It’s an age-old cliché that Irish people are lucky. Symbols, colours, and sayings have emerged from the Emerald Isle over the years to such an extent that some people believe there is some truth in them. The concept of luck has become ingrained in Irish culture and tradition, and this has led games of chance to boom in popularity in the country. These games, which in some circumstances were exclusively played by aristocrats, have gradually opened up to mass audiences. This has come about through the evolution of certain games, along with the emergence of options which appeal to the wider population.
Have Luck and Gambling Always Been a Part of Irish Culture?
Luck and gambling haven’t always been a huge part of Irish culture, but the concepts and their connection to Ireland have been around for a few centuries. Gambling, in particular, has its roots in the 16th and 17th centuries. At the time, the pastime was exclusively enjoyed by the aristocratic gentry, who would own horses and take part in the betting, which went hand in hand with racing. The idea of Irish people being lucky, however, can be traced back to much more recent times.
Supposedly, the saying “the luck of the Irish” didn’t actually originate from the country at all. According to Associate Professor of History at Holy Cross College, Edward T. O’Donnell, this well-used phrase actually came about in the United States throughout the latter half of the 19th century. This was during the gold and silver rush years, where it was said that a lot of the most successful miners were of Irish or Irish American heritage.
Originally meant as a form of derision, the Irish appropriated the saying and it became a popular slogan in the country. Some research has suggested that people who believe themselves to be lucky will go in search of games of chance in order to test the theory in the hope to win something. This is because the concept of luck has a lot to do with psychology, and people who think they are lucky are more likely to be positive thinkers.
This is perhaps why the gambling industry in Ireland is valued somewhere between €6 million and €8 million. A lot has changed in the industry over the years, though, and a number of the betting activities which were once only enjoyed by the elite have opened up to the masses.
Bingo Emerged As a Game For the Everyman
The days of the overt class system in Ireland and other western countries are long gone, and there are no longer events geared specifically towards the aristocracy. Horse racing, which was once such a restricted event, is now enjoyed by more than 1.3 million people, and Ireland is one of the leading countries in terms of viewing figures. The same transition was seen with casinos. In the early days of gambling houses, the lavish locations were frequented by the most affluent clientele. Now, online casinos are available to anyone and are designed to appeal to a variety of different needs.
Caption: Ireland has a proud history of horse racing
In addition to better accessibility to sports like horse racing, other gambling activities emerged to suit the wider public. While the equestrian events may have been designed to originally appeal to the upper classes, games like bingo first came about targeting the everyman. The game emerged in the country in the 1960s and, according to some reports, it was Catholic Church bingo which turned the game into a nationwide craze. Soon there were 14 million registered players.
Around the 1970s, some cinemas that went out of business were turned into bingo halls, including the Cabra Grand building and the Whitehall Grand – these are now protected buildings. These transformations were the start of a huge industry which took Dublin by storm. Bingo halls are still a big part of Ireland life, but the game has evolved in the internet age in an effort to attract an even greater number of players.
The online bingo industry is growing at an increasing rate, bringing the much-loved game to many more people. It has made it accessible to those who don’t live near bingo halls, but there have been other major changes as well which have served to entice new demographics which may not have played the game before.
The modern bingo site goes way beyond simply offering the traditional random ball draw, and it is clear that variety is the key to success in the online world. Indeed, the best bingo games nowadays include a mixture of variants, with sites such as Wink Bingo offering 90-ball, 75-ball, Daily Jackpot, and VIP versions. In addition to these diverse options, sites such as Wink Bingo have also begun to offer slots as a means of appealing to online casino players.
How Does the Future Look?
With Ireland’s long history with luck, it seems gambling and games of chance will always be popular in Irish culture. This doesn’t mean that the games are going to remain the same, though. With the evolution of horse racing, casinos, and bingo so far, it would be reasonable to expect some more changes to occur in each of the industries as technology continues to progress.
The next stage for horse racing will be for more virtual racing to take place. This is becoming increasingly popular at online bookies, as virtual races can occur much more frequently than real ones. They are also never subject to cancellation due to adverse weather conditions.
As for bingo and online casinos, some signs suggest that the next stage in their online progression could be to incorporate virtual or augmented reality. The hardware could be used to make players feel as if they are walking around a casino or sitting in a bingo hall. Developers are already working on virtual roulette and slots, so it seems like this could be a logical next step.
When it comes to games of luck and chance, Irish people don’t necessarily have a scientific advantage. But because there is a strong belief in good fortune, the people from the country are more likely to put themselves into situations in which the opportunity to get lucky can arise. For this reason, games like bingo are always going to be popular and will continue to evolve.