The game of Keno isn’t a new one; it is one that has a rich history dating back about 3000 years ago. As one of the oldest gambling games, Keno enjoys huge popularity among gamblers in different countries. In as much as it enjoys popularity in different countries, the game has had a defined history that followed a path all the way from its country of origin before getting its roots all over the world.
The name ‘Keno’ has French and Latin roots though the game itself is believed to have originated from China. The game first started in the Han Dynasty in China about 3000 years ago. It has a rich history that explains its origin.
The legend says that Cheung Leung who ruled the Han Dynasty and founded the game started the game as a way of saving the city from a war. At the time, the city was engaged in war but could not get enough money to fund the war. Since he had depleted all his taxation options, he invented a new game – Keno, which allowed the city residents to raise money through a lottery. The city, using the funds from Keno, managed to win the war.
The story of its origin did not end with the war as it is also believed that funds raised from Keno also helped in the construction of the Great Wall of China.
However, it is important to note that the lottery was not licensed in China up until the 1800s. Therefore, the official history, which has been formally recorded started in the 1800s.
After recording successes in China, the game started moving to the rest of the world. The United States was its first destination. It got to the United States through Chinese sailors who moved to San Francisco in the early 20th century. It later moved to Europe after the native Americans had accepted the game.
In as much as gambling was legal in the early 20th century, most governments in Europe and America did not recognize Keno as a form of gambling. It had to be disguised in the name of “Racehorse Keno” to make it look like a racing game rather than a lottery. After the lottery was legalized, the operators resorted back to the original name, ‘Keno’.
In order to understand the significant changes that happened, it is important to break it into the various factors that have experienced major changes.
Characters vs. numbers
When the game was invented in China, players used Chinese characters. However, as the game traveled across the world, the characters were replaced with numbers. So the 120 characters were replaced with 80 numbers. However, it is important to note that Keno can still be played using Chinese characters.
How to play
Another significant change that has happened is how the game is played. Initially, the game had 120 characters from which a player was to choose. Now, players have 80 numbers that they can choose from. Depending on the type of Keno game you are playing, it is possible to choose up to 10 numbers on a ticket. You can play the Keno lottery online at 25lotto.com and stand a chance to win the millions on offer.
Worldwide acceptance
Another major thing that has happened is the increased acceptance of Keno as a lottery. When it started, it was only popular in China before moving to America and parts of Europe. However, currently, the game is extremely popular and nearly all the countries of the world have operators of the game.
Online presence
Of course, when Keno started, there was no internet interaction. This meant that players had to purchase their tickets physically and wait for a physical draw that would determine if they are winners or not. However, the advancement of technology has improved the game and made it available online to many users. It is now possible to play Keno from wherever you are without having to visit the physical agents or operators. The advancement of technology and increased online activities have also seen more people winning the lottery.
Some people use basic tips and lottery predictions to boost their chances of winning. For example, if you are playing 25 Lotto Nigeria, you can use tips that will boost your chances of winning.
Read also our article about Lotto Nigeria prediction and check if you do need a lottery prediction to play Keno and is it really working in the world of the lottery games.