Do Bent Packs in Pokémon TCG Boost Rare Card Odds?

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The recent hype around bent packs in the Pokémon TCG Pocket has taken the internet by storm. Many believe that opening packs with bent or creased corners might lead to finding rarer or more valuable cards. But is there any truth to this? Do these bent packs really offer better odds or special cards? The rarity of these bent packs does lend some credibility to the idea, but we aimed to uncover the facts behind the rumor through testing.

What are Pokémon TCG Pocket Bent Packs?

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Bent packs in Pokémon TCG Pocket—those unique card packs with slight creases or curves at the corners—do not seem to yield better rewards or rarer cards compared to standard packs. Some players believe that these packs are “heavier,” which is part of the speculation.

While we can’t completely confirm this without diving deeper into the game’s mechanics, our extensive testing suggests that the cards drawn are determined the moment you select “Open a Pack,” regardless of whether it’s a bent pack or not.

Here are several reasons backing this conclusion:

Some players have reported seeing their card results in the Wonder Pick before making their selection, suggesting that the outcomes are predetermined (shoutout to @PokeNinaa).
When opening 10 packs simultaneously, you cannot choose individual packs from the carousel, indicating that selecting a bent pack doesn’t influence the outcome.
After opening many packs with bent corners, we found no significant difference in odds of pulling rare cards versus packs without bends.

This indicates it’s more of an illusion of choice rather than a legitimate impactful difference. We’re continually investigating this theory and will provide updates if new evidence arises. However, current observations suggest that a bend in the pack is merely a minor visual feature, reminiscent of the packs themselves. In a way, it’s like trying to utilize an old Gameboy cheat code to make catching Pokémon easier.

Looking for guaranteed rare cards? Check out our guide on the Pokémon TCG Pocket Lapras ex Event to discover how to conquer the limited-time challenges and acquire those exclusive promo cards.