Count Your Chicks

Introduction

Count Your Chicks is a keno-style game featured on multi-game machines produced by various companies. I’ve encountered these machines in Las Vegas at casinos like the Las Vegas Club, Rampart, and Dotty's. The main concept behind Count Your Chicks is that the game randomly selects five numbers that the player did not choose and places an egg on each of them. If any of these egg-marked numbers are revealed in the 20-ball draw, they hatch into chicks, and players receive multipliers based on the number of chicks hatched, with specific rules applying to the 20th ball drawn. U1 Gaming Players can select between 2 and 10 numbers from a set of 80.

Rules

1. The game randomly selects five numbers from the ones the player did not pick, denoting them with eggs.
2. From the list of 80 numbers, the game will draw 20 random selections.
3. When one of the player's selected numbers corresponds with a number drawn by the game, it's termed a 'catch'. The payout is partly based on how many catches the player achieves.
4. If any of the 20 drawn numbers correlate with those that have eggs, those eggs will hatch.
5. One chick hatches if any of the balls drawn from the 1st to the 19th matches an egg, while three chicks will hatch from an egg if it matches the 20th ball.
6. Players benefit from a multiplier if at least two chicks have hatched, based on a predefined table.
7. If the 20th ball matches one of the player’s choices, this awards a unique 'cow pie' hit, which results in a 2x multiplier.
   

   Multiplier Table

   Chicks	Multiplier
   7	20
   6	15
   5	10
   4	5
   3	3
   2	2

8. If a player accumulates multipliers from both a cow pie hit and has two or more chicks, their total multiplier becomes the result of multiplying the two. For example, with a 2x and a 3x multiplier, the total winnings multiply to 6 times the base amount.
9. Presented below is the basic payout table for a wager of $2. Generally, lower wagers yield smaller winnings.
10. As with all offerings from U1 Gaming, there's also a chance of activating a randomly-occurring bonus game, which enhances the return by 0.5025%.
    

    Pay Table for $2 Bet

    Catch	Pick
    	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
    10									1200
    9								1200	800
    8							1200	599.5	392
    7						700	375	171.5	68
    6					444	115.5	60	20	8
    5				221	53.5	10	8	5	2
    4			62	18	6	3	2	1	1
    3		28.675	3	2	1	1	0	0	0
    2	9	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
    1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
    0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

To clarify the game mechanics, I will provide some illustrative examples. Click on any image for a larger view.

Examples

In my first scenario, I placed a bet of 5¢ and selected ten numbers. I managed to catch five of them, which gave me a base win of 10¢. Additionally, from the numbers 60 and 71, two chicks hatched, leading to a 2x multiplier. Thus, my total win amounted to 10¢ × 2 = 20¢.

In another example, with the same 5¢ bet and ten selected numbers, I caught four, which yielded a base win of 5¢. Notably, six chicks hatched from my selections: one each on numbers 15, 67, and 73, and three from number 36, tallied as a result of the 20th ball, leading to a total of six chicks and a 15x multiplier. Therefore, my final win was 5¢ × 15 = 75¢.

In a third illustration of the game, I bet 5¢ while selecting ten numbers. I captured six of those, resulting in a base payout of 40¢. However, only one chick hatched, which did not qualify for a multiplier. Nevertheless, the 20th ball matched with one of my picks, number 45, granting me a Cow Pie hit and a 2x multiplier. This particular hit is humorously depicted with a weather vane; it might be an inside joke that only farmers would truly appreciate. Therefore, incorporating the Cow Pie multiplier, my total win became 40¢ × 2 = 80¢.

The tables that follow are based on the payout structure for a bet of $2.

Odds

Here is a table displaying the likelihood of various wins based on the number of catches and chicks, assuming the player did not achieve a Cow Pie or an egg on the 20th ball.

Pick 10

Probabilities for selecting 10 — Excluding Cow Pie or Egg on 20th Ball.

This table highlights the returns for each potential win in relation to the number of catches and chicks, presuming the player did not encounter a Cow Pie or an egg on the 20th ball.

Returns for selecting 10 — No Cow Pie or Egg on the 20th Ball.

Pick 10 Probabilities — Cow Pie Achieved on 20th Ball.

This table summarizes the returns for each winning scenario based on catches and chicks, factoring in that the player secured a Cow Pie on the 20th ball.

This table displays the likelihood of winning outcomes by the number of catches and chicks, under the scenario where the player hits an egg on the 20th ball.

This subsequent table reveals the winnings based on catches and chicks, should the player succeed in hitting an egg on the 20th ball.

Next is a table indicating the returns associated with each win by the number of catches and the hatching of chicks when an egg is hit on the 20th ball.

Lastly, this summary table presents an overview of the returns based on the total catches and the events of the 20th ball. In the lower right corner, you’ll find a total return rate of 96.02%.

All titles from U1 Gaming are transparent regarding their theoretical return rates. The preceding image shows the payout structure and returns for a wager of $2. As previously noted, there’s also a chance for a random bonus that contributes an extra 0.5025% to the total return. Including this extra value in my returns, it seems my calculations align with what's provided by U1.

In order to keep this page concise, I will only present a summary table for the selection of 2 to 9.

Pick 9

The following table presents the overall returns based on the number of selections made for a bet of $2. If you’re looking for the target returns for different amounts, you can find them on my dedicated page.

Pick 8

Pick 7

Pick 6

Pick 5

Pick 4

Pick 3

Pick 2

Summary

Correct mathematical strategies and insights for games you can play in casinos, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and countless others. U1 Gaming .

Written by: Michael Shackleford