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Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Gambling Superstitions - Logic vs. Tradition

From: 777.com


Superstitions have been an inseparable part of gambling since the first bet ever made. Gamblers from around the world sometimes even share the same superstitions and some countries even have a unique set of believes, that determine what is considered lucky and unlucky.

Many gamblers believe that their fortune or misfortune can come from various situations or the way they or their environment will act in a given situation. The superstitions they believe can have a strong effect on them, sometimes even with seemingly unimportant superstition like saying a certain word at the wrong time.

Some of the superstitions are somewhat believable and some are absolutely absurd.

The truth is that almost every gambler, no matter how logical he is, has some form of superstition, one that they might not even be aware of.

Many gamblers actually believe that they can provide their game play an edge by practicing strange beliefs and behaviors. While most gamblers have adopted their own set of superstitious beliefs, there is still a common set of beliefs that many gamblers share.
What we believe in

Here are a few examples of common superstitions that gamblers believe in:

Breaking a mirror; the color black; walking under a ladder and dogs near a gambling table are all omens of bad luck.

On the other hand, carrying a four leaf clover, a rabbit's foot, a horseshoe or a lucky item of clothing will bring good luck.

Good luck also comes knocking at your door if you blow on the dice before you roll them; stack your gambling chips neatly; cross your fingers or are around the color red.

Even psychological studies show the superstitious nature of gamblers. The cognitive theory of gambling shows how the false beliefs gamblers can lead to chasing losses, mood swings, withdrawal, deceitfulness, and other negative consequences. Although superstitious gamblers are not necessarily gambling addicts, it does show that the core belief of some gamblers can be quite powerful on their behavior.

Research suggests that the core cognitive error lies in the gambler's notions concerning randomness.

More than a decade ago, Gaboury and Ladouceur, psychologists from the University of Laval in Canada, who researched the subject, invited participants to think aloud while gambling and observed that 70 percent of the verbalized perceptions were erroneous.

Some of the comments by gamblers were "The machine is due; I need to continue"; "Here is my lucky dealer; I always win with him"; and "Today I feel good; it must be my lucky day." Similar results were observed with different games-blackjack, roulette, lotteries and video lotteries.
Chinese superstitions

The Chinese have a special place among superstitious people. They can be very superstitious, especially when it comes to gambling. Some Chinese gambling superstition thinking and behavior have become essential parts of the Chinese culture and are popularly accepted by most of the population.

Chinese believe that picking the right numbers can affect one's fortune. Some Chinese gamblers even avoid certain hotel room numbers like "58" (sounds similar to "won't prosper" in Cantonese) or "4" (sounds similar to "die" in Cantonese) and choose positive hotel room numbers like "18" (sounds similar to "will definitely prosper" in Cantonese) or "84" (sounds similar to "prosperous until death" in Cantonese).

To a Chinese person, the number "8" relates to prosperity and the number "4" is relates to death. Numbers such as "3", "6" and "9" are also considered to be good numbers that, when combined correctly with the number "8" or other numbers, can contribute to good chances of winning when gambling. A combination of so-called good numbers include "1388" (which sounds similar to "prosperity in one's lifetime" in Cantonese), "998" (sounds similar to "prosper for a long time" in Cantonese) and "168" (sounds similar to "prosper all the way" in Cantonese). 888 casino, one of the most successful casinos online, leverages the meaning of the number "8" to create a very strong brand under 888.com domain name.

Picking the wrong numbers, however, can spell big trouble. A Chinese gambler will avoid staying in "wrong" hotel rooms, with bad numbers and will generally stay away from such numbers before going to a casino. Superstitious gamblers might also perform rituals that will bless the gambler with good fortune and will keep away bad luck such as praying, offering fruits to the gods etc.

These are some superstitions that are very common among Chinese people:

* Don't count money during a gambling session.
* Stay away from sex and females (for men)
* Avoid seeing monks or nuns before going to a casino.
* Wear red underwear when gambling.
* Do not touch someone's shoulder while he is gambling.
* Females are more likely to win during their period.
* Don't check into hotels with bad numbers like 4 or 14.
* Don't enter casinos through their main entrance for it is cursed.
* Switch on all the lights at home before going out to gamble.

Learn More: Gambling Knowledge


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