Superstition in Casino Gambling
Gamblers are a superstitious bunch. From wearing lucky socks to blowing on dice, have a look around a casino and you will find plenty of superstition in gambling.
It all comes down to the idea that we can influence our future. While this might be true in terms of our life decisions, the jury is still out on whether such quirky behavior helps you win.
Since playing games of chance should be fun, I do not see any harm in adding a few more wacky ideas to the casino floor.
Casino Myths & Superstitions
While there is substance to the rule that you should better not take the first seat at a blackjack table, other gambling superstitions are pure myths. Speaking of blackjack one of such would be the idea that another player’s actions influence your hand.
Gambling myths such as this one might sound like they are coming straight out of a psychology or math book for beginners and therefore must be true. The next examples, on the other hand, have no resemblance to science whatsoever and yet many like to believe in their effectiveness.
Salt seems to play a big role when playing table and slot games. Sprinkle a bit of salt under the table or on top of the machine and your bad luck will turn into good fortune.
If you want to take it up a notch, why not bring your voodoo doll along, dressed like your favorite dealer? Whenever he or she does not provide you with a big win, your doll will surely convince him/her to rule in your favor from now on.
Dice superstition gambling also has an exceptionally long tradition. As already mentioned, blowing on your dice before throwing them or letting your lucky lady/man do it for you, is the oldest trick in the book.
Does it help? Unfortunately, there is no way to tell what would have been the outcome without blowing the dice unless you step into the respective parallel universe and find out.
Good Luck Charms for Gambling & Their Effectiveness
One of the most common good luck charms you will see in Asian casinos is the rabbit foot. Also, in western cultures this symbol promises good fortune.
Less common, is the Three-Legged Toad. Chinese legend tells us that this bullfrog appears near houses that will receive good news – but, of course, this only happens when there is a full-moon.
In many Chinese households, you will find a small toad statue with a coin in its mouth. Why should you have to wait for it to appear, if you can take matters into your own hands? Simply put your lottery ticket under your frog statue and wait for it to provide you with some much-needed good luck.
Another traditional symbol that has been borrowed for gambling purposes is the Nazar (and for even better effectiveness, Nazar combined with the Hand of Fatimah). This symbol is supposed to protect its wearer from the evil eye. Often regarded as a religious icon, I find the adaption a bit odd.
Both Islam and Judaism forbid gambling of any kind and yet you can see the evil eye protection popping up in casinos around the world. It would be like carrying a cross around while playing for money – oh wait, this also happens.
If you want to stick to tradition and not get it mixed up with religion, a good old-fashioned horoscope could be the solution for all your gambling related troubles. Simply find out what days in which months you should play.
Should you need further assistance, gambling horoscopes also provides you with your lucky numbers, according to your zodiac sign of course.
With all these amazing casino superstition hacks to choose from, your next gambling adventure will at least be far more colorful if not necessarily more lucrative.
For the latter you might want to stick to the math and other relevant scientific findings.
Last Updated: