The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells - Judika Illes 2009
Gamblers’ Spells and Charms
The Spells
Thoth, that over-achieving Egyptian, not only invented magic and writing, he invented dice and wagering, too. Baccarat allegedly derives from Etruscan spiritual rites; nine priests, or so the rumor goes, convened to observe a young, virginal blonde roll numbers in what might be called Etruscan roulette. High numbers earned her the prestigious position of priestess; the wrong numbers forced her to take a one-way stroll into the sea. The magical roots of gambling run deep.
Next time you shake up dice and call on Lady Luck, do so with reverence. You’re actually invoking the once very prominent Roman goddess, Fortuna, the original Lady Luck. The Wheel of Fortune, also the name of a tarot card, is among Fortuna’s sacred emblems. Dice, cards, roulette wheels, all these gambling devices also double as tools of divination. Every hand, whether loser’s or winner’s, may be simultaneously read as a message about the future.
Divination serves as a conduit to the divine and, as some see it, gambling does too. After all, isn’t every card, number, winning horse or roll of the die ultimately determined by the Hand of Fate? Like that fated Etruscan blonde, gambling offers the gods an opportunity to reward you—or not.
According to theories of divination and synchronicity, it’s impossible to choose the wrong card, pick the wrong straw or roll the wrong number. Whatever hand Fate deals is the one you’re meant to play. Gamblers, a notoriously superstitious bunch, invoke divine favor with ritual, spell, and charms. Gamblers’ Spells are a sub-genre of Luck Spells, developed and refined to fulfill a special need.
Angelica Charm
Carry an angelica root in your pocket as a gambler’s talisman. This is especially beneficial for women.
Chypre Magic Gamblers’ Cologne
Many types of cologne, like liqueurs, have their origins in magic potions and formulas. Angel’s Water, for instance, began its incarnation as an aphrodisiac while Hungary Water earned its initial fame as a youth potion. These magical formula waters and colognes are in a sense the old-world version of magical formula dressing oils.
Perhaps because for so long gambling was considered an exclusively male pursuit, many fragrances targeted at men derive their roots from gambling luck formulas. Jockey Club and Bay Rum for instance, provide luck and financial good fortune. Chypre, however, is the gambler’s favorite. Named after Aphrodite’s island of Cyprus, this formula allegedly also brings luck in business, the stock market, and anything having to do with money and finance. Legend has it that the scent was brought to England by returning twelfth-century Crusaders in powder form. It could be used like that or added to oil as needed.
Although the word “chypre” is now used to designate a class of perfume, those fragrances may lack any connection with the magical formula beyond the name. To be true magical Chypre, this earthy fragrance should contain rock rose (labdanum), strongly associated with Cyprus. Oak-moss is also a frequent component because of the belief that it draws cash to its wearer. (See page 1040 for the formula.)
Chypre Spell (1) Modern Use
Wear the cologne to attract wealth and general good fortune anytime but especially when gambling. Close your eyes while applying it and make a quick wish or invocation.
Pay attention to the fragrance while playing; normally you don’t smell fragrance worn on your own body. If the fragrance suddenly, unexpectedly intensifies, pay even closer attention: it just may be giving you a few players’ tips.
Chypre Spell (2) Traditional Use
For traditional use, carry the dry perfume in a conjure bag, and rub it on your hands just before playing.
Chypre Oil
Add Chypre powder to jojoba oil. Rub a drop of this oil between your palms especially before playing games where you actually handle the materials (cards, dice, etc.)
Devil’s Shoestrings Spells
Among its many other uses, the root devil’s shoestring is used to magically enhance gambler’s luck.
Shoestring Bag
Put a whole devil’s shoestring inside a red bag together with patchouli and vetiver.
With your desire firmly in your mind, spit in the bag.
Tie it together with a real shoestring.
Shoestring Paper Spell
Rub devil’s shoestring onto lottery tickets, racing forms, and other gambling cards and papers.
Shoestring Powder
Grind devil’s shoestrings, patchouli, and vetiver and blend with cornstarch. Sprinkle within your shoes when on your way to a game of cards.
Sometimes the way the chips fall depends upon in whose good graces you fall. Oh, knowing a pit boss or a croupier may get you some free drinks, but the type of help many prefer to rely upon comes from the spirit realm. Request divine intervention, winning numbers, or at least some advice as to whether it’s wise to play.
Ironically, although gambling’s symbols belong to her and even though she is probably invoked more during one day in Las Vegas than all year anywhere else, Lady Luck herself, Fortuna, is not associated with gambling as much as she is with plain, everyday good fortune. One of her most significant roles in old Rome was helping married women maintain their husband’s sexual interests.
