History of Keno

Keno is a game based on lotteries. Although the name has its roots in French or Latin, the gambling game was conceived in China more than 2000 years ago by a Chinese ruler, to fund a war. Today, this game can be played at most land-based and online casinos.

Origin – Chinese Ruler Leung Conceives Game to Finance War in 200BC

In 200BC, Cheung Leung’s city was constantly at war. This took a heavy toll on the city’s resources and food supplies. In addition, the citizens of the city chose to stop funding the war. Fearing a revolt, Cheung Leung did not impose a tax on his people. The ruler decided to create a game to finance the war.

At that time, the game was not played as it is today. The Thousand Character Classic, a well-known Chinese poem during that time, was used as a basis for the game. The poem was used by the people to learn counting. It featured more than 900 symbols. Cheung Leung chose 120 symbols for the game which was given the name Keno.

The new game became widely successful as soon as it was introduced. Cheung Leung now had more than enough financial resources for his army and the war. As more people continued to play the game, the news of wins and losses were communicated to smaller towns and villages with the help of white carrier pigeons.

This resulted in the game being called as White Pigeon. The game was also a major contributor in the funding of the country’s architectural marvel, the Great Wall of China.

Late 19^th Century – the game Reaches the US

The game reached the shores of the US only by the end of the 19^th century when it was brought over by sailors from China. The symbols in the game were changed to numbers so it would be easier for people in the US. The game was well-received, but still mostly played by the immigrants from China. Due to this, the game was called Chinese lottery in several cities such as San Francisco.

Renamed to Avoid Legal Issues

Within a few years, it was widely accepted and played in the country. As gambling and lottery games were considered illegal in the US, it was not played openly. The game was renamed Horse Race Keno as the numbers in the game were featured as horses. This helped to avoid legal issues.

Even though Nevada made gambling legal in the 1930s, the government had introduced a law which proposed taxes on off-track wagering. To steer clear of the new tax, the name of the game was changed backed and it now featured at most of the casinos.

Online version

With an influx of gambling sites, players can now enjoy it online. The lottery game continues to be one of the favorite games as it is fun and easy to play. It also provides opportunities to land substantial winnings. Playing online can be more lucrative than playing it at a land-based betting houses as sites provide rewarding bonus offers.