One of the ever present aspects in gambling at an amateur level is the much documented need of gamblers to search for any sign, no matter how subtle, to assist them in making their next play or bet.

A good example of this is a person playing roulette who notices another person in a black blouse standing next to them. Often, a moment like this will prompt certain gamblers to place their bet on black.

Blackjack players experiencing good luck who are then confronted by a less friendly dealer will take it as a sign to move onto another table. They believe their luck is about to change.

This is the world of the superstitious gambler, the act of blowing on a set of dice before rolling them; the carrying a toenail from a horned toad to bring luck when playing online bingo. The list of irrational beliefs associated with determining decisions in gambling is long and varied and crosses cultural boundaries and religious beliefs.

However, to understand the impulse to revert to irrational beliefs when making a decision in gambling, there are two useful hypothesis that seek to explain the acquisition of superstition practices and illusion of control that those superstitions bring, respectively.

The first is Skinner’s (1948) hypothesis which surmises that for conditioning to take place the most important factor is contingency. This can occur as a matter of expediency and even under accidental conditions. The result is a person gambling, whether blackjack, lotteries or online bingo, will identify a circumstance or list of circumstances during a winning phase of betting and establish those conditions as contingent to future gambling decisions.

The second hypothesis deals with the ongoing employment of a superstition or a set of superstitions as a means of belief that they offer control over a gambling situation. Experiments have been conducted that show gamblers exhibit more confidence of winning a bet if there is a history of wins in a given gambling situation. This is the basis for Langer’s (1975) hypothesis on illusion of control.

The Illusion of Control

Langer’s study of cognitive bias in gambling situations is one of the central contributions to understanding why certain gamblers believe random events are controllable. Previous observations to Langer’s study have shown that dice players often believed they could control the outcome of a throw by manipulating their throwing technique. Langer’s subsequent hypothesis was an attempt to explain that situations of luck or chance involved elements characteristic of situations that actually involved control or skill. In other words, a game of chance, such as online bingo, involves enough skill factors that a player can believe they can develop a strategy of actions designed to enhance their chances of winning despite the random basis of the game.

The previous observations of Henslin, Strickland and Lewicki seem to confirm this tendency amongst gamblers. Experiments by these social scientists seem to confirm that more money is wagered by gamblers based on their own techniques that appear to work than when someone else acted for them, despite the laws of probability stating each has the same chance of winning. The illusion of control is founded on this belief that probability can be manipulated by “game-play� techniques.

The kind of game required to create a situation where an individual gambler will develop strategies designed to flout probability through game-play techniques needs a set of elements based on possibility of choice; familiarity of response and stimulus, competition and active involvement.

For example, people who play online bingo will compete with other players by pitting their wits (active involvement) in recognizing the randomly selected numbers as matching those on their electronic bingo card (familiarity of response). As the game progresses each player races the others (competition) in reaching a stage in the game where they will be the first to achieve ‘bingo!’ (possibility of choice). That online bingo is based on randomly selected numbers as the determining factor in how the game progresses is an element that is conveniently overlooked by players engaging in ‘strategy’ based on techniques (superstition: the illusion of control).

Conclusion

Superstition provides the illusion of control many gamblers need to muster the courage to bet real money on a given game of chance where probability dictates chances of winning as being even.

The confidence shown by gamblers in winning in a game of chance when throwing a dice for themselves or when it is thrown for them often depends on previous results. Making a choice between the two techniques based on a belief that one will have a greater chance of producing a favourable result can be described as superstitious behaviour.

References

Barker, J. C. and Miller, M. (1968). Aversion therapy for compulsive gambling. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 146, 285-302.

Bleak, J. L., Frederick, C. M. (1998). Superstitious behavior in sport: Levels of effectiveness and determinants of use in three collegiate sports. Journal of Sport Behavior, 21, 1-15.

Budescu, D. V. and Bruderman, M. (1995). The relationship between the illusion of control and the desirability bias. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 8, 109-125.

