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Bingo and Keno are two classic lottery games that have been given a digital form in an online casino. Both have simple mechanics and are built purely on chance β you won't influence the outcome with any strategy. They differ in who chooses the numbers: in Bing you get a pre-printed card and the casino draws, in Ken you choose 1 β 10 numbers yourself. From a mathematical point of view, both are among the most expensive games in the casino β the house edge is significantly higher than that of slots, roulette or blackjack. However, they are popular for low-stakes fun, especially because of Bingo's simplicity and social element.
This article breaks down the rules, variants, paytables, as well as the exact odds of Bing and Ken, shows the calculation of the house edge on a concrete example, and points out the restrictions on bonus spins . How Bingo and Keno fit in with other games in terms of the casino's mathematical advantages and expected values , a separate table of games breaks down.
Bingo vs Keno: a comparison at a glance
Although both are lotteries, they are played differently. The table summarizes the main differences before we get into the details:
| Criterion | Bingo | Keno |
|---|---|---|
| Who picks the numbers | The casino draws, the player has a pre-printed card | The player himself chooses 1 β 10 numbers from the range 1 β 80 |
| Player's choice | Number of cards, or room | Which numbers, how many and the bet amount |
| Lottery | It is drawn until someone hits the pattern | Always 20 numbers out of 80 |
| Wheel length | 3 β 10 minutes | 15 β 60 seconds |
| A bike per hour | 8 β 20 | 100+ |
| House edge | 10 β 30% (depending on the room) | 20 β 35% (according to the pay table) |
| Type of win | Shared jackpot from all players' deposits | Fixed salary according to the table |
| Social element | High β chat, rooms, guests | Low β solo play |
| Suitable for | Slower, social gaming | Fast wheels and a big maximum |
Bingo: Rules and Basic Mechanics
Bingo is a game where the player is given a card with pre-printed numbers and the casino (or "caller" in traditional Bingo) draws numbers from a stack. The player "marks" the matches on the card and wins if he achieves a predetermined pattern.
Basic Mechanics:
- The player buys a card or more cards (typically β¬1 per card).
- The round starts. The casino draws numbers and displays them on the screen.
- The player (or the system automatically) marks the numbers on the card.
- The game continues until one of the players reaches a predetermined pattern.
- The first player with the given pattern calls out "BINGO" β wins.
- The round ends, or continues for the next higher patterns.
In online Bing, everything happens automatically β the system marks numbers, evaluates patterns, and announces wins. The player does not have to do anything β he just buys cards and watches the result.
75-ball, 80-ball and 90-ball Bingo
The three main variants of Bingo differ in the number of numbers and the structure of the card:
| Variants | Card | Lottery | Typical patterns | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75-Ball Bingo | 5Γ5 (25 squares), center "FREE" | 1 β 75 | Line, X, T, full card | North America |
| 80-Ball Bingo | 4Γ4 (16 squares) | 1 β 80 | Lines, corners, full card | Hybrid (Europe + USA) |
| 90-ball Bingo | 9Γ3 (27 squares, 15 numbers and 12 blank) | 1 β 90 | 1 line, 2 lines, full card (3 lines) | Europe (including the Czech Republic) |
| 30-ball Bingo (Speed) | 3Γ3 (9 squares) | 1 β 30 | Just a full card | Online (quick format) |
75-ball Bingo is the most famous American variant β a 5Γ5 card with four columns of letters B-I-N-G-O above the numbers. The middle box is "FREE" (automatically checked). Patterns include single line, X, T, square, solid card. Pace: round lasts 4 β 6 minutes.
90-ball Bingo is a European variant β a 9Γ3 card with 15 numbers divided into 3 rows. Patterns: 1 line (one line), 2 lines (two lines), full house (all 3 lines). Pace: round lasts 6 β 10 minutes. Most common in Ireland online casinos.
80-ball Bingo is a less common hybrid between the American and European variants β a 4Γ4 card with four colored columns and designs such as lines, corners or solid cards.
30-ball Bingo (also called Speed ββBingo) is a purely online format β the smallest 3Γ3 card with nine numbers, drawn from 1 β 30, and only a full card wins. A round is often under a minute, making it the fastest Bingo variant and close to Ken in pace. You pay for a higher pace with a faster turnover β the bankroll is spent noticeably faster.
