Superstitions and gambling come hand in hand in case of people who believe they can, in some way or another, predict or even control the outcome of a dice roll or a roulette spin. Since times immemorial humans believe in certain tricks that can bring one good luck or ominous signs that foretell misfortune.
It is curious how gambling remains to be one of those rare activities where superstitions still find a fertile ground to influence the decisions we make. It seems that when people stake real money gambling becomes a sort of magic for them.
In this article we are going to talk about the most popular gambling superstitions and try to make you see that no matter the common beliefs, but both newbies and seasoned gamblers should rely on expert online casino reviews and feedbacks of trustworthy sites, and of course keep your mind sharp before jumping the gun with high stakes.
Common Gambling Superstitions
There are a couple of superstitions that almost every gambler who regularly visits land based casinos knows about.
For example, there is a widespread belief that when one crosses his legs while sitting at the gaming table playing some card game he will inevitably repel any good luck that might have otherwise come to him. Other gambrels firmly believe that one should not leave the table during the game.
Yet another superstition that we often come across talking with many gamblers is that one should not count the money while the game is still on.
Although among the gamblers in Western countries there is a belief that one should avoid the number 13 as much as possible, especially when playing roulette games in Asia, it is said to bring good luck.
In accordance with other popular superstitions, one is not recommended to lend money to other players, play the games of chance on a polished table or touch the shoulders of other.
Irrational Beliefs Among High-Rollers
Among high-rollers who frequent visitors of casinos in Las Vegas superstitions can become especially quirk. For example, many rich gamblers prefer to sleep in a bed with no headboard since the latter can attract bad fortune.
Some superstitious millionaires are said to scatter lemons and oranges around the room and poke them to “let the luck in”.
High-rollers from Asia like to fill their water basins to the brim sometimes flooding the bathroom and the room underneath.
Other casino visitors are afraid to throw away any little thing that they come in contact with during their stay believing that luck can come through any object. As a result, there can be mounds of cigarette ashes or other trash left in the hotel room after a gambler leaves it.
Superstitions Breed Problem Gambling
Although they may appear to be quite harmless, superstitions may lead to pathological gambling. At least recent sociological studies show that problem gamblers are often found to be believing in some sort of superstitions while playing the games of chance.
The problem is that superstitions give players a certain feeling of control that they can exercise over the game. In other words, while falsely believing that they can predict the outcomes of a gambling session based on the fact which number has shown itself at the table, superstitious gamblers gain a deceptive feeling that they can predict the future and become immune to losses.
Has Anything Changed In The Age Of Online Gambling?
Of course, since there are no physical dices in online casinos one cannot blow at them before making a roll. However, when it comes to irrational beliefs which are associated with numbers, little has changed with the advent of web casinos.
For superstitious gamblers, there is hardly any difference between the results which are produced by a Random Number Generation algorithms and the outcomes of a physical roulette or a dice roll.
Besides that, there are probably some new superstitions which have appeared among the online gamblers in recent years which researchers still have to uncover in the future. For example, we have heard that some web gamblers believe that it is better not to look at the screen of one’s smartphone or PC while waiting for the winning combination to repel misfortune.
Artificial Intelligence Can Scientifically Bring Luck
Today in the age of machine learning and significant computing power readily available at an average PC it becomes possible to improve one’s odds in a scientific way rather than with the help of irrational beliefs. Some of the famous researches in the field of Artificial Intelligence claim that in the near future AI apps will help gamblers make better predictions about the chances to win a particular bet at an online casino.
Tags: online gambling
