“Shuffler is rigged,” Redditors discuss common casino myths that just won’t die
Let’s bust these myths 🎲Is card counting really illegal? Are there any strategies to beat the roulette wheel? In this article, we will be looking at some of the popular casino myths that continue to stick around and see what Redditors have to say about them.
In a post titled “What’s a common gambling myth that just won’t die?”, casino players on Reddit discussed some of the most popular casino myths that are baseless but just won’t seem to die down. These myths range from classic gambler’s fallacy to magical outcomes.
The post was submitted to the popular r/AskReddit space, where it gained about 590 upvotes and 735 comments. Our team went through all the comments and hand-picked some of the best responses.
1. Dealers are rigged
One of the most misunderstandings among casino players is that the dealers are rigged. “That the shuffler is rigged,” a user commented. “Casinos already have a built-in edge in the game. They won’t jeopardize their gaming license by rigging the shuffler,” the user explained.
“Same as people claiming online poker is rigged. They’re making so much money just taking the take on every pot. They’re not gonna risk getting shut down,” another user doubled down.
“Before every slot machine gets to the casino they get regulated by DGI. They are not rigged, they are programmed to take $14 for every $ 100 they call it “the price of fun” at least where I work,” another user explained why shufflers being rigged is a myth.
However, there were others who disagreed on this, saying that casinos can be rigged. A user explained, “You’d be surprised how greedy casinos can be. They built a new casino in Boston a few years ago and within a year of opening they got caught violating the state’s gambling laws.”
2. Roulette strategies work
Another comment that sparked discussion was, “That there’s any strategy to roulette,” implying that no strategies work on roulette.
Of course, there are exceptions to this as Niko Tosa has won thousands of pounds playing roulette at the Ritz. But this is definitely an extremely rare occurrence.
A user shared a story to prove the point that roulette is simply unpredictable. “Craziest thing I ever saw on roulette. Me, my wife and two others were playing a table and for whatever reason nobody bet on one spin. Guy walks up and drops $100 on 36. He’s the only chip on the table and it hits 36. Takes his 3500 and walks off, no tip to the dealer or anything just leaves,” the user wrote.
Further, a study published in 2020 conclusively demonstrated that in the long run, loss is inevitable because of the negative expected value (-0.027 for European roulette). The study found that the martingale strategy and constant bet strategy on single numbers are significantly riskier than constant bet strategies on simple chances.
3. Card counting is illegal
Card counting in blackjack is usually considered a big no-no. Most players believe that counting cards might have legal consequences. However, this is simply not true.
“Not only is it legal, but most casinos don’t even care, because people learn about it, go in to try it out, and then lose because they’re bad at it. As long as you’re doing it all in your head, not using a computer, and not slowing the game down, it’s fine. Vegas isn’t run by the mob anymore, you’re allowed to win,” a user explained.
Another user added, “Worst case, if you’re actually good at it, they’ll end up backing you off and limiting your bets. Maybe trespass you if you keep coming back and winning money. But still not illegal.”
4. A “big win” is due
Of course, this list would be incomplete without mentioning classic gambler’s fallacy. In case you don’t know, gambler’s fallacy refers to the belief that you deserve to win big because you have been on a losing streak.
“People thinking they’re “due” a win after a streak of losses. The universe isn’t keeping score,” one of the users wrote. “Probability doesn’t give a fu** about how many times you’ve previously won or lost,” another user agreed and added.
Over the years, several studies have been conducted on this subject, and most of them conclude that there is no connection between a losing streak and an impending big win.
For instance, a 2010 Harvard study, shows that the gambler’s fallacy is fundamentally a false “world model” where people believe in outcome dependency despite objective independence. This cognitive framework has nothing to do with actual statistical properties. The same study further shows how people subjectively construct patterns in randomness.
5. Last outcome is “magical”
The last one on our list is the belief that the last outcome of a game somehow has an effect on the next outcome.
“Former professional poker player here. 95% of people in casinos do not understand probability at all. They believe that the last outcome has some sort of magical effect on the next roll of the dice, pull of the lever, or poker hand being dealt,” the user explained.
Another user agreed, “While it is very common for 10 coin flips in a row getting heads, the chance for 9 coin flips getting heads followed by one being tails is the exact same.”
“The irony with poker is that people will request a seat change if they think theirs is somehow unlucky. Their “luck” will then almost certainly change because of who’s now on their left and right,” another user added.
Please play responsibly and only wager what you can afford to lose. If you feel your gambling may be becoming a problem, seek help from a trusted support organization.
Nitisha is a content strategist and researcher with 5+ years of experience in the iGaming industry, and she specializes in cryptocurrency, with a focus on blockchain gaming, Play-to-Earn (P2E), and GameFi. Her work aims to explain technical trends at the convergence of crypto and gaming for a general audience. She has completed her Bachelor’s in Economics and has a Master’s degree in Journalism. Her journalism explores the sustainability, security, and impact of decentralized games, and she has reviewed crypto exchanges, indicating hands-on experience with various cryptocurrency platforms and mechanics.