Coming from a very superstitious country, I grew up getting familiar with a lot of them and as I grow older I just become even more aware particularly in the context of gambling. Now, I am not recommending everyone to follow superstitions as at the end of the day, that is all they are: superstitions.

We often say that following superstitions would not cost us anything but for some, it may cause them mental distress and anxiety. Anyway, it is still pretty interesting to learn about superstitions and their origins no matter what your purpose is. Either just to laugh at how ridiculous it is or to meticulously follow them when you gamble, I don’t know but I would love to discuss!

#1 Unlucky 13: This is probably the most common superstition there is known to man. It is manifested in movies, books and even in real life. You would notice that a lot of hospitals do not have the 13th floor in their elevators. It goes from 12th to 14th. This fear of 13 originates from the Bible where in Jesus’ last supper, there were only 12 guests until Lucifer came making him the 13th guest and the one to betray Jesus. Another is in norse mythology where a dinner by the gods are held with only 12 of them until Loki, the god of mischief, comes along making him the 13th guest before causing chaos. Maybe gamblers avoid betting on this number.

#2 Whistling: Whistling while playing said to invite bad luck. This belief originates from sailors whistling which they thought to invite stronger winds and storm.

#3 Never count money/chips at the table: This is more of an etiquette and a way to protect yourselves but for some people they believe that doing this exudes pride which will invite bad luck and karma. Keep your money and count it when you get home.

#4 Color Red: The color red is deemed lucky in many cultures. The color is believed to bring prosperity and wealth. Wearing red when you gamble is said to make you lucky. I also noticed that many casinos’ motif is red. Coincidence?

#5: Front Entrance: They say that you shouldn’t pass through the casino through their front entrance as you may encounter a player who has lost and may therefore pass on their bad luck to you. Now, this one is borderline silly because what if a losing player leaves the casino through some other entrance and not the front one?

Anyway, Let me know if you do follow some superstitions even if it is just for fun. Or which ones you think are extremely ridiculous.