12 Most Common Gambling Myths and the Truth Behind Them

Casinos are known for their glamour and mystique. However, myths and misconceptions surround the casino world like a fog. These stories usually turn out to be false but still continue among many players who may not have extensive knowledge of gambling.

Nevertheless, casinos would rather people believe these lies than the truth to keep customers coming back for more. Here are some common myths debunked about casinos:

Casinos Are Rigged!

This is probably the most common of all gambling myths! The most obvious and truthful fact is that casinos are businesses. Therefore, these establishments must find ways to remain afloat, and turn in a profit at any time.

This principle is referred to as the house edge and is something present on all games, including slots, and table games.

However, due to the different variables that are involved, gamblers have a chance to beat the odds of any casino game as long as they play their cards well.

Casinos Will Not Pay If You Win

This is another widely believed myth about casinos (both online, and land-based). Some casinos with a dubious reputation may give you a headache when trying to withdraw money by asking you to prove your identity countless times or even claiming that you never provided it.

In other cases, you may find a casino that allows a rather easy way to cancel a withdrawal before it gets to the processing stage. This lets you wager that money once again, and you may even lose it in the process. These methods are viewed as being irresponsible and are often frowned upon.

A casino's refusal to make a payout may result in severe implications for the company, including the loss of its gaming license.

Besides the potential legal consequences, take into account the amount of negative publicity a casino could receive if it simply refused to pay a player what they were legally entitled to. In this day and age of the internet, news like this spread like wildfire, and believe us when we say that no genuine casino would take that path.

However, there are some instances where a casino can legally refuse to pay. Some of the reasons behind these are:

• Using another person's credit card without their permission
• Having multiple casino accounts
• Breaching the casino's bonus terms and conditions

Too many Wins Result in a Game "Freeze."

It is unlikely that the machine will simply "stop" unless there is a software or hardware fault. It is possible that it will run out of coins (which is good for you, right?)

However, it will not cease to function simply because it has found that you have made more money than it deemed reasonable. This is just another of the many casino myths out there.

Because the casino advantage is sustainable over the long term, it makes no sense for a casino to discourage you from playing (even if you are winning large). In fact, doing so would jeopardize the casino's own business model.

In other words, the casino's strategy of driving you away from a slot machine doesn't quite work, and you, therefore, do not have to worry about your game being "frozen."

For example, if you are using an older version of the operating system or playing with an incompatible device, it is more likely that your game will freeze during a session of online gaming.

In other instances, if your game freezes during a session of online gaming, it is more likely due to connection problems or device incompatibility.

Online Casinos Are Illegitimate

The thing about casinos is that they put in a great deal of work and resources to ensure that they comply with applicable laws and regulations. For starters, a casino cannot be operating unless it possesses a valid gaming license, which ensures that the casino's operations are legal.

Around the world, governments are proposing legislation that specifies how internet gambling operates, and several other countries have laws in place that govern this industry already.

The United Kingdom and Malta, issue some of the most respected (and stringent) licenses in the world. Other jurisdictions, such as Curacao, have less stringent rules, although this does not imply that casinos operating under their licenses are any less legal.

Card Counting in Gaming Is Illegal

Many casino misconceptions have been running around for a long time regarding the legality of the gambling business: the most common of them being that counting cards in casinos can land you in jail.

Though counting cards is not permitted in casinos, if you are caught doing it, you will be thrown out of the premises (and probably asked never to go back). That's all there is to it. There is nothing the casino can do to prevent you from applying any knowledge you may have acquired.

Now, let's be clear about what card counting does not involve: memorizing every single card dealt to you from start to finish. In contrast, players who employ this approach attempt to memorize the supply of high and low cards that are still in the deck.

By keeping track of the available cards, gamblers can, for example, modify the quantity of their stake as a result of their strategy. But don't be fooled; it takes years of work to master these tactics and use them successfully.

What about online casino sites? Well, counting cards in online casinos is neither lawful nor criminal because it is almost impossible to do it in the first place.

The most common use of card counting is when playing blackjack, therefore we'll use it as an example. In virtual casinos, a computer instantly shuffles all of the decks in a blackjack shoe, ensuring that the game is fair.

This ensures that every hand played is practically the first hand dealt from the dealer's shoe, which is a good thing. Counting cards in this game will not give you an advantage; instead, it will only eat up your time and cause you distractions from the game.

Hot and Cold Slots/Loose and Tight Slots

Many theories surround this industry, and there is a rumour that when selecting a slot machine to play, you should look for the so-called loose or hot machines because they are more likely to be paid out.

On the other hand, tight slots, or cold slots as they are commonly known within gambling circles, have already paid out their fair share of winnings and are in a state of "rest", eating up your cash and giving you no chance to get it back. Obviously, this is not true, but the idea is just another modern myth.  