Grenberg, D. and Rankin, M. (1982). Compulsive gamblers in treatment. British Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 364-366.
Henslin, J. M. (1967). Craps and magic. American Journal of Sociology, 73, 316-330.

Koehler, J. J., Gibbs, B. J. and Hogarth, R. M. (1994). Shattering the illusion of control: Multi-shot versus single-shot gambles. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 7, 183-191.

Langer, E. J. (1975). The illusion of control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 311-328.

Presson, P. K. and Besassi, V. A. (1996). Illusion of control: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 11, 493-510.

Skinner, B. F. (1948). “Superstition� in the pigeon. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38, 168-172.

Strickland, L. H., Lewicki, R. J. and Katz, A. M. (1966). Temporal orientation and perceived control as determinants of risk-taking. Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology, 2, 143-151.

Rosa Bersabé and Rosario Martínez Arias Superstition in Gambling VOLUME 4. NUMBER 1. 2000. PSYCHOLOGY IN SPAIN

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Introduction

Generally speaking, superstitious beliefs are also associated with astrological beliefs which play an important part in many people’s social behavior. Those online bingo palyers who hold to astrological beliefs tend to be more likely to be superstitious as online bingo players than non-astrological believers.

An example of this would be that those who hold astrological beliefs are more likely not to put new shoes on a table, not to walk under ladders, to touch wood, and to be more generally superstitious while playing bingo.

With regards to their actual bingo playing style, superstitious players are more likely to believe in lucky numbers and change dobbers to influence any runs of bad luck. There is also a tendency to believe in a lucky friend when playing team online bingo.

Definition of Gambling Astrology

‘Gambling astrology’ can be defined as a methodology that helps a bingo player (or any player of games of chance) determine what is the correct time to take a gambling risk. People who practice gambling astrology believe holding to this methodology doesn’t necessarily guarantee being a winner, but will increase the odds of gambling success.

Overview of Gambling Astrology Methodology

The use of astrology in gambling is linked into what astrologers call the Fifth House or the House of Speculation. Planetary alignments and transits in this House are key to this area of astrology and gamblers looking to increase their chances of winning want to be influenced by this House.

The Fire signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are also important due to their identification with risk-friendly traits. Gamblers who come under or have a fire element in their astrological chart are perceived to be particularly blessed. Those under the Earth signs of Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn tend to be the most risk-averse. Gambling astrology methodology will dissuade gamblers from taking risks when these signs play a part in their charts.

On the planetary side of things, Jupiter is identified as the Planet of Expansion, Luck and Good Fortune. For most people utilizing gambling astrology, a chart showing Jupiter transiting the Fifth House is a definite indication it is the right time to take a risk. Various alignments of other planets can influence risks with Mars signifying an easy come, easy go set of influences and Saturn unlikely to yield any rewards.

Other examples are Uranus’ tendency to warn of expecting the unexpected and Neptune’s association with wild speculation. Pluto represents the biggest risk factor of them all.

Bingo, Astrology and an Illusion of Control

In a comprehensive study of superstition and its impact on bingo players Mark D. Griffiths and Carolyn Bingham of Nottingham Trent University noted a distinct tendency amongst avid and ‘heavy’ bingo players to be “…more likely to believe in fate, be more superstitious while playing bingo, be more likely to have a lucky friend, be more likely to have a lucky seat, and be more likely to believe that some numbers are lucky/unlucky. . .�

An important part of their study points to a statistic that shows 27% of bingo players “thought bingo was a game of chance while 73% considered bingo to be a game of luck.� The authors point to this as possible support for the notion that, while ‘chance’ is seen by gamblers as unpredictable (Wagenaar, 1988), then ‘luck’ is perceived by gamblers as controllable (Weiner, 1986). Following this notion to its conclusion suggests that bingo players who treat bingo as a game of luck are suseptable to being led into an illusion of control (Langer, 1983) over their bingo game.

