How Many Casino Customers Are Superstitious?

How many people who gamble in casinos do you think are under the influence of some sort of superstition? I use "under the influence" literally. Not just that they might have some sort of belief about good or bad luck, but they're carrying a lucky charm or wearing their lucky underwear or actively engaged in some OCD-like behavior or routine?

This is an interesting question that of course is nearly impossible to answer.

Luckily (so to speak), we found a survey that was conducted by the Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a blog post earlier this year from which we can draw some statistics, if not conclusions.

The casino polled 1,200 Americans.

They found that 68% of respondents believe in luck. Of the 32% who don't, fully 31% still abide by some lucky beliefs or superstitions "just in case." Which means they're superstitious about not being superstitious!

Similarly, 87% don't believe that St. Patrick's Day is lucky, though 53% still wear green.

The most commonly held belief is in beginner's luck, the only one that garnered more than half (58%).

In terms of answering this question, 46% believe that throwing coins into a fountain is lucky, 39% knock on wood to prevent bad luck, 38% carry a lucky charm, and 25% won't walk under a ladder. So you can extrapolate that perhaps between a third and nearly half of casino-goers are actively participating in some superstition either while visiting one or before or after.

Also for the purposes of this answer, one in 10 have a lucky color, between 15% (Thursday) and 41% (Friday, Saturday) believe in a lucky day, 60% have a lucky number (7, 3, 13, 21, and 9 are the top five), and of the 14% who wear a lucky item of clothing or accessory, 56% use lucky jewelry, 11% a lucky keychain, and 10% lucky shoes.

Finally, as for undergarments, 12% wear lucky undies, but this question was asked specifically about dating, where "getting lucky" is a different order of magnitude. On the other hand, this writer has a pair of lucky boxers and a pair of lucky briefs and wear both to the casino on a date.

For a look at the whole fun survey, click here.

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

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Kevin Lewis Apr-29-2022

No lucky jockstraps?

I believe that believing in luck is unlucky.

Donzack Apr-29-2022

Mathematics

I only believe in the ancient goddess Mathematics, but I do carry a Roman coin with goddess Fortuna on it. Googled Fortuna after seeing the gambling boat name on the tv show Mr. Lucky. But she doesn’t necessarily bring good or bad luck, only luck. She is depicted with her hand on a ship’s rudder on the coin. Mr. Lucky, Lucky Santell, had another boat that I liked. A black 1959 Imperial convertible. But it didn’t have a name.

Derick Apr-29-2022

Superstition

I believe in timing of the button hit.......Milliseconds if not faster!

Donzack Apr-29-2022

Derick

I agree, another gambling machine goddess, Electron. She is also the goddess of speed at a little slower than the speed of light.

Roy Furukawa Apr-29-2022

GUI

Unfortunately gambling under the influence (of superstitions) is all too common in Las Vegas and have cost many innocent bankrolls their lives. If it weren’t for groups like Mothers Against Dumb Decisions (MADD), it could be far worse.  :D

bobd46 Apr-29-2022

Fingers crossed

It’s bad luck to be superstitious!

That Don Guy Apr-29-2022

re: Superstition

Any machine where a millisecond reaction is good enough is worthless to the casino. Even 40 years ago, I created an electronic dice roller for a college computer hardware course that generated 1 million rolls a second (1000 per millisecond).

As for superstition, I...excuse me a minute; it's my turn to throw the dice at the craps table...oops; one went over the wall - SAME DICE!!! - er, what was I talking about?

Reno Faoro Apr-29-2022

LUCK

i see   a lot of rubbing of screens on slot machines ,  gets me to chuckle a bit , and some are  saying 'PRAYERS'  ,an old ITALIAN , ONCE TOLD ME ---' where there's JOY, there's NO loss " !!! luck rules . go DEARBORN FORDSON .

Pat Higgins Apr-29-2022

Big Tex

Interesting QOD.  I have a friend who likes craps.  He interprets his dreams which (I assume ) tells him where to play, how to play, bet on any player wearing a blue shirt etc. .  he told me the other day his dream told him to play the don’t.  The only table open was crapless so he refused to play since if a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled he didn’t automatically win.  He mainly plays only the pass line or don’t pass.  Seldom bets odds.  Crazy!!!

slickmv Apr-29-2022

Old Story

Then there's the old story of the man who visits a famous physicist (many times Niels Bohr) at the scientist's home or lab and notices a horseshoe hung above the door. "Surely you don't believe that foolish horseshoe superstition!" says the visitor, to which the physicist replies: "Of course not, but I understand that it is lucky whether you believe in it or not."

As for me, I'm with Kevin Lewis and bobd46 - it's plain bad luck to be superstitious.

O2bnVegas Apr-29-2022

A few-no data though

1. A friend gave me an Elvis Presley magnet many years ago.  At the time I stuck it in my purse.  To this day I can't leave Elvis at home when I go casino gambling.  LOL.

2. Same with a folded $10 bill my stepmother gave me decades ago to play on her behalf.  I guess I forgot to do it, so now I always have it with me and don't use it.  Why???

3. When casinos opened back up after the Covid shutdown my friend had made trinkets to pin on our masks.  I always wear one, feel a tinge of superstition if I forget to pin one one.

4. On 3/5 line VP, if dealt four to the royal and don't fill in the fifth card I view that a 'bad sign' re the machine, not so much bad luck.  Especially on a 5 line.  Usually quit that machine right then unless it has otherwise been hitting.

Candy

William Cullison Apr-29-2022

bad luck

You know it's bad luck to be superstitious

rokgpsman Apr-29-2022

Superstition abounds

One night I was walking by a craps table at the Flamingo and an older Asian man was getting the dice to begin his turn. He reached down and removed his right shoe and sock, put the sock into the empty shoe, bent his knee and raised the bare foot up behind him while standing on the other leg. Then he took the dice and rolled. The stickman saw me curiously watching this, he grinned at me and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say It's all part of the game.

Ray Apr-29-2022

don't diss the luck gods!

If you don't have a lucky charm or a lucky way to play, stay away from me. It's bad luck to play next to someone who isn't a believer!

AlwaysTails May-01-2022

Randomest Number

I have a favorite number but it certainly hasn’t been lucky.

Doozey May-03-2022

old Chinese man

Years ago I also saw and old Chinese man at the crap table raise his foot and dig into his sock to pull out a handful of casino chips---from his socks!!!

Question of the Day - 29 April 2022

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