Most casino games played both at land-based and online casinos involve a degree of luck when the outcomes roll-out. Even blackjack and poker, which are steeped in skill and strategy, involve the luck of the draw when your card hand is dealt out.

Punters will grasp at anything possible to improve their odds in these luck-based environments, with some even resorting to superstitious rituals in a bid to earn good graces from the gambling gods.

10 Most Popular Casino Superstitions

Below is a list of 10 of the most popular superstitions to circulate the gambling arena. Perhaps you might even recognise one or two good luck rituals that you, or a family member, adhere to when spending a night at the tables or when watching your favourite team play in an important tournament.

✓Itchy Hands? Scratch that Habit

There is a long-held superstition that when your palms get itchy, money is coming your way. Perhaps someone has even said it to you in the past. This saying originates from Western Europe.

In Bulgaria, if you suffer from ‘the itch’, it’s best you avoid the casino as it is said to be downright bad luck. Serbians hold the opposing view though, as do many other Westerners. In their region, if your hands are itchy, you better drop everything and hit the gambling halls or online casinos, for it’s a sign that money is on its way to you.

✓The Table is not for Counting

It is commonly believed by gamblers worldwide that it is bad luck to count your money while you are still seated at the game table.

It has become etched into casino etiquette in many regions, where the house will often advise their visitors to step away from the tables before counting their chips.

It is such a big part of casino culture nowadays that Kenny Rogers included the practice in the lyrics of his hit song, ‘’The Gambler”.

✓Beware the Devil’s 13

Number 13 has had an unlucky connotation for hundreds of years. Have you ever noticed that hotels and skyscrapers do not have a 13th floor, or that Friday the 13th is a day that supposedly carries heaps of bad luck?

Well, this superstition carries over to the gambling industry as well and it’s a wonder that casinos have not removed the number altogether from Roulette wheels and tables yet.

Of course, there are those who fly in the face of lucky rituals and opt to play this number just to be otherwise. It would be interesting to see how often the number comes up, to be honest.

✓Faith in 8

While 13 is a number to avoid, many Eastern players have faith in 8. The combination of 888 holds the same degree of luck that 777 does in the Western World.

"Did you know that 888 Casino used to be called Casino-on-net but switched to "888" when looking to enter the Asian market. The branding was so catchy, however, that it became their global identity."

In China and other eastern countries, it is said that numbers that sound like words that are prosperous are considered good luck. The number 8 in Cantonese sounds similar to the word for wealth, therefore, it is regarded highly by gamblers.

✓Red is the Colour

Another superstition that finds its origins in the East, is that the colour ‘red’ is lucky. The Chinese believe that the colour is a symbol of life, joy, and prosperity, so you will find that Asian players will commonly wear red when betting or attending casinos.

It is thought that red garments, and especially undergarments, will appease the gods and cause their favour to shine on you.

If you have played any number of slots and casino games that boast an Eastern theme, you will have realised that red is a very prominent colour in these titles. It is this colour that draws the superstitious crowds in.

✓Mob Money

In America, accepting $50 bills from the cashier can be viewed as bad luck. This superstition ties back to the old mob era. When a mafia hitman killed someone, they would place a $50 bill in the victim’s pocket before they buried the body. Accepting $50 notes, therefore, holds a murderous connection with some US players who may refuse the payout in these denominations.

✓No Whistling Dixie

According to some, gambling is a serious affair and should be treated as such, or it could anger the gambling gods. For this reason, whistling or singing at the table is frowned upon and it is believed that it could come back to haunt you in further rounds.

Aside from the superstition behind the action, whistling and singing can be off-putting to other players and is just downright bad etiquette, so we would never condone it unless you are playing online.

✓Side Entrance Superstition

Originally a Chinese superstition, it seems to have rubbed off in other parts of the world too. It is said that using the main entrance to a casino is bad luck. There are two reasons for this:

• It is believed that the doors are cursed by Feng Shui masters and using them will invoke bad fortune on your gambling endeavours.
• Rubbing shoulders with a loser will transfer the bad fortune to you. This is most likely to happen at the main entrance of the casino. If there is no other way into the establishment, be sure to dart in and out when the lines are thin to avoid contact.

So, if you see a patron using the side door to access and leave the casino from now on, you know why. Perhaps it’s best that you start finding alternative entrances of your own to the establishment. Fortunately, this is not a worry for online casino gamblers.

✓Wash Away the Worry

For those of you are on a losing streak, there is a simple remedy according to Eastern superstition. Simply head to the washbasin and wash your hands thoroughly. This in turn washes away all your poor luck.

Winners, however, should not wash their hands, or else they may wash away their good fortunes and invoke some bad luck upon them.

If only good fortune was this black and white and that access to good fortune was a given if you had access to a restroom with running water. We would observe the making of many more sanitary millionaires.

✓Betting Rituals 101

Some players use other small rituals when betting at the tables. These vary greatly from person to person. Some of the common ones include the way the chips are stacked, whether you blow on the dice before a throw or not, or whether you place chips with your left or right hand, and others.

Often rituals and superstitions are personalised – things that work and don’t work for the individual. In many instances, players stumble across them while gambling. For example, you just so happened to have a great day of wins one day when you stacked your chips in a certain way, now you feel that the only way to repeat that fortune is to make sure the chips are laid out, in the same way, each time you gamble.

 Get Your Supersitions Here

While some swear blind by many of these rituals, others regard them as flaky superstitious rubbish. The question that begs an answering here is – How has your luck been of late? Feel free to join the GamblersPick Community and leave us your thoughts on these and other gambling superstitions. Perhaps you have some to share that we haven't covered?