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Originally Published: 19
July 2005
Updated: 25 October
2006
Lucky For Some - Gambling
Superstitions
Gambling at
online
casinos doesn't
make you immune from superstitions. These irrational beliefs
are in evidence in UK casinos, and there's no reason to
think that players in internet casinos are any less
susceptible to them than their offline counterparts. Our new
series looks at the weird and wonderful things that gamblers
believe bring them luck.
Gamblers And Their
Superstitions Online
Our series for online
casino fans on gambler's superstitions looks at the most
popular traditions - and asks how they can be adopted to
online gaming.
Superstition among the
general population is growing and gamblers are likely to be
more prone to irrational beliefs than most. This isn't
really surprising, given the role that luck, or what is
perceived to be luck, plays in gaming. However much the
rational part of you knows that you'd be better off studying
the mechanics of a game if you want to succeed at it, and
that winning is more down to the laws of probability and
mathematics than good fortune, there's always still the
feeling that the rabbit's foot or the lucky charm bracelet
might really help this time.
Breaking mirrors, walking
under ladders, leaving shoes on furniture - gamblers share
superstitions with the general population, but they are
likely to hold more significance if you are about to play a
game of chance. Gamblers have also developed and adapted a
few superstitions to suit their own world. So we ask: how
can they be adjusted to the online gambling
arena?
Salt
Many people believe that,
if they spill salt they should throw some over their left
shoulder to ward off the devil. There's no clear origin for
this, but salt has been considered valuable historically
because of its preservative powers. In the history of
gambling, there are many stories about salt.
One casino owner who was
losing money to high rollers is said to have sprinkled his
premises with salt in order to ward off bad luck. Some
gamblers are said to keep salt handy to sprinkle on slot
machines or even under gaming tables for luck.
Salt and Online
Casinos: It's probably not wise to think about sprinkling
salt on your computer - especially on the
keyboard.
Breath
Blowing on dice and cards
is meant to bring good luck. A possible origin for this is
the practice of spitting on tools such as axes to make them
work better.
Breathing and online
casinos: There's no reason why you shouldn't blow on your
computer, but we wouldn't advise you to spit on
it.
Dogs
Not that you're likely to
come across this in a land-based casino, but it's believed
to be bad luck for a dog to approach the gaming table. The
origins of this are obscure, but it may be simply down to
distraction. In any case, this is a superstition you can
easily adapt to the home environment.
Dogs and online
casinos: Just shut Rover in his basket away from your
computer desk while you're playing online.
Lucky
Charms
You can carry your
four-leaf clover or rabbit's foot with you wherever you
play, but it's been said before and we'll say it again - it
didn't work for the rabbit.
Chairs
To change bad luck at
cards, rise and turn three times with your chair, the old
superstition says.
Chairs and online
casinos: Swivelling computer chairs were made for this. Go
nuts.
Underwear
For reasons that are far
from clear, underwear seems to figure heavily in gambling
superstition. Underpants are a particular source of
superstition among jockeys - especially in the Grand
National, where jockeys will swear by their lucky smalls.
There's also the idea that wearing your underwear inside out
will bring you luck when you're playing. Fortunately, this
is a superstition you can adhere to anywhere, any time.
Underwear and online
casinos: Gaming in the privacy of your own home means you
can wear what you like!
Do you have an unusual
gambling superstition? Drop
us an e-mail and
tell us about it!
Click Here
To Read Read Part 2 Of This Series
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