Superstition And Belief Among Bingo Players

By Author: Sally Crown
Total Articles: 25
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Many bingo players report that they believe in luck and superstition, although according to a survey undertaken by Nottingham University in March 2005 players reported having everyday superstitious beliefs, rather than those only concerned with bingo.

Behaviors and beliefs associated with Bingo included having a lucky night of the week, having a lucky friend,having a lucky mascot, sitting in the same seat for luck, believing certain numbers are lucky or unlucky, and changing pens or dobbers to change bad luck. 27 Percent of players also believed in winning and losing streaks, 25 always or almost always read their horoscopes, and 57 believed in "fate"

So why such superstition and belief? It does appear that players may like to adopt the an illusion of control over the chance elements in their lives. If players have a reason to play and if they believe they may win because of that reason, then it could be argued that having these beliefs could add more fun and excitement to the game. For example, It's my lucky night, I'm on a winning streak, Im in my lucky seat, or My stars said Id win.

There were significant ...
... results, perhaps not surprisingly, regarding the relationship between players reported beliefs in astrology and in superstition. A higher proportion of the players who usually or always read their horoscope were likely to subscribe to superstitious beliefs. One of the two significant results was that a greater percentage of players reported using different colored pens to change bad luck, if they read their horoscope. The other was that a greater percentage of players who read their horoscope less frequently reported having no superstitious beliefs when playing bingo. This and the other findings imply that those who read their horoscope more often have a greater tendency towards holding other superstitious beliefs.

A greater percentage of heavy spenders stated that they always sat in the same seat for luck but whether or not players believed they had control over luck could not be conclusively stated. Having superstitious beliefs is perhaps simply part of the thrill. Although a large percentage of players reported beliefs in luck and superstition, findings were varied, with a far greater percentage of players reporting everyday superstitious beliefs than beliefs concerned with bingo. Whether or not players believed they had control over luck could not be conclusively stated.

Alternative studies may be conducted from a differing standpoint players that spend most, players that attend most frequently, younger players, male players, those who have strong superstitious beliefs, etc. One future study which is being considered is an investigation of the think aloud method to discover if bingo players have biased perceptions during play, and if there is a difference between what they say and what they actually do, in what is supposedly a game.

Sally crown writes for Bingo Deposit Bonus about gambling issues and news. She also reviews many bingo sites such as Bet365 Bingo and Wow Bingo shows players where to get the best deal.