How to Play Keno
Keno is a four-step round, and there’s only one real decision in it. You pick a set of numbers — your spot — choose them from a field of 1 to 80, set your stake, and the game draws 20 numbers at random. You’re paid on your “catches”: the numbers of yours that came up. That’s the whole game. Everything else is just the size of the spot you choose.
Step one — pick your spot
Your spot is how many numbers you want to play, usually one to ten. This single choice decides everything that follows: a small spot of two or three lands more often for a modest return, while an eight, nine or ten-spot is a long shot chasing a big multiple. Decide the spot size first, because the paytable changes with it — the same number of catches pays differently depending on how many numbers you backed.
Step two — choose your numbers
Once you’ve fixed the spot size, you pick the actual numbers from 1 to 80. Some games offer a “quick pick” that selects them at random for you. It makes no difference to the odds — every number is equally likely to be drawn, and no number is ever “due”. Pick birthdays, pick your spot at random, it’s exactly the same maths either way.
Step three — set your stake
Enter what you want to bet — say R20 — and the game shows your potential returns for each catch level on a paytable. Your payout is always stake × the published multiple for the number of catches you land, so a bigger stake simply scales the whole table up. Set a stake you’d be comfortable losing on a single round, because rounds run fast and back to back.
Step four — the draw and getting paid
Now the game draws 20 numbers from the 80. It counts how many match your spot — your catches — and pays the fixed multiple for that result. Here’s a worked example on a five-spot:
| Your spot | Catches | Typical payout on R20 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 numbers | 3 of 5 | small win — a few rand back |
| 5 numbers | 4 of 5 | a solid multiple of your stake |
| 5 numbers | 5 of 5 | the top prize for that spot |
Those are indicative — exact multiples vary by game and paytable, so check the live paytable in the app before you commit. The key thing to understand: keno pays on partial matches. You don’t need all five; catching four still pays, and the multiple climbs with each extra catch. Settlement is instant — winning rounds credit your wallet the moment the draw finishes, with no ticket to claim.
Reading the keno screen
Most keno games lay the field out as a grid of 80 numbers. You tap to select your spot, the screen tallies how many you’ve chosen, and a paytable on the side shows what each catch level pays for that spot size — read it before you stake, because it’s the only honest preview of what you’re getting into. After the draw, the 20 winning numbers light up on the same grid, your catches are highlighted against them, and the round settles. There’s nothing to claim and nothing to queue for; a winning round credits your wallet automatically at the multiple shown.
Variants you’ll come across
The core round never changes, but you’ll see a few wrappers around it. A way bet lets you split one ticket across several spots at once — handy if you want to spread a stake, though it doesn’t dodge the edge. Some games bolt on a multiplier that can lift a winning round by a random factor, and others run a progressive-style top prize. These dress the game up, but the underlying maths is identical: pick your spot, 20 are drawn, you’re paid on catches. Treat any extra as a side option, not a strategy, and always check the paytable for the exact version you’re playing — they differ game to game.
The one thing to get right
The spot size is the only lever you control, and it’s worth understanding before you stake. Fewer numbers means a higher chance of catching your whole spot for a smaller, steadier return; more numbers stretches the odds hard in exchange for a bigger top prize. The full breakdown of how that trade-off plays out — and why the longer spots are such a stretch — is in the keno odds and payouts guide. When you want to play a round, keno is live at Scorebet.
Frequently asked
How do you play keno step by step?
Pick how many numbers to back — your spot — and choose them from 1 to 80, then set your stake. The game draws 20 numbers at random and counts how many of yours came up, called your catches. A fixed paytable pays a multiple of your stake based on your catches for that spot size.
What does 'spot' mean in keno?
Your spot is how many numbers you choose to play — usually anywhere from one to ten. It's the only real decision in keno: fewer numbers land your whole spot more often for smaller pay, more numbers raise the top prize but lengthen the odds badly.
Do you have to match all your numbers to win at keno?
No — unlike a multi-ball lotto bet, keno pays on partial matches. Catch some of your spot and most paytables still pay something, with the multiple climbing as your catches rise. A few catches on a low spot may return nothing, though, so check the paytable for the spot you're playing.
Why do some keno games pay you for catching zero of your numbers?
On the biggest spots — a nine or ten-spot — many paytables pay a small prize for catching none at all. It sounds odd, but on a ten-spot missing every number is itself a long-odds result, so the game rewards it. It's a quirk of the high spots only; on a small spot, catching nothing pays nothing.
Does a quick pick give better odds than choosing my own numbers?
No — the draw is random, so every number is equally likely and no combination is luckier than another. A quick pick and a hand-picked set of birthdays carry identical odds; the only thing that changes your chances is the spot size. Quick pick just saves you the tapping.