Calculators
Keno vs Lottery: Return, Odds and Hourly Cost
Keno or lotto? Compare WCLC Keno, sold in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the territories, with Lotto Max: return per dollar, how often keno is drawn and what an hour of keno costs.
OLG CASH POP gives back the most on average; still, every game here keeps a share of each dollar. The bigger difference is speed: WCLC KENO draws 1,855 times a week, so the same budget can go in an evening.
| Game | Return | Draws a week | Cost of $20 a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| OLG CASH POPinstant draw | 58.2%–65.0%by wager | 35 | $7.00–$8.36 |
| WCLC KENOkeno | 50.0%–62.1%by spot count | 1,855 | $7.58–$10.00 |
| OLG Daily Kenokeno | 42.0%–55.1%by spot count | 14 | $8.99–$11.59 |
| Loto-Québec Bancokeno | 42.0%–55.1%by spot count | 7 | $8.99–$11.59 |
| Lotto Maxlottery | 48.0%set aside for prizes | 2 | $10.40 |
| Lotto 6/49lottery | 48.0%set aside for prizes | 2 | $10.40 |
Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49: the share of each play the rules set aside for prizes, for the game as a whole. One draw can return more when a large jackpot has rolled over, and less after it is won.
Keno and CASH POP: exact return of the published prize table.
Show the formula
average weekly cost = budget x (1 - return)
Source: OLG – Cash Pop Game Conditions, OLG – Lotto Max Game Conditions, OLG – How to play Lotto Max, OLG – Lotto 6/49 Game Conditions, OLG – Terminal hours and draw information, OLG – Daily Keno Game Conditions, OLG – Daily Keno past results and odds, WCLC – KENO Game Conditions and Prize Structure Statement (2016), WCLC – KENO page, Loto-Québec – Lottery rules · checked 2026-10-29
Keno vs Lotto Max
WCLC Keno
- Sold in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the territories
- Return per dollar: 50.0% to 62.1%, depending on spots
- Fixed prizes from a published paytable
- Top prize capped per ticket per draw
- You pick one to ten numbers; twenty of eighty are drawn
- During draw hours: every five minutes, 12 per hour
- Draws run from early morning to the early hours of the next night, Eastern time
Lotto Max
- Return per dollar: about 48.0%
- Odds of any prize per play: 1 in 5.83
- Jackpot set before each draw by ILC (Interprovincial Lottery Corporation)
- Each play has four selections of seven numbers
Return per dollar by game
| Game and spots | Average return |
|---|---|
| Keno, one spot | 50.0% |
| Keno, two spots | 60.1% |
| Keno, three spots | 55.5% |
| Keno, four spots | 58.2% |
| Keno, five spots | 60.7% |
| Keno, six spots | 62.1% |
| Keno, seven spots | 60.4% |
| Keno, eight spots | 57.2% |
| Keno, nine spots | 60.5% |
| Keno, ten spots | 59.7% |
| Lotto Max, one play | 48.0% |
Average share of wagers paid back as prizes, keno at the smallest wager. More games: return by game and keno payouts.
Speed changes the cost
| WCLC Keno | Value |
|---|---|
| How often drawn | Every five minutes, during draw hours |
| Draws per hour | 12 |
| Expected loss per hour, example | $9.10 |
Every draw is a new wager. More draws per hour means more money wagered per hour at the same wager size. A Lotto Max play covers one draw.
How the hourly cost is worked out
expected loss per hour = draws per hour × wager per draw × share the game keeps
Example: For example, with 12 keno draws an hour and the example wager and spots on the cost per hour page, the loss is about $9.10.
Return per dollar and loss per hour
Higher return per dollar
62.1% vs 48.0%Keno keeps less of each dollar: up to 62.1% comes back on average, against about 48.0% for Lotto Max.
Many draws per hour
12 per hourDuring draw hours keno runs 12 draws an hour. Each draw has its own expected loss, so the loss repeats with every draw.
Losses add up by hour
$9.10 (example)A small loss per draw, repeated every five minutes, adds up over an hour. The example amount depends on the wager and spots used.
Sources
- WCLC – KENO page · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – Lotto Max Game Conditions · checked Oct 29, 2026
- WCLC – KENO Game Conditions and Prize Structure Statement (2016) · checked Oct 29, 2026
- OLG – Conditions de jeu du Lotto Max · checked Oct 29, 2026
- WCLC – Lotto Max Game Conditions, in effect 2026-04-10 · checked Oct 29, 2026
- Loto-Québec – Conditions de jeu du Lotto Max, en vigueur le 2026-04-10 · checked Oct 29, 2026
Questions
Does keno return more than Lotto Max?
Yes: 50.0% to 62.1% in WCLC Keno, against about 48.0% for Lotto Max. Return is not the chance of winning; Lotto Max odds of any prize are 1 in 5.83 per play. Both return less than you pay on average.
How much does keno cost per hour?
During draw hours keno is drawn every five minutes, 12 times an hour. Each draw repeats the expected loss; for the example wager and spots that is about $9.10 an hour.
Keno or lotto: which is cheaper to play?
Per dollar wagered, WCLC Keno loses less on average than Lotto Max. The total cost depends on the wager, the spots and how many draws you play; each keno draw repeats the expected loss.
Does the number of keno spots change the return?
Yes, a little. In WCLC Keno the return ranges from 50.0% to 62.1% depending on spots and does not rise steadily. No choice brings the return up to what you pay.