Utilising gambling astrology methodology is, therefore, to be seen as a tool in aiding illusion of control where illusion of control has been defined as the belief that probability can be manipulated by “game-play� techniques. In this case ‘astrology’ can be substituted for ‘game-play’.

Conclusion

Gambling astrology and its application to bingo and online bingo is most likely to be utilized by those bingo players exhibiting a strong illusion of control. The preponderance towards issues of ‘fate’ by such players point to an underlying belief that bingo is more than just a game of chance and that its outcomes can be influenced by external properties, i.e. the movement and transits of planets. Knowledge of these planetary movements then become a central platform in the methodology of this belief (astrology) and subsequently account for an entirely separate area of superstition.

For a more comprehensive look at astrology and its application to gambling from an astrologer’s persepective, refer here:
http://www.luckydays.tv/real_astrology.html

References

Dixey, R. A. (1987). It’s a great feeling when you win: Women and bingo. Leisure Studies, 6, 199–214.

Jahoda, G. (1971). The psychology of superstition. Middlesex, U.K.: Penguin Books.

King, K. M. (1990). Neutralizing marginally deviant behavior: Bingo players and superstition. Journal of Gambling Studies, 6, 43–61.

Langer, E. J. (1983). The psychology of control. London: Sage.

Marmor, J. (1956). Some observations on superstitions in contemporary life. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 26, 119–130.

Skinner, B. F. (1948). “Superstition” in the pigeon. Journal of Experimental Psychology,38, 168–172.

Thalbourne, M. A. (1997). Paranormal belief and superstition: How large is the association? Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, 91, 221–226.

Vyse, S. A. (1997). Believing in magic: The psychology of superstition. New York: Oxford University Press.

Wagenaar, W. A. (1988). Paradoxes of gambling behaviour. London: Erlbaum.

Weiner, B. (1986). An attributional theory of motivation and emotion. New York: Springer-Verlag

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Introduction

The playing of bingo and online bingo is not a widespread practice in Chinese culture.  However, games of chance and gambling in general are a huge part of Chinese culture, particularly horse racing, lotteries, casinos and, the supreme Chinese game of chance, mahjong.

This essay will first look at the role superstitions have in promoting an illusion of control amongst Chinese gamblers and then make an overview of actual Chinese gambling superstitions.  The final part of the essay will comment on the role palyed by Feng Shui in further strengthening the illusion of control.

The Illusion of Control in Chinese Culture

For many western observers of superstitious behaviour in Chinese culture, the Chinese film industry is a rich source in illustrating some of its more curious customs.

The predeliciton for wearing red as a form of luck is highlighted in the movie ‘Kung Fu Mahjong’ in which one character informs his friends he is wearing red underwear for their upcoming trip to Macau’s casinos.  In the same movie the same character shouts “Deng� while playing baccarat, a common Chinese practice in influencing the run of the cards.

The film ‘Fat Choi Spirit’ portrays a Chinese gangster putting on red underwear before engaging in a mahjong game with an expert player.  For added measure he orders his men to touch the shoulders of the expert and but satchels of books around him.

In a previous article, we discussed the concept of the “illusion of control� as a belief held by gamblers that probability can be manipulated by “game-play� techniques.  Gambling industry observers postulate that Chinese culture promotes a strong illusion of control and that this leads to a highly superstitious set of practices by Chinese in general when taking part in games of chance.

Overview of Chinese Gambling Superstitions

The list of actions not to do when taking part in gambling is quite extensive amongst the Chinese.  For instance, avoid saying anything about ‘books’ since in the Chinese language of Cantonese, ‘books’ is similar sounding to ‘lose’.  Do not count any of the money gained or lost during a gambling session and especially avoid contact with religious figures like nuns or monks previous to gambling.

Having you shoulders touched while gambling is considered very bad luck and males are expected to abstain from sexual liaisons.  Being an early winner is considered bad in that you will eventually be a big loser by the end of the game.

