A Look at Global Gambling Superstitions
& Lucky Charms
Gambling is something that has been around for centuries, and while skill and knowledge play an important role in sports betting, there is always a bit of luck involved as well. Since you need a bit of luck on your side to win a sports bet or to do well at a casino, it is no surprise that different beliefs, lucky charms, and superstitions have popped up over the years. In this article, we are going to look at some interesting gambling superstitions, lucky charms, and then finish off with some well-known superstitions from famous sportsmen and women.
Widespread Gambling Superstitions
Not all superstitions connected to sports betting and casinos apply all over the world. However, some of them do seem to be accepted by many gamblers regardless of their national or cultural background.
Unlucky Lover but Lucky Gambler
One funny but often quoted superstition is that if you are unlucky in love you will have plenty of luck when it comes to gambling. So, if you have been on a bit of a romance dry spell lately, then think about having a sports betting session or trying your luck at some table games as the gods will be on your side apparently.
Nobody really knows where this superstition came from, but it likely has something to do with the fact that many believe you cannot be lucky in everything. So, if you are lucky in love, you will not be lucky when gambling and vice versa.
Never Count Your Money When at the Table
Many gamblers have a belief that counting your money when you are still at the table is something that will bring you bad luck. It is not clear where this belief hails from as it is important to be aware as to whether you are up or down and need to call it a night. Nevertheless, you will get dirty looks from your fellow players if they see you counting your chips or money while at the table.
Do Not Lend Money to Others
Some people have the belief that lending money to other players is something that will lead to a spell of bad luck. Helping another human being out will usually bring you good luck but giving money to another gambler is something that will supposedly do the opposite. This is probably one of the better superstitions that you can have because lending money to somebody in a casino or a bookmaker is not a wise idea, so if you need a superstition then this is the best one to have.
Walk Away from the Table
Walking away before the final results have landed is believed to bring plenty of luck. For instance, once you have made a roulette bet, you should take a few steps away and not look again until the ball has stopped. Many believe that this is a tactic that will increase your chances of winning. Like most superstitions, there is no logical reason why the ball would change paths and land on your number just because you are not looking.
However, since it does no harm either, stepping away from the table for a moment will give you a few seconds to clear your mind and think about what you are going to do next.
Famous Lucky Charms
Aside from doing or not doing certain things, gamblers over the years have come up with plenty of objects that they feel bring plenty of good luck and keeps back luck at bay. Keeping such items on your person while you are playing is supposed to increase your chances of winning. Below we are going to take a look at some well-known lucky charms.
Lucky Coins
Coins of all sizes and shapes are usually carried around for good luck. Unlike with other lucky charms, there is no particular reason that can explain why one coin would be lucky. Many just choose one coin to be their lucky one for reasons that they only know. However, in ancient times, people had a belief that metals were gifted to them by gods so having metal on you was seen as a way of bringing good luck - coins are easy to carry because of their size.
Four Leaf Clover
Shamrocks and four-leaf clovers are widely believed to bring the holder good luck. This belief has Celtic roots as druids believed that wearing a clover could help them to spot creatures and demons from the underworld. Four leaf clovers, due to how rare they are, were considered to be even more powerful. Today's ideology that four leaf clovers are lucky probably has something to do with the druids’ beliefs. However, the fact that it was used by 18th century Catholics as a symbol of resistance and pride probably helped a little too. So, the next time you want to bet on cricket online or play your favourite table game, try holding onto a four-leaf clover.
Rabbit's Foot
Everybody has heard that a rabbit foot is meant to bring good luck and it is a symbol that gamblers all over the world carry on their person. A rabbit's foot first came to be seen as a lucky symbol in Celtic culture around 600 B.C. The Celts felt that rabbits were lucky creatures because they have a connection to the spirits and gods of the underworld. This is not a lucky charm that we can get on board with to be honest as we do not believe in harming animals all for the sake of maybe getting a bit luckier.
Sports Stars with Superstitions
We probably all believe in something that we cannot justify to those around us. It does not make sense to our friends or loved ones, but it makes perfect sense to us. Sportsmen and women are no different when it comes to superstitions, and this is what we are going to take a look at right now.
Tiger Woods: He believes that wearing red when playing golf brings him good luck, and it must have worked for him as he has picked up a career grand slam on three occasions. Red is also seen as a lucky colour in Chinese culture, which is why it is used during important events such as festivals and weddings.
Serena Williams: She is one of the most successful female tennis players of all time, so what does she owe her success to? Well, she will wear the same socks until she loses a game.
Cristiano Ronaldo: When Ronaldo travels with his teammates by plane, he has to be the first off. However, if they travel to their destination by coach, he waits so that he is the last off. When he goes out onto the pitch, he will step onto the field with his right foot first. If all these rituals were not enough, at half-time he has to fix his hair to make sure that it is on point. All these rituals must work for him as he is one of the best footballers of all time.
There is nothing wrong with having superstitions and rituals, but if you get to the stage where you have as many as Ronaldo, then you could possibly have an addiction. Thankfully, addictions can be treated in several ways nowadays. So, if you feel that you need help to overcome any type of addiction, do not be embarrassed to seek it.