Gambling Superstitions: No dogs near the gambling table and keep your horny toad toenail close
Superstitions are so common in everyday life that even the most diehard realists sometimes fall prey to believing them. Sports provides a wealth of examples. Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships wearing his "lucky" college gym shorts underneath his uniform. Golfer Tiger Woods supposedly believes that the color red is lucky for him. Baseball fans and announcers believe that the mere mention of a no-hitter will jinx the pitcher and prevent its occurrence.
Gambling, in particular, has long been associated with all kinds of superstitions, for example: 1) A throw of two ones in dice is called Snake Eyes, a reference to the devil who presented himself to Eve in that form; 2) Always blow on your cards or dice for luck; 3) Never keep dogs near a gambling table; and 4) Keep a horny toad toenail for luck (Dossey, 1992).
But how does being superstitious affect individuals' tendencies toward disordered gambling behavior? A new study from Joukhador, Blaszczynzki, & Maccallum (2004) provides evidence of a link between superstitious beliefs and gambling problems. The study involved problem gamblers, identified by the South Oaks Gambling Screen, and a control group of nonproblem gamblers. The researchers administered an eight-item superstition test. The participants rated, on a five-point scale ranging from zero (not at all) to four (very much), the strength of their beliefs in eight listed items: 1) My hunches have a big influence on my winnings; 2) Sometimes I get spiritual help when I'm gambling; 3) When I'm feeling down, I just know that my luck will be bad; 4) If someone is sitting or standing next to me that I feel is giving me "bad vibes" then I need to change or I don't win; 5) I often get hunches which I must follow; 6) I think I have the psychic ability to predict a winner; 7) I'm superstitious about the way I gamble; and 8) I have a ritual which I must carry out when I'm gambling.
The researchers found significant differences between problem and nonproblem gamblers on several demographic variables as well as in the endorsement of superstitious beliefs. Problem gamblers reported a significantly greater number of gambling sessions per week, amount of money taken to gambling sessions, current debt, years of problem gambling, weekly losses and time spent at gambling sessions. Problem gamblers endorsed significantly more superstitious beliefs as compared to nonproblem gamblers. No significant differences in superstitious beliefs were found between males and females. People who endorsed superstitious beliefs spent more time and more money gambling than those who did not endorse as many superstitious beliefs.
As with all research projects, this study has several limitations. First, the researchers did not define "superstition" for the interviewed subjects. Perceptions of such a concept might differ greatly from subject to subject. It is not clear that these eight items measure one underlying construct of "superstition." A second limitation involves the choice of subjects. Problem gamblers recruited from clinics and counseling agencies are generally treatment seekers and might not be representative of average problem gamblers. Likewise, the controls in this study - colleagues and friends of the researchers - might not be representative of average nonproblem gamblers. These subjects may have greater knowledge of the study's methods than the average nonaffiliated person.
Overall, this study provides evidence that problem gamblers more consistently endorse superstitious beliefs than nonproblem gamblers and suggests that superstitious beliefs and gambling-related problems are connected. Perhaps superstitious beliefs precede excessive gambling or perhaps excessive gambling precedes superstitious beliefs. Future prospective studies are needed to shed light on this issue.
This article was adapted from The WAGER, volume 9, number 14 (April 7, 2004). The WAGER is a weekly, online research bulletin that casts a critical eye on new gambling research. It is supported by the National Center for Responsible Gaming, through the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, a program of the Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions, and the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. Visit theWAGER Web site to view the current issue or to search past editions dating back to 1996. Free subscriptions are available by sending an e-mail.
REFERENCES
Dossey, D. E. (1992). The Tradition of Superstitions. Retrieved 4/5/04, 2004, from Web site.
Joukhador, J., Blaszczynski, A., & Maccallum, F. (2004). Superstitious beliefs in gambling among problem and nonproblem gamblers: Preliminary data. Journal of Gambling Studies, 20 (2), 171-180.
Superstitions run rampant. (2004, 4/5/04). Retrieved 4/5/04, from Web site.
