People have been gambling for millennia. From ancient civilizations to this very day, gambling has always been a part of our lives in one way or another. And, while winning or losing plays an important role in the process, gambling is also a way to test one’s luck. Luck, as an abstract notion, is deeply connected to gambling.
Since you need good luck to be by your side to win, it is no surprise that, over the years, people have come up with different beliefs, superstitions, and lucky charms supposed to help bring good luck their way and chase away the bad one.
In this blog, we’ll look into some of the most interesting superstitions and lucky charms found around the globe. If you’ve been to casinos, the odds are you’ve probably heard about some of these already. In fact, it is safe to say many of us even have our own lucky charms, even if we don’t believe in their powers too much.
Widespread Gambling Superstitions
Not all superstitions connected to gambling apply in all parts of the world. Some of them, however, seem to be commonly accepted by a majority of gamblers regardless of their cultural or national background. These are some of the funniest and most interesting ones.
Never Count Money at the Table
Many gamblers believe that counting money while still playing brings bad luck. It is unclear where this idea comes from since it is quite important to know where you’re at while playing so to know if you’re up or down and if you should call it a day.
However, many experienced players will scorn you for counting your money or chips while still at the table. Counting should only be done when you’re ready to cash out – otherwise you’re inviting an unlucky streak.
Unlucky Lover, Lucky Gambler
One of the funniest but also most commonly quoted superstitions is that those who have no luck in love have better luck in gambling. So, if you’ve had a dry spell in terms of romance lately, take your money to the nearest casino and go for it – gambling gods will apparently be by your side.
Once again, it is uncertain where this superstition comes from. It might have something to do with the fact that people believe you can’t be unlucky in everything so at least something must go your way. I’d advise caution when it comes to this one because, if it were true, I’d be a millionaire by now.
Never Lend Money at the Tables
Some people seem to believe lending money to other players at the table brings bad luck. While helping out a fellow human being is general believed to bring good karma, giving money to a gambler to continue gambling is, apparently, just the opposite.
I’m not sure what to make of this one but it is one of better superstitions to have. Lending money in a casino is generally not a good idea (unless you’re lending to someone you know very well), so if you have to have one superstition to stick to, make it this one.
Walking away from the Table
Walking away from the table before results are in is believed to bring good luck. For example, once you place bets on roulette, you should walk away and not look back until the ball lands. Many gamblers believe this will help you win more often.
Like most superstitions, there is no a logical explanation for why the roulette ball would change its path and land somewhere else if you aren’t around. However, since it can’t hurt either, taking a brief walk after placing a big bet might at least give you a moment to clear your head and have a think about whether it might be time to call it quits.
Lucky and Unlucky Dealers
No matter what casino on the planet you walk into, regular players will always have their lucky and unlucky dealers. Despite the fact dealers just shuffle cards or throw the ball, many players believe that some of them are luckier than the others. And, of course, someone’s luckiest dealer is someone else’s unluckiest one.
Superstitions connected to dealers are usually quite harmless but can become a bit of nuisance with particularly rude players. They’ll sometime disrupt the play and create uncomfortable atmosphere by berating the dealer, which really helps no one. No matter how superstitious you are, keep in mind dealers are just doing their job and they don’t care whether you win or lose.
In fact, most dealers root for the players to win, because winners leave tips – losers don’t. So, if they could somehow channel their inner energy, they’d probably make it so more players win big.
Chinese Gambling Superstitions
Although gambling and gambling superstitions are found in all countries in the world (more or less), Chinese players make up a special group. Gambling is a part of Chinese culture so it is no surprise they have many beliefs particular to their culture not found with players from Europe or the US.
Strong Belief in Feng Shui
Chinese people in general believe in feng shui, i.e. they are convinced the world is filled with force (Chi), which can be manipulated through the art of placement, among other things. So, Chinese gamblers are very sensitive when it comes to the way casino floors are arranged. Furthermore, they tend to stay away from main entrances because they believe doors are cursed by feng shui masters.
Wearing Red Brings Good Luck
If you want to have good luck while playing, you should wear red clothes to a casino. Red color symbolizes good fortune and prosperity in Chinese culture so this belief extends to gambling as well. The best way to guarantee good fortune is to put on red underwear.
Power Behind the Numbers
Chinese gamblers are very keen on numerology, i.e. believing certain numbers are luckier than others. Eight is generally believed to be a lucky number, connected to wealth and prosperity. Four, on the other hand, is on the opposite side of the spectrum, and should be avoided as much as possible.
Famous Lucky Charms
Apart from doing (or avoiding) certain things, gamblers through the history have come up with many objects that are believed to bring good fortune and keep bad luck away. Keeping these objects on you while playing is supposed to help you win and reasons for it are, once again, connected to certain myths and superstitions.
Lucky Rabbit’s Foot
A rabbit’s foot is one of the best known lucky charms around, carried by gamblers from all four sides of the world. The belief has its roots in the Celtic culture, dating to around 600 B.C. Namely, Celts believed rabbits in general were lucky animals because they had a special connection to gods and spirits of the underworld.
Today, many people believe that a rabbit’s foot can bring you good luck, in gambling and in life in general. However, if you want to really do it right, keep in mind that it should be the left hind foot – apparently this is the one where all good fortune is hidden.
Four Leaf Clover
Four leaf clovers and shamrocks are also widely believed to bring good luck. The belief, once again, has Celtic roots. Namely, druids believed wearing a clover on their person could help them see demons and creatures of the underworld; four leaf clovers, because of their relative rarity, were considered even more powerful.
Today’s conviction that four leaf clovers bring good luck probably has to do with this ancient talismanic use by the druids. However, the fact that it was used as a symbol of pride and resistance by Irish Catholics during the 18th century probably helped as well.
Lucky Pennies (Coins)
Coins of all shapes and sizes are often carried around as good luck charms. Unlike with some other lucky charms, there aren’t special reasons to explain why a particular coin would be considered lucky. Most people simply choose an individual coin as their lucky charm for reasons only known to them.
More generally speaking, though, in ancient times, people believed metals were gifts from gods so having them on your person could bring good luck – and thanks to their small size, coins were easy to carry around.
Conclusion: Can You Boost Your Luck at the Tables?
Superstitions and lucky charms described in this blog represented just a small fraction of various beliefs spread around the world. The fact is, people are deeply convinced there is a way to influence your luck and give fortune a boost. From a rational perspective, there is really no reason to believe any of this, as “luck” is just another name for random occurrences.
However, it isn’t hard to understand why people choose to believe these things, especially when it comes to gambling. Since we’re going against the odds as it is every time we gamble, the idea of having something to give us that extra push is certainly nice. Even if it isn’t realistic.
So, the bottom line is, everyone is entitle to gamble they feel most comfortable. Lucky charms and superstitions may be just empty beliefs but, at the end of the day, they can’t hurt your chances. They either work and help your luck or they don’t work at all, in which case it doesn’t matter.
Thus, if you feel more comfortable playing with your lucky coin around your neck, don’t let anyone tell you you’re wrong – you have every right to take your lucky charm with you even if it only helps you feel better and nothing else!
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