10 Myths and Facts About Gambling Everyone Has Heard

It is in the nature of human beings to mythologize everything they do not know or are not quite certain about. It has been this way since the Stone Age and remains this way, in the 21st century. The only thing that has changed is that the objects of myth-making have changed, and casinos and gambling sites have definitely become one of them. The gambling industry is surrounded by such a massive number of misconceptions that it’s impossible to cover them all in a single article. That’s why today we’ll focus on the most common gambling myths and try to debunk them.

Myth #1. Gambling addiction is not as serious as other addictions

The very word "addiction" is typically associated with physical dependence alone. That's a mistake. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) formally put gambling disorder on par with nicotine or alcohol addiction.

Some of the clear signs of the development of gambling addiction are:

• Loss of control over gambling behavior, frequency, duration, and money spent.
• Prioritizing gambling over other interests and values in life — hobbies, work, family, friendships, and relationships.
• The obvious formation of side effects caused by gambling.

Myth #2. Problem gamblers are those who gamble daily

As a matter of fact, most problem gamblers don't gamble on a daily basis. There are some of them who can go for weeks or even months without gambling but are still strongly addicted. What could prevent them may be the absence of money, being enrolled in self-exclusion registers, or simply not having any opportunity to gamble at the moment.

Even if someone gambles sporadically but can't contain themselves when they do, that's a clear sign of addiction. Things are generally made worse if there's alcohol involved, since players will act on impulse and overestimate their luck. Remember: gambling and alcohol don't mix. That "drink" can have dire consequences, even if you don't already have a gambling problem.

Myth #3. Legal gambling causes the number of problem gamblers to increase in the country

Problem gamblers exist in any country, legal or illegal gambling aside. The myth that legalization necessarily leads to increased addiction comes from the fact that only after gambling has been legalized, problem gambling simply starts being registered and investigated more profoundly.

Myth #4. There exist successful methods and tricks to win at slots

The internet is packed with the so-called "strategies," "systems," and "life hacks" for slots and casinos. Some even try to sell them, despite the fact that they do not function.

The underlying principle of any slot is randomness. No strategy or trick can alter that. Trying to "hack" slots using internet tricks is the same as using a random number generator and trying to predict the results.

Myth #5. A maximum bet always increases your likelihood of winning

No, a bigger bet doesn't improve your odds. It's popular opinion that betting more — especially on progressive jackpot slots — increases the likelihood of winning a massive payout. But it isn't so. Slot outcomes are determined by a random number generator, and the bet size has no influence on it.

A few players also wrongly believe that larger bets raise the RTP (Return to Player). They don't. RTP is a set figure determined by the slot's creator. Your bet size changing won't influence it.

Myth #6. The more a slot is overdue for a win, the more likely a jackpot hit

This is a very popular gambling myth. There are gamblers who believe that slots "collect" money and then release it in the form of winnings when there is enough. You just need to be at the right time.

In fact, there is no such "time." Your chances of winning or losing do not depend on when the last jackpot has been hit. Everything is random.

Myth #7. Casinos manipulate slots to make a profit

Casinos do not need to rig slots. Slots' mechanics and algorithms themselves ensure casinos earn profits over time. Secondly, there is the risk of reputation loss if a casino were ever caught manipulating results — the damage would be much more than any short-term gain.

In reality, casinos do not usually develop slot software themselves. That is left to large international providers like Microgaming, Playtech, and NetEnt. These are billion-dollar corporations with an international reputation to protect, so they are constantly auditing and testing their systems to guarantee that tampering is not possible.

Myth #8. Slot machines pay more at certain times of the day or week

It is not so. Neither the hour of the day, nor the day of the week, nor where the machine is situated in a casino, nor how many people have played before you, affects your likelihood of winning. Nothing does. Only luck can make you win or lose. It makes no sense to seek patterns and spend nerves and time on that.

Myth #9. Slots with higher RTP guarantee higher chances of winning

All serious developers show each slot's RTP. The problem is that a lot of players get it wrong about what it implies. If a slot has an RTP of 96%, it doesn't mean the machine will personally pay out that percentage to you.

RTP is a long-term average. That means that 96% of all bets placed by all players together are paid out, and 4% are kept by the casino. For an individual player, though, outcomes vary tremendously: you can lose your whole bankroll, win some of your money back, or hit a jackpot far exceeding your bet.

Theoretically, if you were able to play the same slot thousands of times with nobody else playing, you might just see that 96% return. In practice, it is never quite so predictable. And, naturally, a lower RTP does not preclude you from hitting a massive jackpot.

Myth #10. Online slots can be rigged, but land-based ones cannot

Some players believe that online casinos are easier to manipulate than land casinos. That's not true. Licensed online casinos in the US are tightly regulated. Their software is audited by developers, protected with advanced random number generators and encryption algorithms, so manipulation is virtually impossible.

But here's the thing: this only applies to legal and licensed casinos. If you choose to play at an illegal, unlicensed operator, then yes — there are no guarantees that results won't be rigged. Regulators can't exert any influence over illegal casinos, which is reason enough to avoid them in the first place.