Popular Casino & Gambling Myths Debunked

Casino Myths

Casino games aren’t hard to comprehend. Once you get a handle on the rules and understand the odds, it’s easy to start enjoying the action. Despite the simplicity, so many players throw caution and logic to the wind the second they walk through the casino doors or virtually log on. Reasonable and respectable people have all sorts of superstitions and wacky beliefs about casino games. Whether you play online or live, it’s time to set the record straight and expose some common casino myths. We’ll clarify a few reasonable misconceptions and expose some truly ridiculous beliefs.

Myth: Roulette Wheels Are Biased

A century ago when roulette wheels were made by hand, there’s no doubt that physical imperfections prevented games from being completely random. In 2024 wheels are inspected and certified regularly. Roulette is the ultimate game of chance. If you play online where the ball lands is the result of an advanced random number generation algorithm. That means that the ball has an equal chance of landing anywhere on the wheel regardless of where it landed on the previous spin.

Myth: Casino Games Are Rigged

The vast majority of casinos are entirely honest and transparent. Not only are they regulated, licensed, and audited, but also there’s no reason for casinos to cheat. All casino games give the house a natural advantage that allows them to profit over time. No matter which games you play, it’s easy to find out what the odds of winning or payout rates are.

Myth: You Have To Be Lucky To Win

Luck doesn’t actually exist. How you perform at the slots or tables is simply the result of chance. You need to know the mathematical probabilities behind each game, but the outcome depends on nothing other than how the odds play out. You might call that luck, but it’s simple mathematics that will even itself out over time.

Myth: You Can Be Due For A Win

At the casino every result is independent of what happened before. Many people assume that their cold slot machine will turn hot to restore some sort of natural order. That couldn’t be further from reality. Even if you have a 33% chance of winning a hand, you shouldn’t assume that after losing two hands in a row that you’ll automatically win on the third hand. Of course this works both ways in that what passes for a hot streak is automatically extinguished.

Myth: Pit Bosses Can Make Me Win Or Lose By Pushing A Button

The cameras in live casinos are largely for security. When enjoying spins on a slot machine, the results are 100% computer controlled by the machine. The outcomes are the result of complex calculations that generate random numbers thousand of times a second even while nobody is playing. There isn’t any remote or backdoor access that could give you an edge or sabotage your game. The same applies when you play online.

Myth: Losses Are No Big Deal Since You Can Win Your Money Back

Slots payout randomly and having a winning hand is a matter of chance even in games with elements of skill. There’s no guarantee that losses will give way to wins or that those wins will eclipse the amount you’ve lost. You may even run out of money before those elusive wins put you back in the black.

Myth: Carrying A Good Luck Charms Or Performing A Ritual Before Each Spin Can Help You Win

It’s fun to think that a lucky t-shirt or hat can give you an edge. Unfortunately any positive effects are strictly coincidental. There’s no harm in rituals or lucky charms, as long as you know they have no bearing on your success.

Myth: Skills Can Help You Win In Games Of Pure Chance

While games like poker do require skill to beat your opponents, the outcome of most casino games depend on chance alone. There’s nothing you can do to affect how that pull on a slot machine will pan out, even if you’ve won a thousand times before. Even if you are great at traditional video games, which require practice and skill, don’t expect that to translate into online casino success.

Myth: The Posted Payout Rate Guarantees How Much Money You Will Win Or Lose

If the posted payout rate is 98% don’t assume you’ll be left with £98 if you gamble £100. These payout rates are true over long periods of time and thousands of players. They simply indicate how much wagered money goes back into players’ hands overall. Your experiences are just a tiny piece of data from a much larger picture.

Myth: You Can Increase Your Chances Of Winning If You Cash Out After Each Win

This myth is based on a few false assumptions working together. It assumes that so-called hot streaks are always followed by cold streaks. We’ve already discussed how in reality results are random over time.   This myth also assumes that you’ll be treated as a new player with a clean slate if you depart and return. In reality every spin and hand in a game of chance is 100% random and independent of what happened before.

Related Pages