Keno Quick Pick is the option that lets a lottery terminal or app choose your keno numbers for you at random, instead of you marking each one by hand. It is the fastest way to get a ticket, and it is a feature, not a separate game — you still decide how many numbers to play and how much to wager, and the machine only fills in the selections. This guide explains exactly how Quick Pick works, what it is called on different systems, and the single most important fact about it: random auto-picks have the same chance of winning as numbers you choose yourself.
Key Points
- What it is: Quick Pick (also called auto pick, QuickPick or Easy Pick) lets a terminal or app randomly choose your keno numbers for you.
- Same odds: A random Quick Pick has exactly the same chance of winning as numbers you choose by hand.
- You still decide: How many spots you play and your wager are your choices — Quick Pick only fills in the numbers.
- What actually matters: Your real odds depend on the number of spots and the paytable, never on the selection method.
- No lucky numbers: Keno draws are random, so no set of numbers is "hot," "cold" or "due."
What is Keno Quick Pick?
Keno Quick Pick is an automatic feature that randomly selects your keno numbers for you. Rather than filling out a paper selection slip or tapping individual numbers on a screen, you ask for a Quick Pick and the terminal’s random number generator chooses your "spots" — the term for the numbers you play on a keno ticket.
The same feature goes by different names depending on the operator. You may see it called Quick Pick, QuickPick, auto pick, Easy Pick, or simply "random." In Ontario, for example, OLG lets you play DAILY KENO "by Selection Slip or QuickPick." Regulated lottery rules in other jurisdictions define it formally too — as a function that allows a terminal to automatically and randomly select a player’s keno numbers. Whatever the label, the mechanism is identical: a computer picks the numbers so you do not have to.
Quick Pick is available for the main lottery-style keno games you play at retailers and online, and the general idea carries over to video and casino keno machines, which usually have an auto-pick or "quick pick" button as well. If you are new to the game, it helps to first read how to play keno so the rest of this page makes sense.
How does Keno Quick Pick work?
Quick Pick works by having the terminal randomly generate your numbers from the game’s number pool. You still make two choices yourself; the machine only handles the third:
- How many numbers (spots) you play — you choose this. In OLG’s DAILY KENO you pick anywhere from 2 to 10 numbers (a 2-pick up to a 10-pick).
- How much you wager — you choose this. OLG DAILY KENO offers $1, $2, $5 or $10 per board.
- Which specific numbers you play — Quick Pick chooses this for you, at random, from the pool (1 to 70 in DAILY KENO).
So if you ask for a 6-spot Quick Pick, the terminal randomly draws six different numbers from the pool and prints them on your ticket. A keno ticket never contains duplicate numbers, so Quick Pick selects distinct numbers every time. After the ticket is printed, it behaves exactly like one you filled in by hand: the lottery draws 20 numbers, and you are paid based on how many of your spots match, according to that game’s paytable.
Does Quick Pick change your odds of winning?
No. Quick Pick has exactly the same odds of winning as choosing your own numbers. This is the single most important thing to understand about the feature, and it is a direct consequence of how keno works.
A keno draw is random. Every number in the pool has the same chance of being drawn on any given draw, and no number is ever "hot," "cold," or "due." Because of that, any set of numbers — whether a machine picked it or you did — has the identical probability of matching the drawn numbers. Your actual chances depend only on how many spots you play and the game’s paytable, never on who or what selected the numbers. For the full picture of how match counts translate into payouts, see keno odds and payouts.
This is also why there is no such thing as a set of lucky or "best" keno numbers, and why no selection method — hand-picking, Quick Pick, birthdays, patterns or past-results tracking — can shift the house edge. Our guide to keno strategy covers that myth in detail. The honest takeaway: Quick Pick is a convenience feature, not a winning strategy, but it is also not a losing one — it is simply neutral.
Quick Pick vs choosing your own numbers
Quick Pick and hand-picked numbers are equal on odds, so the choice between them comes down to convenience and personal preference, not mathematics. The table below sums up the honest trade-offs.
