Poker is a game of skill, logic, and math. While the majority of pro players rely on their skills and logical reasoning while playing a game of poker, whether online or offline, there are a few who believe in myths and superstitions associated with the game of poker. Furthermore, poker is a game of luck and chance and where there’s luck, superstitions follow. In this article, we have curated a list of poker superstitions and why you should not believe them if you wish to improve your game of poker.
Table of Contents
Top 8 poker superstitions you should know
1. Lucky card protectors:
This poker superstition is by far the most popular of all the poker superstitions. Many players always carry a particular object with them that they use as card protection while playing poker. It could be a chip from another casino where they won a huge amount, a little figurine with an emotional value, or something else entirely. Having a card protector might instill confidence in them to an extent while they are at the table. Anything that makes a player feel better while they are playing and not causing harm to other players simultaneously can’t be an adverse premonition.
2. Using the left hand to pick cards is unlucky:
It’s one of the most pointless poker superstitions. While working with your left hand may be regarded as unlucky in some East Asian cultures, the situation is no better on the European and American continents! Picking cards with your left hand in a poker game is frowned upon, and you’re unlikely to encounter a poker player who does it.
3. Avoid fifty-dollar bills:
Obviously, every poker player wants to win money. However, when it comes to exchanging their winning chips for cash, some poker players are adamant about not accepting a fifty-dollar bill. Many poker players, though, will choose two-twenty and a ten over a fifty-dollar bill. This superstition is most popular among American poker players. The reason why a $50 bill is unlucky persists, and there are a number of beliefs behind the idea. One theory is that Ulysses Grant, a veteran US Civil War general, and President, was inept at managing the country’s economy. Americans may have been offended by his appearance on the fifty-dollar bill. Others say the mob buried bodies in Las Vegas with $50 cash in the victim’s jacket pocket. Another plausible reason behind the superstition is that the fifties are more likely to be mistaken for $5 or $20 bills. A poker player does not want to make any mistakes with their money.
4. Believing in unlucky dealers or players:
Poker players might face their ups and downs during their time of playing poker online. Even the best players in the world do not always end up winning a match. Losing is an inevitable aspect of every game that can’t be avoided. However, this is not something that all poker players would agree with. Some poker players despise losing and will constantly find a reason to justify it. And, over the years, one of the most prevalent justifications poker players have given for losing is that a certain dealer or player brings them bad luck.
5. Red is the lucky color:
Because the color red is associated with good fortune, many poker players feel that wearing it while playing a game of poker will bring them good fortune and, as a result, victory in all games. Some of the poker players also think that the color red wards off evil spirits.
6. All good luck brings in bad luck:
It’s one aspect of playing poker online that all poker players are aware of. The majority of poker players may comfort you by wishing you luck, but it appears that pro and seasoned players will always come up short after the ‘Good luck all-in’ encouragement. This superstition stems from poker players who have found themselves in a tricky and challenging situation after hearing this statement too many times. Nobody enjoys the experience of being eliminated from a tournament, and many poker players despise the ‘good luck’ wish that comes before it.
7. Packing it all up comes with a hex:
This superstition comes packed with a feature similar to the don’t pay the all-in early superstition, but this time the tables have been turned. The poker player who has gone all-in has the weaker hand and is well aware that they are in a tricky situation. In this situation, the player might start gathering their thing and preparing to leave the game for good. Many players, on the other hand, consider packing their possessions as a fateful reversal, assuring their own powerful hand’s demise. That player who appears to be packing up spikes a card to keep them in the game and return to the seat for the majority of times, or so the theory goes. Their opponents may prefer that this lucky poker player wait for the flop, turn, and continue playing to the last minute – and then make a quick escape.
8. Don’t count your money while you are at the poker table:
It is one of the most popular poker superstitions in the world of poker. The renowned Kenny Rogers song ‘The Gambler’ is certainly familiar to most poker players. However, this song seems out of place for most modern poker players. Rounders of today want to know where they stand in the game of poker on the table. Online poker players on different poker websites and apps don’t have to worry about counting chips at virtual tables because it’s all taken care of for them. The belief was that counting money at the tables would bring bad luck to the remaining poker players at the table. But what if there was something more to this superstition?
A poker player who is continually counting and recounting their bankroll may be more concerned with the safety of their money than about playing certain cards. To put it simply, players should know their bankroll but shouldn’t be scared to mix it up every now and again in a pot.
Conclusion
These are only a few of the poker superstitions. There are many superstitions out there that a majority of poker players believe in. Furthermore, poker superstitions vary from individual to individual and region to region.
