Here are some common myths about gambling and the truths behind them, courtesy of the Responsible Gambling Council:
- "If I keep gambling, my luck will change and I'll win back the money I've lost."
Truth: Each time you place a bet, the outcome is completely independent of the previous one. That means that the odds are no more in your favour on the tenth bet than they were on the first bet. Over time, the more you risk, the more you lose.
- "I have a special strategy that helps me win. I press the stop button on a slot game at exactly the right time."
Truth: The outcome of most games of chance, particularly slot games, is completely random. You cannot influence it, no matter what you do. Whether you win playing slots is based solely on the randomly drawn numbers generated by the algorithm. Those numbers determine the game’s outcome before the reels stop. Pressing the stop button may help you learn the outcome of the game faster, but it won’t influence the overall outcome in any way.
- "I have a feeling today is my lucky day. I just know I'm going to win."
Truth: Hoping, wishing or even needing to win money has absolutely no influence on the outcome of a game of chance.
- "The way to make money is to bet on every outcome."
Truth: All bets involve some risk, so there’s no such thing as a sure bet. Gambling shouldn’t be used as a way to make money, but as a way to have fun.