handled with an online casino account, usually revolving around the player’s credit card.
With the fast play of a slot machine, and now with the addition of an at-home play option, it’s no wonder that video Keno has become such a popular game.