Critter Country

Introduction

Critter Country is an engaging keno-style game featured on multi-game machines produced by U1 Gaming. I have encountered these machines at venues such as the Las Vegas Club, Rampart, and Dotty’s casinos in Las Vegas. The unique aspect of Critter Country is that the game randomly selects one number that the player has not chosen and places an egg on it. Should this number be drawn, players stand a chance to win multipliers, additional balls, or even access a bonus round.

Base Game Rules

Now, let's go over the fundamental rules of the Critter Country base game.

1. Participants are required to select between 2 to 10 numbers from a predetermined set that ranges from 1 to 80.
2. The game will then randomly choose a number that the player did not select and place an egg on it.
3. A total of 20 balls are drawn from the range of 1 to 80 during the game.
4. If the first drawn number from the previous step matches the egg, the player receives an 8x multiplier and eight additional balls are drawn.
5. In the case that any of the numbers drawn from the second to the nineteenth position matches the egg number, the player will receive a 2x multiplier along with two additional balls drawn.
6. If the last number drawn corresponds with the egg, the player gains the opportunity to engage in the Lily Pad bonus game. Any winnings from this bonus round will be added to the keno winnings.
7. Winning amounts for the player are determined based on how many selected numbers correspond with the drawn balls, as well as any applicable multipliers, referenced from the pay table.

The pay table displayed was observed at Rampart casino, specifically for $2 wagers.

Lily Pad Bonus Rules

Below are the specifics for the Lily Pad bonus game.

1. The game starts with 25 lily pads.
2. Icons will be randomly placed behind each lily pad during this segment.
   • 10 butterflies
   • 7 dragonflies
   • 5 frogs
   • 3 turtles
3. Players will continue to select lily pads until they uncover a pair of turtles.
4. As players make their selections, the game monitors the sequence of icons that are revealed.
5. The player receives winnings that are partly determined by the number of selections they make, as detailed below.
   

   Win for Number of Picks

   Number Picks	Win
   24	100
   23	25
   22	25
   21	12
   20	12
   19	8
   18	8
   17	5
   16	5
   15	5
   14	4
   13	4
   12	4
   11	4
   10	4
   9	6
   8	6
   7	6
   6	6
   5	20
   4	20
   3	3x replay
   2	3x replay

6. Winnings can also be accumulated based on the number of consecutive butterfly selections, as outlined here.
   

   Win for Consecutive Butterflies

   Number Picks	Win
   10	4,000
   9	1,000
   8	400
   7	200
   6	100
   5	30
   4	10
   3	3

7. Furthermore, winnings are based on consecutive dragonfly picks, which are described as follows.
   

   Win for Consecutive Dragonflies

   Number Picks	Win
   7	2,000
   6	400
   5	200
   4	50
   3	7

8. The player will also earn rewards linked to consecutive frog selections, detailed in the section that follows.

   Win for Consecutive Frogs

   Number Picks	Win
   5	1,000
   4	200
   3	20
   2	3

9. Should a player make 2 or 3 selections, they will replay the bonus round with a 3x multiplier. The rules do not clarify what occurs if this situation arises multiple times consecutively; however, for this analysis, I will assume the player continues to replay the bonus until they achieve four or more selections, maintaining the 3x multiplier.

Moreover, there is an additional bonus game that triggers at random times, independent of the keno game results. The game’s advertised return percentage is 0.5% more than my computations, leading me to conclude that this bonus game contributes an extra 0.5% to the overall return.

Odds

The subsequent section is organized according to the number of selections, ranging from 2 to 10. For each selection count, tables are available for scenarios involving a total of 20, 22, and 28 balls, along with a summary of the return. The pay table is sourced from Rampart casino based on a maximum bet of $2. The overall return for each number of selections can be found in the bottom right cell of the return table, with a summary also provided at the end of the page.

