Football Superstitions: More Complex Than a Gambler's Lucky Charms?

Superstitions are seen as a way to try and gain some extra control or certainty over a situation. They become routine habits, trying to force a swing of good fortune to the person performing whatever act it is, which could be anything from well-known ones like not walking under a ladder, to something personal like putting a sock on the left foot first.

Superstitions permeate every walk of life and culture, and that includes the world of football. Some of the superstitions in the game are quite visible, like a player touching the pitch with their hand before running onto it.

People can also attempt to subvert bad luck at casinos, hoping that superstitions will get them a boost of good fortune. Sure, there are some things which should be done just because - for instance, online players should choose no deposit bonuses only in legal casinos for player safety. But whether it’s seeking a card at the blackjack table or a win on the slot machines, players still rely heavily on superstitions.

Common Superstitions in Football

Superstitions can be extremely personal things. If a player has a good game after eating oatmeal for breakfast, for example, then that could be their “lucky” meal to start every game day with. It’s essentially associating something, an item or an act, with good fortune.

One of the most common superstitions that can be seen in the modern game, is a player patting the pitch when running onto it, usually followed by “crossing” themselves out of religious beliefs.

Here are some famous examples of footballers engaging in superstitious acts:

• Chelsea great John Terry revealed a story about how, at one point during his long career, all his teammates would use the same “lucky” urinal in the dressing room before kick-off.
• Former France manager Raymond Domenech was said to have had a strong belief in astrology and would leave players out of his squads and teams based on what star signs they were.
• Dutch legend Johan Cruyff had his strange superstitions of chewing gum before a match and spitting it onto the opponent's half ahead of kick-off, and slapping the belly of goalkeeper Gert Bals.
• Former England striker and now TV pundit Gary Lineker would not shoot at goal during his pre-match warm-ups so that he wouldn’t “waste” goals.
• One of Germany’s greatest players, Mesut Özil would have a superstition of stepping onto the pitch with his right foot first, and when getting kitted up, the right boot had to be put on first, along with tying multiple knots in his laces.

Common Gamblers Superstitions

All gamblers want a little bit of luck to go their way while playing, so rituals are prevalent among gamblers as well. That could be a poker player wearing a certain pair of sunglasses, wearing some “lucky” underwear when playing roulette or a player simply choosing the same slot machine over and over again because they once had a big payout on it. Here are some of the most common gamblers superstitions:

• Crossing Fingers: Crossing fingers is one of the most commonly used superstitions in the world. It’s a sign of good luck, something that you may do while waiting for the roulette ball to settle, for example.
• Crossing Legs: While crossing your fingers is for good luck, crossing your legs while gambling is a superstition to deter bad luck.
• Closing Eyes: Shutting your eyes against fate is another popular gambler's superstition. While waiting for the outcome of a play, a player may shut their eyes for good fortune. This is similar to fans and players not watching a penalty kick.
• Red Fortune: Coming from Chinese culture, wearing red while playing casino games is a common superstition that supposedly gives a boost of good luck.
• Blowing On Dice: At the craps table, one of the most common sights you will see is a player blowing on the dice for good luck, one of the oldest superstitions in gambling.

Complexity Comparisons

Superstitions are just what they are, there’s no line of complexity, where the rituals in gambling are more complicated than those in football. There’s just a huge amount of variety of them in both worlds, many with similarities.

Not walking into a physical casino via the main entrance is akin to a player stepping onto the pitch with their right foot first, or being the last from their team to hit the field. Rubbing the belly of a pregnant woman before a roll of the dice is similar to tapping the cheek of a team-mate before kick-off, and never counting money at the table feels similar to not looking as your team takes a spot kick.