Regarding the actual establishments that promote gambling, such as casinos and mahjong halls, avoid entering them via the main entrance as feng shui masters often curse these doorways.  Checking into hotel rooms with inauspicious numbers like 4 and 14 is also considered bad due to the number 4 being similar in sounding to the Chinese word for death.

On the gambling “to-do� list of things, as mentioned before when reviewing gambling superstitions in Chinese films, always try to wear red underwear when engaged in games of chance.  Urinating during a game can help change a losing streak into a winning one and menstruating females will be luckier than females not having their period (related to the colour red).

Switching on all the lights at home before going out to gamble is considered good and always try to use numbers such as 8, 18, 13, 168, 198, and 798 when gambling.  There is also a belief that every gambling table has a baby ghost associated with it and that feeding it with sugar will help your luck.

Chinese casinos can be a noisy place due to a belief that shouting out the word ‘Deng’ during baccarat will make the cards more favourable.

Praying to god(s) is an important part of the pre-gambling ritual observed by many Chinese gamblers.  Trying to interpret ‘signs’ is also an important part of Chinese lore in determining a winning formula.  A good example of this is to look at important dates in your personal life, such as an upcoming wedding, and use the numbers as the likely results of a lottery draw.

The role of Feng Shui in Chinese Gambling Superstitions

Feng Shui is the uniquely Chinese belief system that states the world is governed by ‘chi’, or negative and positive forces that can be manipulated for advantage.

Though many Chinese regard feng shui as pure superstition, there is a large percentage of the Chinese population that looks on it as a rational science. Most  Chinese who employ feng shui use it to help shape their domestic and business surroundings via the arrangement of furniture.  It also plays a major role in attempts to influence the amount of good fortune they receive.

As discussed above, some Chinese gamblers will avoid entering a casino through its main entrance in the belief that it is cursed by feng shui masters.  Many young Chinese no longer believe in the influence of feng shui and other gambling superstitions, but many of those discussed in this article are still in widespread practice today.

References

Henslin, J. M. (1967). Craps and magic. American Journal of Sociology, 73, 316-330.

Koehler, J. J., Gibbs, B. J. and Hogarth, R. M. (1994). Shattering the illusion of control: Multi-shot versus single-shot gambles. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 7, 183-191.

Langer, E. J. (1975). The illusion of control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 311-328.

Presson, P. K. and Besassi, V. A. (1996). Illusion of control: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Social

Behavior and Personality, 11, 493-510. Lam, Desmond:  Chinese Gambling Superstitions and Taboos

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read celebrity gossip.

Introduction

Why is it that some bingo players, online bingo players included, seem to have all the luck? You know the type, the ones who win no matter what they do, or what strategy they play. ‘Dumb luck’ is just one of life’s variables that no computer programme or advanced theory of physics can account for – you either have it or you don’t.

However, that doesn’t stop many bingo players from trying to court Lady Luck through various means, including the arcane. Lucky charms, checking daily horoscopes, lucky seats (even online bingo players have lucky seats) and the ever present lucky numbers all play their part in convincing many players today is the day they hit the jackpot!

But, and this is a big but, do some methods provide a better way to increasing your odds at winning in bingo? In fact, is there any methodology out there over and above sheer alertness that increases you odds at winning?

Science in all its forms will tell you no. The laws of probability dictate that games of chance (and bingo is a game of chance) cannot be influenced by events or techniques and actions independent of the game itself. To believe so is to deny reality. Science even has terms for such beliefs – ‘Gambler’s Fallacy’, ‘Illusion of control’.

Yet people do win at bingo, and people do believe winners often just happen to have the right set of circumstances acting in their favour. And divining those set of circumstances beyond the ‘dumb luck’ of the draw is what accounts for some of the strange idiosyncrasies we see being displayed by many bingo players.

Here are a few of them:

Lucky charms

Three out of four people carry charms according to statistics. Charms can be anything from lucky socks, special jewelry, or some other inanimate object. For some, a special friend can act as a lucky charm Troll dolls, favourite dice, four-leaf-clovers, rabbit’s feet, pet rocks: bingo players have employed them all in the search for a win.

