20 Most Common Casino Myths

Much like anything else, the world of casino games come with their own set of myths and legends. Read on for 20 of the most common casino myths which you will encounter as you explore the world of casinos. 

1. Casino games are fixed.

This casino myth is the most common of all — this is inspired by movies on casinos. Although the house has an edge, (called house edge or casino advantage), this doesn’t mean every casino game is fixed. The house edge is how casinos earn money but this is only a percentage and you are not set up for a loss, because a casino has thousands of visitors. 

2. Casino games are all about luck.

Luck plays a huge role, but it is a famous casino myth to say everything is luck. Famous Casino in Goa such as blackjack or other table games need your skills. There are soft games, but there are also many games of skill. 

3. You are allowed a win from time to time.

This one is a favourite conspiracy theory. It lets you believe that a casino wants you to keep coming back, so it allows you to win. The truth is more layered than that; a combination of chance, your skills, experience all play a role. Any such interference from an official to let you win is not legal.

4. It is illegal to count cards.

It is perfectly legal to count cards although many casinos may not particularly favour this as some players may use it to gain an advantage. But in most cases and many countries, you can use any strategy as long as you don’t let it come in the way of gameplay. Of course, marking cards physically is treated as cheating. 

5. Betting systems help your chances of winning.

It’s a myth that you can boost your chances of winning by using a betting system. Although you can get some small success with a betting system such as the Martingale system, you will eventually lose heavily and erase the small wins. This system suggests that you need to bet again every time you lose a bet. It also recommends that you double your bet size. This way, you will win finally and recover your losses. But this system fools you into thinking you can bet as much as you wish to or you have infinite cash supply. 

6. Pull the lever instead of pressing spin to win.

There is a random number generator on the slot machines which doesn’t differentiate between a player pulling the lever or pressing the ‘spin’ button. It is just a casino myth and remains so. 

7. Close to the aisles are the slot machines that let you win.

This myth lets you believe that the machines close to the spaces/aisles where people walk are the loose ones that allow gamblers to win. By winning, according to the myth, players are attracted to the machines. However, the reality is that you can’t identify the slot machines that hand a higher payback. 

8. Player’s card and slot machines: What is the connection?

A player’s card or a membership card helps a casino track your credits or give you comps. Such a card does not influence payouts from slot machines. Slot machine results are random. 

9. Winning a lot? Your game will soon get into freeze mode

There are times when the machine may go kaput because of a hardware or software issue but this has nothing to do with your winning way too much. The machine may expend coins but it won’t come to a halt because it realised you have won more than needed!

10. Tracking past results will help you make forecasts

Many players think they can effortlessly predict how a game will turn out based on past games. But in reality, every dice roll or roulette spin is a new game not based on past moves — it is independent. This casino myth is called the ‘Gambler’s Fallacy.’

11. You can change the size of a bet to fool the machine.

Winning is proportional to your bet size, and there is no way you can change the bet size to fool the machine into making you win more. 

12. No jackpot if someone just won it!

Can you hit the jackpot if someone else has won it only recently, like half an hour ago? Yes, you can. Simultaneous jackpots are also possible; many casinos offer progressive jackpots wherein your win is divided into two parts equally. Simultaneous jackpots mean the second spin needs to happen within the response time of the first request. 

13. Coin temperature impacts payouts.

The temperature of coins has nothing to do with wins, and the state of the coins, whether old, new, cold or hot has no impact on the game. 

14. Casinos try to keep you energised by pumping in oxygen.

This a common casino myth with origins in Las Vegas, but casinos do not pump oxygen to help you stay energised! 

15. Another player can impact the outcome of your game.

No player can influence the outcome of your game. A game outcome is independent and random. Just focus on your gameplay instead of other people’s games.

16. Chances of winning on slots in busy casinos are greater.

Winning has nothing to do with how busy or not a casino or the time of day of the week it is. Casinos manipulating machines for bigger payouts is a risky proposition island is not done. 

17. Dealers influence outcome

While dealers have a role to play such as spinning a roulette wheel or dealing cards, they do not meddle with the game as it can have implications for the casino. 

18. It is unlucky to count money while at the table.

Counting your money at the table has no impact on the luck factor or your winnability. Of course, if you are holding up a game or making others wait, it is considered rude to do so.

19. Changing your seats at poker can bring luck.

You can change seats for real reasons such as a more comfortable chair or proximity to the fridge, but no changing seats can bring you any luck at poker or any game, for that matter!

20. If a machine has not paid in a while, it is due for a payout.

There is simply no way to find out if a machine is due for a big payout, as every spin is random and will not be influenced by what happened in the past. You will only lose your cashflow by believing this casino myth. 

Conclusion

Casino games, like all sports, come with their own set of myths and urban legends. They are entertaining and have no practical value beyond that — so stick to your gameplay while trying your hand at your favourite casino game.