Dark Roots and Obscure Truths of Friday the 13th

There are many days of the year that are cause for celebration and then there are days we lock the doors and prefer to stay away from the masses. Friday the 13th has always been one of those days clouded by superstition.

Depending on the culture there is a different reason to fear this dreaded day of bad luck. Funnily enough, it’s only considered a day of bad luck and superstition if it’s a Friday the 13th.

 Why 13 Is An Unlucky Number

No matter what your age, you would have heard some jokes or tales about Friday the 13th.  There are many who still discuss what could happen to you in Paris or London if you visit on a Friday the 13th.

Here are some interesting facts you can mention in your next conversation about Friday the 13th.

• Chapter 13 of Revelations is that of the Antichrist.
• There were 13 evil spirits in the Jewish Cabal as well as in the Nordic Legends. Loki was considered the 13th guest in the dinner of the gods.
• Then there is the Hammurabi’s code of laws, where law number 13 was left out. This is one of the oldest collection of rules in history.

It is also possible that 13 gets a bad rap due to the widespread belief in 12  being a “good” number. Twelve is seen positively across religion (12 disciples, 12 days of Christmas), the zodiac (both the Western and Eastern have 12 signs), and even mythology (Hercules performs 12 heroic deeds) leaving 13 as its problematic sibling.

Origins of the Fear of Friday the 13th

The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name known as ‘Triskaidekaphobia’ while the fear of Friday the 13th is known as ‘Paraskevidekatriaphobia’.

The true origin of the unlucky nature of Friday the 13th is still unclear but folklore historian Donald Dossey believes it originated with the Norse Myth of the 12 gods having a dinner party in Valhalla and Loki attending invited as the 13th guest. With this event, Bader died and the Earth grew dark in mourning. It turned into a bad, unlucky day. It became a major event in Norse mythology which cause the number 13 to become an unlucky number.

Then again it could have started in the Middle Ages during the Last Supper and the Crucifixion of Jesus. The supper took place the night before Good Friday (the 13th), however, there is no actual evidence of these being considered especially unlucky.

Perhaps the popular Friday the Thirteenth novel by Thomas W. Lawson published in 1907 contributed to the superstition. The novel tells the tale of how a broker takes advantage of the superstition to create panic on Wall Street on Friday the 13th.

While its true origins are hard to pinpoint the reality is that enough tragic events have occurred around the 13th that the superstition has been able to keep its momentum across generations.

To this day Friday the 13th remains feared and whether you believe in superstition or not, best to be cautious on this baleful Friday just to be safe.

 Staying Indoors This Friday?

Here are a few exciting slots to play while remaining indoors during Friday the 13th.

✓Dark King: Forbidden Riches by NetEnt

If terror, darkness and evil are what you’re after within your safe space then the Dark King: Forbidden Riches is a must. This slot comes with 5 reels, 3 rows and 20 paylines and is playable on all desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

NetEnt brings you a fantasy-themed slot where darkness takes centre stage and special powers can conjure up big wins. Features include Sticky wilds and hotspots, multiplier wilds and free spins. During Dark King: Forbidden Riches you can trigger wins of up to 2,500x your stake.

✓House of Doom by Play ‘n Go

For a spooky adventure with beautiful graphic and heavy metal music this Play ‘n Go slot is a must. It is a 5 reel, 3-row video slot with 10 fixed paylines that can be played on all desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

You can play from 0.10 per spin to a maximum of 100 coins per spin. If gothic designs including skulls, barbed wires, pentagrams and horned creatures are what you’re looking for this is the slot to play. It comes with a Skulls of Abyss Bonus Game, Free Spins and a juicy maximum win of 250,000 coins.

✓Book of Loki by 1x2 Gaming

Take a walk on the wild side with the Norse god of Mischief in this Norse Mythology themed online slot. This 5 reels and 10 paylines video slot powered by 1x2 Gaming is based on Loki, one of the reasons for the superstition behind Friday the 13th.

The slot is simple and straight forward with a free spins bonus feature and special expanding symbol. You can play the slot from anywhere at any time via your desktop, tablet or mobile device from 0.10 per spin. It has a 95.8% RTP and can award maximum wins of up to 5,000x your total stake.

Why tempt fate for bad luck or black cats crossing your path when you can stay indoors and spin to unlock big wins. Try these thrilling slots at any of the GamblersPick recommended online casinos today.