Gaming
Gaming
MYTH1
Casino gamblers are less likely to be responsible gamblers.
FACT
A national survey of American casino gamblers concluded:
- One in 10 casual bettors (those who have gambled at a U.S. casino between one and nine times in the past year) set a budget before they visit a casino
- Ninety percent casual bettors are able to track their spending
- Nine in 10 avid bettors (those who have gambled 10 times or more in the past 12 months) are aware of Responsible Gaming Resources such as Voluntary Self-Exclusion.
MYTH2
Machines are programmed to produce losing games if there have been too many wins recorded in a period. Machines are programmed to produce winning games if there have been too many losses recorded in a period.
FACT
Machines operate randomly at all times no matter what wins or losses have occurred in the past.
MYTH2
Certain times of the day are best for playing machines because they payout more at those times.
FACT
This is untrue and a superstition. Time of day or night does not impact how a machine operates.
MYTH2
A machine can be confused or tricked into producing winning combinations by doing things like altering play patterns, touching the machine in a certain way, changing bet levels, or changing speed of play.
FACT
Machines cannot be tricked or confused by such activities and operate randomly at all times.
MYTH2
After a run of losing games the machine will produce a run of wins.
FACT
A machine's previous results have no influence or effect over future games.
MYTH3
If I keep gambling, my luck will change and I'll win back the money I've lost.
FACT
Each time you place a bet, the outcome is completely independent of the previous one. This means that the odds are no more in your favor on the tenth bet than they were on the first bet. Over time, the more you risk, the more you'll lose.
MYTH3
I have a special strategy that helps me win. I pick certain numbers for the lottery and press the stop button on a slot machine at exactly the right time.
FACT
The outcome of most games of chance, particularly lotteries and slot machines, is completely random: You cannot influence it, regardless of what you do. For lotteries, this means that betting the same numbers every week won't help you win any more than betting different numbers will. It doesn't matter how many people have purchased tickets or what numbers you play - the odds are the same, regardless.
Whether or not you win playing slot machines is based solely on the randomly drawn numbers generated by the machine's computer - numbers which determine the game's outcome even before the reels stop. Pressing the stop button may speed up when you find out what the game's outcome is, but it won't influence what that outcome is in any way.
MYTH4
Quick Picks improve your odds of winning.
FACT
Every number has an equal chance of being drawn, whether you hand select each one or let a computer pick numbers for you, at random.
MYTH4
Choosing unpopular numbers improves the odds of winning.
FACT
Choosing a combination of numbers that you think few other people would pick does not improve the odds that those numbers will come up.
MYTH4
Picking the same numbers each week improves your odds of winning.
FACT
Each drawing is a separate and distinct event which means that each time a certain number is drawn, it has the same exact same chance of coming up as it did in prior drawings.
1 Source: American Gaming Association, www.americangaming.org/resources/survey-of-responsible-gaming-practices
2 Source: Gambing Technology Association, www.gamingta.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/playerinfo.pdf
3 Source: Responsible Gaming Council, www.responsiblegambling.org/safer-play/when-is-gambling-a-problem-/common-myths
4 Source: GAMESENSE.BCLC.COM.
Charitable Gaming
Charitable Gaming
MYTH
All drawings are raffles.
FACT
If an organization sells tickets for an event and sells tickets for a special drawing to be held at that event, the special drawing is considered a raffle.
If that same organization sold tickets for an event and everyone attending the event has an equal chance to win a prize from a drawing to be held during the event, the process of giving that prize away is considered a drawing.
If they are tying entries into a drawing to an event ticket and everyone has the opportunity to win a prize or multiple prizes, it’s a raffle. However, if everyone who enters the event gets a gift, it’s not a raffle.
MYTH
The maximum prize for an approved bingo game is $1,000.
FACT*
The maximum single prize for bingo is $5,000.
MYTH
The maximum bingo prize per occasion is $15,000.
FACT*
The maximum bingo prize per occasion is $15,000.
