A necessary video keno bankroll can only be determined by the ‘playing style’ and the wherewithal of an individual gambler. However, the goal for all players should be to avoid the gambler’s ruin – losing your bankroll too quickly.
Understanding the function of your video keno bankroll will be important to getting the most out of the game. Unlike ‘risk of ruin’ charts for standard video poker games, video keno has too many variables to make such graphs practicable. Consider the many different spots, denominations, pay tables, games and game variations that you’ll find in a single casino. But you won’t need a fancy graph to understand that when you play video keno, or even parlor keno, the risk of ruin is high. That’s why it’s important to understand video keno bankroll management and the concept of ‘ a bankroll.’
Bankroll As A Separate Entity
Your video keno bankroll is a specific amount of money that is separate from personal and business funds. It is an amount of money that is used for gambling and gambling only. It is money that is not needed for any other purpose and can be used without reservation. Free of worry or guilt. It is considered an entity unto itself and it is free of any responsibility other than to be available for gambling. If it does not qualify as described above, it is not a responsible bankroll. That’s because the tug and pull from other purposes will affect your ability to stick to your money management plan. Any claim for its use for other purposes will always be present in your mind. So, unless your bankroll is ‘free’, you’ll be playing with ‘scared’ money. And ‘scared’ money runs away fast.
Establish A Budget
Your bankroll is your lifeline when circumstances take a turn for the worst. It will bail you out of trouble as long as it’s there when you need it. The first step toward protecting your bankroll is to establish a budget. Having a budget and sticking with it will protect you from squandering your bankroll or worse; using money that you’ll need for other purposes. Create a budget and don’t allow yourself to go one penny over it. Even if you have a lot of money to work with, you can be separated from it at a surprising rate . The only time that should play up to your bankroll budget is when you’re playing a single session.
Bankroll Time Span
A time span is a period of time that has a beginning and an end. In determining your bankroll, the amount of time that you intend to play is obviously important. If you live in Las Vegas and plan to play every day, you’re going to need a much bigger bankroll than someone who is just visiting for a long weekend. A common mistake is thinking that a bankroll is the amount of money needed to play a single session. It should actually be based the longest reasonable amount of time that you intend to gamble. In most cases that would be a series of small sessions. So when you’re planning your budget, divide your bankroll by the number of sessions that you intend play. Allow for a session time that is reasonable for your gambling style.
Playing in the old keno parlors was rather relaxing and for the most part a leisurely activity. With several minutes between games your money could stretch out all day. Especially if you bet only on the specials. With the advent of video keno, particularly 4 card and 20 card keno, the period of time between each game (or set of games) may only be several seconds – depending on how fast you play and the speed at which the machine is set. At a moderate setting, most machines will serve up about 12 games a minute. That’s an astounding 720 games in an hour. If you play nickel 4 card video keno at that rate, you’re putting $144 an hour into the machine. Yes, some of that $144 will be returned to you, but every time you press the ‘Start’ button you’re risking 20 cents ($144 an hour). And with keno being one of the more expensive games to play, you’ll often lose a good portion of your video keno bankroll in order to keep pursuing your target spot.
Pay Table Variation
Keno pay tables (the list of what each spot or portion of the full spot pays) vary tremendously. That is, some machines will repay more than others. Said another way, some machines will take your money faster than others. Just a credit or two lower on the lesser awards can add up to astounding losses on an hourly basis. It follows that by playing machines with better pay tables will allow you to play longer with the same amount of money. Again, thinking of the time per session, consider the payout of the machine that you plan on playing.
Big Bankrolls For Big Bets
A serious factor in determining a sufficient bankroll is the level of your wagering. For some readers that may seem obvious but I assure you that the relation between the size of the bet and the necessary bankroll to support a satisfying session length is lost on too many people. So let me say it, the larger the bet, the larger the bankroll necessary to sustain your play. The simplest illustration is somebody that has only $20, puts it into a dollar 4 card keno machine, has five losing games within a couple of minutes and then has to go home. To sustain a reasonable session length, the bankroll must match the level of the wager.
Many things should be taken into account when it comes to determining your bankroll. Whether it’s short term or long term, there’s no easy answer. And I haven’t even mentioned the odds for the different spots. So everybody will have to decide what’s best for themselves.
Bankroll Best Practices
• Your video keno bankroll is separate from all other funds
• Set a budget for time on session. Quit when you run out of money or time – whichever comes first
• Play the best pay tables. Hint: Compare awards for the 5 spot. 99% of the time the others will pay accordingly
• Avoid using an ATM. Don’t violate bankroll rules
• Don’t increase in denomination. And play the lowest reasonable for your ‘entertainment’.
• Put earnings aside rather than replaying. It is your money – not the casino’s (as some think of it)
• Know when to stop. That is, if your bankroll disappears, so should you. If you’re winning, play until your session time expires, then disappear.
Don’t forget that you can learn, practice and play your favorite Keno and Video Poker games for free. You won’t have to worry about a bankroll because you’ll have unlimited free credits. It’s great fun and it’s free!