Lucky seats

This common superstition is probably due to a player simply feeling more comfortable, and therefore able to concentrate more when sitting in a particular seat.

Lucky money

While some players place lucky coins across the top of their cards, many others would never dream of putting money on the table, just in case it curses them with bad luck.

Lucky numbers

Simply pick a number in bingo and somebody will have a superstition about it. Birth dates, auspicious sports results and previous winning numbers all go into the hat.

Some Lesser Known Bingo Superstitions

• Never lend a friend money - it is a mortal sin to share winnings!
• Never sit at the same table as friends.
• Never yell “Bingo!â€? falsely – the evil eye will be directed at you.
• Borrowing a dabber will transfer the other player’s bad luck to you.
• In land-based bingo, bring your kids to the bingo hall – it will show you are a good person ready for luck.
• Sit near older players – they tend to win more and their luck may rub off.
• Number 13 can be a lucky number for some.
• Avoid bingo if a black cat crosses your path on your way to the bingo hall.
• Avoid the number seven.
• Do not get up during a call – very bad luck.
• Do not leave a game until the final ball.
• Always sitting at the same table might lead to catching the curse left by unlucky players.
• Play on the same day of every week.
• Never wear black - the winds of fortune might run off you.

Does it all work?

The honest answer is we don’t know.

According to superstition expert Vyse, the fallibility of human reason is the
greatest single source of superstitious belief. However, perhaps a definition for superstition could be, “a belief that a given action can bring good luck or bad luck when there are no rational or generally acceptable grounds for such a belief”, according to M. Thalbourne

Bingo superstitions are what they are: Superstitions. And for many bingo players, they make playing just that little bit more exciting. Who are we to deny them?

References

British Council BBC: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/young_learners.shtml

Teaching Ideas: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/

Online Gaming Research: http://www.freewebs.com/mick15/home.htm

The Standards Site: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/?version=1

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read celebrity gossip.

Online Bingo as Review Tool in the Sciences

Bingo’s proven ability to enhance memory retention makes it a powerful revision tool for students whose subjects demand total recall of facts and formulae. An online bingo application designed to test the memory of students in which randomly selected scientific terms and facts replace numbers would be a welcome addition to a student’s study regime.

Variants of bingo have already been used in the school lab (1) as a means for testing the retention of facts before an exam. The success of this method points to a need to explore an online version which can be made available to the growing number of students studying online.

Discussion on Incentives to Study via Online Bingo

The offer of rewards has long been a feature of encouraging students and pupils to study. Currently, free online bingo games in their commercial application offer customers cash prizes via jackpots and bonuses as a means of attracting players. A similar model could be set up with educational bonuses linked into accredited curriculums being the incentive to attract players.

Online bingo also has the potential to offer every participating student the chance of being a “winner� in that they need not necessarily compete with other classmates once online. The technology available to online bingo applications means the student would be playing the programme and not competing against other students. This would increase the chances of bingo success for each player and subsequently enhance the educational progress made by each player.

Online Bingo as a Way of Fostering a Sense of Student Community

One of the more obvious benefits offered by online bingo as a potential education tool is its recognized “chat� function making it possible for students in various locations to communicate in real time while playing. This feature alone hints at online bingos’s potential inter-cultural applications and offers a means by with cultural interaction can be facilitated.

Online bingo in its commercial form is noted for its “community spirit� in which online bingo hall members often communicate with each other during online games and events. The establishment of educationally-driven online bingo halls offers a chance to mimic the success of online bingo communities by bringing students of diverse backgrounds together under a unified educational subject.

End of Part 2

References

(1) T. Trimpe 2001 http://sciencespot.net/

Bibliography/References

British Council BBC: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/young_learners.shtml

Teaching Ideas: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/

Online Gaming Research: http://www.freewebs.com/mick15/home.htm

The Standards Site: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/?version=1

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Introduction to online bingo as a language educational tool

Increasingly, many children in the developed world are spending a growing percentage of their time in front of a computer console or terminal. This includes time in the classroom where teachers may be present for a majority of the time.

