A Detailed History of Keno
August 5th, 2010 | Published in Gambling Games
Like many games, it’s difficult to pinpoint the origin of Keno. There are several different stories of its derivation. The most popular version among scholars is that it originated in ancient China. It’s rumored that during the Han Dynasty, Cheung Leung invented the game in 200 B.C. as a method of raising money during times of war when supplies were rationed. The game raised necessary money and food to support the army.
Keno Migration in China
As a result Keno became popular and spread through China. It has also been theorized that Keno helped raise money to build the Great Wall of China. The game even migrated onto the battlefield. With the help of pigeons, betting numbers and winnings were passed around to various players on the battlefield from different cities. Due to this evolution, the game became known as the White Pigeon Game.
Supporting Theories
Various ancient poems have stated that Keno derived from China. Despite being a betting activity, game helped children learn Chinese letters, numbers and other characters. The Keno boards in Chinese establishments continue to use the old language characters but have decreased the number from 120 to 80.
Migration out of China
With the invention of the railroad, Chinese labor was greatly utilized to help construct such a massive undertaking. With new connections via railroad to major cities around the world, Keno spread to other areas of Asia and into different continents. At this point, gambling became illegal in China. Those who were participants either took it underground or moved out of the country.
It has been theorized that because of gambling becoming illegal, many immigrants transported the game to San Francisco during the gold rush and building of railroads. Even today, there are remnants of traditional Keno. For instance, in the Chinatown district, there’s a popular lottery game mirrored from Keno.
Unfortunately during the 1800’s, the game wasn’t taken as seriously as today. Within the past 20 years, casinos have started offering the game. Almost every gaming establishment on the Las Vegas strip provides some form of Keno. In casinos today, the characters are replaced with numbers to appeal to a larger crowd. Depending on the property, there are different strategies and house edges.
Keno has survived wars, famine, depressions and rebirth over thousands of years. During this time, it has also evolved into the popular game we see today. Will it last another thousand years as it is now? Only time will tell.