Pick 10

Pick 9

Pick 8 — 20 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return
8	1500	1	0.00000366	0.00548640
7	350	1	0.00013293	0.04652643
6	45	1	0.00192953	0.08682881
5	6	1	0.01468020	0.08808119
4	1	1	0.06429736	0.06429736
3	0	1	0.16660848	0.00000000
2	0	1	0.25021104	0.00000000
1	0	1	0.19966304	0.00000000
0	0	1	0.06497376	0.00000000
Total			0.76250000	0.29122019

Pick 10 — 28 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return
8	1500	2	0.00000175	0.00526494
7	350	2	0.00005816	0.04071550
6	45	2	0.00077359	0.06962350
5	6	2	0.00541516	0.06498193
4	1	2	0.02189955	0.04379910
3	0	2	0.05255892	0.00000000
2	0	2	0.07330586	0.00000000
1	0	2	0.05445578	0.00000000
0	0	2	0.01653122	0.00000000
Total			0.22500000	0.22438497

Pick 10 — Summary

Win	Return	20 balls	22 balls	28 balls
8	1500	8	0.00000106	0.01276454
7	350	8	0.00002213	0.06195055
6	45	8	0.00018806	0.06770311
5	6	8	0.00085484	0.04103219
4	1	8	0.00227647	0.01821175
3	0	8	0.00364235	0.00000000
2	0	8	0.00342381	0.00000000
1	0	8	0.00173072	0.00000000
0	0	8	0.00036057	0.00000000
Bonus			0.01250000	0.20166213

Total

Pick 9	Pick 9 — 20 Balls
Catch	0.291220
Pays	0.224385
Multiplier	0.201662
Probability	0.242943
Return	0.960210

Total

Pick 9 — 22 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return
7	715	1	0.00002027	0.01449604
6	76	1	0.00059870	0.04550107
5	8	1	0.00695222	0.05561777
4	2	1	0.04132381	0.08264761
3	1	1	0.13627898	0.13627898
2	0	1	0.25013646	0.00000000
1	0	1	0.23725792	0.00000000
0	0	1	0.08993164	0.00000000
Total			0.76250000	0.33454148

Pick 9 — 28 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return
7	715	2	0.00000903	0.01290661
6	76	2	0.00024429	0.03713253
5	8	2	0.00261088	0.04177410
4	2	2	0.01433425	0.05733700
3	1	2	0.04379910	0.08759820
2	0	2	0.07468899	0.00000000
1	0	2	0.06597527	0.00000000
0	0	2	0.02333819	0.00000000
Total			0.22500000	0.23674844

Pick 9 — Summary

Win	Return	20 balls	22 balls	28 balls
7	715	8	0.00000383	0.02190395
6	76	8	0.00006638	0.04035636
5	8	8	0.00046161	0.02954317
4	2	8	0.00167251	0.02676012
3	1	8	0.00341470	0.02731762
2	0	8	0.00393374	0.00000000
1	0	8	0.00237033	0.00000000
0	0	8	0.00057691	0.00000000
Bonus			0.01250000	0.14588123

Total

Pick 8 — 20 Balls	Catch
Pays	0.334541
Multiplier	0.236748
Probability	0.145881
Return	0.242943
Total	0.960114

Pick 10 — 28 Balls

Catch

Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return	Total
6	395	1	0.00010580	0.04179199
5	37	1	0.00249952	0.09248220
4	4	1	0.02267608	0.09070430
3	1	1	0.10148731	0.10148731
2	0	1	0.23707418	0.00000000
1	0	1	0.27483149	0.00000000
0	0	1	0.12382563	0.00000000
Pick 10 — Summary			0.76250000	0.32646580

Win

Return	20 balls	22 balls	28 balls	Bonus
6	395	2	0.00004392	0.03470043
5	37	2	0.00095536	0.07069665
4	4	2	0.00800817	0.06406532
3	1	2	0.03321906	0.06643811
2	0	2	0.07212032	0.00000000
1	0	2	0.07788994	0.00000000
0	0	2	0.03276323	0.00000000
Total			0.22500000	0.23590051

Pick 9

Pick 9 — 20 Balls	Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability
6	395	8	0.00001331	0.04206462
5	37	8	0.00018878	0.05587963
4	4	8	0.00104651	0.03348838
3	1	8	0.00290698	0.02325582
2	0	8	0.00427326	0.00000000
1	0	8	0.00315564	0.00000000
0	0	8	0.00091552	0.00000000
Return			0.01250000	0.15468845

Total

Pick 9 — 22 Balls	Catch
Pays	0.326466
Multiplier	0.235901
Probability	0.154688
Return	0.242943
Total	0.959998

