Superstitions Associated With Video Poker
Poker is an incredible game of cards that has been a part of the gambling world for a long time now. Its enhanced version, video poker, is also an amazing game that requires you to have at-par skills.
Thanks to its dependency on skills, video poker games can be influenced and changed according to strategies. However, games like slots and craps depend solely on luck and don’t work the same way.
An average poker game player is aware of all the possible odds for each given hand and plays strategically to turn the tides in their own favour. Experts of the game don’t give it much of a thought and play calculated moves that would help them win the game. However, this computerized way of playing hasn’t saved them from gambling’s greatest temptation – superstition.
Superstitions in video poker
Superstition is something that can ruin even the best of video poker players. When it comes to superstition, all logic and strategy come to an end. While you might think that superstition should rule a game of dice and chance, video poker has its fair share in this problem too! You can read more about video poker superstitions here:
- Many players hold their own unique beliefs and lucky charms. They consider a specific coin, chip or any such item a lucky charm and believe that it influences their game
- There are a ton of players who choose to play on the machines on each end of the row as they find it to be good for them. A few of them might avoid sitting on odd-numbered machines believing it to be unlucky as well
- Several believe playing on Mondays is a good idea, as they think casinos loosen their machines a bit on slower weekdays. However, they forget that once the machines have been set in place, they can no longer be adjusted or controlled by a lever located elsewhere. The odds that have been set in the machine are what it abides by at all times
- Losing on a different version of video poker is not because of bad luck, but because of its different odds. We must understand that the variants have been tweaked and designed to be different from the original game. It is highly likely that they’ll work on different odds too. This applies to mobile casinos as well
While the game started out as a game of skill, its existence over such a long period has exposed it to the world of superstition. Well, superstition can also be identified as a way for players to remain calm and approach the highs and lows of the game differently.
Reality check
Superstitions are universal human practices that give rise to the placebo effect. It basically means that if you think that some machine or coin is lucky for you on some specific day, it just might turn out to be true.
Our brain is always trying to understand various aspects of this chaotic world. And nothing defines chaos and randomness as well as a game of video poker. When you add up a pile of cash to the mix, you’ve got a high adrenaline rush that makes you hold on to one or two superstitions as a coping mechanism.
The trick is to keep yourself sane by staying on the line between harmless superstitions and having faith in strategies and skills.
It is acceptable if you believe that a specific coin or chip is a lucky charm for you. However, if you think that is all you need to win the games, you’re highly mistaken. You should change your approach, or you’re going to lose too much, too fast!
How to become better at playing poker?
While there are many factors that might be pulling you down from becoming a better poker player, you only need to focus on improving your game. We have listed a few things that you can do to improve your skills and become better at the game.
- Review your games: Even though it seems like an unnecessary task, going over the mistakes you made during your previous session can help you improve before the next one
- Study advanced poker strategies: Starting off with some basic skills is good, but that can’t help you for long. You need to keep learning better skills and be aware of the latest techniques to ensure you don’t lose in your upcoming games
- Go through poker books and read about the different experiences of the players
- Read poker-related blogs to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements and remain aware of any new rules that might be added to the game
Superstitions are nothing but your mind’s way to help you cope up with your surroundings and remain calm. While they are basically inevitable, try to avoid believing in superstitions for as long as you can.
Rather than collecting coins and chips as charms to win the game, develop skills and strategies that would help you do so.