Online gambling is very popular today, and with so much money involved in the different games it’s no wonder that there are so many myths around about winning, losing and everything to do with online gambling. Here’s a list of the top 10 myths that online gamblers have about gaming in general. While they aren’t true or based on any facts at all, it’s amazing how many people come to believe some variation of them over time.
Myths
1. Online Gambling is Illegal
Even to this day there is a myth that persists saying that players are not allowed to gamble online and that it’s illegal to do. If you live in Australia this is just outright wrong. While citizens are not allowed to open up an online casino and offer their services to other Aussies, local citizens can play at casinos located in other countries without breaking any laws. They can pick and choose from all the high quality options out there and have a great experience without doing anything illegal.
2. Video Poker is an Easy Game to Beat with Skill
It’s possible to consistently come out ahead at video poker if you’re playing at the right machines, but this only works with some machines and perfect strategy all the time. A handful of casinos offer a negative house edge, which means that with perfect strategy you’ll actually win slightly more than you lose, but these games are disappearing fast and most players are using games with a real house edge with no hope of long-term earnings. Even if you play with perfect strategy, it isn’t likely that you’ll win lots of money playing video poker over the long term, so focus on those short-term profits.
3. Progressive Betting Systems Work Well
Progressive betting systems and other gambling systems are designed to beat casinos, but they rarely serve that purpose. That’s why most casinos welcome you to give them a shot and try to come out ahead by winning big. Systems like the Martingale system tell players to double their bet each time they lose a hand until they eventually receive a payout that wipes out all those loses and leaves them just a little bit ahead. These strategies can work in theory, but you need a massive bankroll and a casino that allows you to bet as much money as you like without limiting you. One of both of those things is rarely the case, so these systems rarely work out.
4. You Can Read Pokies Machines and Win Using Patterns
Many gamblers sit on pokies machines long after they should have quit hoping to hit it big. They believe that after enough losing they are more likely to win money from the machine, and that there is even a pattern that has to be considered. This is never the case. Pokies machines are completely random and losing all day long doesn’t make you any more likely to win later on. That’s why you should quit playing after you’ve lost all the money you’re comfortable losing, because you may not win anything back just because you keep playing.
5. Pokies Machines can be Manipulated by Online Casinos
Many players that lose a lot of money at a casino swear that the casino is manipulating the machine to force them to lose. This is simply not the case. Casinos rely on programs to control the pokies machines entirely. The program is designed to pay out a certain percentage of money and to operate entirely randomly. Over time it will pay out less than it takes in and the casino gets to enjoy the added profit it generates. These machines aren’t controlled by a casino employee and they are completely random and fair.
6. You Can’t Expect to be Paid Your Winnings from an Online Casino
Some players stay away from online casinos out of fear that they aren’t going to be paid when they win big. They hear horror stories from cheating casinos that kept players money and ripped hundreds of people off and they believe that that is the experience that every online casino has to offer. That’s simply not the case though. Any reputable casino online will pay out every bit of money that is owed to you. These establishments are profitable even while paying out money, and they play by the rules to be able to keep operating and offering services to as many people as possible.
7. Betting Against Another Player is Bad Luck
While playing games like Baccarat at a casino it is a common belief that betting on the success of the dealer rather than the player is bad luck and poor form. In reality it’s the best way to go. When you place a bet on the dealer you improve your chances of winning more often. Stop worrying about the other player at the table and instead focus on the bets that are going to bring in the most money for you.
8. All Casino Games are Pure Luck
Dozens of professional poker players would disagree with this sentiment, but there are other less obvious games that prove that casino games are just luck. While slot machines, and some games like Sic Bo rely on luck entirely to determine the outcome, you still have a degree of control and can maximize your profit potential by making good decisions. When you play Sic Bo for instance, you should focus on the Big and Small bets because they come with the best odds for success as you play.
When you play a game like Video Poker, luck doesn’t have a very large part in your success. The skill with which you select cards will really determine how well that you do as you play. Some video poker games will actually pay out more money than they take in when you play with the perfect strategy, but the main idea to remember is that the better your strategy is as you play, the more likely you are to win money from the game, proving that luck is not the only factor at play here.
9. Bonus Games in Pokies Offer Free Money
Every pokies game has a predetermined payout ratio and the bonus games are factored into that ratio. That means if players win 96% of the money paid in as prizes, that percentage remains the same with all of the money paid out from bonus games as well. The bonus money isn’t free money at all.
Pokies Games Pay at Certain Times of Day or Night
Every spin of the reels on a pokies machine is completely random. That means you have the same chance to win or lose no matter when you play.