Odds, Probability & Bankroll
Keno payout chart
A keno payout chart is the game’s pay table, showing how much a bet pays for each possible number of catches or matches.
- Also called
- pay table; payoff table 12
- Applies to
- Standard keno, video keno, Mega Keno, Top Bottom Keno, and other variants 12
- Example returns (TvBet)
- Pick 1: 75.00%, Pick 2: 92.09%, Pick 4: 94.82%, Pick 10: 80.90% 2
- Live keno (Las Vegas)
- Returns range from 65% to 80% 3
- Video keno (San Diego)
- Returns range from 84% to 95% 3
Key points
- No single standard payout chart exists; figures depend on the specific game and pay table 2.
- The payout chart lists the prize for each catch outcome, usually by the number of spots picked and the number hit 12.
- The player’s expected return is determined by combining each payout with its probability 12.
- Keno odds (the probability of each catch) and keno payback (expected return) are related but distinct from the payout chart itself 12.
Example keno payouts (TvBet)
| Pick size | Return |
|---|---|
| 1 | 75.00% |
| 2 | 92.09% |
| 4 | 94.82% |
| 10 | 80.90% |
How payouts relate to probability
The probability of hitting exactly r spots on an n-spot ticket is given by the formula P = (C(n, r) × C(80-n, 20-r)) / C(80, 20) 4. For a 20-spot ticket, hitting all 20 spots is approximately 1 in 3,535,316,142,212,174,320 4. The payout chart assigns a prize to each possible r, and the game’s overall return is the sum of each prize multiplied by its probability.
Where this term is used
Not the same as
- Odds payout chart — a general term for any game's pay table, not specific to keno
- Roulette payouts — the fixed payouts for roulette bets, which do not vary by catch count
- Quick draw payout chart — the pay table for Quick Draw, a keno-like lottery game with different rules
- Pai gow payout chart — the pay table for Pai Gow Poker, a completely different game
- Craps bets payouts — the payouts for craps bets, which are not based on matching numbers
- Casino roulette payouts — the payouts for roulette, which are fixed and not dependent on a catch count
Related terms
Sources
- Keno Odds wizardofodds.com Defines the keno payout chart and explains how it works.
- Keno by TvBet - Wizard of Odds wizardofodds.com Provides example pay tables and returns for TvBet keno.
- Keno - How to Play, Rules, Odds & Strategies wizardofodds.com Reports live and video keno return ranges in Las Vegas, Laughlin, and San Diego.
- Keno en.wikipedia.org Provides the keno probability formula and extreme odds example.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.