A king number is a single number circled so that it forms a "group" by
itself. Any ticket containing one or more king numbers is called a king
ticket. Although a king ticket is a kind of combination ticket
essentially
like those we have already examined, it contains enough unique features
to
merit separate discussion. The simplest king ticket is one in which
several
numbers have been marked by the player, only one of which is circled.
The
circled number is the king number, while the un circled numbers plus a
nine-spot bet on all the marked numbers including the king. When
several
groups are circled, one of which is a king, the king number is intended
to
play in every possible combination with the other groups.
A king number never plays by itself, only in combinations. A ticket may
contain more than one king number. In fact, one may play an all-king
ticket,
which consist only of circled individual numbers, each of which is
intended
to be played in every possible combination with the other king numbers.
Such
tickets can become mind-bog-glingly- complex. Jus for the records, in
order
to determine how to correctly condition an all-king ticket, you would
have
to apply the formula given earlier for calculating way tickets. For
example,
if you have a ticket composed of five king numbers, you would use the
formula to determine all the two-spot combinations possible with this
ticket. Then you would employ the formula again to determine all the
three-spot combinations, and one final time to determine all the
possible
four-spot combinations. Obviously, there is only one possible five-spot
combinations on the ticket.
There is almost no limit to the variations that can be worked out on
keno
tickets through the use of different-size groups and different numbers
of
groups played in combinations. (Groups fewer than five numbers are
usually
circled, while those of five numbers or more are separated by means of
straight lines.) Some combinations tickets favored by many players
actually
incorporate all eighty numbers on the ticket, separated into different
groups and played in combination with each other.
When you turn in your ticket, the writer will go over it carefully to
check
for errors. Nevertheless, you should do your part to make sure it is
correctly conditioned before you submit it. If you find that the
tickets you
are writing are too confusing for you, there is a simple solution:
Stick to
less complicated tickets. As we shall see, complex tickets may be
intriguing, but they offer no mathematical advantage over even the
simples
straight ticket.
Almost every casino offers one or more special types of combination
tickets
with unique payoffs not available in any other casino. Such tickets are
known in the business as house tickets, although each casino dreams up
some
catchy name for its particular house ticket. These tickets don't offer
the
player any significant break in the massive house percentage found in
keno,
but they may offer advantages of emotional significance. For example,
often
these tickets will give the player a shot at the $50,000 grand prize
for a
smaller bet than do any of the standard tickets. They make up for this
by
offering smaller payoffs for lesser numbers of catches (winning
numbers).
However, since most keno players are primarily attracted to the game by
the
hope of a major win, this advantage of the house ticket will make it
worth
playing for may people. The house tickets offered by each casino will
be
found listed in their keno brochure.
