Bingo Superstitions

Many internet bingo players started playing the game in their local bingo hall and many will have noticed that others have bingo superstitions. If you have been to a local hall have you ever noticed players looking a bit miffed because someone else has sat in their seat or that they have a table adorned with more than just bingo dabbers? Many will have lucky charms sat on their table and you might even notice that one player always wears the same cardigan!

This is all to do with bingo superstitions but it doesn’t end at your local hall, you’ll find it at internet bingo sites too.

There are many bingo superstitions that players have and use because they believe that certain routines bring them luck in the game. In the world of internet bingo there are players who will only buy tickets with certain numbers on, similar to when playing the lottery and others will not purchase their cards until the countdown to the next game has reached a certain number believing that this increases their chances of becoming a winner.

Bingo superstitions are no different to your bog standard superstition, a belief that following a certain course of action will improve or change your luck. How many of you believe that if you break a mirror that you will have seven years bad luck or that seeing one magpie means you are going to suffer some form of sorrow whilst two will bring you joy? Bingo superstitions work in the same manner; a bingo hall player may believe that she has a lucky seat or that wearing a certain item of clothing has bought her luck when actually it’s more likely to be coincidence than actual luck.

Bingo Superstitions Research

A study by Professor Mark Griffiths, the Professor of Gambling Studies at the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, revealed that 81% of 400 bingo players studied were superstitious and held at least one superstition.

49% – not opening an umbrella indoors
55% – not walking under ladders
60% – not putting new shoes on a table
50% – touching wood
50% – not passing someone on the stairs

However when it came to bingo superstitions only 10% said they had certain superstitions whilst gambling (an additional 13% suggested that they “sometimes” have superstitions when gambling)

5% had a lucky night of the week
4% had a lucky friend
6% had a lucky mascot
21% sat in the same seat for luck
13% believed some numbers were lucky and others unlucky
29% changed their dabbers to improve their luck

Bingo really is a game of chance unlike poker where there is an element of skill involved so are lucky charms, friends, seats and dabbers alongside many other bingo superstitions really going to improve that luck?