Keno in Canada: Provincial Games and Where It’s Offered

Keno is one of the simplest lottery games you can play in Canada: you choose a handful of numbers, the lottery draws 20, and the more of yours that match, the more you win. What surprises most newcomers is that there is no single national keno. Each region of the country has its own government-run lottery corporation, and each offers a slightly different keno game with its own number pool, draw schedule and top prize. This page is the hub for the whole topic. It explains how keno works across Canada, compares every provincial product side by side, and shows you where the game is legally offered.

What is keno, and how is it played in Canada?

Keno is a draw-based numbers game. You pick how many numbers you want to play — these are called your “spots,” usually between 2 and 10 — then choose those numbers from a fixed pool. For each draw, the lottery randomly selects 20 numbers. Your prize depends on how many of your spots match the drawn numbers and on how much you wagered.

The core idea is identical everywhere in Canada, but three details change from province to province:

• The number pool — either 1 to 70 or 1 to 80, depending on the operator.
• The draw frequency — anywhere from a fresh draw every few minutes to one or two draws a day.
• The top prize and any add-ons — from $100,000 up to $2.5 million, with optional multipliers or bonus games in some provinces.

Your wager scales the prize. Most Canadian keno games let you bet $1, $2, $5 or $10 per play, and a $10 play simply wins ten times what a $1 play would win for the same matched numbers. Choosing fewer spots makes it easier to hit a match for a small, frequent prize; choosing more spots chases a much larger payout at far longer odds.

Who runs keno in Canada?

Keno in Canada is run by five regional lottery corporations, each holding a legal monopoly in its own territory. There are no private or offshore keno operators licensed to sell keno to Canadians at retail, so the regulated provincial games below are the only ones this guide covers. For a wider overview of how the game works, its odds and its payouts, see the Keno Canada rules and odds overview. The five operators are:

• OLG (Ontario Lottery and Gaming) — Ontario
• Loto-Québec — Quebec
• BCLC (British Columbia Lottery Corporation) — British Columbia
• WCLC (Western Canada Lottery Corporation) — Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, plus the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut
• ALC (Atlantic Lottery Corporation) — New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

Provincial keno compared at a glance

The table below compares every regulated keno product in Canada by operator, number pool, draw frequency, maximum prize and bonus or multiplier option. Use it to see at a glance how the game you can play in your province differs from the ones next door.

Keno by province and region

Ontario: OLG Daily Keno

In Ontario, OLG offers Daily Keno. You pick a 2-spot to a 10-spot ticket and choose your numbers from 1 to 70 (or take a Quick Play for random numbers). There are two draws a day — a midday draw and an evening draw. The top prize is $2.5 million, won on a $10 play that matches all 10 numbers on a 10-spot ticket; the same perfect 10-spot result on a $1 play pays $250,000. An optional add-on called Encore can be attached to the ticket for a separate seven-digit game.

Quebec: Loto-Québec Kéno

Loto-Québec runs Kéno as a draw-based game in Quebec. You select 2 to 10 numbers from a pool of 1 to 70, and 20 numbers are drawn. There are two draws per day, midday and evening. Loto-Québec applies a prize limitation of $2,000,000 per draw per prize category, and players can add an optional Multiplier (Multiplicateur) to increase eligible winnings. Note that Loto-Québec also sells several online casino-style keno titles, which are separate from this official draw game.

British Columbia: BCLC Keno

In British Columbia, BCLC offers Keno through retailers and the PlayNow platform. You play up to 10 numbers from a pool of 1 to 80, and a fresh draw of 20 numbers takes place roughly every three and a half minutes, making it the fastest keno in the country. The maximum prize is $200,000 when the optional Keno Bonus is applied; Keno Bonus multiplies winnings by 1.5x, 2x, 5x, 7x or 10x.

Western Canada: WCLC Keno

WCLC offers Keno across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the three territories. You mark up to 10 numbers from 1 to 80, and draws are held every five minutes. WCLC applies a prize limitation of $100,000 per ticket per draw, regardless of how much is wagered. The game also features a separate progressive Gold Ball Jackpot promotion that can be in play on specific draws.

Atlantic Canada: ALC Keno Atlantic

In the four Atlantic provinces, ALC offers Keno Atlantic. You choose 2 to 10 spots from a pool of 1 to 70 (or use Insta Pik for random numbers), and 20 numbers are drawn once each evening. The top prize is $2.5 million on a $10 play matching all 10 numbers on a 10-spot ticket, with $250,000 for the same result on a $1 play. An optional TAG game offers a separate chance at a $100,000 prize, and Advance Play lets you enter several future draws at once.

Two kinds of keno in Canada: fast draws vs daily draws

Canadian keno falls into two clear families, and knowing which one your province uses explains almost every difference in the table above.

Rapid “monitor” keno is used by BCLC and WCLC. It draws from a larger pool of 1 to 80, repeats every few minutes on a screen in the venue or app, and caps prizes lower ($200,000 in BC, $100,000 in the WCLC region). It is designed for quick, repeated play with frequent small wins.

