The complete payout tables for bar keno and bank shot, the real house edge, and an honest look at what the math means before you play.
In bar keno, you select 7 numbers from 1–80. The machine draws 20. Your payout depends on how many of your 7 match the draw. Standard Nebraska bar keno payout table:
| Spots Hit | Payout (per $1 ticket) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0 of 7 | $0 | — |
| 1 of 7 | $0 | — |
| 2 of 7 | $0 | — |
| 3 of 7 | $1 | Break even on one ticket |
| 4 of 7 | $5 | — |
| 5 of 7 | $12 | — |
| 6 of 7 | $125 | — |
| 7 of 7 | $2,500 | Per $1 ticket |
Payouts vary by location. Always confirm the schedule on the machine before you play — it's displayed on screen. The table above reflects the standard rates used in Keno Engine's simulation.
Bank shot uses 9-spot tickets from the same 1–80 pool, same 20-number draw. Payouts start later but scale higher:
| Spots Hit | Payout (per $1 ticket) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 of 9 | $0 | — |
| 4 of 9 | $2 | — |
| 5 of 9 | $5 | — |
| 6 of 9 | $25 | — |
| 7 of 9 | $150 | — |
| 8 of 9 | $2,500 | — |
| 9 of 9 | $25,000 | Per $1 ticket |
Keno has one of the highest house edges in gambling — and that's not a criticism, it's information you should have before you play. The house edge is the percentage of every dollar wagered that the house keeps on average over time.
For most bar keno variants, the house edge runs between 25% and 35%. Compare: blackjack with basic strategy is under 0.5%. American roulette is ~5.3%. Slots typically run 5–15%. Keno is at the high end of the spectrum — every dollar you play, expect to recover roughly 65–75 cents over a long session.
Wheeling does not change your expected value per dollar. Over an infinite number of draws, the return rate is the same whether you play a wheel or random quick-picks.
What wheeling changes is how winnings are distributed within a session. Random picks scatter your buy-in across 25 tickets pointing in different directions. When your pool numbers hit, most tickets miss. A coordinated wheel concentrates all 25 tickets into the same 12 numbers — when those numbers perform, multiple tickets pay simultaneously. That's the real-world difference: not better odds, but better payout consolidation on draws where your numbers appear.
Keno Engine runs 10,000 simulated draws against your specific wheel before you play. You can see the exact ROI, multi-win rate, and hit distribution for your numbers and confirm whether the wheel is worth playing — for free, before spending a dollar.
Neither is strictly better — they have different risk profiles:
Bar keno pays at 3 of 7 hits, so you collect more frequently. Smaller amounts, but more often. Sessions tend to last longer. Top prize is $2,500 per ticket.
Bank shotrequires 4 of 9 to pay anything, meaning more losing draws. The $25,000 jackpot for 9 of 9 is real but genuinely rare. If you're playing for entertainment over a session, bar keno is more forgiving. If you want the biggest possible upside on a single draw, bank shot is the format.