Quick Pick vs Own Numbers
| Factor | Quick Pick | Choosing your own numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Who selects the numbers | The terminal, at random | You, by hand |
| Odds of matching the draw | Identical | Identical |
| Speed | Fastest — no slip needed | Slower — mark each number |
| Control over numbers | None | Full |
| Keep the same set each draw | Not practical | Easy |
| Risk of low-number bias | None (uses the whole pool) | Possible (dates cluster 1–31) |
| Effect on house edge | None | None |
The practical differences are small. Quick Pick is faster and removes any unconscious bias toward low numbers (many people cluster picks around calendar dates of 1–31, which simply ignores the upper half of the pool for no benefit). Choosing your own numbers lets you keep the same "lucky" set across draws or play numbers that are meaningful to you. Neither habit makes a win more or less likely. The only decision that measurably changes your odds and payouts is how many spots you play — and you control that regardless of which method you use.
How to play keno with Quick Pick in Canada
You can use Quick Pick both in person and online, and the steps are short. At a lottery retailer you have two routes: hand the clerk a completed selection slip, or simply ask for a Quick Pick and tell them the game, how many spots, your wager, and how many draws you want. The terminal prints a ticket with randomly chosen numbers. Online and in lottery apps, you choose the game and spot count, then tap a "Quick Pick" or "random" button instead of selecting numbers manually.
Keno is run province by province in Canada, so the game name, number pool and exact wager options differ depending on where you play — see keno in Canada for the provincial breakdown. OLG’s DAILY KENO in Ontario is a clear example: you pick 2 to 10 numbers from 1 to 70, wager $1 to $10 per board, and there are two draws every day (around 2:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time). Whether you fill in a slip or use QuickPick, everything after the ticket prints is the same.
Common mistakes and misconceptions about Quick Pick
Most Quick Pick mistakes come from believing the feature does something it does not. Here are the ones worth avoiding:
- Thinking Quick Pick is "luckier." It is not. Random auto-picks and hand-picked numbers win at the same rate. Any streak you notice is coincidence, not a pattern.
- Thinking your own numbers can beat Quick Pick. They cannot. There is no selection skill in keno; the draw is random and the house edge is fixed.
- Forgetting you still set the spot count and wager. Quick Pick only fills the numbers. The number of spots you play is the real decision, because it changes your odds and the paytable you are paid from.
- Chasing numbers that "didn’t come up." Past draws have no effect on future ones. Re-playing or avoiding numbers based on history does nothing.
- Spending more because picking is effortless. The speed of Quick Pick can make it easy to buy more tickets without thinking. Set a budget before you play and treat keno as paid entertainment, not income.
Who is Quick Pick best for?
Quick Pick suits anyone who wants a ticket quickly or has no attachment to particular numbers. Because it is mathematically equal to hand-picking, there is no "right" type of player — it is purely about preference. It tends to appeal to beginners who are still learning the game, players in a hurry, and anyone who would rather not overthink a choice that does not affect the outcome. Players who enjoy keeping a personal set of numbers across draws usually prefer to pick their own. Both groups face exactly the same odds.
Responsible Gambling Disclaimer
This article is for information only. It is not betting advice, and nothing here improves your chances of winning — keno is a game of chance with a fixed house edge, and Quick Pick does not change that. Lottery and keno products in Canada are available only to players who meet the legal minimum age in their province (18 or 19 depending on where you live).
If gambling is causing stress, financial strain or harm for you or someone you know, free and confidential help is available. In Ontario, ConnexOntario operates a 24/7 helpline at 1-866-531-2600 (or text CONNEX to 247247) in English and French. For helplines in every province, self-exclusion options and the warning signs of problem play, see our guide to responsible gambling. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and set a limit before you start.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does Quick Pick mean in keno?
Quick Pick means the lottery terminal or app randomly selects your keno numbers for you instead of you choosing them. You still decide how many numbers (spots) to play and how much to wager; the machine only fills in which specific numbers appear on your ticket.
Is Quick Pick or choosing your own numbers better in keno?
Neither is better for winning. Both have identical odds because the keno draw is random and every combination is equally likely. The choice is purely about convenience: Quick Pick is faster, while hand-picking lets you keep a personal set of numbers.
Does Quick Pick increase your chances of winning keno?
No. Quick Pick does not increase or decrease your chances. Your odds depend only on how many spots you play and the game’s paytable, not on whether a machine or you selected the numbers.
Can Quick Pick give you duplicate numbers?
No. A keno ticket cannot contain the same number twice, so Quick Pick always selects distinct numbers from the game’s pool for each board.
Is Quick Pick available for keno in Canada?
Yes. Canadian keno games offer random auto-selection, often labelled Quick Pick or QuickPick, both at retailers and online. OLG’s DAILY KENO in Ontario, for example, lets you play by selection slip or QuickPick.
