It’s a well-known fact that gamblers are of the most superstitious people in the world. This may involve carrying a lucky charm when playing or even performing a ritual before or during a particular game. Players will often look back on what transpired during a winning game. And it’s at this point a player usually decides that something like an article of clothing or a certain activity performed was in some way ‘responsible’ for the win. The opposite is often true in that players given to superstition will try to determine what it is that resulted in misfortune.
Some superstitions are personal, whilst others are based on beliefs handed down through generations. These often include actions like refusing to enter into a casino via its main entrance, or refusing to be paid out in $50 bills as these are considered unlucky. For this reason, there are today several casinos that do not cash out in $50 bills. Others still, believe $2 bills to be unlucky. Which may explain government’s failure bringing these back into circulation!
The Power Of Positivity
The belief in something good being about to happen is relatively harmless. In fact, psychology and even some religions agree that believing in good things to come can actually be beneficial to the human state of mind. It creates in many players – and certainly people in general – a positive attitude and sense of expectation. And this after all exactly what gambling should be about, which is to have a great time playing and approaching everything from gambling to life with a positive mental attitude.
This approach can even be tied directly to the efficacy of strategies. More enjoyment leads to less stress, which in turn leads to better decisions overall. Which brings us to the topic of strategy, or system.
Systems And Strategies
Many gamblers believe in sticking to a set system. Some of these systems can be applied to a certain game only, examples being Roulette and Blackjack. Others are believed to work across the board. Its important to keep in mind that systems and strategies only work when applied to games with a certain level of skill involved.
Popular betting systems include the Martingale system, which is a system particularly favoured by those playing online Roulette. Some gamblers however argue that the Martingale system is essentially flawed because it has its roots planted firmly what is referred to as ‘the gambler’s fallacy’, i.e. the belief that past results somehow influence future outcomes. A practical example of the gambler’s fallacy would be a player wagering money on red because black has come up 13 times in a row.
Other betting systems or strategies follow an approach based on what a player would consider logic. Blackjack, for example, enjoys an entire melee of systems. And since Blackjack is a game known to be a game of skill given the correct approach, many of Blackjack’s strategies really do work.
As for the answer to which works best between system and superstition – it’s very much a personal decision.