You’ve been invoking the wrong goddess? Don’t despair. Plenty of other spirits patronize gamblers, providing them with lucky numbers and good fortune.
Friends in High Places Spell (1) Che Kung’s Birthday Wish Spell
The earliest documentation of gambling comes from China. Che Kung, Patron of Gamblers, is a deified general dating from the Sung dynasty, with a temple maintained near the Hong Kong racetrack. Demonstrating the oft-blurred line between gambling and divination, Che Kung’s temple is popular for its resident fortunetellers.
Che Kung’s blessings manifest as gamblers’ luck. His festival celebrates his birthday: the second day of the first month of the Chinese year. Wish Che Kung a happy birthday to receive good fortune and especially gamblers’ luck in the New Tear.
If you’re in Hong Kong on Che Kung’s birthday, get in line to spin the sails of the copper windmill within his temple. Allegedly three spins earns the spinner Che Kung’s blessings in the year to come.
Che Kung Spell (2) Private Blessings
A trip to Hong Kong isn’t realistic? Honor the general at home:
Offer Che Kung incense.
Burn paper spirit money in his honor. Be as generous to him as you’d like him to be toward you.
Friends in High Places Spell (2) Lassi Lucky Number Spell
The Lassi are Italian protective spirits and household retainers. Survivors of Roman paganism, they languish ready to serve. One pair of Lassi traditionally serves each household, the successful performance of their career contingent upon the success of their respective households. Wake them up and put them to work. Request their assistance with the lottery or with gambling in general.
Dedicate three candles to the Lassi.
Burn the candles at midnight.
While the candles burn, call the Lassi, request their presence; chant something similar to this aloud: Lassi! Come here now!
I’m calling you. I need you!
Do me this special favor!
While calling, hold up three playing cards in your hand: the ace of spades, the ace of clubs, and the ace of diamonds.
When you feel the Lassi’s presence, close your eyes and toss the cards up into the air.
Open your eyes: observe and analyze the way the cards land, which ones turn face up or which appears most prominent. The ace of diamonds is an extremely favorable response, while the ace of spades is not. The ace of clubs offers moderate, qualified encouragement.
Friends in High Places Spell (3) Saint Camillus
Sometimes you need a different type of help with gambling. Petition Saint Camillus to help you stop gambling. Saint Camillus (1550—1614) was a Neapolitan solder; a nobleman’s son, whose addiction to gambling was so severe that he literally lost his shirt and ended up begging in the street. Camillus took a job doing construction work for the Capuchins, the only ones who would hire him. This attempt to rebuild his life resulted in spiritual epiphany and ultimately his sainthood.
Petition Camillus when you need him; light a white candle in his honor. Offer him a little cash and a sample of your poison: playing cards, dice, racing forms, or whatever represents gambling to you. His feast day is July 14th.
Friends in High Places Spell (4) San Martin Caballero
San Martin Caballero is Saint Martin of Tours in his guise as Saint Martin the Horseman. A spirit of exceptional generosity, he rewards devotees with luck and money. Burn white or red candles for Saint Martin. Place a horseshoe charm beside the candles; wear it to carry his blessings and power with you.
Friends in High Places Spell (5) Saint Simon’s Lucky Number Spell
Saint Simon, the hero of Tuscan magic, may be an apostle. He may also be that Simon (or Simeon) who performed Christ’s circumcision, tying him to the magical traditions of smithcraft—ironsmiths even today serving as wandering circumcisers in traditional areas of Asia and Africa. He may also be that bane of the early Christian Church, the competing magician Simon Magus, hiding under the ultimate disguise. Whoever he is, Saint Simon has earned a reputation for providing all sorts of needed information, especially winning lottery numbers. You just have to ask for them the right way.
For three consecutive nights, just prior to going to sleep, repeat Simon’s novena three times in a row at midnight.
After the third night, Saint Simon will allegedly manifest himself to you. This may be while you are awake but he usually appears in dreams. His appearance varies: he has been known to appear as a Roman Catholic priest, or as a friar, or in the guise of an ancient Egyptian. He might surprise you. His demeanor, however, is consistent: sullen, grouchy, and bad-tempered.
He will demand to know what you want and why you’ve called him. If you respond truthfully and without fear, he usually grants your wish. If, however, you’re not quick and fearless, he’s been known to slap petitioners and immediately vanish.
