There are many myths about the play of Electronic Gaming Devices (commonly referred to as slot machines), table games such as poker, and ticket lottery products. Here are the facts about many of these common misconceptions.

Electronic Gaming Devices (EGDs) or Slot Machines

	Myth:	There are “hot machines.”
	Fact:	All machines are programmed to pay out at random. There is no way to predict when or how much a machine will pay out. Each play result is drawn from all possible combinations and is totally independent from previous plays. In other words, spins are random from one another just like all LOTTO 6/49 draws are random from one another. This means that there is no such thing as a “hot machine.”
	Myth:	Some machines are “due” to pay.
	Fact:	EGDs are designed to pay out randomly. They follow no set pattern and there is no way to predict the outcome of a game.
	Myth:	Players can control the outcome of a game.
	Fact:	It is impossible for players to control the outcome of a game. Hitting the stop button will not impact the outcome of play in any way. In fact, the outcome of each spin is determined as soon as players hit the play button.
	Myth:	Players can develop skills and strategies to influence the outcome on a slot machine.

	Fact:	Not true, all outcomes are random.
	Myth:	If I lose money, I can win it back.
	Fact:	EGDs are programmed to pay out less than they take in over time, and the longer you play, the more likely you are to lose money. Gambling should be considered a form of entertainment, not as a way to invest or make money.
	Myth:	Sooner or later I will be due for a big win.
	Fact:	The truth is that the odds are always against you winning. You could win the first time you play or you could never win at all. It is completely random.

Table Games (i.e. Poker)

	Myth:	If you play your hand the same way each round, you increase your chances of winning.
	Fact:	There are many variables when playing table games such as poker. Your hand, your opponents, your position and the action that preceded you are all factors that must be taken into account during a hand. No two hands are alike which means you can’t play every hand the same way.
	Myth:	There is no randomness involved in table games.
	Fact:	Although player skill plays a role in the game, the cards you are dealt have no sequence and are distributed randomly in suites and value.
	Myth:	You must never fold on the first hand.
	Fact:	Folding should never be ruled out as an option in any hand, especially if you think the other players can beat your hand.

Ticket Lottery products

	Myth:	There are “hot numbers” that are drawn more often than others.
	Fact:	Lottery draws are completely random, so there are no hot numbers. Every number has an equal chance of being drawn, so every set of lottery numbers has the same chance of winning.
	Myth:	Retailers know which tickets are winners, and they sell these tickets to friends, family or staff.
	Fact:	Through strict security procedures, Atlantic Lottery ensures that no one knows which lottery tickets are winners. This includes everyone from ticket designers and employees who produce tickets to distributors and retailers. Integrity and honesty are the cornerstones of the lottery and its operations.
	Myth:	Players can control lottery outcomes by using various methods to forecast winning numbers.
	Fact:	Lottery results are completely random, so no one can control the outcome. It is impossible to predict a number beyond its overall probability of appearing among the winning numbers. A random guess has just as much chance at winning as playing birthdays, anniversary dates, or any personal system.
	Myth:	“Fresh” or newly arrived tickets are luckier than tickets from a previous week.
	Fact:	The probability of purchasing a winning ticket is the same over the lifespan of a lottery game. Unsold tickets from a previous week have the same chance of containing a winning ticket as newly delivered tickets.
	Myth:	It is possible for me to "chase" and recoup losses.
	Fact:	Lottery ticket series are created to pay out less than they take in over time, so the more lottery tickets you purchase, the more likely you are to lose money. Think of lottery ticket play as a form of entertainment, not a way to invest or make money.