Page 12 - Jackpot Magazine Tunica ~ March, 2024

PLAY TO WIN
Many players believe in their lucky charms
“I don’t carry lucky charms, but I believe in those things.”
— Actor Christopher Walken
Do you have a lucky charm you keep with you when play in the casino? What about lucky numbers you rely on for roulette or other casino games? And how about lucky habits — such as wearing your favorite pair of underwear before sitting down at your favorite slot machine?
A few years ago, a survey revealed that a majority of Americans (68% of those surveyed) believe in luck, whether it is beginner’s luck (as agreed on by 58%), picking up a penny for good luck (44%), having 7 for a lucky number (38%), keeping a lucky charm (38%), and letting a ladybug land on you for good luck (28%). As for lucky charms, most of those surveyed said they counted some sort of jewelry as their lucky item, while others said underwear, shoes, keychains and even socks were lucky for them.
Slot and bingo players
often have their
lucky charms with
them while they
play. They rub the
heads of small dolls
and toy animals before
each spin, hold tight to their
rabbit’s foot or twist their ring or bracelet in hopes of it bringing them a winning spin.
Now, whether some days are just better for having fun and enjoying time out, Friday and Saturday were selected as the luckiest days of week (41%), followed by Wednesday, Sunday and Monday (35%, 32% and 27%, respectively). For some reason, Thursday is the unluckiest day of the week — maybe that’s why it’s traditionally one of the slowest casino days.
For those who believe in lucky numbers (60%), yes, 7 and 13 rank high, but so do 9, 1, 33, 99, 69, 15, 25... and the list
goes on. Many people
say they use their lucky
numbers for everything, includingplayingroulette
and craps. And, 90% of
those surveyed believe in their instincts — bothgoodandbadhunches.So,ifyoufeel that blackjack table is the right one for you, you’re not alone when you put down your chips.
We asked a few players about their lucky days, lucky charms and anything else that brings them luck. Patricia S., an avid slot player, knows of those who bring little trinkets to place around their slot machine while playing. However, she said she doesn’t like to be that showy. Instead, she keeps a small stuffed animal in her purse that only she knows about. Whether the stuffed toy really brings her luck or not, Patricia is unsure. She does feel since she has kept this tradition up for so long, the prudent thing
for her would be to continue it. Marcia W. said she always wears her lucky socks when she goes to the casino. She has a whole outfit, she said, including a sweater that she considers to be lucky, but it is mainly the socks that seem to energize her
when playing video poker.
A little elephant on her keychain is
what helps Bob K. when he plays slots. He keeps the keychain in his pocket, and like Patricia, likes to know it is close. Bob’s grandson gave him the elephant to put on the keychain not knowing the animal often represents good fortune — and since Bob likes to go to the casino several times a month, the elephant charm is perfect for him.
Another casino player, Kay L. gave a bit of a smirk when hearing about lucky charms and such. She said she had nothing like that and continued her slot playing. Tap,
tap, tap... press the spin button. Tap, tap, tap... press the spin button. While Kay was slow to admit it, she realized her
luck through a ritual of tapping right before pressingthespinbutton.
At the roulette wheel, we talked with George U. He was playing a variety of numbers but always in the mix was the number 18. When asked, George said 18 had always been his lucky number. He bets it whenever he plays roulette and or the lottery. He said he is thrilled if he gets a room that has 18 in the number. He told us about one time he was staying at a casino hotel on either the sixth or seventh floor — he couldn’t remember which one, but he knew the room number had an 18 in it. And on his second day of casino play, he hit a big jackpot. That sealed number 18 for him permanently.
My father, an avid blackjack and video poker, did not have any charms, lucky numbers or rituals when he played. But, on the other hand, I have a small thing I do when playing slot machines that I hope will be bring me some luck. After spinning the reels, I silently whisper the symbols I hope will appear. “Quick Hit, Quick Hit, Quick Hit...” I chant while the reels go ’round. At other times, you can hear my faint murmur of “Free Game, Free Game, Free Game” or “Red Butterfly, Red Butterfly, Red Butterfly,” as I sit at my favorite slot machine.
Does this chanting yield any real reward? I’m not sure, but would I miss doing it if I stopped? Absolutely. And while it is fun to have a sense of luck on your side, when it comes to casinos, don’t forget to play smart and watch what you spend.
Do you have a question on the best way to play to win? Email us at jackpotmagazine@ gmail.com.
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