Despite the dominance of casinos and slot machines, keno continues to maintain a devoted fan base.
In Massachusetts, which has the most successful lottery in the U.S., the keno drawings on TV come every four minutes. This continuous ability to play makes Keno a popular staple in taverns and other lottery venues.
The Bay State offers the game in 1,200 bars and restaurants and many convenience stores. They accounted for $900 million in sales last year, which is 20 percent higher than in 2010. Those figures make the state the leading keno operator in the U.S., accounting for nearly 25 percent of total sales.
Keno’s success in Massachusetts is somewhat singular to the state. One reason may be that it is quite ubiquitous. Players don’t have to go far to play it.
Clyde Barrow, a longtime expert on gaming in New England told the Boston Globe, “The Massachusetts State Lottery has done a really good job in creating a very deep and broad market for keno,” He says. “It’s practically everywhere. The lottery has also sped up the game to 15 drawings each hour, a rate that provides “almost instant gratification.”
Keno is easy to play, meaning that it lends itself to casual participation and chatting or watching television. It is often played in social settings.
Jeff Duford, the manager and co-owner of the Winner’s Circle sports bar in Salisbury, told the Boston Globe that 25 percent of the bar’s revenue comes from keno and the lottery.
“We have a great local following,” he said. “And a big part of it is seeing someone you know and talking to friends. It’s like a home to some of them.” It’s been that way since the 1990s when the lottery used the bar as one of its test sites for the game.
