SAMI’S SMACKDOWN By Sami Becker
SUPERSTITIONS & RITUALS PART II Readers Explain What They Do & Why
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t’s well-known that professional athletes are an extremely superstitious bunch. Many don’t feel lucky before a big competition unless they’ve performed certain rituals. Well, us gamblers have our very own good luck (and bad luck) charms and superstitions too! As soon as my column in March’s issue, Superstitions & Rituals, went live online and in print, my inbox was flooded with emails from our fans. I have enjoyed reading each and every one of them very much. Thank you to all who wrote in! Below are just some of the many comments I received. Do they ring a bell with any of you? I know some of them do with me! Phil S. I have two rituals I use whenever I am at a casino.
don’t park in the same place anymore and I definitely don’t use the same doors. That’s my way of changing my luck around for the better.
The first ritual is I always play Max Bet on the very first spin. It's a low percentage win spin just like any other, but on the occasions that it does pay, it is usually very good and it's even better if it puts me in a bonus.
Candy C. I love going to the casino when it’s a full moon. I’m always lucky during a full moon. I’ve gotten tax slips at exactly the moment the moon is full, down to the minute!
The second ritual is when I go to a bank of 6 or 8 of the same machine. I always walk around feeling the back of each chair. I pick the one that is the warmest and that's the one I play. It's no guarantee of success, but I feel it is the slot most likely to pay.
Mara S. I’m always lucky when I buy myself a new purse or the casino gives me a purse. When I take it with me to gamble, I always win. Then, I keep some of my winnings in a pocket in my purse to bring me luck the next time.
Who says gambling isn't a mental activity?
Liz M. I have tons of little good luck charms (a pig, an elephant, a silver coin, a roadrunner, just to name a few) that travel with me on my casino adventures. I don’t have a purse filled with them. I take only one at a time. Lol!
Sid L. I cannot say that I have any good luck charms, more like one superstition and one bad luck charm! My superstition is for when I play Blackjack. I never sit at first base as I can’t get comfortable having all those cards played after I’ve played my hand. My bad luck charm is my Aunt Susan. One night, playing Blackjack at the Four Queens in Las Vegas, I was doing quite well. That is, until my Aunt came walking up behind me and watched a few hands. I proceeded to lose the next five hands until she walked away. From that day on she stays away from any table I'm playing, even though I have pretty much quit playing Blackjack and "only" play Pai Gow Poker. Tom W. I always wear my lucky baseball hat to the casino. Ok, I may not win every time I wear it, but I win more than I lose when I have it on that’s for sure. And, I can’t remember a time I actually won when I left it at home. So, the hat’s coming with me. It’s old, used to be black but now it’s gray, but I don’t care. Arlene D. I always try to park in the same parking space, or in the same general area, and I go through the same entrance. As soon as my luck goes from good to bad, I
34 Arizona Gaming Guide | April 2022 | azgamingguide.com
David S. I never play at the same machine after I’ve won something. Let’s say I win on Lightning Link during one trip, on my next trip I’ll play Buffalo. I will not play Lightning Link! I’ve been burned so many times that I’ve learned not to do it anymore. I’ll play Lightning Link again, just not the very next trip. George A. I psyche myself up before every trip to the casino. I tell myself I’m lucky, I feel lucky and I’m going to be lucky. When I walk through the doors at the casino I say I’m going to make the casino wish I didn’t come today. Jenna T. I have one particular perfume that I wear to the casino. When I smell it, it always makes me feel happy. And, when I’m feeling happy I feel like I’m going to be lucky!
Do you have any superstitions or rituals before, during or after your casino visits? I’d love to hear about them! Write me at Sami@azgamingguide.com and let me know about your good luck charms. $
