How lucky charms can impact people’s luck
Have you ever come across the phrase, a lucky charm brings good fortune? But does it? Let’s find out. A lucky charm is literally anything that someone believes brings them good luck.
Yes – Luck – A game of chances; it might be something good or bad. Lucky charms give you a sense of control over the uncontrollable, making you believe that things will swing in your favour.
A brief history
Initially, charms were primarily used for protection against evil spirits and other religious purposes. They can be dated back to the Neolithic period when pieces of stone, bones and shells were tied using leather strings and worn as bracelets.
Progressively into the Bronze Age, it was believed that the charms would bring good luck to the wearer and keep off evil. Just like that, the concept of luck was introduced, and that continued through the Middle Ages and Renaissance period to the 20th century when they became more sentimental instead.
Even though they are not associated with luck much now, people still feel the need to be in control. That has broadened the scope of what can be termed a lucky charm – it is not limited to jewellery or shells only.
Now, even rabbit feet, meant for rabbits’ locomotion, double as lucky charms. Interesting.
The effect
But what is it with lucky charms that make their owners cherish them dearly? Yes, you guessed right – psychology. The unfathomable power of the mind seems to establish a direct correlation between lucky charms and good fortune.
You know how they say it – believe you can, and you are halfway there. In the present world, it’s all a matter of odds. The more you believe the odds are in your favor, the more confident you feel, and that significantly boosts your performance.
In a sector like gaming, where randomness seems to be the order of the day, players like to feel somewhat in control of the unpredictable outcome.
A case in point in daily free games is that gamer who is feeling lucky might be more inclined to play, because they feel confident that perks like free daily spins can enhance their outcomes.
The illusion of control and certainty in such an unpredictable scenario is super gratifying. If that sensation can result from a lucky charm, so be it.
Here are some of the top lucky charms used in gaming;
- Four-leaf clover
- Horseshoe
- Maneki -Neko
- Rabbit’s leg
- White elephant
- Ladybug
Let’s see more about some of them.
Four-leaf clover
First of all, it takes luck to find this lucky charm. It is one of the rare ones, with the probability of finding it being at 1in 5076.
It is considered lucky because of its origin in Irish tradition where priests associated it with protection from evil spirits. With the three-leaf clover, they could tell when evil spirits were coming and had a chance to flee on time.
But with the fourth one – it would offer magical protection and keep bad luck away. Some gamers now see it as a symbol of luck and consider themselves fortunate when they see it, even on a gaming site.
Horseshoe
Horseshoes are considered to bring luck because they were initially made of iron, which was known to keep off evil spirits. The seven holes that would be used in securing it also signified luck because seven is considered one of the luckiest numbers on Earth.
Though its origin is not ascertained, luck was attributed to it when the eighth-century Chaldeans thought it represented various moon goddesses because of its shape. They associated that with protection from evil spirits.
Presently, some players carry it around because they believe its U-shape will collect all the good luck for them.
Maneki-Neko
Maneki-Neko is Japanese for ‘beckoning cat’ and a familiar lucky figure for gamers. Despite its Japanese origin, it is more widespread in China. The interpretation of the luck can vary based on the five things;
- The hand raised
- The colour
- The material
- The attire
- The item held by the cat
Therefore, before buying your lucky mascot, you better know what you are going for.
Rabbit’s foot
Did you know that not all rabbit feet are considered magical? It’s just the right hind one. This is because they land on their hind feet first while running, and the left is associated with the devil, hence choosing the right one.
The use of rabbit’s foot for luck can be traced back to the Celts around 600 BC. They considered the rabbit a friend to the god of fertility due to its high reproduction rate.
Though a bit outdated, some gamers still hold the rabbit’s foot dear as their assurance of lady luck smiling on them.
Conclusion
So, does a lucky charm bring good fortune? Well, there is no scientific proof to support that claim, but one thing is sure: the confidence that comes from feeling lucky have a significant effect on the performance of the gamer.
