Links are simply a numbers game - whoever has the most will rank the highest.

This statement is false because link quality, relevance, and diversity are far more important than sheer quantity. A few high-quality, authoritative backlinks from relevant websites will provide significantly more SEO value than hundreds of low-quality, spammy links. Search engine algorithms prioritize links that demonstrate genuine editorial endorsements and pass along strong "link equity" or "PageRank." Focusing solely on the number of links often leads to acquiring detrimental links that can harm a website's ranking, or even result in penalties.