On a scale from 1 to 10, how superstitious would you say you are? Don't worry, most people will usually deny being superstitious at all, despite their occasional finger-crossing or knocking on wood to steer clear from bad luck. Whether you are a genuinely superstitious person or you are only moved (and frightened) by a black cat crossing your way, we have some interesting things to tell you.
Lots Of Gamblers Believe In Superstitions
For starters, if you are a passionate gambler who loves to test out new casinos online and discover hidden gems or you prefer luxurious land casinos in Vegas, superstitions may be part of your gambling habits. Some more peculiar or strange than others, gambling superstitions are an interesting part of players' lives all around the world. Some would even swear by them.
Touching physical objects such as rabbit's foot amulets, performing various routines before or during a game, selecting the same color or number when playing roulette, listening to a certain lucky song or wearing a hat or socks that are supposed to bring good luck – there's no telling what a gambler might do for the sake of attracting Lady Luck to the table.
Look Away…Or Not?
Lots of casino gamblers will tell you that looking away while the roulette wheel is still spinning or just before a poker player is ready to reveal his last hand is going to help them win. Others will leave the table altogether. You will often times find this type of behaviour in soccer fans or coaches before a penalty hit. As for online casino players, they will usually cover their computer or phone screens with their hands or close their eyes waiting for all pokie symbols to show up on the screen.
Of course, there are also those who never do this, as they believe it would bring them bad luck. Which side are you on?
Red Is The Colour Of Prosperity
The Chinese consider the colour red as the luckiest of all, as it expresses prosperity. You will oftentimes find gamblers in Macau wearing red socks, shoes, underwear or jackets when sitting behind a real or virtual table of poker or blackjack. You can even find red casino rooms in Macau that players confide in when it comes to good luck carriers. Choosing red in a game of roulette is also considered to be a lucky move by a lot of superstitious players.
Crossing Fingers Or Crossing Legs?
One particular superstition is strongly tied to the human anatomy. Namely, legs and fingers and the way they are crossed when gambling. Some argue that crossing your legs while gambling will immediately dissipate any shred of good luck that was supposed to be reaching you. We are not sure whether playing a game of craps from home, on your mobile device, or from a computer would incur similar leg-crossing effects, given the complete freedom of movement virtual players have. However, you might want to avoid this particular sitting position when gambling both offline and online.
On the other hand, crossing your fingers when spinning the roulette wheel or hitting the spin button on a game of online pokies should trigger the opposite result: superstitious people believe it will bring you good luck and help you win (more often).
Counting Money
If you would ask more casino players, they would most certainly tell you that counting money while still seated at a casino table is a big no-no. This is especially true for card game players such as blackjack or poker. We can see why you should avoid doing it, whether you are superstitious or not: it's kind of rude to rub your small fortune in the face of less fortunate players. If you are engaged in an important poker tournament, for example, where the stakes are high, you would be regarded as unprofessional. All the negative attention that would be drawn upon you could very well cause you to lose your focus and start a losing streak.
Don't Use The Main Casino Entryway
Some people who enjoy playing brick-and-mortar casino games will normally avoid walking in using the front door, as they think it could bring them bad luck. The superstition is actually rooted in a real-life event. The MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas used to have a giant (fake) lion at the front door. This, of course, forced players who wanted to set foot into the casino to pass through the jaw of the lion. While there are no more lions and other frightful felines scaring off land casino players in Vegas or Atlantic City, players still continue to preserve this superstition even today.
Lucky Numbers
Lucky number 7 or maybe 13? If you have a number you consider to be lucky or unlucky, you wouldn't be the only one. The number 13 used to be considered unlucky in Western countries. The superstition is related to the Last Supper and the 13 people who were seated at the table. If we were to count Judas Iscariot as the thirteenth person having the Last Supper, it is easy to understand why 13 started being considered unlucky. There is no way of telling whether this is the actual reason why humankind started fearing 13, but this number is, undoubtedly, one of the most notorious bad luck numbers in most cultures of the world. You will oftentimes find hotels that are missing the 13th guest room or even the 13th floor in the case of tall hotels. They know most guests will refuse to accept accommodation there, so they are willing to skip them.
Gamblers who love the game of roulette will usually avoid betting on 13. Nevertheless, Asian gamblers regard 13 as a lucky number. The number 7 symbolizes prosperity in most parts of the world and it is oftentimes wagered on in casinos.
No $50, Please!
Some players refuse to accept $50 bills when it is time to collect their casino winnings, as they think it will bring them bad luck. The superstition is most likely connected to the mob gangsters who used to stuff $50 bills in the pockets of their victims.