Friends in High Places Spell (6) The Venus Throw Spell
“Lucky at love, unlucky at cards,” or how does that old saying go? With assistance from Turanna, the Italian Venus, perhaps you can have both. This beautiful sponsor of lovers also favors gamblers and fortunetellers. Her number is six and that’s why throwing sixes with dice is called “the Venus throw.”
Turanna deals out cards and the hands of fate. She may be appealed to for assistance with any matter in addition to her traditional domains. As an act of hopeful devotion and as a communications device, build an altar in Turanna’s honor.
Instead of a statue, remove the queen of hearts from a new deck of playing cards and use it to represent Turanna.
Place three dice, all displaying the number six before the card.
Offer Turanna the gifts she likes: sweet liqueurs, perfume, and/or flowers.
Request her aid.
If and when she comes through for you, give her more presents.
Galangal Root Spell
Galangal root, also known as Courtcase root, also known as Little John to Chew, also known as Southern John, is most closely associated with legal victories. It’s also helpful for gamblers.
Chew a piece of the root when you need to place a bet, make a selection or a decision.
Pay attention to inspiration and intuition.
Gamblers’ Bag
Chop an onion into pieces, concentrating on your desire. Put them into a red charm bag together with alder bark and six juniper berries.
Gamblers’ Candle Spell
The popular perception of magic spells worked with figure candles is similar to that of spells using dolls; people often presume that these spells are malevolent hexes worked on someone else. However, figure candles can also be used to draw good fortune toward you.
Obtain a human figure candle that represents you.
Carve the candle with your name, identifying information, and any potential lucky numbers.
Dress the candle with Magnet Oil and Black Cat Oil.
Put extra Magnet Oil on the candle’s hands or wherever else you think is appropriate.
Burn.
Gamblers’ Doll Spell
Dolls, like candles, are as easily used to draw good fortune as bad.
Pin together two pieces of red fabric.
Draw a human figure meant to represent you onto the top piece of cloth and then cut it using scissors or fabric shears.
Embellish the outside of the doll as much as you please, adding lucky symbols and numbers, as desired.
Sew three sides together, leaving a hole to stuff the doll.
Fill the doll with dried parsley and basil, adding tiny charms as desired: miniature dice, cards, horseshoes, wishbones, and four-leaf clovers, for instance.
Completely sew up the doll and finish decorating the surface as you please. Personalize as much as possible. Draw or place a lot of money in your hands.
Anoint the doll with Magnet Oil and any other Gamblers’ Dressing Oils (see below) you choose.
Place the doll atop a square of gold-colored fabric together with lots of play money—Chinese spirit money or Monopoly money or similar.
Wrap everything up, rolling towards you. Safety pin the packet together and keep in a discreet, secure place.
Whenever you’ve won or whenever your luck needs reinforcing, anoint with more Magnet Oil.
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils are magic formula oils created to enhance a gambler’s luck. Many of the most potent condition formula oils are extremely versatile and used for a variety of purposes, for instance, Black Cat Oil, Magnet Oil, and High John the Conqueror Oil have many uses, gambling and otherwise. Find instructions in the Formulary (page 1037). Other oils are used somewhat exclusively for gambling. This is a popular magical category: choose whichever dressing oil best resonates for you. Select one or several: they combine well together.
Use the dressing oils to:
Anoint mojo hands and lucky charms
Anoint cards, dice, chips, and other paraphernalia, if possible
Anoint corners of lottery tickets, race cards, and similar
Rub a drop between your palms before playing
Anoint candles during spells to increase and enhance good fortune
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils: Essential Oils
Essential oils are used to blend magic formula oils but can also be extremely potent independently, if you’ve got the right oil. Essential oils of basil and bergamot are most strongly associated with financial luck.
Rub one single drop of either or both oils between your palms before playing, or use them to anoint candles, charms, and lottery tickets in the same way that condition dressing oils would be used.
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils: Fast Luck Oils
Fast Luck Oils bring money and love fast, as promised, but be aware that this is “quick-fix magic.” Don’t count on it to last. Fast Luck Oils are designed for those living in the moment or desperate for a quick hit of good fortune. They are believed to be particularly beneficial for those playing slot machines or any sort of fast-paced game involving dumb luck, versus more complex games of chance. Place a drop of Fast Luck Oil onto the slot machine or anoint your hands just before playing.
Past Luck Oil (1) New Orleans-style Fast Luck Oil
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Wintergreen
Use essential oils or grind up a cinnamon stick and a vanilla bean and then anoint the resulting blend with essential oil of wintergreen (rarely available in other forms).
Add them to jojoba oil.
