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On the surface, keno and roulette couldn’t be more different, but dig a little deeper and the similarities between these two popular casino games are quite numbered. As an enthusiastic keno player, you may have heard fellow punters asking why you prefer keno over the more ‘sophisticated’ roulette. We can think of many reasons, and despite some subtle similarities, it’s the differences that really puts keno out on top.
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Roulette VS Keno
Call us biased but we are all about keno. Sure, roulette is a great game and definitely worth taking for a spin (no pun intended) between keno games at one of our recommended online casinos, but we’ll always come back to keno. Not sure where the differences or similarities lie? We’ve laid out the comparisons so you can see for yourself why these two games are sometimes compared, but why we’ll always remain faithful to keno.
Keno and roulette similarities
Both games require punters to lay wagers on certain numbers being drawn at random. The main obvious similarity that these two games share is that they are both purely luck based. The outcome of each game is determined entirely by fate and there is nothing that players of either game can do to influence the result. Similarly, hard core fans of either game are determined to argue that there are strategies that can be employed to increase your chance of winning in keno or roulette, but that’s just not the case.
As individuals have zero control over the outcome of either game, both keno and roulette are great for beginners as well as experienced gamblers. Neither game requires any skill or prior knowledge and all punters stand an equal chance of bringing home the bacon. How much you win in roulette or keno will mostly be based on the size of your bet, and how much you’re willing to gamble. Both games have the potential to create monumental winners if a high enough stake is placed on a low odd outcome.
Keno and roulette differences
The main differences are obvious as the visual setup of keno and roulette are nothing alike. Roulette is played on a wheel displaying 37 or 38 numbers (depending whether you are playing American roulette or European roulette) with players placing their desired outcome on the corresponding square on the betting table. The croupier then spins the roulette wheel and the outcome is determined by which number the ball lands on.
In keno, players select numbers from one to 80, either by clicking on the desired number when playing online, or marking the number on a ticket if playing in a land based venue. Once all wagers have been placed, the croupier then draws twenty numbered balls at random from a bubble which continuously shuffles balls using air pressure. Each ball that is drawn with a number corresponding to the numbers picked by the player makes up part of a win. The more chosen numbers that are drawn, the more the player wins.
The way each game play unfolds is also quite different, but only if playing in a land based casino or keno venue. When playing online, both games look very different but are both just as easy to play. Online games or roulette and keno require the player to place their bet, click their chosen number and hit the play button, so when it comes to simplicity of online play, both roulette and keno receive a gold star.
Betting options
Another key difference between keno and roulette lies in the betting options. Betting in roulette is quite varied and presents the player with many options. Beyond simply betting on the exact number that the ball will land on, players have the choice to bet on all kinds of inside and outside bets, like whether it will land on an odd or even number, whether it will land on red or black, whether it will land within the first 12 numbers and so forth.
In keno the betting choices are much more simplified. Players are simply given the choice to select the specific numbers that they hope to be drawn, with no side betting or more complex betting options offered. Depending on the rules of the game at hand, keno gives the choice of betting on either up to ten numbers or twenty numbers, but players can bet on as little as two numbers if they wish.
The choice in keno lies strictly with how many numbers you wish to bet on and which numbers you choose. While roulette can be as simple as wagering on a single number, it has a much more varied and multifaceted betting structure.
The payouts for each game vary hugely. In roulette it will depend on the kind of bet placed and in keno it will depend on how many numbers were hit. Refer to the individual pay tables of the game you are about to play for further details of its pay scale.
Which is better? Our verdict
When determining which game is better, it really comes down to a question of which is the most fun and which brings the most winning potential. As both games are luck based, require no skill and can be played quickly and easily in a trusted online casino, the bottom line lies with personal preference.
Surprise, surprise, keno has our vote (who would have guessed!?). It’s not that we don’t also enjoy roulette and we definitely appreciate its sophistication and history, but let’s face it, unless you’re willing to roll out a huge wager on an unlikely outcome, its chances of making you a millionaire are pretty slim. Big roulette win possibilities are generally reserved for the high rollers. Keno on the other hand can produce life changing wins if luck happens to be on your side and has been responsible for producing many multi-million dollar winners in Australia alone.
We think keno is more fun as waiting for 20 numbers is much more exciting than just waiting for one. Sure, waiting for the roulette wheel to stop and see where the ball lands is an exhilarating experience, but that’s nothing on the suspense of waiting for a keno game to announce the numbers on all 20 balls. So while we’re always down for a quick spin of the roulette wheel here and there, we don’t be abandoning our beloved keno anytime soon.