Keno History

The game of keno has evolved from its Chinese origins to become a common game found in just about every casino in Asia and North America. Keno is as simple a gambling game as one can play; just pick some numbers and see what happens next. If enough of your numbers coincide with the ones that are drawn, you will receive a payout. The amount that you win will depend on the size of the bet and how many numbers you get correct. Keno is a relaxing way to get in some gaming action without having to think about doing anything strategic.

According to ancient texts, Keno was created by a Chinese warlord named Cheung Leung around 200 BC. He needed to raise funds to provide for his troops because citizens of his city would no longer contribute to his campaigns. He created a lottery-like game of chance that was known as the “white pigeon game” because they used the birds to send results of the game outcomes to surrounding lands. Extra money from the game contributed to the building of the Great Wall of China.

In the middle 19th century Chinese immigrants brought the game with them to North America from the Orient and it became popular in communities with mixed populations. At that time it was known as the Chinese Lottery. Eventually the Chinese symbols were changed to numbers, which is the modern version played today.

In order to make Keno available to customers in 1930’s Las Vegas the game had to be disguised as something else. Due to the existing laws at the time that prevented people from playing lotteries, Keno was called “horse race Keno” and had horse symbols on the different numbers players could bet on. Once lotteries became legal again the game dropped the label of being a horse race bet and became the simple lottery it is today.

Keno still has some terminology from the horse race days. Players who pick the same number on multiple Keno cards play multi-race tickets, and drawings are still called races. But that’s as far as the horse connection goes.