For the Romans, there was the goddess Fortuna, the divinity to whom the fortunes of all ventures, great or small, were linked. For the Egyptians, on the other hand, there was Shai, primordial being and personification of destiny, identified with the Greek counterpart of Agathos, symbol of good fortune. Gods who were invoked for the harvest, for wars, for amorous conquests. Or for play.
Indeed, because the relationships between playful activities and superstitions are as old as mankind. They merge folk knowledge and ancestral beliefs, with a touch of esotericism and magic. However, there is much that is psychological in all this. To throw some light on these aspects there is a new book, published by Giochi di Slots, which talks precisely about the role of psychology in gambling.
The psychology of superstitious rituals
What is hidden behind the act of blowing on the dice? And what is there in the idea of touching a lucky charm before making a bet? It all resides in the mechanisms of our brain, which needs to recognise what is around and to control even unpredictable situations. The anxiety that comes from gaming and betting drives the player to find a form of control to a fluid, elusive, random entity. This is where superstition comes in, providing our unconscious functioning with a comfort, even if it is illusory.
This is how we explain the luck of the number 7 or the hope of the crossed finger, the act of knocking on wood or the fear of seeing the number 13 appear. It is enough that even one of these actions is tied in our memory to a lucky or unlucky event and that connection is made forever.
From evolutionary survival to misguided bets
The reason for this is that our brain is designed to recognise phenomena and fit them into its patterns. This is an extremely important element of evolution, which allowed our ancestors to escape from dangers and predict favourable situations, yet this function translates in gambling into a reliance on acts, symbols and gestures that do not have any relationship with reality.
A cognitive bias, perhaps, certainly a mistake, but one that continues to be part of our culture and often our ways. Not forgetting, however, that the only good fortune comes from safe and responsible play. Forgetting for a moment black cats and various croissants.