Halloween and Player Superstitions

Getting Spooky with Halloween and

Superstitions at Potawatomi Casino Hotel

It’s October, which means it’s fall, filled with tasty and heartwarming fall food as well as the arrival of a spooky season. Any recent visit to your favorite retailers will reveal fun and exciting Halloween costumes for all ages and taste, a variety of sweet candy galore and more spooky activities than you can probably plan for all month long. Among the season’s celebrations are superstitions, the appearance of jack-o-lanterns, black cats and ghosts. Halloween is approaching and we think it is time to learn more about its rich history and some popular superstitions, so lock your doors, close your windows, grab your pumpkin spice latte and cuddle up into your favorite blanket because it’s about to get spooky in here as we explore more about Halloween and superstitions.

Halloween, also known as Saint’s evening (from the Scots word “even”, contracted to e’en) or All Hallows’ Eve is only the first of three days associated with the celebration of the dead, saints, martyrs and the departed. It is no surprise why we associate this season with all things scary as the days begin getting shorter and colder, getting ready for the wintertime.

Halloween is only the beginning. You might’ve heard of a little celebration known as “Día de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead), in many Spanish-speaking Latin American countries like Mexico, Bolivia, Guatemala and Peru. During this day (or days), visits are made to cemeteries to honor and celebrate the lives of those who are no longer with us. Food and drink is left for them on their graves or altars to take into the afterlife, especially as the fall harvest is collected and we prepare for the dire winter months.

In the USA, a lot of the celebrations associated with Halloween include dressing up as your favorite characters or mythical creatures and trick-or-treating. It’s an opportunity for people to explore their creativity and collect candy from their neighbors and family members, attend parties and decorate their homes to look like haunted houses.

It wouldn’t be Halloween if we didn’t talk about superstitions. A superstition is a belief and reverence for supernatural beings, as well as a generally believed but unjustified practices held by a group of people. Think about all the little things you avoid doing to attract bad luck like breaking a mirror, crossing paths with a black cat or walking under a ladder, especially on a Friday the 13th (The number 13 is widely believed to cause bad luck in many Western countries).

Some common superstitions include things like:

Charms and tokens

Some people carry special objects that might have sentimental value that they believe attracts good luck for them. Keys, lockets, figurines or even clothing (you know, like lucky shirts, socks or even shoes) are some of the things people claim are lucky for them.

At our bingo hall, we’ve seen charms and tokens run the gamut of trolls, postcards, photos, bracelets and so much more. People even hold on to their lucky daubers even years after they’ve run out of ink! Lucky or not, we definitely love seeing people’s personalities come to life during every bingo session they attend. You can learn so much by the special objects people carry with them.

Rituals

Now, we all have small actions we do that we believe help us get ready (or luckier) to take on a challenge. You might want to win big at the tables, slots or bingo. You might see the name of a horse at OTB that is calling to you.

Sitting at specific tables or chairs, not talking during a game, or dabbing with certain colors are just some of the superstitious rituals some people do to make sure they hit it big during a bingo game. One popular superstition for our slots players is avoiding slots machines that are crowded by other players because they feel the luck is being drained out and you won’t get a huge payout come jackpot time! When betting on horses in our off-track betting room, some players won’t bet on specific horses, numbers or names out of fear of bad luck.

Superstitions, if not taken too seriously, are harmless. In fact, they can make people more careful. Try your luck on some of our spooky slots machines including Lock It Link Cats, Hats, And More Bats with blacks, pumpkins, bats and haunted houses. Don’t be scared, they’re a lot more kooky than they are spooky!

Potawatomi Casino Hotel: Where Halloween Magic Happens

Now that we've delved into the mysteries of Halloween and superstitions, it's time to explore the thrilling Halloween festivities and treats awaiting you at the Potawatomi Casino Hotel.  Check out our promotions calendar for all casino and dining events happening on Halloween!