Bingo patterns and payout structures
In 90-ball Bingo, the player plays for three increasing levels of winnings:
- 1 line (one row): the lowest win, falls most often (typically on the 20th β 30th draw). Payout: 5 β 10x the price of the card.
- 2 lines: medium win, falls at 40. β 50. Draw. Payout: 20 β 40x the price of the card.
- Full house (full card, 3 lines): highest win, falls at 50. β 70. Draw. Payout: 50 β 200x the price of the card.
In 75-ball Bingo, the game is played with simple patterns (lines, X, T) and a full card. Payouts vary similarly β from 5x to 100x the price of the card.
The specific payouts depend on the number of players in the round β more players mean a higher jackpot, but also more competition to win. With a small number of players (10 β 20), the chance of winning is higher, but the winnings are smaller. With a large number (200+), the chance is lower, but the jackpot is higher.
Online Bingo: specifics
Online Bingo differs from traditional Bingo in several important aspects:
- Automatic tagging: the system tags numbers for players. The player does not need to watch every draw.
- Multiple cards at the same time: most platforms allow 2 β 50 cards at the same time.
- Chat and chat guests: social element β players write to each other in real time, congratulate each other on their wins, and the moderator (the so-called Chat guest) conducts chat mini-games for small prizes.
- Pre-buy cards: you can buy cards for 5 β 10 rounds in advance, the system plays them automatically.
- Free bingo rooms: some platforms offer rooms with free entry and smaller prizes β used to try the game without a deposit.
- Special wheels: special patterns (butterfly, arrow, heart) with higher payouts and lower odds.
- Progressive jackpots: a jackpot that increases with each card purchased and is won only on a "full house" within the limit of drawn numbers (for example, a full house on 40 numbers or less).
Slingo, Video Bingo and Live Bingo
In addition to the classic network Bing, there are hybrid formats in the online casino that blur the line between Bing, slot and game show. For Ireland players, they are often more accessible than classic Bingo:
- Slingo: a combination of a 5Γ5 bingo grid and a slot reel. The player has a fixed number of spins (usually 10 β 12), with each one showing numbers that are marked on the grid β the goal is to complete as many lines as possible ("Slingo"). Joker and Super Joker mark any number, "Devil" blocks the spin. The RTP of the titles is usually around 92 - 96%, i.e. Better than the classic Ken. It is a trademark of Gaming Realms.
- Video Bingo: automated Bingo against the computer (not against other players), with a fixed pay table and often slot-like bonus games. A round takes a few seconds, the pace is much faster than online Bingo.
- Live Bingo (Mega Ball): Game show style bingo with dealer and multipliers. The most famous Mega Ball title from Evolution studio works with 5Γ5 cards, 20 ball draw and Mega Multiplier Γ5 β Γ100 before the last ball (RTP 95.4%). More in the article live game shows in an online casino .
Keno: rules and principle of selection
Keno is the opposite of Bingo β the player chooses the numbers themselves. Basic Mechanics:
- The player chooses 1 β 10 (sometimes 1 β 20) numbers from the range 1 β 80.
- The player places a bet (typically β¬2.50).
- The casino draws 20 numbers from the range 1-80.
- The player sees how many of his numbers "caught" (matched the ones drawn).
- The payout is determined by the number of numbers caught and the pay table.
Online Keno is very fast β one round takes 15 β 60 seconds. The player can set auto-play and let the system play 10 β 100 rounds in a row with the same number selection.
Keno: bet types and versions
The basic bet (you choose the numbers and enter the deposit) also has several extensions that are worth knowing:
- Way (combination) tickets: one ticket groups selected numbers into groups that are played in multiple combinations at once. Example: you make three pairs from 6 numbers and play all their combinations. The stake is multiplied by the number of "ways", but a single draw covers multiple bets simultaneously.
- Multi-race (multiple rounds): you play the same choice of numbers for 2 β 20 rounds ahead with one confirmation, without re-entering.
- RNG vs Lottery/Live Keno: most online Keno runs on a random number generator with an instant result and the player plays alone. Some operators offer lottery Keno with draws at fixed intervals (for example, every 3 β 5 minutes), similar to state lotteries β only the pace changes, the principle of selection remains the same.
- Payout for "caught 0": when choosing 8 β 10 numbers, some tables pay even for zero matches β catching 0 out of 10 is relatively unlikely (around 4.6%), so it is considered a small "win".
