Superstitions In Poker

Superstitions in Video Poker

Due to the technology based video games, and their seemingly random nature, many people have been led to believe that either the Casino’s fix the game by choosing the cards that are dealt, or that some superstitions can either help them avoid bad luck, predict what will happen, or give them signs over what they should do.

Random Number Generators

The machines that are used to play video poker are known as Random Number Generators, which shuffle a 52 card deck endlessly, until the player chooses ‘deal’ or ‘draw’. The random nature of this ensures that each hand is dealt fairly and that the odds will consistently be the same. However, as with many seemingly random games, even more so in the casinos, some people have been led to a number of superstitions about the machines themselves. According to superstitions, the generators can be either ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ and deal a streak of good hands or bad, so depending on the machine that is being used, the player stands to win more or less money. This superstition could come from the term ‘cold hand’ to describe a streak of losses, or it could come from the way the machines are built. The machines will always generate random cards, but as a result of their being constantly working they can overheat and be more predictable. The casinos monitor for this however.

Gamblers Fallacy

This is a belief that can hold sway over any gamblers taking part in any game. Perhaps even more redundant in this case due the utter randomness of it, some players believe that if one hand has not been dealt, or there has not been a combination for a while, then it is due to happen. This is not just a belief unique to video poker, but it is perhaps exaggerated by the suspicion that...

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...ter returns. The gimmick games, such as ‘deuces wild’, or ‘full pay double bonus’ are considered less serious and for some reason are thought to offer better returns. Because of the inclusion of wild cards and special payments for certain hands, some players think that the odds are better, and that the machines become more generous.

Changing Machines is Changing Luck

Perhaps the simplest superstition that affects players’ response to playing video poker is the belief that by changing machines they are walking away from bad luck, the idea being that the particular machine they are playing on is dealing a losing streak, or that the player is having a bad luck streak. As with many superstitions, basic truths are completely disregarded, and this one is no exception. The odds for each hand are always the same no matter the machine due to their complete random nature.