Casino gambling superstition

In one of our last articles we introduced you to a few of the most successful and incredibly wealthy gamblers. They have achieved all of this through mathematics, sophisticated software, and probability theory. But today we look to the other side - a dark, sinister and mystical side full of superstitions. Where people risk their winnings and weird rituals and irrational beliefs outweigh the fight against the house. Why should you act with common sense and prove yourself with your skills, if you can't just wear red underwear or a hare's paw around your neck. Perhaps one should also sprinkle a few herbs and say a lucky spell? So get rid of the logic! Here are a few of the most popular casino superstitions - from funny to weird to completely absurd. If you are a fan of playing online casinos, then we advise you to choose the best online casinos here.

Why are players actually superstitious?

Casino games, especially roulette, dice, and slots, involve a lot of opportunities for superstition. Especially if you don't have the right strategy, method or some fail-safe system that guarantees you victory, you have no choice but to use unconventional methods. Ultimately, superstition has been part of human culture since time immemorial. Sacred rituals and spells were used long before organized religions existed. And while we've turned a little away from sacrificing a virgin and knocking on the wood, one study found that 54% of people are still superstitious these days. Whether it's selective memory loss, irrational behavior, or a regressive mindset, it still affects gamblers' actions.

The gamblers' misconception

In reporting on gambling psychology, we touched on gamblers' errors - a false motivation claiming a non-existent correlation between a series with the same outcomes and a future series. This is often the case with roulette. The player keeps betting on the same color and thinks that after a certain number of red or even results a black or odd series will come. This is an obvious misinterpretation of probability theory, which looks at the random mechanism of a random game such as slots, roulette and dice. The previous results cannot in any way affect the next. So the chance red of getting red results after a series of red results is still 50:50. The mathematician Stanislaw Ulman demonstrated precisely this fact in 1946 when he developed the so-called "Monte Carlo Method". Using random outcomes in casino games, Ulam has confirmed the theory that there is no connection between outcomes. He had shown that if the ball landed on black after a dozen spins, it could land on black again on the next round. And that without a rhythm or reason.

Luck in the game - bad luck in love?

Well, we don't know how to write about it without provoking or insulting anyone - however, an article published in 2017 is on very thin ice. We then looked at the most successful gamblers to look for a connection. However, the results of our admittedly unsuccessful research have remained inconclusive. For example, Edward E. Thorp, who invented card counting and made hundreds of millions from it, had a happy marriage for over 50 years. Billionaire Bill Benter also has a beloved wife and child. And then there's Dan Bilzerian, whose romantic side is tossing nightclub models and porn stars off rooftops. So we leave this point open for further interpretations.

How to help your luck

Many gamblers perform a gambling ritual before or during the game. Or they hold some kind of good luck charm that they believe can work against science and logic against and will affect the completely random outcome of a random game. Yes, now you don't have to roll your eyes and pretend you don't rub your hawk's claw every time before every bet. Who does that?

• Lucky charms: They come in different designs, the most popular are among others: a horseshoe, a four-leaf clover or a hare's paw. * Disclaimer: Dear PETA, we do not support this practice in any way. We ask you not to report this here. The only rabbit abuse we could ever be charged for would be excessive cuddling and nose nudging. Or posting their fluffy faces on social media portals without any cuddly attunement for the fluffy domestic rodents.
• Rituals: You may have a lucky charm or you may be wearing red underwear, but to be on the safe side, many gamblers perform an act or routine to attract happiness. These rituals are usually performed before the roulette wheel spins or before you roll a dice.
• A partner who brings you luck: A partner who brings you luck: If you think that your lucky charm should still have a few characteristics, such as breathing, you can bring a lucky companion to the casino. Perhaps a lucky charm with a fully functional cardiovascular system and limbs intact can appease the gambling gods more than a severed limb from a dead animal can. But who can judge that. Ultimately, Bond had his girls cheering him on or puffing him on the dice and Monica had Chandler to yell at ... Just make sure you bring a loyal companion and not someone to dance away with your winnings. We can all remember the gentleman who lost $ 100,000 to his glamorous companion, right?
• Leaving the Table: Many players believe that leaving the table while playing can have an impact on their chances of winning. However, other players assume the opposite and think that getting up, walking around or looking away is good luck in slots. Which side you want to join now depends entirely on how much you can train your bladder and adjust the number of your toilet visits.
• Clothing that brings good luck: Many people use this aspect not only in gambling but also in their private lives. They attribute a supernatural effect to them. And while they keep you warm or cold, are comfortable to wear, highlight your skin color and underline the color of your eyes - they should help you to win a jackpot. Yes ... Well, there hasn't been a casino job at Project Runway yet. So Heidi, we are waiting for you! Put it into action!
• Lucky numbers and lucky colors: Okay, this aspect isn't the most exciting. If you look at the role and meaning of numbers in religion, number sequence and so on, this superstition is widespread. The 7 is widely used as a lucky number and therefore there are 7 symbols in the slot games. Many people also play the lottery with their own lucky numbers. Numerologists could make so much money providing lucky personal numbers that they could probably pay quad of a kind an entire education. Colors can also be seen as bringing luck or misfortune: this is particularly evident in Chinese culture. Many gamblers wear red clothes when playing or bet on red at the roulette table.

Do not be superstitious - it will bring you bad luck

It is not enough just to equip yourself with lucky accessories and recite numbers out loud. You also need to be well versed in the gamblers' superstition etiquette, especially when it comes to keeping bad luck away. Here are a few things that are considered bad omen at the casino table:

• Cross Your Legs: Crossing your fingers is a universal gesture to gesture hope and wish for happiness. Crossing your legs, however, is the opposite. It is believed that with this seemingly irrelevant gesture, happiness is "highlighted". Yep, your hope in rationality fades when you really think that this has to do with good posture or a balanced pelvis and a straight back.
• Using the front door: Using the front door: This belief is not that widespread; it is based on the idea that when you enter the casino, the misfortune of the loser may hang on you. Chinese customers had a particular problem with the old entrance to the MGM Grand, which represented an open snapdragon. In her opinion, the entrance indicated that one would be eaten alive. In order to take the gamblers' fear of being devoured, the entrance was rebuilt by popular request. If you think about it, this could be seen as a good metaphor for the addiction. But we don't want to go into that now. So it goes on:
• Counting your money at the table: If you refuse to let the money rain on you, you not only come across as a tactful and well mannered player to the other people at the table - you also prevent future losses. This is based on the popular belief that pride comes before the fall. Or maybe someone took Kenny Rogers' lyrics too seriously. Take it away, Kenny.
• Unlucky numbers and colors: The notorious number 13 is widely avoided and feared in many cultures. The associated superstition goes well beyond gambling. Through a couple of connections with death, this number has become so loathed that it even has a phobia of its own - triskaidecaphobia is not funny to many people. The companies also take it seriously and thus the number has already been banned from many hotels and other buildings in the corridors and rooms. So it's hardly surprising that this number is the least bet on this number in roulette. In terms of colors - black is also associated with death and is generally believed to be unlucky.
• $ 50 bills: While Chinese customers have had a problem walking through a lion's mouth, American gamblers have other concerns. Some of them believe that $ 50 bills are unlucky and even refuse to be paid in those denominations. At a time when most of Las Vegas was still ruled by the Mafia, it was rumored that the gangsters would put $ 50 bills in the pockets of those who tried to bury them in the desert. Since then, the 50 dollar bill has been given an ominous meaning.