Gambling can be a destructive addiction that wreaks havoc on families, marriages and society as a whole.
Superstitions surrounding casino gaming vary based on individual beliefs and cultural traditions, making a lucky charm an easy way for players to exert some form of control over an otherwise random activity.
Counting chips
Casinos use various colors of chips to denote denominations. Some casinos also utilize special chips as part of their brand recognition strategy – these chips might feature the casino name, logo and other details printed onto them – such as Asian casinos that print their chips with an eight as it’s considered lucky in Chinese culture.
Many gamblers will bring along an amulet or lucky charm when entering a casino, wearing clothes or jewellery they wore prior to winning big, and consulting their horoscope in case there are any insights available therein about their future fortune.
Some gamblers touch the wishing well at casinos to bring luck to their game. Although this ritual may appear strange, it gives gamblers a sense of control in an otherwise random activity and provides courage for long-term play – they know if they don’t win today, there will always be another day!
Counting backwards
Anxiety can be a serious distraction when gambling and can make staying focused difficult. According to Mel Robbins, a best-selling author, counting backwards can be an easy and effective way to break out of negative thinking patterns that contribute to anxiety and procrastination.
Counting backwards involves subtracting n from a larger number by breaking it up into easier-to-count numbers such as sevens and sixes and counting on your fingers; whatever number comes to fruition on the last finger will be your answer.
Counting backwards gives the brain something to focus on and helps break up anxious thoughts, making this activity particularly useful for people prone to dwelling on their anxieties and dwelling on them. By counting, they can distract themselves from anxious thoughts while staying engaged with the game at hand.
Touching the machines
Many casino players believe that touching a casino machine will bring them luck, while pressing its buttons in certain orders to increase their odds of winning. Players sometimes even tap the screen in hopes of hypnotizing Lady Luck into helping them succeed!
Gamblers often use rainbows as lucky amulets, representing hope and unity. Players often wear jewelry with rainbow-shaped pendants or wear shirts printed with the color to bring luck. Celtic tribes, who practiced totemism (the belief that spiritual meaning can be attached to animal characteristics), also used rainbows as amulets against bad luck.
Some players like to carry around a rabbit’s rear foot as a symbol of good luck, an ancient Celtic tribe tradition believed to come from totemism and its recognition of rabbit as a sign of joy and fertility. Today Brits also frequently carry key chains with rabbits-shaped key rings for good luck!
Knocking on wood
Knocking on wood is one of the world’s most widespread superstitions, traditionally used to wish away bad luck or avoid future misfortune. Additionally, knocking can convey hope that good fortune will continue and is widely used across languages like Spanish (tocar madera) and French (toucher du bois).
Different theories attempt to explain the origins of this superstition. One suggests that people would knock on wood to summon spirits who lived within trees and thus gain protection against evil, while others believe the ritual began centuries ago when people boasted about their good luck; knocking would prevent malevolent spirits from listening in and ruining it all!
Superstitions may seem silly, but they often stem from deep cultural beliefs. When gambling at casinos, it’s essential to keep these traditions in mind in order to increase your odds of success and avoid activities that might jinx it – such as lending other players money or lending yourself out as collateral for loans.
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