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Many gamblers have little things they do that they believe will increase their luck. It’s no secret that gambling is a game of luck, but is it possible that there are other forces in play here? Do you really think it’s possible to change your luck? Since, gamblers believe (against the odds) that they will win. It isn’t hard to see why they believe (against the odds) that superstitions are true.
Some of the most common superstitions are not just about gambling, but luck in general. Some examples are: don’t break a mirror, don’t walk under a ladder, etc. Some things that are generally perceived as good luck are: rabbit’s feet, four leaf clovers, etc. However, for a true gambler the superstitions go much farther than these. When it comes to playing craps, many people insist on blowing on the dice before rolling them. Why? Well, probably because this is just a way to put a personal touch on the dice besides just by touching them. Maybe people think that their spit has more luck than their hands. (It just seems unsanitary).
Many superstitions that we believe in today are rooted from Chinese culture. The Chinese are, as a whole, a superstitious culture especially when it comes to games involving numbers. The number “8” is said to relate to prosperity. This is the reason why kids buy lucky 8 balls as toys. The number “4” is said to relate to death. Chinese gamblers are often superstitious about the numbers of their hotel rooms when traveling to Vegas and many will not stay in rooms with the number 4 in them. In Cantonese the number 4 sounds like the word for “die," while the number 8 sounds similar to the word for “prosperity.”
Other superstitions that stem from Chinese culture is the idea that the color red brings good luck. Many people believe in wearing the color red somewhere on their body while gambling. This comes mostly from the ancient Chinese belief that the color red represents money and power. Much Chinese culture stems from the belief in a balance of elements: wood, water, fire, metal, and earth. Red is said to represent fire which is necessary in a persons life because fire is the element that brings a person luck.
One of the most popular superstitions in American culture is the belief in “beginner’s luck.” Many gamblers will tell you tales of the money that they won when they first started playing and many of us have probably witnessed this first hand. You sit at a table with a friend and they say, “I don’t gamble.” You hand them a few chips, tell them what to bet and when, and the money seems to just pour in. Well, the theory behind this “phenomenon” is simply that the beginning gambler does not “worry” or “over think” their next move. This superstition is really based on the fact that the beginner isn’t superstitious yet. (We’ll give you a second to wrap your brain around that.) The beginning gambler is not thinking about what the next card “may” be or what they “think” will happen. The beginning gambler just plays by the rules and doesn’t try to predict in any way. And by default, the beginning gambler wins because he or she simply played smart instead of focusing on other things.
Other traditional superstitions include not playing cards in a room with a dog in it. It is considered good luck and just common courtesy to wait until everyone’s cards are dealt before picking up yours. When all the cards have been dealt, pick them up with your right hand and use only that hand should touch the cards. In some casinos, it is even considered suspicious to casino staff if a person keeps both hands on the table.
Although it seems unlikely that any of these things will increase your chances of winning in Las Vegas. It seems even more unlikely that they will hurt your chances. So if superstitions are your game, we won’t laugh at you.
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