The topic of gambling luck and feng shui is fascinating. The influence of Asian customers on American casinos is growing. How else does baccarat become one of the most profitable table games in Vegas?
This post is about the concept of gambling luck as it’s seen through the lens of feng shui, the ancient Chinese practice of harmonizing individuals with their environment.
What’s Feng Shui?
Described simply, feng shui is a traditional ritual practice that’s meant to optimize the flow of life force through people, places, and structures.
The modern version has been pretty well watered down to a kind of interior design. The goal of modern feng shui is typically to increase health and prosperity.
What’s this have to do with gambling?
Some Westerners have adopted feng shui practices. Any system designed to increase luck is going to catch the ear of a gambler.
But – maybe more important – US casinos are being forced to face the impact feng shui can have on their bottom line.
There’s the famous story of the MGM Grand redesigning the main entrance to accommodate Chinese gamblers. Apparently, walking into a giant lion’s mouth is considered bad luck – it’s like being eaten alive. While some Chinese customers would simply use the side entrance, others stayed away entirely.
Cue a major redesign in 1998 replacing the entrance with something more palatable to the growing Chinese gambling audience of Las Vegas.
How to Improve Gambling Luck with Feng Shui
One way to immediately improve your luck and get rid of bad luck, according to feng shui, is to gamble on the west side of a room or casino. The western side of any room or building is the luckiest side, by their reckoning.
Another way to get luckier at the casino – sit where you can see a door. In fact, the more doors the better. Doors are seen as a sign of coming fortune and having them in your field of vision while you place bets is a good way to increase your luck.
Betting in a clean space means attracting more good luck. If you’re betting online, clean up your office before you start. If you’re at a blackjack table, tidy your space.
If you want to win more playing slots, feng shui says to find a casino with a small hill or even a mountain behind it. Not only does the rise in the land capture good energy, but its shape also represents a turtle or dragon, both of which are auspicious in feng shui.
Feng shui also suggests the placement of a small figurine of a dragon inside the casino. It should be placed as far from the door as possible. That way, the good luck flows in the door and towards the dragon, hopefully depositing some of itself in your pocket along the way.
Other Chinese Gambling Traditions to Increase Luck
Lots of Chinese gambling traditions are based on the sounds of words. For example, books are considered unlucky for gamblers because the Mandarin word for “book” sounds a lot like the word for “lose.” Seeing, carrying, touching, or even being near books is seen as unlucky for gamblers.
You may have noticed that red is the Chinese lucky color. Wearing red is seen as really lucky. I hear that red underwear is a popular casino item, though I’ve never seen this personally or bought my own pair. Maybe I should.
Here’s a major gambling faux pas to be aware of – in China, it’s bad form to touch someone on the shoulders while they’re gambling. Not only does this make the gambler less lucky, but it’s just considered rude.
An important part of luck philosophy in China is the concept of helping others. This is said to attract luck. I like this part of Chinese gambling tradition – give people less fortunate than you a hand up, and the universe will reward you in the future. Some folks may say that your reward will be spiritual rather than financial, but it can’t hurt to try. Your reward may as well come from a big slot machine jackpot.
Conclusion
The world is full of different cultural traditions. Most of them have some practice or ritual related to luck. Since so much of gambling is about luck, it makes sense to turn to these ancient ways to try to improve our time at the craps table.
Chinese feng shui is a long-standing and popular way to interpret the world and attempt to put it into some kind of order. Applying ancient feng shui to a modern gambling practice is just as valid as any other ritual or superstition.