Pick 9 — 28 Balls

Catch

Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return	Total
5	119.5	1	0.00052239	0.06242549
4	15	1	0.00964162	0.14462436
3	2	1	0.06586104	0.13172208
2	0	1	0.20879311	0.00000000
1	0	1	0.30805097	0.00000000
0	0	1	0.16963088	0.00000000
Pick 9 — Summary			0.76250000	0.33877192

Win

Return	20 balls	22 balls	28 balls	Bonus
5	119.5	2	0.00020315	0.04855316
4	15	2	0.00346552	0.10396565
3	2	2	0.02194830	0.08779322
2	0	2	0.06468974	0.00000000
1	0	2	0.08894839	0.00000000
0	0	2	0.04574489	0.00000000
Total			0.22500000	0.24031203

Pick 8 — 20 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Multiplier
5	119.5	8	0.00004478	0.04280523
4	15	8	0.00050616	0.06073873
3	2	8	0.00215116	0.03441861
2	0	8	0.00430233	0.00000000
1	0	8	0.00405412	0.00000000
0	0	8	0.00144146	0.00000000
Probability			0.01250000	0.13796257

Return

Total	Pick 10 — 22 Balls
Catch	0.338772
Pays	0.240312
Multiplier	0.137963
Probability	0.242943
Return	0.959989

Total

Pick 8 — 28 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return
4	52.25	1	0.00245071	0.12804980
3	2	1	0.03405771	0.06811543
2	1	1	0.16479249	0.16479249
1	0	1	0.32995802	0.00000000
0	0	1	0.23124107	0.00000000
Total			0.76250000	0.36095771

Pick 8 — Summary

Win	Return	20 balls	22 balls	28 balls
4	52.25	2	0.00089626	0.09365871
3	2	2	0.01155174	0.04620696
2	1	2	0.05198283	0.10396565
1	0	2	0.09703461	0.00000000
0	0	2	0.06353457	0.00000000
Bonus			0.22500000	0.24383133

Total

Pick 7	Pick 7 — 20 Balls	Catch	Pays	Multiplier
4	52.25	8	0.00014601	0.06103074
3	2	8	0.00126539	0.02024624
2	1	8	0.00387209	0.03097675
1	0	8	0.00496422	0.00000000
0	0	8	0.00225229	0.00000000
Probability			0.01250000	0.11225374

Return

Total	Pick 7 — 22 Balls
Catch	0.360958
Pays	0.243831
Multiplier	0.112254
Probability	0.242943
Return	0.959986

Total

Pick 7 — 28 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return
3	23.25	1	0.01096514	0.25493956
2	1	1	0.10793953	0.10793953
1	0	1	0.32986476	0.00000000
0	0	1	0.31373057	0.00000000
Total			0.76250000	0.36287909

Pick 7 — Summary

Win	Return	20 balls	22 balls	28 balls
3	23.25	2	0.00378419	0.17596486
2	1	2	0.03465522	0.06931044
1	0	2	0.09876737	0.00000000
0	0	2	0.08779322	0.00000000
Bonus			0.22500000	0.24527529

Total

Pick 6	Pick 6 — 20 Balls	Catch	Pays	Multiplier
3	23.25	8	0.00046235	0.08599786
2	1	8	0.00288509	0.02308072
1	0	8	0.00565921	0.00000000
0	0	8	0.00349334	0.00000000
Probability			0.01250000	0.10907858

Return

Total	Pick 6 — 22 Balls
Catch	0.362879
Pays	0.245275
Multiplier	0.109079
Probability	0.242943
Return	0.960176

Total

Pick 6 — 28 Balls

Catch	Pays	Multiplier	Probability	Return
2	8.05	1	0.04694499	0.37790713
1	0	1	0.29186952	0.00000000
0	0	1	0.42368549	0.00000000
Total			0.76250000	0.37790713

Pick 6 — Summary

Win	Return	20 balls	22 balls	28 balls
2	8.05	2	0.01533593	0.24690847
1	0	2	0.08894839	0.00000000
0	0	2	0.12071568	0.00000000
Bonus			0.22500000	0.24690847

