We will introduce you to even the strangest superstitions, about which few have heard, and much less put them into practice
We will introduce you to even the strangest superstitions, about which few have heard, and much less put them into practice
Here’s a question for you: are you superstitious? Most people won’t admit it, even if they’ve occasionally knocked on wood or crossed their fingers to avoid bad luck. Guilty as charged, right? While there are numerous people who don’t take superstitions seriously, most cultures have nurtured some of these beliefs – especially when it comes to playing casino games in land-based casinos. Naturally, these superstitions have extended themselves to online casinos nowadays, too.
Today we’re going to go over some of the well-known gambling superstitions from all over the world and even those much weirder ones you might not have ever heard about.
And that’s not all! We’ve prepared a cool, one-of-a-kind animated infographic highlighting exactly those stranger superstitions from various countries you may not be aware of. Ready to dive into the wonderful world of common and uncommon casino superstitions with us? Let’s roll!
On another note (pardon the pun), said unlucky 50 dollar bill is also referred to as a ‘frog’ by gamblers.
Gamblers are thought to be among the most superstitious people and there are tons of different myths players believe in. These beliefs manifest in different forms; some players get attached to physical objects or routines; others, however, stick to certain numbers or colours when playing in land-based or online casinos. Before we move on to our live infographic illustrating the lesser known superstitions, let us quickly go over some of the most common gambling superstitions from around the world, shall we?
Certain people believe it’s bad luck to walk through the front door of a land-based casino. This belief originated in a time when there was a gigantic lion at the MGM Grand Casino entrance, forcing visitors to walk through the actual jaw of the animal on their way to the gaming floor. Superstitions aside, that had to have been some pretty scary stuff.
Back in the day players literally had to walk through the mouth of a gigantic lion to reach the inside of the MGM Grand Casino.
Even though the MGM Grand had their entrance changed eventually, some people will still use the side doors instead of passing through the main one. Just in case.
One of the most interesting and popular superstitions that come from Asia is that red is a lucky gambling colour. More specifically, for Chinese people red is the colour of prosperity and, therefore, a colour that brings good luck.
So what do superstitious gamblers do? They often wear red shoes, red underwear, red trousers or any other item of the same colour in order to increase their winning potential. There are even some casinos in Macau that have red rooms which were specifically made to bring good luck.
Yet another activity that most superstitious gamblers tend to avoid is counting money while playing online casino games. This kind of behavior is usually typical for card players.
While some gamblers swear it’s bad luck, others simply think counting money at the table is extremely rude and unprofessional.
Oh, what’s in a number! Truthfully, there are plenty of numbers in the world that could be considered “superstition numbers”, or good luck and bad luck numbers. However, we’ll all surely agree that none are quite as famous (or infamous!) as the numbers 13 and 7.
Somehow, 13 has always been considered to bring bad luck, especially in Western culture. Some people will tell you this belief dates back all the way to the Last Supper when there were thirteen people sat at the table. Or, more specifically, because one of those thirteen was Judas Iscariot himself, the man who betrayed none other than Jesus Christ.
Whether that’s its true origin or not, 13 is without a doubt one of the most famous bad luck numbers out there. Because of that, some hotels will miss the 13th floor or skip from room 12 straight to room 14. Why? Well, plenty of customers would deliberately avoid them, so why have them anyway?
Uh-oh! One belief says that if you cross your legs at the gambling table, that simple action will cancel out any good luck that might have otherwise come your way. So… maybe don’t do it?
On the other hand, just like in any other aspect of your everyday life, crossing fingers while playing at land-based or in online casinos should help you score that win, no matter what types of online casino games you choose to play. At least, superstitious gamblers will tell you so.
There are many players who believe that looking away or leaving the table while gambling will help snag a winning combo. Others, however, think it will bring them luck if they hide the screen while the game is still on.
Finally, there are those who don’t look away for a second, fearing that their absence would interfere with the game and bring bad luck.
Likewise, in the world of online casinos, people seem to be especially careful with the number 13, particularly while playing roulette.
The number 13 may be the most notorious bad luck number out there, but don’t be mistaken: it’s actually considered lucky in some parts of the world, too.
However, if you were to go against the current and ask yourself: “Wait, is number 13 a lucky number perhaps?” Well, in Asia, you would be right, as the number 13 is said to be one of the many symbols of good luck there.
On the contrary, the number 7 symbolises enjoyment and prosperity worldwide. What’s more, this number has a very special connotation when it comes to online gambling, principally when playing online slots and special versions of blackjack.
Now that we’ve got the popular superstitions out of the way, it’s time for some uncommon casino superstitions and superstitions in general. So, grab your lucky rabbit’s paw and let’s see what the rest of the world considers lucky or less than so!
It’s no news Louisiana is the home to various voodoo practices, so it makes perfect sense that this one particular belief comes straight out of New Orleans.
While we’ve established that most people in the world will avoid the number thirteen like the plague, in Japan it is number four that most people will steer clear of.
The reason for this anti-four sentiment? Simple. In Japan four is considered to be a bad luck number as it sounds the same as the word “death”. No wonder sometimes hospitals won’t have rooms
Let’s start with superstition from the United States. Did you know American players will not accept being paid with 50 dollar bills? It’s believed to be bad luck. This belief is thought to stem from mob gangsters stuffing 50 dollar bills in the pockets of the people they’ve murdered.
There are, of course, more casino superstitions that people believe bring them bad luck, including lending money to another player, playing on a polished table, touching other player’s shoulders, turning in the chair while playing, and whistling during gameplay.
In the Philippines, they are. In fact, superstitious people will rub a pregnant woman’s belly for good luck.
So, if there’s a pregnant woman at a casino, it is said that she will drive the bad energy away and bring players good luck.
The “itchy hand” belief holds true for various Slavic peoples with minor differences, so we’ll be talking Bulgaria and Serbia today. Basically, in Bulgaria if your right hand is itchy, it means you’ll be giving your money away soon.
So, gamblers beware: if you’re about to gamble and your right-hand starts itching, maybe stay away from a casino. You don’t wanna be giving away your money easily, do you?
In Serbia, it’s the same. Likewise, if your left hand is itchy, it means you’ll be receiving some money shortly. Well, how about that?
Yes, we know we literally just said that seven is considered a good luck number worldwide. However, when in Australia beware (and not just because lethal spiders are lurking around every corner); even if you think of the number seven, don’t say it out loud.
Apparently, it is bad luck to say “seven” out loud while playing craps in Australia and, if you were to actually do it, superstitious gamblers around you might have a word or two to throw at you. Something tells us those words wouldn’t be so nice to hear, either.
If you thought gangsters and murder victims were a curious belief, wait till you learn about this superstition from China. Namely, you will see Chinese gamblers feeding sugar to a baby ghost before starting their game of blackjack at a casino.
Wait, what baby ghost? Why, the Chinese believe that a baby ghost sits behind you at the gambling table and, if you feed it sugar before you play, it might bless you with good luck.
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