In keno you pick a few numbers and the lottery draws 20. The chance of matching k of your n picks follows the hypergeometric formula. In BCLC Keno, with 20 numbers drawn from 80, a one-spot hits 1 time in 4 and pays $2 per $1, which works out to an average return of 50 cents per dollar.
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Keno in Canadian provincial lotteries
Two provincial keno games are described below, each checked against the lottery's own rules. They differ in the size of the number field and in how often draws run, and both differences change the odds and the pace of play.
| OLG DAILY KENO (Ontario) | BCLC Keno (British Columbia) | |
|---|---|---|
| Number field | 1 to 70 | 1 to 80 |
| Numbers drawn | 20 | 20 |
| Wagers | $1, $2, $5 or $10 | $1, $2, $5 or $10 per selection; $100 maximum Keno wager |
| Draws | Twice a day: MIDDAY at 2 p.m. ET and EVENING at 10:30 p.m. ET | A new draw every 3:30 minutes through the Draw Day |
| Top prize | Up to $2,500,000 | $200,000 per draw on Keno; up to $2,000,000 with Keno Bonus |
The OLG details are from its DAILY KENO game page. The BCLC details are from the Keno Game Conditions and Prize Structure Statement dated July 2025 and the PlayNow Keno page. BCLC's Draw Day runs from 4:30 a.m. to about 4:00 a.m. Pacific Time, so draws continue almost around the clock. A draw every few minutes means many more bets per hour than a twice-daily draw, which matters for a budget more than any single set of odds. More on games by province is in the Ontario and British Columbia guides.
How picks, spots and prize tables work
Each game you play has a spot count: the number of numbers you choose. BCLC lets players choose 1 to 10 numbers; OLG's odds table covers games from PICK 2 to PICK 10. The lottery then draws 20 numbers, and your prize depends only on how many of your picks are among them.
Every spot count has its own prize table. A Pick 1 game pays only for one match. A Pick 4 game in BCLC Keno pays for 2, 3 or 4 matches, and nothing for 0 or 1. OLG notes that a winning set pays in one prize category only, so a ticket that matches 5 of 5 is paid as a 5 of 5 win, not also as 4 of 5. Both lotteries quote their prize tables for each $1 played.
BCLC also sells an optional Keno Bonus, which draws one multiplier from 1.5X, 2X, 5X, 7X and 10X and applies it to Keno prizes when the player has paid for the add-on. Because the bonus costs an extra wager, it should be judged separately from the base odds below.
The hypergeometric formula
Keno is a textbook case for the hypergeometric distribution, because 20 numbers are drawn from a fixed field without replacement. If the field has N numbers, D are drawn, and you pick n, the probability of exactly k matches is:
P(k) = C(n, k) × C(N − n, D − k) ÷ C(N, D)
Here C(a, b) is the number of ways to choose b items from a. The three parts mean:
- C(n, k): the ways to choose which k of your picks are drawn.
- C(N − n, D − k): the ways to fill the rest of the 20 drawn numbers from the numbers you did not pick.
- C(N, D): the total number of possible draws. For BCLC (80 numbers, 20 drawn) that is 3,535,316,142,212,174,320.
For a one-spot game in BCLC Keno, the formula reduces to 20 ÷ 80, which is 1 in 4: twenty of the eighty numbers are drawn, so any single number has a quarter chance.
Exact odds for 1 to 4 spots in BCLC Keno
The table applies the formula with N = 80 and D = 20, and sets the result beside the prize per $1 from section 6 of BCLC's game conditions. The odds are calculated here, not published by BCLC.
