Keno Combinations

You can do this by marking your 7 numbers and draw a thick line separating the 3 top numbers and the bottom 4. Then over on the right of the ticket you write $3; below that 1/3 (shorthand for 1 3-spot); below that 1/4 (for 1 4-spot) and below that 1/7 (for 1 7-spot). Then below that you write $1 meaning you are betting $1 on each of those combinations. This is actually 3 separate wagers and if you win you will be paid off as if you had submitted 3 separate tickets. It's just keno shorthand.

Say in addition to the 3- and 4-spots you want to play a 2-spot in the lower left. Now a simple horizontal line isn't enough to separate the groups of numbers you choose. What you would do is circle the groups of 2, 3 and 4 to clarify how you want to group your ticket. Then off to the right you explain how you are betting. Are you playing a 2-spot, 3-spot and 4-spot? How about the 5-spot, 6-spot and 7-spot that comes from combining the 2-, 3-, and 4-spots in various groupings? How about the 9-spot that comes from playing all 9 numbers at once? Once again, you indicate what you are playing by making notations on the right of the ticket.

You don't have to play everything. You can play the 2-spot, 3-spot, 4-spot and 7-spot by marking your ticket with: $4; 1/2; 1/3; 1/4; 1/7; $1. But beware: if your 2-spot and 4-spot come up, you'll get paid the $85 or so total for catching the 2-and 4-spot but you won't get paid for catching the 6-spot formed by combining them because you dind't play that option. You would have had to pay another $1 and designate "1/6" on your ticket. If you mark a single spot and circle it, it is sometimes called a "king number" and is usually combined with other groups or even other king numbers. But it's basically a group-of-one.