Slot Machine Charms & Superstitions
By Alex J. Coyne © Gifts for Card Players
Online pacanele, as it’s called in Romanian, makes for one of the most popular games around – and this is true for almost all gamblers. Even if you don’t expect to win the jackpot, it’s always thrilling to press PLAY or pull a lever and wait for the outcome; this thrill-for-potential-reward is part of the psychology of why people play games of chance. But, what if it’s not all up to chance?
According to some scientific studies, gamblers might be a tad more superstitious than most people. This has given rise to thousands of superstitions and lucky charms associated with giving the player a better chance at tipping the odds. In gambling circles, four-leaf clovers, mojo bags and rabbit’s feet abound.
Each game tends to develop its own more specific superstitions. Here are some of the slot machine charms, superstitions and myths about luck we could track down.
Slot Machine Charms for Sale
There are thousands of gambling charms that claim to give you a better edge – and absolutely zero proof that any of them work, apart from possibly giving you a boost of confidence at a poker table. Of course, confidence is a useless edge when you’re playing slot machines and your win depends on a random number generator instead.
Still, many people swear by their charms for a little bit of luck – and others love wearing gambling-related charms for the fashion sense and some fun. You can find some great slot machine-themed charms on Etsy, through eBay or your nearest jewellery store if you’d like something a little more elaborate. Charms are available in all forms, shapes, themes and sizes – including bracelets, earrings and clip-ons.
The Warm Seat Superstition
If you’re a regular gambler, you’ll be familiar with the terms “hot streak” or “hot table” – but what about a hot seat? It doesn’t just refer to the idea that the seat might be lucky, but to the fact that the seat is still warm from another player sitting there; the thinking being that a machine that’s been played by another player for a while will be on a lucky streak and almost certainly produce a winning reel.
Coin Temperature
You’ll hear a lot of talk about hot or cold coins or tokens around some types of slot machines; this is based around a theory that coins that have been warmed up (or cooled down) usually by blowing or rubbing them will somehow make them more lucky – we’d guess that proponents of the “coin temperature” theory imagine that the coins would expand or contract, and somehow affect the slot machine system differently.
Lucky Coins
There are many superstitions involving lucky objects, including lucky coins, lucky underwear and lucky charms. When it comes to slot machines, some people will also choose to use their lucky coin or bill to play a round with. Of course, the thinking behind this is purely psychological, and if you have a lucky or valuable coin with sentimental value, we say hang on to it!
Coloured Clothing
There’s no denying that mankind are visual creatures; it’s this that make casinos and slot machines especially flashy, which in turn makes them attractive to our base instincts. (Yes, in the primal parts of the brain, something flashy and bright has to be exciting, dangerous or both). We often associate bright colours with poisonous bugs and animals, and many times this association is correct – when faced with a snake or other predator, do you have time to think twice?
In the same way, certain colours are said to be lucky. For Irish gamblers, this is often green, for Chinese gamblers, it’s red – and usually expressed in the form of gambling with red clothing, sometimes underwear.
We’re dubious that any of these tactics actually help skew the results of your gameplay, but there are some people who swear by them! What do you do or carry with you for a little luck?