Fast Luck Oil (2) Fast Luck Bingo
Add agar-agar (Sea Spirit) to New Orleans-style Fast Luck Oil; rub it between your palms before playing, or anoint the card.
Fast Luck Oil (3) Red Fast Luck Oil
This is basically the same formula as regular New Orleans-style Fast Luck Oil except that this dressing oil is red, to intensify the luck. Traditionally the red color was obtained with alkanet root, an ancient natural dye. Alkanet bestows its own gifts: it protects money and draws luck towards you. Unfortunately, like other those other natural dyes, woad, madder, and indigo, it’s not easy to use. Add it carefully and slowly. Red food coloring lacks the power of alkanet but, like the promise of the oil, it is fast, and easy.
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils: Gamblers’ Oil
Essential oil of bergamot
Essential oil of basil
Essential oil of sandalwood
Add the essential oils to a bottle filled with jojoba oil.
Add allspice berries and powdered nutmeg.
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils: Has No Hanna
Zora Neale-Hurston described this as “jasmine lotion,” and an adequate Has No Hanna Oil may be made by adding jasmine essence to unscented hand lotion. However, this limits its applications to rubbing on the hands and body. If you’d like to dress candles, charms, and conjure bags, use essential oils or botanical material instead, blended into carrier oil. Some versions of Has No Hanna also contain essences of tangerine and gardenia. This rendition adds some dried lucky herbs, too:
Essential oil of jasmine
Essential oil of tangerine (mandarin orange)
Dried powdered oakmoss or the essential oil
Dried powdered vervain
Optional ingredients: fresh jasmine blossoms; dried tangerine zest.
For maximum power, add the above ingredients to Tahitian monoi or infused gardenia oil. Monoi is coconut oil infused with Tahitian gardenia, and is one of the only methods of purchasing genuine gardenia fragrance. Monoi solidifies in cooler temperature. Place the bottle inside a pot of warm water to liquefy the oil. (If true gardenia-scented oil is impossible, use jojoba oil as a carrier base.)
Roll the bottle gently to distribute the essential oils.
Place an open safety pin in the bottle.
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils: Lucky Dog Oil
Dried carnation petals
Dried oakmoss
Dried powdered vervain
Dried five-finger grass (cinquefoil)
Grind and powder the dried ingredients.
Place them in a bottle and cover with jojoba oil.
Add allspice berries, a nutmeg and/or a Low John root.
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils: Three Jacks Oil
As its name implies, this dressing oil is most beneficial for card players.
Dried patchouli
Dried vetiver
Galangal root
Optional ingredients: cardamom; cinnamon; cloves
Grind and powder all ingredients.
Add to jojoba oil.
If you can find itty-bitty playing cards, stick a jack, preferably one-eyed, into the bottle. Otherwise or in addition, add whole cardamom pods and cloves.
Gamblers’ Dressing Oils: Three Jacks and a King
Dried patchouli
Dried vetiver
Galangal root
High John the Conqueror
This is basically a more potent version of Three Jacks Oil. However, whichever resonates strongest for you will provide the best luck.
Powder the ingredients and add them to jojoba oil.
Add cardamom, cinnamon or cloves as desired.
Use similarly to Three Jacks Oil. If you want to add a tiny playing card, choose the king of diamonds.
Gamblers’ Hand Spells
What’s in a gambler’s hand anyway? Loaded dice? A palmed card? “Hand” is another term for a mojo, medicine, charm or conjure bag. Sometimes a hand is a work in progress, a collection of lucky charms accumulated along the way. Some spells, however, specify exactly what goes into a hand.
Traditionally items are charged and consecrated prior to being placed in the bag. Reinforce the spell by anointing with one of the Gamblers’ Dressing Oils. When you need the hand to work at full strength for you, re-charge the items and anoint with more oil.
Gamblers’ Hand: Bat’s Lucky Wing
Place a holly leaf, five red holly berries, and a cat’s-eye gemstone in a drawstring bag.
Add dried, powdered ginger.
Spit in the bag gently.
Close the bag and tie it shut with nine knots, visualizing luck and success with each knot.
Gamblers’ Hand: Pour Aces
Place four aces, one representing each suit, in a mojo bag together with a High John the Conqueror root and a matched pair of lodestones. Anoint with All High Conquering Oil as needed.
Gamblers’ Hand: High John’s Snake Charm
Wrap a rattlesnake root and a High John the Conqueror root up in a piece of freely shed snakeskin. Place this within a conjure bag, adding seven tonka beans for good fortune.
