Whether you enjoy visiting a casino with friends, getting all dressed up and immersing yourself in the sumptuous and luxurious surroundings for an evening of excitement, or you prefer to play online casino games in the comfort of your own at one of the best online casinos available, you will have heard some of the most popular casino myths – and you might even believe some of them.
Gambling has been a part of human life since the earliest records of mankind, with some researchers suggesting that even ancient civilizations like the Chinese and the Romans used to play games and bet on outcomes of events. With such a long history, it is no surprise that there are certain myths and beliefs that have come about – and they have been made more obvious thanks to the portrayal of casinos and gambling in the media and in particular through movies.
Below are some of the most common myths that come up about casinos, and a brief explanation of the truth behind them.
Lady Luck Rules
If you are at the table and playing a winning (or a losing) streak, you might be thinking that it is all to do with luck – that Lady Luck is in charge of how well you are doing.
In some cases, this is true – specifically in the random chance games like slots. Slot machines are random; they are programmed to be random and regularly checked to ensure that they are random. While there is some skill involved in choosing the right machine and the right stake, the chances of winning are governed by the true randomness generated by the algorithms.
Casino Games are Rigged
This is a popular myth, sometimes used to excuse a poor run at the tables or the machines, and there is a reason that people that think that casino games are rigged.
The basis for this myth is the ‘house edge’. House edge is the term that is given to the margin a casino has on each game to make them money. They make something on every spin and every hand that you play – because of course they want to turn a profit as a business.
You can tell what the house edge is on a game like slots by checking out the Return to Player (RTP) rate. If, for example, the RTP rate is 97%, that means that the remaining 3% is the house edge.
Keep Going, You’ll Win Next Game
This is a dangerous myth and can lead to some real problems for players whether they are in a physical casino or in an online space.
The idea that if you are on a losing streak, all you need to do is to play another game and you’ll win it all back. Chasing losses in this way is a sure-fire way to burn through your bankroll and can lead to deeper problems – and the blame for this mentality can probably be placed firmly in the media. We have all seen the films where the protagonist is down on his luck and puts everything on the line for one spin of the wheel, only to go on and win it all. It is a popular trope in movies and books – but it just isn’t real life.
If you are on a losing streak, stop. You can move onto something else if you want to, but just remember that it is meant to be fun and exciting.
If You Count Cards, You’ll Go to Jail
Card counting is definitely frowned upon, but it isn’t illegal. If you have the mathematical mind to be able to count cards, then it is true that it can be used to improve your winning ability. We have seen it in movies like Rain Man, and it has been studied in academia, too. Understandably, the casino doesn’t want you to do it because it is seen as cheating.
If you get caught counting cards, you wont be taken to court or sent down for it – but you will be kicked out of the casino and put on a blacklist that could mean you aren’t allowed to come back to play another time.
Online Casinos Don’t Pay Out
This particular myth is something that has a few roots in different ideas and issues with online gaming. Some players have reported that they have had issues with getting to their winnings – as in, having trouble actually withdrawing them from the site that they are playing on. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t winning, but that there is some technical issue or perhaps some user error involved.
The other consideration is that online casinos seem a bit removed from reality – playing with animated games rather than physical machines and living, breathing croupiers can make the whole thing seem unreal – and that can seep into the feeling of not getting anything out of it.
The main thing to consider about this particular myth is that if online casinos didn’t pay out, then they would not be as popular as they are. There would also be a lot more complaints and poor independent reviews, too.
Don’t let the myths get in the way of you playing your favorite games, online or in person!
