Myths and facts

Statement 1: Gambling is an easy way to make money

Myth
More often than not, gambling is a way of losing rather than earning money. You should think of gambling as a means of amusement and entertainment such as an outing with a friend, a dinner with family, etc. Gambling is a risky activity because the outcome of a bet is not only based on a person’s skills and knowledge on the gambling event but it partly relies on luck. Therefore, you should never think of gambling as a safe and easy way to make money.

Statement 2: 2. People cannot predict with certainty if a coin toss is going to come up heads or tails

Fact
Each flip of the coin is an independent event and the outcome of the previous coin flips do not affect the final outcome. The likelihood of heads or tails coming up is always 50 % i.e. it is just as likely for heads or tails coming up, no matter how many times you flip the coin.

Statement 3: You have to gamble every day in order to be considered a ‘problem gambler’

Myth
A problem gambler may gamble frequently or sparsely. The frequency with which a player gambles is not as important as the degree that affects a player’s life. If a person’s gambling causes family, social, financial, emotional or other problems for themselves and the people surrounding them, then they might have a gambling addiction and should seek help from experts on problem gambling.

Statement 4: It is easy to recognize a problem gambler

Myth
Problem gambling is frequently being called a hidden addiction. Contrary to alcohol addiction or other addictive substances, gambling addiction can quite often go unnoticed, since few gambling addiction symptoms can be easily recognized by the player himself or by his family or friends. In addition, a player may be in a state of self-denial and may not admit that he is facing problems with his gambling behaviour.

Statement 5: If you are feeling lucky on a particular day or if you have a lucky charm, then you have greater chances of winning.

Myth
Luck cannot be used to predict what will happen in the future. No lucky charm and no premonition can predict the outcome of an event, i.e. the outcome of a football match. Therefore, that is why gambling is an unpredictable and risky activity.

Statement 6: The more a person gambles, the better he’ll get.

Myth
A game of chance or a bet is not affected by another game of chance or another bet. Keep in mind that, there is no system or strategy that can improve your chances of winning. Each event has the element of luck and cannot be eliminated by continuous practice. Some knowledge and skill is needed for gambling, but luck still affects the outcome.