Keno
Keno is a popular lottery-style game in Finland that runs three times a day: Day Draw, Evening Draw, and Late Evening Draw. Each draw selects 20 numbers out of 70. As a player, you choose a Keno level (anywhere between 2 and 10) to decide how many numbers you pick. If a significant portion of your picks match the 20 drawn, you can win various prizes.
Players can choose levels 2-10 in a single basic ticket. Keno Level 11 is available only through special “Täyskeno” bundles or game packages, not as a single game line. This higher level gives an opportunity for even larger prizes but comes with increased difficulty.
How to Play Keno
Step 1: Select your Keno level (2-10). The number of spots you pick equals the level (e.g., if you pick 8 numbers, you're playing level 8).
Step 2: Choose your numbers between 1 and 70 (or let the system pick them randomly). You can also play multiple lines or use pre-made bundles and system entries.
Step 3: Decide whether to pay extra for the Kunkku (King Number) option. If the special “King Number” drawn is in your selections, your prizes get a major multiplier boost.
Step 4: Wait for the draw. 20 numbers are drawn out of 70, and one of those is designated as the “Kunkku.” Your wins are calculated by how many of your chosen spots match the 20 drawn, plus any extra multiplier if you played Kunkku and happened to match the King Number.
Tahdenlento is a similar game, but with a smaller range of configurations, and smaller jackpots.
Use the calculator below to see how different levels, with or without Kunkku, affect your expected gains, probabilities of certain big multipliers, and more.
Game Calculator
Total Cost: €1.00
Expected Value
€0.00
(€0.00 per € spent)
Standard Deviation
€0.00
Break-Even Probability
0.00%
Total Loss Probability
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Jackpot Information
Jackpot Value
€0
Jackpot Probability
0.000000%
Strategies
Strategies & Observations for Keno (Levels 2-10)
Keno is offered at multiple “levels” (2 through 10) and can be played either Regular (base price) or with Kunkku (double price, bigger absolute prizes). Although raw payouts and probabilities vary across levels, the long-run return on a per-euro basis stays about the same for all settings: roughly 0.54-0.55. Below are nuanced insights drawn from expected value (EV), variance, and break-even probabilities if you choose to buy multiple lines in one draw.
- EV Per € Is Essentially the Same, Regardless of Level/Kunkku: Once Kunkku's extra cost is factored in, it yields roughly the same long-term ratio (~0.55 per €) as a regular ticket. Higher levels may show a bigger raw EV, but the ticket price jump (or extremely low win probability) negates any advantage on a percentage basis.
- Variance Rises Markedly at Higher Levels: Level 2 or 3 has relatively modest variance, meaning more consistent small hits. By contrast, Level 9 or 10 Kunkku can have extreme swings—most plays lose, but an occasional large jackpot pays hundreds of thousands.
- Kunkku vs. Two Regular Lines: If you have €2 to
spend, you can either (a) buy 1 Kunkku ticket at Level X or (b) buy 2 regular tickets. Statistically, the expected return per
€ remains similar. The main difference is distribution of outcomes:
- Kunkku (1 line): Bigger absolute prizes if you hit, but you have only one set of picks. Variance is higher because you either double your single-line winnings or lose that entire double stake.
- Two Regular Lines: Each line has a separate shot to win. You see smaller top payouts, but you get two independent chances for mid-tier prizes (like partial matches). This slightly smooths out results draw to draw.
- Multi-Line & Break-Even Probability: Buying
multiple lines in one draw increases your chance of at least getting your stake back. Among all combinations, Level 2 Regular with 5 lines wagered shows the highest single-draw break-even probability (about 0.336).
In general:
- More lines = Lower probability of a “full loss,” but also more total cost.
- Big-jackpot settings (e.g., Level 10 Kunkku) typically have smaller break-even probabilities for a single draw, even if the long-run EV per € is similar.
- Choosing a Level by Risk/Prize Goals:
- Lower Levels (2-3): Smaller potential jackpots, lower variance—relatively consistent results.
- Mid-Levels (4-6): Balanced approach; moderate-size prizes and moderately higher swings.
- Higher Levels (7-10): Substantially bigger top prizes but volatile. Expect frequent total losses with a rare huge payoff.
Bottom line: Whether you pick lower or higher levels, or choose Kunkku vs. buying extra regular lines, the expected payout ratio remains ~0.54-0.55 per €. The trade-off lies in variance and prize magnitude. For the highest probability of just breaking even, smaller levels (especially Level 2 Regular with about 5 lines) are the most favorable on a single-draw basis. For massive potential hits, pick higher levels and possibly Kunkku, fully accepting the bigger risk swings.