Total

Pick 5	Pick 5 — 20 Balls	Catch	Pays	Multiplier
2	8.05	8	0.00142405	0.09170886
1	0	8	0.00569620	0.00000000
0	0	8	0.00537975	0.00000000
Probability			0.01250000	0.09170886

Return

Total	Pick 5 — 22 Balls
Catch	0.377907
Pays	0.246908
Multiplier	0.091709
Probability	0.242943
Return	0.959467

Total

The forthcoming table presents the probabilities associated with each selection count, including the occurrence of the second frog, as well as the expected number of consecutive butterflies, dragonflies, and frogs during the bonus round, disregarding the replay rule for two or three selections.

Pick 5 — 28 Balls

Catch	Pays Multiplier	Probability	Return	Total
1	0.000000	2.000000	1.995000	1.750000
2	0.010000	0.782609	0.520435	0.304348
3	0.019130	0.284585	0.118281	0.041502
4	0.027391	0.094862	0.022530	0.003953
5	0.034783	0.028459	0.003379	0.000198
6	0.041304	0.007489	0.000356	0.000000
7	0.046957	0.001664	0.000020	0.000000
8	0.051739	0.000294	0.000000	0.000000
9	0.055652	0.000037	0.000000	0.000000
10	0.058696	0.000002	0.000000	0.000000
11	0.060870	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
12	0.062174	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
13	0.062609	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
14	0.062174	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
15	0.060870	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
16	0.058696	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
17	0.055652	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
18	0.051739	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
19	0.046957	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
20	0.041304	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
21	0.034783	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
22	0.027391	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
23	0.019130	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
24	0.010000	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
25	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000	0.000000
Pick 5 — Summary	1.000000	3.200000	2.660001	2.100000

The next table indicates the probabilities and their impact on returns based on the number of consecutive butterflies, contingent on a minimum of four selections, without factoring in any potential multipliers.

Win

Return	20 balls	22 balls 28 balls	Bonus
10	4,000	0.000003	0.010083
9	1,000	0.000038	0.037813
8	400	0.000303	0.121000
7	200	0.001714	0.342835
6	100	0.007714	0.771379
5	30	0.029312	0.879371
4	10	0.097708	0.977080
3	3	0.293124	0.879371
Total		0.429915	4.018933

The subsequent table outlines the probabilities and contributions to returns linked to the number of consecutive dragonflies, again depending on at least four selections, not considering the potential multiplier.

Pick 4

Pick 4 — 20 Balls	Catch	Pays Multiplier	Probability
7	2,000	0.000020	0.040712
6	400	0.000366	0.146562
5	200	0.003481	0.696170
4	50	0.023206	1.160279
3	7	0.121830	0.852810
Return		0.148903	2.896532

The table that follows showcases the probabilities and contributions to returns tied to consecutive frog selections, also conditional on making at least four picks, excluding the potential multiplier.

Total

Pick 4 — 22 Balls	Catch	Pays Multiplier	Probability
5	1,000	0.000204	0.203558
4	200	0.004071	0.814233
3	20	0.042747	0.854945
2	3	0.313480	0.940439
Return		0.360502	2.813175

The final bonus table reveals the anticipated winnings for each segment of the bonus game. The second column highlights the average winnings prior to taking the multiplier into account. The last column depicts the anticipated winnings after applying an average multiplier of 1.058261. The lower right cell reflects an average bonus win amount of 19.435434.

Total

Pick 4 — 28 Balls	Catch Pays	Multiplier Probability
Return	8.636809	9.139997
Total	4.018933	4.253079
Pick 4 — Summary	2.896532	3.065286
Win	2.813175	2.977073
Return	18.365449	19.435434

20 balls

Lastly, the final table illustrates the total return for each number of selections.

22 balls

28 balls	Bonus
2	95.95%
3	96.02%
4	96.00%
5	96.00%
6	96.00%
7	96.01%
8	96.02%
9	95.99%
10	96.02%

It is important to note that the game advertises returns that are 0.5% higher than what has been presented here. This added 0.5% is derived from random bonuses, which are not covered in this analysis.

For further details on returns for different betting amounts that are not strictly $2, please refer to my page on Total .

Pick 3 Pick 3 — 20 Balls