| Game | Matches | Probability | Odds | BCLC prize per $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pick 1 | 1 of 1 | 0.250000 | 1 in 4.00 | $2 |
| Pick 2 | 2 of 2 | 0.060127 | 1 in 16.63 | $10 |
| Pick 2 | 1 of 2 | 0.379747 | 1 in 2.63 | no prize |
| Pick 3 | 3 of 3 | 0.013875 | 1 in 72.07 | $25 |
| Pick 3 | 2 of 3 | 0.138754 | 1 in 7.21 | $2 |
| Pick 4 | 4 of 4 | 0.003063 | 1 in 326.44 | $50 |
| Pick 4 | 3 of 4 | 0.043248 | 1 in 23.12 | $5 |
| Pick 4 | 2 of 4 | 0.212635 | 1 in 4.70 | $1 |
Multiplying each probability by its prize and adding them gives the average amount returned for each $1 played, before any Keno Bonus:
- Pick 1: 0.25 × $2 = about $0.50
- Pick 2: 0.060127 × $10 = about $0.60
- Pick 3: 0.013875 × $25 + 0.138754 × $2 = about $0.62
- Pick 4: 0.003063 × $50 + 0.043248 × $5 + 0.212635 × $1 = about $0.58
So on these spot counts roughly 38 to 50 cents of every dollar is kept on average. The Pick 4 "2 of 4" prize of $1 only returns the stake, even though it is the most frequent win.
Checking the formula against OLG's published odds
OLG publishes odds with its DAILY KENO prize table, which allows a check of the method with N = 70 and D = 20. The formula gives 1 in 12.71 for 2 of 2, 1 in 48.02 for 3 of 3, 1 in 189.25 for 4 of 4 and 1 in 780.64 for 5 of 5. OLG lists 1 in 13, 1 in 48, 1 in 189 and 1 in 781, the same figures rounded. For 10 of 10 the formula gives 1 in 2,147,180.74 and OLG lists 1 in 2,147,181.
OLG's prizes per $1 for those top matches are $7 for PICK 2, $25 for PICK 3, $100 for PICK 4, $250 for PICK 5 and $250,000 for PICK 10. The smaller field of 70 numbers makes each match more likely than in an 80-number game, which is why OLG's PICK 2 pays $7 where BCLC's Pick 2 pays $10.
Limits and claims in the BCLC rules
Keno prize tables are not unlimited. Section 8 of BCLC's conditions sets the maximum prize payable on any one draw at $200,000, not counting Keno Bonus, Keno Doubler or Keno Tripler; with Keno Bonus the maximum is 10 times the Keno prize, up to $2,000,000. These limits apply whatever the amount wagered.
There is also an aggregate cap for the rarest results. If several tickets win the same top selection in one draw, BCLC's total liability is limited, for example to $600,000 for all 10 of 10 Pick 10 winners and $300,000 for all 6 of 6 Pick 6 winners, and each winner's prize is reduced pro rata. Under section 7, prizes must be claimed within one year from the Draw Day on which they were won. For low spot counts such as 1 to 4 these limits rarely matter, but anyone playing high spot counts should read sections 7 and 8 first.
What to check before playing keno
- Find the field size and the number drawn; 20 from 70 and 20 from 80 give different odds for the same spot count.
- Look up the prize table for the exact spot count you plan to play, and note which match counts pay nothing.
- Work out the average return with the formula above, or use the published odds where the lottery provides them.
- Count the draws per hour. With a draw every 3:30 minutes, a modest stake per draw adds up quickly.
- Set a session limit in advance. ConnexOntario is available at 1-866-531-2600 at any hour, and other provinces' services are on the responsible gambling page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the odds of hitting one number in keno?
In a game that draws 20 numbers from 80, such as BCLC Keno, the chance that a single pick is drawn is 20 divided by 80, or 1 in 4. In OLG DAILY KENO, which draws 20 from 70, the chance is higher, at 20 divided by 70.
How do I calculate keno odds for more spots?
Use P(k) = C(n,k) × C(N−n, D−k) ÷ C(N,D), where N is the field size, D the numbers drawn, n your picks and k the matches. For 4 of 4 in a 20-from-80 game this gives about 1 in 326.
How often are keno draws held in Canada?
OLG DAILY KENO has two draws a day, MIDDAY at 2 p.m. ET and EVENING at 10:30 p.m. ET. BCLC's PlayNow page states that its Keno has a new draw every 3:30 minutes, with the Draw Day running from 4:30 a.m. to about 4:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Which keno bet gives the best return?
Using BCLC's prize table for $1 played, the average return before Keno Bonus is about 50 cents on Pick 1, 60 cents on Pick 2, 62 cents on Pick 3 and 58 cents on Pick 4. Every option returns less than the stake on average.