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Humans are obsessed with fate. Gamblers, in particular, are a superstitious bunch. Over the centuries, gamblers across the globe have come up with some bizarre ways to put a smile on Lady Luck’s face, or at least, prevent her from frowning.
These days, secure online gambling sites use science, not superstition, to ensure fair outcomes in online casinos. Whether you are playing at Californian online casinos, which are usually based offshore thanks to the state’s strict gambling laws, or at locally-licensed sites at home in the UK, you’ll find mostly the same technology underlying your site of choice.
The random number generators (RNGs) ensure results are fair every time, no matter what you might try to do to influence them. But that doesn’t stop players from seeking an edge with lucky charms and pre-spin rituals. So whether you’re a die-hard believer in fate or a stone-cold skeptic, here are seven fascinating facts about fate and fortune:
Unusual Lucky Charms
All cultures have their own unique lucky charms. From Japan’s neko cat beckoning good fortune to the Irish four-leaf clover. In common knowledge, you might point to the lucky rabbit foot as the most gruesome good luck charm, but South Africa’s charm of choice tops the Celtic totem. Here, vulture heads are seen as symbols of prosperity. Some believe they grant gamblers a sixth sense, providing premonitions at the roulette wheel and hunches on poker hands. So serious is the superstition that demand for vulture heads threatens the bird’s population. This charm certainly isn’t lucky for the vultures.
Casino Coolers
For casinos, too much good luck is bad for business. To address this, casinos used to deliberately hire unlucky people. These ill-fated employees were called “coolers,” and they had an easy gig: just sit near those pesky winners. The idea was that the cooler’s aura of misfortune would sap away good luck, cool off ‘hot streaks’, and ensure the house kept its edge. While the practice is long gone, it’s a quirky reminder of the enduring power of superstition in the world of gambling.
Number Superstitions
Number-based superstitions exist across all cultures. A Chinese gambler playing roulette is likely to bet on the number 8 because the word in Mandarin sounds similar to ‘wealth’. They would likely avoid the number 4, which sounds eerily similar to ‘death’. But they might not wager at all if they knew the devilish secret lurking on the wheel. The sum of those spinning red and black numbers adds up to 666! This association with the “number of the beast” might unnerve religious players, but this infernal fact hasnt hindered roulettes popularity.
The Odds of a Royal Flush
Everyone knows a Royal Flush is unlikely. The odds of becoming the happy holder of poker’s best hand are 1 in 649,740. The chances you have a poker face good enough to mask your excitement are even lower. But odds are sometimes hard to comprehend, so to put this fact into perspective consider this. The odds of sustaining a toilet-related injury are 1 in 10,000. That means you’re equally likely to hold poker’s royal hand as you are to be battered and bruised by a porcelain throne on 65 separate occasions. Statistics are weird like that, and some flushes are more deadly than others.
The Dead Man’s Hand
In poker “the dead man’s hand” is a grim omen. This particular hand, two black aces and two black eights was immortalized by legendary gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok. Legend goes that Hickok held this combination when he was fatally shot during a game of five-card stud. Wild Bill wasn’t immortal, but his misfortune was – the “dead man’s hand” has become a symbol of misfortune in poker, forever tied to the dramatic tale.
Frano Selak ‘The Cat With Nine Lives’
Nicknamed “Cat with Nine Lives” for his uncanny ability to escape perilous situations, the story of Frano Selak is one of remarkable fortune. Selak’s brushes with death included a train crash, a mid-air plane collision, and a car accident, all of which he miraculously walked away from. Capping off his extraordinary life, Selak defied the odds again with an enormous lottery win. The Grim Reaper probably didn’t like Frano very much, but Lady Luck certainly did.
FedEx’s Fortunate Flutter:
It’s a tale of audacious risk and incredible reward. FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith once gambled his company’s last $5,000 on a hand of blackjack. With the fledgling company on the brink of collapse, Smith’s daring gamble paid off, and he left Vegas $27,000 richer. This legendary stroke of luck kept the struggling business afloat for another week. The winnings bought them enough time to secure funding and succeed.
Conclusion:
Whether you believe in fortune’s favor or scoff at superstitions, the human desire to influence fate is undeniable. The rise of online casinos and crypto betting sites offers even more options for players seeking their fortune. While a lucky streak might feel preordained, try to remember that chance, not cosmic forces, ultimately dictates the outcome. So, the next time you feel the urge to test your luck, do so responsibly.
