Myths and Reality
Myth #1
“If I keep playing, eventually I’ll win
and get back the money I’ve lost..
Fact
The odds are not in your favor. The longer you keep playing,
the more money you are likely to lose.
Trying to ‘win back’ your losses almost always leads to
even greater losses.
Myth #2
You can only become a problem gambler
if you gamble every day.
Fact
A problem gambler may gamble either frequently
or only occasionally. If you find yourself missing gambling when you’re not playing, or if it has started to affect other
aspects of your life, then you may have a problem.
Myth #3
If there are no financial problems,
there is no gambling problem.
Fact
Gambling can become a problem when it begins to have a negative impact—psychological, social,
or financial—on the player and their family.
Myth #4
Knowing the rules of a game (e.g., poker) increases your chances of success.
Fact
Knowing the rules of a game may help
to some extent, —but odds are always against you.
Myth #5
"I’m an experienced poker player, which means I can make
better decisions while playing. As a result, I’m more likely
to win than someone who is new to the game.”
Fact
Skill and experience may improve your chances
of winning in games that involve an element of skill, such as poker.
However, you cannot control the order of the cards you are dealt
or how other players choose to play.
Myth #6
"Carrying a lucky rabbit’s foot will improve my chances
of winning"
Fact
Lucky charms may make some people feel more confident,
but they do not increase the chances of winning.
The outcome of every game is always random and always
uncertain.
Myth #7
“I can influence the outcome of a game,
if I concentrate hard enough or think positively.”
Fact
The outcome of a game of chance is always determined by luck.
Myth #8
“If you’re lucky in life,
you’ll also be lucky when it comes
to gambling.”
Fact
Many people who gamble
believe
that they are lucky.
However, they still lose money.
Myth #9
“If you flip a coin ten times
nd it lands on heads every time,
you can predict what will happen
on the eleventh flip.”
Fact
Every time you toss a coin,
the probability of it landing on heads
50%,
and the probability of it landing on tails
is also 50%.
Myth #10
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“If the State Lottery advertises
that ‘three out of four tickets win’
and I buy four tickets,
then I’m guaranteed to win.”
Fact
These are overall payout odds.
You could buy four tickets
and all four may win,
some of them may win, or none of them may win.
or none of them
may win.
Remember:
Each ticket has the same chance
of winning or losing.
Myth #11
“I always play the same
Lotto numbers.
That means
I’ll eventually win.”
Fact
Playing your ‘lucky numbers’
may make the game
more enjoyable,
but it does not increase your chances
of winning.
Your odds remain exactly the same,
regardless of the numbers
you choose.
Myth #12
“Slot machines
or other computer based games
pay out more
at certain times of the day.”
Fact
Every spin
on a slot machine has a random
outcome.
The result of each spin
cannot be predicted
and is independent of the time of day
at which a person plays.
Myth #13
“I can win by using
a strategy.”
Fact
Some gambling games
can indeed be influenced
to a certain extent
by strategy. However, the outcome
is ultimately determined by chance.
Myth #14
“If I keep playing, eventually I’ll win
back my losses.
Fact
The odds are not in your favor. The longer you keep playing,
the more money you are likely to lose.
Trying to ‘win back’ your losses almost always leads to
even greater losses.
Myth #15
“I’m unlucky!
I’ve fed this machine
a lot of money today. But sooner or later,
if I keep playing,
I’m bound to win.”
Fact
Some people believe
that slot machines
are programmed to
pay out after a certain amount
of time,
after a specific number of spins,
or after
a certain amount of money has been spent.
None of this is true!
Myth #16
“If you're on a losing streak,
a good way to ‘turn your luck around’
is to change the amount
you bet.”
Fact
The truth is that there is
nothing you can do to change the odds
in your favor.
There is no strategy
that can increase your chances of winning.
Winning and losing are entirely
random events.
Myth #17
“Some slot machines are luckier
than others."
Fact
Every slot machine is simply a computer programmed to produce random outcomes.