Daily-draw keno is used by OLG, ALC and Loto-Québec. It draws from a smaller pool of 1 to 70, happens only once or twice a day, and offers much larger headline prizes (up to $2.5 million in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, up to $2 million in Quebec). It plays more like a traditional daily lottery ticket than a fast arcade game.

Can you play keno online in Canada?

Yes, but only through your own province’s regulated platform. Each lottery corporation runs its own legal online channel — for example PlayNow in British Columbia, OLG.ca in Ontario, ALC.ca in Atlantic Canada, and Loto-Québec’s site in Quebec. These sites verify that you are physically located in the province and meet the minimum age before you can play.

Many offshore websites also advertise “Canadian keno,” but they are not licensed by any provincial lottery corporation to sell keno to residents, and they fall outside the consumer protections those corporations provide. This guide covers only the regulated provincial operators; it does not recommend private or offshore sites.

How old do you have to be to play keno?

The minimum age to buy keno is set by each province, not nationally, so it is either 18 or 19 depending on where you are:

• 18: Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan (for lottery products), Quebec, and Ontario (for lottery products such as Daily Keno).
• 19: British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Note that Ontario applies 19+ to casino and online casino gaming even though lottery products are 18+. Always confirm the current age rule with your provincial operator before playing.

What are the odds and payouts?

Keno odds depend entirely on how many spots you play. Matching a 2-spot ticket is relatively common and pays a small amount; matching all numbers on a 9-spot or 10-spot ticket is extremely rare and pays the headline prize. Because 20 numbers are drawn from a pool of 70 or 80, the published odds of a perfect 10-spot match run into the millions to one — ALC, for instance, lists the odds of its Keno Atlantic jackpot at about 1 in 2.1 million.

The practical takeaway: lower-spot tickets win more often for modest amounts, while high-spot tickets are long-shot bets for a large prize. Each operator publishes a full pay table showing the exact payout for every spot count and match level, and those tables are the authoritative source for what any given ticket can win.

How do you check keno results?

You can check winning keno numbers in several ways, all free:

• Your operator’s app or website — each lottery corporation posts draw results and lets you scan or enter a ticket.
• In-store terminals and screens — retailers can check tickets, and rapid-keno venues show draws live.
• The lottery’s results page — OLG, BCLC, WCLC, ALC and Loto-Québec each publish current and past draw numbers online.

Always verify a win against the official source for your province, and sign the back of a paper ticket as soon as you buy it.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming keno is the same across Canada. The pool, draw frequency and top prize all change by province, so rules you learned in one region may not apply in another.
• Expecting the same top prize everywhere. The maximum ranges from $100,000 (WCLC) to $2.5 million (OLG and ALC) — a 25-fold difference.
• Confusing the draw-based provincial game with online casino keno. Loto-Québec and others also offer instant casino keno titles that have different rules and prizes.
• Thinking more spots always means a better bet. More spots raise the possible prize but sharply lengthen the odds of matching them all.
• Using an offshore site. Only your provincial operator is licensed; offshore keno offers no provincial consumer protection.
• Chasing losses. Keno outcomes are independent and random; no system, past result or “hot number” changes the odds of the next draw.

Who is keno best suited to?

Keno suits players who want a simple, low-stakes numbers game with flexible bet sizes and a clear link between how many spots they play and the prize they are chasing. The rapid versions in BC and the WCLC region appeal to people who enjoy frequent, fast draws; the daily-draw versions in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada suit those who prefer one or two draws a day and a much larger possible jackpot. As with any lottery game, it is entertainment with a built-in house edge, not a way to make money.

Responsible gambling and disclaimer

This page is an informational guide, not gambling advice, and nothing here improves your chance of winning — keno results are random and every draw is independent. Play only with money you can afford to lose, and only through the regulated lottery corporation in your own province. The minimum age is 18 or 19 depending on the province (see above).

If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, free, confidential help is available across Canada. In Ontario, contact ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600). In British Columbia and several other regions, see GameSense. Canada-wide information and support is available through the Responsible Gambling Council, and each provincial operator runs its own responsible-gambling program with self-exclusion and limit-setting tools.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there one national keno game in Canada?

No. Keno is run separately by five regional lottery corporations — OLG, Loto-Québec, BCLC, WCLC and ALC — and each offers its own version with a different number pool, draw schedule and top prize.

Which province has the biggest keno prize?

Ontario’s OLG Daily Keno and Atlantic Canada’s ALC Keno Atlantic both offer a top prize of $2.5 million. Quebec’s Kéno caps prizes at $2 million per draw, while BCLC (up to $200,000) and WCLC ($100,000 per ticket per draw) offer smaller maximums because they are fast-draw games.

How many numbers do you pick in Canadian keno?

Most Canadian keno games let you pick 2 to 10 numbers (your “spots”). The lottery then draws 20 numbers, and your prize depends on how many of your spots match.

Can I play provincial keno online?

Yes, through your own province’s official platform, such as PlayNow in British Columbia, OLG.ca in Ontario or Loto-Québec’s site in Quebec. These sites check your location and age; offshore keno sites are not provincially licensed.

How often are keno numbers drawn?

It depends on the operator. BCLC draws roughly every 3.5 minutes and WCLC every 5 minutes, while OLG and Loto-Québec draw twice a day and ALC once each evening.