From Tiger Woods only wearing red on Sundays to Cristiano Ronaldo making sure his right foot touches the field first — many athletes practice rituals and superstitions. And it's no different for gamblers. With the hope of attracting luck in a casino, many gamblers perform rituals to help guide them to victory. 

Although performing a pre-game ritual doesn't improve your chance of winning, it does act as an effective mental and psychological boost. Whether you're playing in person or at an online casino, you can adopt various luck rituals — just don't expect them to ensure you win all your games. 

Luck plays a significant role in gambling already. Still, players use rituals to attempt to ensure good fortune. For instance, poker has various types of luck — like dealing, drawing and positional luck. This article dives into the world of good luck rituals for gambling.

The Different Types of Gambling Rituals

Whether you're playing machine or casino table games, every occasion seems to have a gambling ritual. And while there is no single way that gamblers attempt to improve their luck, most are always trying to sway the odds in their favor — and many believe rituals are the way to do so. 

Attire

Gambling superstitions and rituals often begin when someone has experienced their most memorable win. Wearing the same clothes they wore on that victorious occasion can create lucky rituals among athletes and amateurs.

Others wear iconic gambling symbols like four-leaf clover (a symbol of good fortune) cufflinks or their best suit for a “dress good, play good” mindset. 

Lucky Charms

Influenced by cultural beliefs, there are a variety of lucky charms gamblers use around the world. The four-leaf clover is the most iconic charm associated with gambling, deriving from the Celtic tradition. 

Often kept in one's pocket while playing, a rabbit's foot is another well-known charm across many cultures and is believed to provide protection and bring good luck. Don't worry. It's not a real rabbit's foot; they're often plastic items bought in gift shops.

South of the border, Latin Americans correlate red with good fortune. When gambling, they'll often wear red, with underwear being the most popular way to do so. 

Gamblers often wear lucky charm-inspired jewelry, such as a rabbit foot pendant on a necklace or four-leaf clovers on a bracelet. 

Anointments

Oils, colognes and perfumes are another popular pre-game ritual. And they'll usually be casino-inspired; for example, Lucky Lottery Oil, Atlantic City Cologne and Winner — Vencedor Perfume. Gamblers apply these fragrances before entering the casino or turning on the laptop if gambling online.

Another quirky ritual is lighting a candle, like a Fast Luck Candle, before heading to the casino and anointing oneself with the oil extracted. 

Card Handling

When it comes to card games, gamblers use various specialized rituals to influence good luck at the casino table. A universal ritual is blowing on the cards before each round or tapping a specific corner.

When playing poker, some players will avoid looking at their hand during the preflop. The first time they look is after the dealer places down the flop. It's unclear why they do this and that applies to others and their unique superstitions, but it might have something to do with mental preparation. 

Dice Rituals