Keno: Paytables
Payouts in Keno depend on two parameters: how many numbers you picked and how many were "hit". Payout table (example for β¬1 bet):
| Number of dialed numbers | Caught 1 | Caught 2 | Caught 3 | Caught 4 | Caught 5 | Caught 6 | Caught 7 | Caught 8 | Caught 9 | Caught 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 number | β¬3 | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2 numbers | β¬ | β¬10 | β | β | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 5 numbers | β¬ | β¬ | β¬2 | β¬10 | β¬1 | β | β | β | β | β |
| 8 numbers | β¬ | β¬ | β¬ | β¬2 | β¬10 | β¬ | β¬1 | β¬20 | β | β |
| 10 numbers | β¬ | β¬ | β¬ | β¬ | β¬5 | β¬20 | β¬ | β¬1 | β¬10 | β¬ |
Specific payouts vary by operator β the table above is indicative. Higher winnings are extremely rare. For 10 chosen numbers: the probability of catching all 10 is 1:8,911,711 (comparable to Lotto).
Odds in Keno according to the number of numbers chosen
| Selected numbers | Probability of catching max | Typical payout for max | House edge (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 number | 1:4 (25%) | 3x bets | 25% |
| 2 numbers | 1:16 (6.25%) | 10x bets | 22% |
| 3 numbers | 1:72 (1.4%) | 40x bets | 20% |
| 4 numbers | 1:326 (0.3%) | 100x bets | 22% |
| 5 numbers | 1:1,550 (0.06%) | 500x bets | 26% |
| 6 numbers | 1:7,753 (0.013%) | 1,500x stake | 28% |
| 7 numbers | 1:40,980 (0.002%) | 5,000x stake | 30% |
| 8 numbers | 1:230 115 (0.0004%) | 20,000x bet | 32% |
| 9 numbers | 1:1 380 688 (0.00007%) | 50,000x bet | 34% |
| 10 numbers | 1:8,911,711 (0.00001%) | 100,000x bet | 35% |
It can be seen from the table that the more numbers you choose, the higher the maximum can be, but also the higher the house edge. It's important to understand what the number of numbers changes and what doesn't: the number of numbers chosen does not in itself change the casino's advantage β the paytable of the particular game determines this, not whether you play 4 or 10 numbers. Only the win profile changes: fewer numbers (4 β 6) mean more frequent but smaller wins and a calmer balance; more numbers (8 β 10) means very rare wins with a high maximum. For recreational playing, a more pleasant compromise is 4-6 numbers. The probabilities in the "catch max" column are fixed by Ken's math (20 out of 80 are drawn) and are verifiable. However, the values ββin the "house edge" column are only illustrative β the actual edge is derived from the paytable of the given title, so don't take it as a fixed number tied to the number of numbers.
How is house edge calculated in Keno? (step by step example)
House edge is not a random number β it results from a comparison of actual probabilities and payouts. Let's demonstrate this on a β¬1 bet on 4 numbers with this sample paytable:
| Result | Probability | Payout (per β¬1 bet) | Contribution to return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caught 2 | 21.3% | β¬1 (bet refund) | 5.β¬ 1 |
| Caught 3 | 4.33% | β¬5 | 5.β¬ 2 |
| Caught 4 | 0.306% | β¬ | 9.β¬ 1 |
| Caught 0 or 1 | 74.1% | β¬ | 0.β¬ |
The sum of the contributions is the expected return: 5.33 + 5.41 + 9.18= β¬ 1. Therefore, for every β¬ 1 bet, approximately β¬ 1 is returned on average, which means an RTP of around 80% and a house edge of around 20%. The same procedure applies to any number of numbers β just substitute the probabilities from the previous table and the specific payouts.
The key is that the paytable determines the outcome. If the casino paid only β¬ instead of β¬ for the caught 4, the house edge would rise above 27%. This is exactly why Ken pays to look at the RTP of the given game before playing β two titles with identical rules can have completely different benefits.
