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Keno’s History

Keno was introduced in 200 before Christ by the Chinese military leader, Cheung Leung who utilized this game as a way to finance his failing forces. The city of Cheung was waging a battle, and after awhile of war time appeared to be looking at a country wide shortage of food with the drastic decrease in supplies. Cheung Leung had to come up with a quick response for the financial calamity and to produce revenue for his army. He thusly created the game we know today as keno and it was a great success.

Keno was referred to as the White Pigeon Game, seeing as the winning numbers were delivered by pigeons from larger cities to the lesser villages. The lotto ‘Keno’ was imported to the US in the 1800s by Chinese newcomers who migrated to the States for work. In those times, Keno used one hundred and twenty numbers.

Today, Keno is normally gambled on with eighty numbers in a majority of American land based casinos as well as internet casinos. Keno is largely played today because of the relaxed nature of wagering the game and the basic fact that there are little skills required to enjoy Keno. Regardless of the reality that the chances of succeeding are horrible, there is always the chance that you will hit quite large with very little gaming investment.

Keno is enjoyed with 80 numbers and 20 numbers are picked each game. Enthusiasts of Keno can pick from two to ten numbers and bet on them, as much or as little as they are able to. The payout of Keno is dependent on the bets made and the roll out of matching numbers.

Keno grew in popularity in the US near the end of the 19th century when the Chinese letters were changed with more familiar, American numbers. Lotteries weren’t covered under the legalization of wagering in the state of Nevada in Nineteen Thirty One. The casinos changed the name of the ‘Chinese lottery’ to ‘horse race keno’ employing the concept that the numbers are horses and you want your horses to come in. When a law passed that levied a tax on off track betting, casinos quickly adjusted the name to ‘Keno’.

Posted in Keno.


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