Top 5 Crazy Online Casino Myths Debunked

Online casino myths can afflict gamblers of all budgets and game preferences. The gambler’s fallacy and belief in rigged games have affected players for decades. However, it’s taken just as big a hold on online casino players in recent years. 

The good news is that many online casino myths are just that: myths that can be debunked with a little explanation. We round up some of the most common casino myths. Play safe, don’t trust your superstitions, and practise good bankroll sense.  

#1 – Debunking the Gambler’s Fallacy

The gambler’s fallacy is one of the longest-held online casino myths among players. Essentially, it’s the belief that a series of random events can change based on the previous results. 

Players who suffer from the gambler’s fallacy may flock to the best online casinos to place bets the other way, convinced that the other color will turn up. 

For example, a roulette wheel that has produced 20 red numbers in a row must go black on the next spin. Right? Well, unfortunately, each roulette spin is completely independent from the previous one. Though it’s unusual, a roulette wheel could produce the same color ad infinitum. 

The gambler’s fallacy is made worse online because of random number generators. A player may be convinced that an online roulette wheel producing 20 black numbers in a row must be rigged. 

#2 – Low-Volatility Slots Always Pay Out Regularly

Low-variance slots are among the most popular online casino games around. In theory, low-volatility slots pay out small and regular cash prizes. That’s the key factor in making them less volatile than high-volatility slots that pay large – but infrequent – jackpots. 

The problem is that low volatility can still result in long losing sessions. The nature of online slots is that the house edge is skewed toward the casino. You may hit dozens of losing spins in a row if the reels don’t fall your way. Before long, your bankroll – together with your patience – has evaporated before you can trigger a bonus feature. 

#3 – Progressive Slots Pay Out at a Certain Time

There are nearly as many slot myths as there are casino games. One of the biggest surrounds the frequency with which progressive slots pay out. 

Progressive slots feature jackpots that grow with every bet that’s placed. They trigger at random at any moment, although you have more chance of hitting the jackpot if you’ve invested a bigger stake. 

Common to land-based casinos, players become convinced that progressives are timed to pay out after a certain time. Worse, they believe that progressive slots have a bigger chance of paying out if they haven’t been won for a long time.

Sadly, the truth is rather simpler than that. Progressive slots are governed by the same random number generators as regular slots. The RNG algorithm triggers at random and can activate a jackpot whether there’s $100 or $1m in it. 

That doesn’t stop players from going into overdrive and pumping a progressive jackpot when it starts breaking records. Famously, the WowPot! Jackpot fell in 2023 for a record-breaking jackpot worth over €20m ($22.2m). The attraction of both a big-paying network of games, plus a long spell without a win, attracted even more players and bets.   

#4 – Live Casino Dealers Can Rig Roulette Wheels 

There’s a common myth among roulette players that crooked dealers can rig the wheel to stop on certain numbers. Unfortunately, it’s one of the online casino myths that has migrated to live dealer games. 

Trained roulette croupiers are vetted before reaching the live dealer studio. Plus, roulette wheels are inspected to make sure they can’t be tampered with. 

Often, just as with the gambler’s fallacy, losing roulette players want to find an excuse for losing. Blaming the innocent roulette dealers is the easy option. 

#5 – Random Number Generators are Rigged

Perhaps the biggest of the online casino myths is that the software is rigged. Land-based casino games are transparent, after all: you can see and talk to dealers, and you know the pit boss is inspecting cards, wheels, and dice. 

However, online casinos are harder to gauge. How do you know that the RNGs are fair, and the outcomes are 100% transparent? 

Sadly, stories of rigged software do have an element of truth. In the mid-2000s, Ultimate Bet was embroiled in a scandal when one of the company’s heads activated ‘God Mode’ on a table to spy on his opponent’s cards. 

Luckily, most online casinos are audited for fairness and licensed to ensure that operators and owners are honest. Check out our safe online casinos and only play at gambling sites on that list. 

#6 – Card Counting in Blackjack is Illegal

Card counting is one of the best practical gambling tips for making more money. The casino myth about card counting is that it’s illegal. 

In reality, card counting in blackjack is not banned by state or federal laws. However, the casinos themselves frown on card counters and are within their rights to ban them from the tables. Most US casinos go further and share information on card counters with other properties in the same state or countrywide. 

It’s not illegal to count cards and remember how rich in tens a shoe might be. However, using any device or electronic equipment to predict cards is against many laws. 

The same casino myth applies online. There’s nothing to stop you counting cards, or trying to. However, online casinos use sophisticated shufflers that make it almost impossible to predict which cards are coming next. 

#7 – Online Casinos are All Scam Sites

Of the online casino myths that have the most teeth, it’s that gambling sites are crooked. There are 100s of online casinos, and most of them are legit. In fact, at GamblingSites.com, we only recommend the cream of the crop that passes our strict tests. 

However, some online casinos still end up on gamblers’ blacklists. They may operate within jurisdictions with lax rules on licensing and software. Worse, they may be operated by criminals using pirated software that stacks the game even more in the casino’s favor. 

The truth is that in 2024, most online casinos will be above board and fully trustworthy. Don’t forget to read our list of blacklisted online casinos to know who you should avoid. 

Final Thoughts

Online casino myths are simply superstitions from gamblers. They can’t accept that luck and chance play a huge part in online gambling, even with optimal gameplay. 

The biggest casino myth is that you can keep on winning or losing by playing slots and games. The reality is somewhere in the middle: with careful staking and bankroll management, you can ride the variance over time. 

Employ some basic strategy, choose games with the lowest house edge, and never chase losses. In time, those are the best ways to combat thoughts that the house is conspiring against you.