MYTH
There is no minimum age to play bingo.
FACT*
Consistent with other forms gambling in New York, the minimum age to play bingo is 18.
MYTH
Bingo players over the age of 18 must purchase a game card for an accompanying minor.
FACT
The Gaming Commission suspended Rule 4820.8 (Admission charge) requiring an adult 18 or over to purchase an admission card for an ineligible person, such as a minor, who wishes to attend a bingo occasion.
MYTH
Not-For-Profit Organizations do not have to report a winner’s prize to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
FACT
If the prize is more than $600 and more than 300 times the ticket price, then yes, the organization must report the winnings to the IRS using a W-2 G.
*Source: General Municipal Law sections 479(5) and 479(6)
General
General
MYTH
You have to gamble every day to be a Problem Gambler.
FACT*
A problem gambler may gamble frequently or infrequently. The frequency is not as important as the impact of the gambling. If your gambling is causing you or those around you to experience psychological, financial, emotional, marital, legal or other hardship then you have gambling problem.
MYTH
Problem Gamblers are irresponsible people.
FACT*
Many problem gamblers held or still hold positions of responsibility within their organization, community and home. There are certain individuals who are not able to control their gambling behavior and are more at risk of becoming a problem gambler or suffering from a gambling addiction.
*Source: Dr. Eric Geffner's Gambling Treatment Program, www.stopgamblingnow.com
Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel Wagering
Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel Wagering
MYTH
Any horse can be a race horse.
FACT*
Horse racing is restricted to thoroughbred horses, i.e. those that can trace their lineage to one of three original stallions. Thoroughbreds have the distinction of being able to run 1 and ¼ miles in approximately two minutes. Standardbreds are a breed of horse best known for their ability to race in harness at a trot or pace instead of under saddle. Nearly every Standardbred horse can trace its lineage back to a single sire born in 1849.
MYTH
Deciding which horse to wager on is as simple as going with your lucky number or favorite color.
FACT**
Seasoned track goers know there are multiple ways to pick a horse.
- Racing programs distributed at horse tracks contain information on how each horse has done in its most recent start. Look for the horses that have done well with similar track, distance, and surface conditions as those at the track where you are.
- Use the Racing Guide distributed at the race track to find the name of the jockey or trainer associated with a particular horse. Research the data under the horse's number and select the jockey or trainer to review their win-loss stats.
MYTH
Odds in horse racing refer to the likelihood your horse will win.
FACT**
Odds are certainly an indication of the popularity of a given horse in comparison with others in the race. But, more importantly, odds express the return you can expect to get if the horse you bet on is successful. The odds reflect the amount of money bet on a horse; the more money that is invested, the shorter the odds.
MYTH
Standardbred Horses are pacing horses.
FACT***
There are two types of standardbred horses seen in harness racing. The two types are differentiated by their 'gait' or leg movement style.
- The 'pacer' moves the legs on the same side back and forward together in what is known as a lateral gait.
- The trotter employs a diagonal gait; moving the front right leg in tandem with the rear left leg and vice versa.
MYTH
Harness racing is much slower than thoroughbred racing.
FACT****
Most horses that compete in harness racing are pacers (see above). Regarding the actual speeds these horses achieve during races, Thoroughbreds run at about 40 to 45 miles per hour, and Standardbreds run at about thirty miles per hour. During harness races, if the horse breaks their gait and accelerates into a canter or gallop they must be slowed back down into their correct gait or they will be disqualified. Maintaining control of the horse in either race takes a skilled hand; making both types of racing exciting to watch.
*Source: www.ezhorsebetting.com/racehorses.com; www.standardbred.org/thestandardbred.php
**Source: www.twinspires.com/betting-guides/what-do-horse-racing-odds-mean; www.totebet.com/harness-racing-trotting/beginners-guide/
***Source: www.totebet.com/harness-racing-trotting/beginners-guide/
****Source: www.horseracingradio.net/post/understanding-thoroughbred-racing-versus-harness-racing