Lottery contributions to the state’s general fund have been trending upward, hovering around $320 million the past two years. Keno was included in a budget implementer bill last year, and an agreement reached in October, which split 25 percent of the gross revenue from the game between the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, paved the way for its introduction last month.Ī fiscal note accompanying last year’s budget implementer bill said keno would bring in $13.6 million in revenue in its first year and $30 million the next. A single ticket can cost hundreds of dollars. The ticket is scanned into a lottery terminal, a play slip is printed and gamblers can watch the results as they are drawn. The game has been offered in neighboring states and at Connecticut’s two tribal casinos for years.

It’s available at any retailer that has a lottery terminal, such as gas stations and convenience stores, in addition to the bars, restaurants and social clubs that signed up.

Keno launched with nearly 3,000 locations across the state. The lottery is running television, radio and online ads to promote the game, which became available the last week of April to little fanfare. Tickets start at $1 and the results are shown live on monitors in the establishments. The more numbers or “spots” matched, the greater the prize. There are 80 numbers, a customer chooses up to 10, and 20 are ultimately drawn. Keno is a lottery draw game with winning numbers picked every four minutes. And so far the launch has been far less contentious than the debate that rankled legislators, pitting those who saw it as a harmless new addition against those who saw it as the state preying on compulsive gamblers to the tune of tens of millions of dollars a year. has begun rolling out keno gambling in bars, restaurants and retailers across the state. The 20 winning numbers are displayed, while a timer in the bottom-right corner ticks down the minutes until the next drawing for the newest form of gambling in the state. WINDSOR LOCKS - Numbers bounce across the screen on a television behind the bar at Bobby V’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, lighting up lime green and enlarging when they’re selected.

Keno in my bar