How high is Bingo and Ken's house edge compared to other games?
| Game | House edge | Expected loss on turnover β¬1 |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack (basic strategy) | 0.5% | β¬5 |
| Baccarat (Banker bet) | 1.06% | β¬10 |
| European roulette | 2.7% | β¬20 |
| Vending machines (average) | 4% | β¬ |
| Crash games (Aviator, etc.) | 3% | β¬30 |
| American roulette | 5.26% | β¬ |
| Bingo (average) | 10 β 30% | 2,500 β β¬ |
| Keno | 20 β 35% | 5,000 β β¬ |
From a purely mathematical point of view, Bingo and Keno are the worst casino games. A house edge of 20 β 35% in Keno means that for every crown bet, the player loses on average 20 β 35 pennies. For comparison: in blackjack, the loss is only 0.5 penny from the crown.
But in terms of entertainment, both games have their own specific atmosphere β Bingo has a social element (chat, "caller" in live broadcast), Keno has a fast pace and the possibility of big wins. For the recreational player with a budget of 500 β β¬ per session, both games are "relaxing" β they require no strategy and are simple to understand.
Attention β the house edge in Ken is not a fixed number. It depends solely on the paytable of the particular game. Lottery and Classic Video-Keno tend to be at the worst end (20-35%), but some online versions have more generous tables with an RTP of 90-95% (house edge only 5-10%). The difference between two "identical" Keno games can be as much as 25 percentage points, so always check the RTP of the title before playing.
Bingo, Keno and bonuses β watch out for spins
In the case of a welcome or deposit bonus, the so-called contribution of the game to the spin (wagering) is decisive. Slots usually contribute 100%, but Bingo and Keno tend to be heavily capped:
- They often contribute only 10 - 50% (every β¬1 bet counts as β¬2.50 - β¬12.2 towards the spin),
- Some operators completely exclude them from bonus spins,
- Some have separate bonuses for Bingo β bonus cards or free bingo rooms.
Practical consequence: if you want to spin the bonus by playing Ken or Bingo, it takes longer or is not possible at all. Therefore, before using the bonus, read the contribution table of the games in the specific conditions of the promotion. The article explains how to deal with the bonus and without it online casino budget management .
Strategies and myths
Both Bingo and Keno are games of pure chance β no strategy changes the long-term outcome. Some popular myths:
- Tippett's strategy for 90-ball Bingo (false): claims that with fewer numbers drawn, numbers near the median "fall" (45), with more "extreme" numbers (1, 2, 89, 90). Mathematically false β all numbers are equally likely.
- Granville's strategy for 75-ball Bingo (false): states that cards with evenly distributed numbers within the ranges B (1 β 15), I (16 β 30), N (31 β 45), G (46 β 60), O (61 β 75) should be selected. Statistically no effect β cards are generated randomly.
- "Hot" numbers in Ken (false): claims that numbers that have fallen often in recent rounds will fall in the next. Classic "gambler's fallacy" β each wheel is independent. They explain why the brain believes in such patterns cognitive distortions in gaming .
Only practical advice:
- Search Bing for rounds with fewer players β a higher chance of winning at a lower winning price.
- In Keno, consider 4 β 6 numbers β a calmer compromise between the frequency of winning and the height of the maximum (however, the number of numbers does not change the dominance of the casino, only the winning profile).
- Compare the RTP titles β choose a game with a more generous payout table at Ken, or go for Sling or Bing video with an RTP above 92%.
- Set stop-loss and take-profit β Bingo and Keno can quickly "burn" the budget due to the high tempo.
Bingo and Keno in Ireland licensed casinos
Keno is one of the games commonly available at Ireland licensed operators. You will most often find it in the "special games", "lotteries" or "virtual games" section. Specific titles and paytables vary by vendor, so check the RTP of that version before playing β as we've shown above, differences between Keno games can be significant.
Classic online Bingo is less common in Ireland licensed casinos β most operators focus on slots and live casino rather than lottery games. Therefore, more often than classic Bingo, you will come across its hybrids: Slingo, video Bingo and live Mega Ball in the live casino section. Before playing, check whether the particular operator offers the given format at all.
Only play with operators with a valid license from the Ministry of Finance Ireland. You can find an overview of suppliers and their games in individual casinos in the article online casino game providers .
Resources and further reading
Related articles:
- Mathematical casino edge and expected value
- House edge in live casino games
- Cognitive distortions in gaming
- Casino jackpot vs progressive jackpot
- Live game shows in an online casino
- Online casino game providers
- Budget management in an online casino
- Glossary of online casino terms
- Responsible gaming
External sources:
β Frequently asked questions about Bing and Ken
Table of games House edge Live game shows Cognitive errors Providers
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