The CasinoPlay crew are fascinated by everything to do with gambling and online casinos and luck is a huge part of gambling culture. While our research into luck has uncovered some very interesting (and quirky) beliefs, especially when it comes to numbers and colours, the scientific rationale behind luck and lucky people was a real eye-opener and we urge you to read our article “The Mindset of Luck” to see just how psychologists and social scientists have come to view luck as an actual, real thing in life.
The concept of luck, and the giving of power to certain objects to affect that luck, is present in every culture around the world. Certain days are auspicious. Certain colours can bring you luck or chase it away. There are numbers that can mean the difference between winning or losing.
Every gambler knows that luck plays a huge part in playing games of chance for money. And every gambler has that object or ritual that attracts luck to their side.
CasinoPlay did some digging into the 10 most popular lucky objects for gamblers. Maybe one or two of these could work for you?
The four-leaf clover is one of the most recognised good luck charms in the world. Western cultures have taken on the symbolism of this Irish charm and it’s not uncommon to see gamblers with a dried and pressed four-leaf clover in their wallets.
Clovers are generally a three-leaf plant and the odds of finding a four-leaf clover are somewhere about 1 in 5,000 so you can see why it is deemed sop lucky. The four petals signify faith, hope, love and luck.
Chrysoberyl, in particular the cymophane or cat’s eye variety, is a semi-precious gem that is reputed to be lucky. The polished stone looks a little like the eye of a cat and cats tend to be looked on as lucky creatures (black cats can be lucky or unlucky depending on your culture). Cats were even worshipped as gods by the ancient Egyptians so you can see why chrysoberyl might be viewed as an auspicious stone.
Many gamblers will have a polished piece of chrysoberyl set in a ring or a necklace to keep it close whenever they’re playing.
Another well-known lucky charm the origin of the rabbit’s foot as an amulet is lost in time but is probably related to how resilient the creatures are.
While carrying around the severed paw of a bunny may seem a bit odd, it is still a very common and very popular charm for gamblers and non-gamblers alike.
The rabbit’s foot, or a fake version of it, is often seen as a keychain or hanging on the rear-view mirror of a car.
“See a penny, pick it up, and all day long, you’ll have good luck”. A simple rhyme for a very prevalent lucky charm. While it’s based on finding a discarded penny, any low-denomination copper-style coin will do. The South African 1c coin was a popular choice here, but that would probably have to a lucky 5c coin because we don’t make lower value coins anymore.
The thinking behind the lucky coin is that you are lucky because you have found money you were not expecting. There are some simple rules to enjoying this good fortune though: if you find the coin face up then grab it, clean, polish it and keep it on you to attract more wealth. If, however, the coin is face down you must turn it face up and then leave it for the next lucky person or you will only bring bad luck.
Jin Chan or Chan Chu is a feng shui charm that takes the form of a bullfrog with a coin in its mouth. Westerners call it the three-legged toad because it looks like it has got three legs, although it’s actually two front legs and a tail.
This Chinese charm is believed to attract wealth and protect wealth and is usually placed in a household rather than carried around.
Any gambler wants to make sure the money flows their way and stays with them so maybe you should consider putting this golden toad in your house?
The Japanese have a very strong belief in the power of luck and their most prevalent symbol for it is Maneki-Neko or “the beckoning cat”. This figure is also popular with the Chinese people and is often mistaken for.
Chinese charm but it was actually first seen in Japan in the Edo period.
This little kitty with his waving paw is meant to attract business and wealth among other things. If you are going to get yourself a Maneki-Neko, make sure to find out what the different colours symbolise as well as which paw (left or right) needs to be beckoning to bring you good luck at the casino.
Did you know? The Japanese have such a strong belief in luck that Kit Kats (the chocolate wafer treats) are given to pupils and students before they write exams. Kit Kat sounds very similar to the Japanese good luck phrase “Kitto Katsu” which translates to “you will surely win”. Kit Kats are so popular in Japan that they have over 300 different varieties from the usual Kit Kat you can find in the shops here to flavours like sake, butter, corn, green bean, chilli, miso soup, red potato, soy sauce, wasabi and more.
The “evil-eye” amulet from Turkey is worn as protection against the jealousy of others, especially those who are jealous of your luck. These blue, white and black coloured glass amulets, normally in the shape of a circle or teardrop, are a symbol of protection that works on two levels: it brings good fortune and it keeps the negative vibes of jealousy away from spoiling your good fortune.
Definitely something a gambler on a winning streak should have at hand.
Like the Nazar amulet, the Hamsa Hand or Khamsa Hand is a Middle Eastern charm used to ward off the evil eye. It is usually some form of an open right hand with an eye in the palm. The Jewish culture believes it represents the hand of God and the five books of the Torah. In Islam it represents the five pillars of faith.
The Hamsa or Khamsa Hand is often used as jewellery or as a wall hanging inside a house.
Around Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia you will people carrying a carp scale in their wallet. This tradition goes back to the early Catholic practice of not eating red meat at a Christmas meal. Carp, a fish and therefore a white meat, was traditionally the feast meal and diners would take a scale or two, clean them, dry them and carry them in their wallet to attract money until the next Christmas feast.
A little different but, as any gambler knows, you take your luck where you find it. Just make sure you wash the scale properly first!
Acorns have been a symbol of luck for many cultures around the world. Perhaps it is the association with the mighty oak tree and its growth from such a humble little nut?
Whatever the reason, the Norse people kept it as protection from lightning, the British believe it keeps you from ailments of the body and many people keep an acorn charm around for general all-round good luck.
Whatever you believe will bring you luck at the casino, online or land-based, is completely up to you. Many of the gambling greats have brought their good luck charms to the games (Doyle Brunson and his Casper ornament, Johnny Chan’s oranges, Sammy Farha’s unlit cigarette) and they have walked away with major wins. If it works for you, traditional or untraditional, and it gives you confidence then it is a genuine lucky charm.
But before you even start to look at luck, make sure you are fully aware of where you’re gambling (check our CasinoPlay reviews for trusted online casinos), understand the rules of the game you’re playing (we have comprehensive guides and tips) and always, always gamble responsibly.
Winning is luck. Not walking away is a (very bad) choice.