For children in the developing nations, the access to a computer terminal is often severely limited compared to their co-pupils in the developed nations, but the learning of computer skills is a growing part of education in there areas.

Once the internet is factored in, communication skills become paramount in making full utilization of computers and language skills are in particular a major part of ensuring the use of a computer reaches its full educational potential.

As the world becomes more internationalized and pupils from the developing world come more and more into contact with pupils in developed countries via online communications, there is a growing need for English language competence.

Recent developments in the online gaming industry point to a window of opportunity in which pupils of English can utilize games like online bingo to help advance their language abilities.

History of Bingo as an Educational Tool

The emergence of online bingo halls as one of the online gaming industry’s fastest growing niche markets belies a tradition stretching back hundreds of years in which variants of bingo were use by educational institutions as a valid teaching tool.

Bingo’s recognized ability to promote powerful memory faculties contributed to its use in Dutch math classes as far back as the 1700s. Most recently, there have been efforts to introduce bingo’s principles into the scientific arena of education while English language educationists have long recognized bingo’s applications in teaching English.

The Basics to Good English Language Tuition Discussed

English as a first or second language is an evolving language with an exceptional ability to incorporate ideas and new words from outside sources. Teaching English, particularly to those for whom it is a second language, requires an approach reflecting the language’s ability to adapt.

In developing children’s linguistic competence, lessons need to be regular and frequent to reinforce what has already been learned. At the heart of any English lesson is the need for pupils to become increasingly familiar with the sounds and written form of English.

The basics start with developing English skills and language-learning skills in a way that each pupil can begin to understand and communicate. Part of this should incorporate comparisons between a foreign language and English which will lead to an increase their cultural awareness. By learning about different countries and their people, pupils will foster positive attitudes towards foreign language learning, an added benefit in learning English.

Once the above has become routine in their studies, pupils can then begin to use their knowledge with growing confidence and competence to understand what they hear and read, and to express themselves in speech and in writing.

Applications for Online Pupils

The advances in computer-based learning environments has revolutionized what used to be referred to as a “correspondence� education. Images of children swatting over text books in the Australian outback or jungles of Africa and communicating with their teachers via HAM radio have now been long supplanted by pupils in rural areas logging on to computer terminals for their lessons. The opportunity to reach such pupils with a set of stimulating educational exercises has never been better.

Online gaming, including online bingo, with all its hi-tech advances in the fields of visual presentation and ease and speed of use, stands poised to be able to offer pupils a fun and familiar way of engaging their studies that is at once both informative and entertaining.

The visual and mental element in using Bingo as a language tool: Applying Bingo to the Classroom

In a classic example of Bingo being applied to a traditional classroom situation, a teacher can provide pupils with double or single letter cards which they pick and then have to try to produce complete words by gradually covering thhe existing words on their bingo cards.

Each bingo card has a set of different words, and each time the teacher calls out a letter, a corresponding letter can be covered up on a word until the whole card is accurately covered – Bingo!

Applications for the use of Online Bingo in Education

People who play free online bingo understand the powerful concentration factor required in playing this game well. Online bingo is often attributed with helping increase the memory faculties of players and this becomes a powerful argument in its use as a language educational tool.

The above example of bingo being used in a traditional classroom environment should demonstrate the game’s potential for being adapted into an online environment. Subsequently, pupils whose education can be received via the internet can look forward to an entertaining variation on the traditional use of bingo.

A Clarion Call to the Online Bingo Industry

While profit is the undeniable motive behind the development of most online bingo games, it seems there is a chance for the industry, with the support of the online bingo community, to provide an educational variant on this very popular form of online entertainment which will benefit future generations of children trying to master English.

End of Part 1

Bibliography/References

British Council BBC: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/young_learners.shtml
Teaching Ideas: http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/
Online Gaming Research: http://www.freewebs.com/mick15/home.htm
The Standards Site: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/?version=1

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