Many good luck charms are made of porcelain. Maria told me that her father always carries a small porcelain frog from Puerto Rico when he plays. Maybe that would explain why some players find that bathrooms are lucky places. Jim wrote me with an interesting story:
“I can’t believe I’m going to give up a secret I have known for years. In 1983 I was using the men’s room at Caesars Palace. A man in the second stall down said to me, do you realize you’re using lucky Urinal Number 3, well all I could say was yea right Jack why don’t you go home and sleep it off. Well GUESS WHAT, I went back to my slot machine and won $7,500 bucks-went to another machine 500 bucks and then another 500 bucks. So now anytime I’m down on my luck I go to trusty Urinal number 3, and things really do get better.”
Amy told me about her ritual at one of the boats in Shreveport. “There was a Triple, Double Diamond machine that was located on the end right by the ladies room. When we hit the casino floor, I always went to the restroom then straight to that machine and before my first $100 was gone I had hit something really good. If I went straight to the machine without making a trip to the ladies room first, I NEVER won. If someone was playing it when I came in, I by passed it and the ladies room and went on somewhere else. If no one was playing it I had my husband guard the machine while I went the ladies room.
My friend Bob will always make a stop at the restroom to wash his hands immediately upon entering the casino but he refuses to use the sink closest to the door. If his luck starts running bad he will leave the game and go wash them again. It may not always help his luck but he has cut down the number of times he has caught a cold or become ill.
Spouses and Friends
Do some people bring bad luck? Several players told me that they stop playing when the casino cleanup folks are around them, emptying trash and ashtrays. One player swears that his slot machine always cool down or he earns less when these folks "linger" around me.
I was surprised by the number of people who told me that the presence of their friend or spouse could change their luck. Most reported that the other person had a negative effect when they watched them play. My friend Lisa says her good luck always changes when her husband comes up to her. “I will stop playing act like I am looking for the waitress or looking in my purse for money. If that doesn’t work I give him ‘the look’ and then he will tell where he is going and walk away.”
Rich reported that his friend Bob was like a black cloud bringing a stormy end to his winning streaks when he approached him while he was playing. He now cashes out if he sees him coming and refuses to play at a machine next to him. They share a ride to the casino but go their separate ways once they get there.
Make Your Own Luck
There is no proof that charms, clothes, spouses or any other rituals you perform can change your luck at the casino. However I do know that people who feel lucky and happy seem to have a much more enjoyable time in whatever activity they participate in. If carrying a lucky charm or performing a little ritual while you play makes you feel good, then go right ahead as long as it does not infringe on your fellow players.
Most players know that hitting the big jackpot is a matter of luck and some of them resort to some interesting and sometimes bizarre rituals of their own to insure good luck while they play. If you have ever openly or secretly performed a lucky ritual, rest assured, you are not alone. Here is a look at some of them.