Most Common Gambling Myths

Gambling has been around for thousands of years, entertaining all forms of society from Ancient Egypt and Rome all the way to today.

For as long as this popular pastime has been a part of our life, so have been the myths regarding how it works, its legality, fairness, and many other factors.

It’s no secret that Aussies love their pokies (better known as slot machines in the rest of the world), so you’ll probably hear some of these gambling myths if you ever visit Down Under.

1. Casino Games are Rigged

Let’s start with the big one. This is an argument most players who’ve quit gambling or lost a lot of money usually go for to feel better.

If we’re completely honest, this myth is based on some truth and examples from the past. But, as it happens with most myths and misconceptions, conspiracy theorists took this one too far.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a casino is just a business. They are in it to make money, and they do so thanks to the house edge.

This doesn’t mean that they engage in underhanded tactics to stop you from winning; it just means the odds are slightly stacked in their favor.

With this in mind, it’s no secret that casinos from a hundred years ago practiced the art of rigging games, but nowadays, it’s not like that.

Every casino is strictly regulated by an appropriate governing body and must adhere to strict legislation.

All games must be random and fair, and every player must have an equal chance of winning every game. This is true for all land-based casinos in Australia as well as a majority of large Australia-facing online casinos.

2. Casinos Pump in Oxygen in Their Gaming Halls

By far, the most absurd gambling myth we’ll talk about on this page is the theory that casinos pump in oxygen in their packed halls to keep players awake and excited.

Although we must admit, it does sound something like a casino would do to ensure a lively atmosphere, this myth is just a product of imagination.

The number one reason why this is not a real thing is purely logistical.

Consider just how much it would cost to pump in clean, medical-grade oxygen in a venue with hundreds, even thousands of visitors.

Not only this but having high oxygen levels will make the indoor atmosphere more prone to fires.

This is something no casino wants on its hands. What’s more, in most gambling areas, casinos are required to keep oxygen levels within specific prescribed limits.

3. Dealers and Other Players Can Affect Your Outcome

Some casino players who play social card games such as poker, baccarat, and craps also believe that other players can affect their games’ outcome.

This one again hits wide off the mark. By that logic, if they’re able to affect your wins, shouldn’t you also be able to mitigate the damage by affecting their successes?

Similar to this, many gamblers believe that the dealer can also alter the outcome of a particular game if he chooses to do so.

But again, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Tampering with the outcome of a game can be equally harmful to casinos and croupiers as it is to the players themselves.

So, the next time you’re playing roulette, blackjack, or any other game with a dealer, remember he or she can’t play any role in deciding whether you win or lose.

4. Just Keep Playing, and You’re Due a Big Win

You should always have hope and maintain a positive attitude in life. However, you should also know when to walk away from the game.

Financial loss is a significant drawback of irresponsible gambling. In line with some of the previous tips, remember that you’re not due anything.

You always have equal chances of winning or losing, and nothing or no one can impact this.

This particular myth is quite common among those who enjoy betting on sports. They'll often fall into the trap of believing that, eventually, they'll come up with the perfect system to win big all of their losses and then some.

But even the best bookies, such as those featured at Wetten.com, will still have a long-term edge over bettors. It’s just the nature of the beast.

You might be able to find a way to beat the bookies, but that takes a lot of hard work and knowledge, and it has nothing to do with being “due.”

Many gamblers fall into debt trying to find patterns and hidden secrets of how a game works. They think that, because they lost a few times in a row, a big win is waiting right around the corner.

Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing this. For this reason, it’s always best to walk away having lost a little bit of money than to dig an even deeper hole trying to recover initial losses.

5. Gambling Isn’t Addictive

We’d like to finish the article on a serious note, with a myth that can be very detrimental if you’re not careful about it.

The common misconception that gambling isn’t addictive has harmed many players in the past. The truth is, gambling is designed to be addictive and to hook you in.

According to Australia's Alliance for Gambling Reform, around $18 billion is lost every year by punters (2017 data). It is estimated that around 200,000 people in Australia have a serious problem with gambling and even more struggle with gambling addiction to a somewhat smaller degree.

This misconception goes hand in hand with another myth, which is that you're only a compulsive gambler if you play gambling games every day.

This isn’t necessarily true, as gambling addiction can be both episodic and continuous.

Similar to drug and alcohol addiction, pathological gamblers can build up a tolerance when they play too much. This means that they require more and more activity to reach the same “high” they had before.

More serious than this is the onset of gambling withdrawal, which will haunt the player whenever he’s not gambling and make him irritable all the time.

Avoiding Gambling Myths – A Sum Up

Gambling myths are often nothing more than fun conversation points that you can engage with your friends or fellow gambling enthusiasts.

But, some gambling misconceptions can damage your financial and mental well-being. For that reason, it’s essential to understand what they are and why they’re wrong.

Ultimately, every player is different. All of us have different bankrolls and can tolerate different gambling content amounts without getting addicted.

The most important thing when gambling is to understand the game you’re betting on and do it responsibly. Always remember that you’re gambling primarily for fun, so play within your limits and know when to step away – those slots, blackjack, and 3 Card Poker tables aren’t going anywhere