Understanding the Random Number Generator (RNG) and how slot machines work is crucial whether you are looking to have some fun at the casino or you are hoping to win big real money. Close-minded gamblers will recommend that you stay away from the so-called cold slots.

The reality is, there is no such thing as a "superpower." Slot machines are completely random, which means that there is no way to predict which symbols will appear on the reels in the next round of play.

You Have a Better Chance of Winning at Slots in a Busy Casino

Unfortunately, no, this is not the case, and the day or time has nothing to do with the odds of walking away with a jackpot. 

This would imply that slot machines are modified in some way to pay out more frequently during peak hours.

Casinos do pay out larger jackpots at their peak hour, but only because more customers are playing. The number of jackpots won represented as a proportion of lucky players or even spins during the busiest hours of the week would not differ much when compared to the slowest hours of the week.

My Casino Loyalty Card Has an Effect on the Game

Nope, you're out of luck with this one. Many gamers believe that when members of the casino's loyalty club pull the reels, the machines are more likely to payout coins.

The truth is you are simply a regular player, and your casino status has no impact on how the reels are rolled (or halted).

Because the software that monitors information about the casino's customers is completely separate from the RNG, your unique membership card cannot influence the outcome in your favour. The RNGs must ensure that the outcome is as random as possible

Now, this is not to imply that holding a loyalty card at a casino will not benefit you. While points collected by swiping your loyalty card can result in discounted meals and hotel room rates, they have little effect on the outcome of a game.

Dealers Often Cheat or Influence the Outcome

Theoretically, casino myths such as this make great sense. After all, it is the dealers who have complete power over the games, right? As the decks are shuffled and cards dealt, and the Roulette wheel is spun, and the action begins.

However, the truth about casinos is that they will not tamper with any game because doing so can result in serious implications for both the casino and the dealer.

Take, for example, the game of Roulette. Several players believe that a dealer has the ability to foretell where the ball will fall on the roulette wheel. However, because there are so many factors, it is hard to predict the outcome (unless there is something physically wrong with the wheel).

Not only are croupiers unable to alter the outcome, but casinos do not want them to either. With house edge in place, the games are meant to generate revenues for the casino, but only if these games are truly random.

Other than that, the casino's personnel keep a close eye on every table to ensure that no one is cheating. It is safe to assume that if they detect a cheater on any side, he or she will be expelled from the scene immediately.

We'll give you an example of a casino scam that went horribly wrong recently. Following a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving baccarat, a Maryland baccarat dealer was sentenced to 18 months in jail in 2019.

Remember this next time someone claims that croupiers have the ability to influence the outcome of casino games.

You Can Fool a Machine by Increasing the Amount of Money You Bet

This technique, like every other slot machine trick, does not work. It is similar to the others. You can certainly experiment with increasing the coin size, but we guarantee you that it will not yield the desired results.

Even if it did, it would not be as a result of you altering the wager size, or the number of pay lines on the slot machine.

High-stakes video poker is possibly the only type of game in which your chances of winning improve as your stakes rise. By placing the largest number of coins per bet, you will receive the highest possible return on your investment. (However, this does not guarantee that you will certainly win!)

Playing Against Other Gamers Is a Jinx

To be honest, this myth is in the same category as the one that claims that having itchy fingers or palms is a sign that you're about to get rich quick.

No, if you play against other people, you will not bring bad fortune upon yourself. Some of them may not be pleased with it, but it will have no effect on your or their chances of winning the prize (or losing).

If you do decide to compete against other gamers, you should always remember to present yourself in a kind and professional manner. Be courteous and refrain from taking photos of others or getting drunk at the table. By adhering to these guidelines, you can avoid attracting the wrath of others around you.

The Gambler's Fallacy Implies That If You Keep Track of Past Results, You Will Win

Ah, yes, the well-known Monte Carlo fallacy! Let's take a look at the history of gambling, as well as one of the most infamous episodes in the history of gaming.

On August 18, 1913, in the Casino de Monte Carlo, the ball landed in the black fret 26 times in a row. This was during a game of roulette.

Naturally, the gamers at the table began placing bets on the colour red, mistakenly believing that the ball would have to strike the colour red at some point. That actually happened. It did so on the 27th time, but it did so while sucking millions of francs from their pockets as well

Believing that events in the past can have an impact on happenings in the future is just another of the myths and common casino fallacies that you should dismiss as soon as you step foot into a gaming establishment.

Final Thoughts

We hope that we were able to clarify and debunk many of the common fallacies and misconceptions that people have about casinos.

Everything is part of our ongoing efforts to assist you in becoming a more talented and informed gamer who depends on personal experience and concrete facts rather than stories from other players.