Gamblers’ Hand: Lucky Spirit Guardian
Place a galangal root, a matched pair of lodestones, a four-leaf clover (either real or a replica charm), and seven tonka beans in a conjure bag, together with a medal of Saint Anthony and/or a charm depicting a fork-tailed mermaid.
Gamblers’ Hand: New Orleans-style Lucky Gamblers’ Hand
Add the following to a red flannel drawstring bag:
One Lucky Hand root
One High John the Conqueror root
A pinch of cinquefoil (five-finger grass)
Miniature dice (a pair), horseshoe and/or playing cards
Use essential oil of basil, Magnet oil or any other gambling or money-drawing oil to dress the bag
Pull the red flannel bag closed. Place this bag inside a leather pouch or drawstring bag and carry it with you when needed.
Gamblers’ Hand: New Orleans Lucky Hand (2)
Dress a lodestone and a High John the Conqueror root with Black Cat Oil and Lucky Dog Oil.
Sprinkle them with magnetic sand. (Some prefer magnetic sand dyed green or gold but regular is fine, too.)
Place inside a red flannel drawstring bag together with a pair of miniature dice.
Place this bag inside a second leather pouch or drawstring bag.
Anoint the lodestone and High John with dressing oils weekly or as needed.
Gamblers’ Hand: Independent Eclectic Hand
Let inspiration and the Hand of Fate help you create your own hand, by collecting gamblers’ charms as you find them, charging them with your intention, anointing them with dressing oils and placing them within a bag.
Look out for the following Gamblers’ Lucky Charms:
Amazonite
Cat’s eye crystal gemstone
High John the Conqueror root
Lodestone
Lucky Hand root
Magnets, especially magnetic horseshoes or other charms
Gamblers’ Hand: Shark’s Tooth
Sometimes very specific goals must be achieved.
Add pinesap to Bat’s Blood Ink.
Write the amount you need to win or the goal needed to be achieved on a piece of parchment.
Place this talisman inside a piece of red fabric with a shark’s tooth.
Sew it up with cat hair. (Anyone who lives with a cat has hair a-plenty on sweaters, sofas and coats and will be delighted to share it with you. There’s no need to bother the cat nor will doing so bring you good luck. Quite the opposite, in fact.)
Carry this charm in a left pocket over your heart or wear it within your left shoe.
Once the charm has worked, take it apart and burn the parchment. Reserve the shark’s tooth for future use.
Gamblers’ Handwash
The term “handwash” is deceptive: it makes you think of soap and water. These are actually liquid hand rubs, a sort of lingering final rinse, perhaps. They are intended to remain on the hands, radiating luck and power, while the gambler plays.
Apply handwash just before playing so that it retains its strength
Carry it into a casino, bingo parlor or other venue in a flask or bottle (although, as we will see, other traditional methods of application also exist)
Do not wash the handwash off until it’s no longer needed. If you must wash your hands, reapply as needed
Gamblers’ Handwash (1) Galangal
Boil galangal roots in rainwater and then let this cool.
Strain the roots and reserve the liquid.
Place the liquid in a flask: use it to wash your hands before gambling.
Let them air dry or shake them dry.
Gamblers’ Handwash (2) Girlfriend Handwash
According to one old New Orleans formula, the best gamblers’ luck doesn’t come from celestial goddesses of good fortune but from the mortal woman who really wants you to win. The most powerful mode of application is believed to be direct application:
The gambler’s female companion urinates either directly onto his hands or onto his mojo bag to provide him with luck. (Urine is considered a profound controlling mechanism.)
Again air or shake dry.
If preferred, urine may be kept in a bottle or flask and applied as needed.
Gamblers’ Handwash (3) Girlfriend Double Dose Handwash
Blend the gambler’s female companion’s urine and Chypre in a flask, for a double-dose of power.
Use this to dress the gambler’s hands just before playing.
Gamblers’ Handwash (4) Girlfriend-Won’t-Do-It Handwash
Because you could really use the luck but one or both of you was appalled by and absolutely rejected the previous suggestions, a substitute has evolved:
Make a strong infusion by pouring boiling water over dried chamomile blossoms.
When it cools off, have your girlfriend stir it with her little finger.
Strain the liquid, carry it in a flask, and use it as a handwash just before playing.
Gamblers’ Handwash (5) High John Handwash
Place seven large High John roots in a gallon (4.5 liters) of rainwater.
Bring this to a boil, and then simmer it for twenty-one minutes.
Let it cool.
Place the liquid in a flask or bottle.
Use as a handwash prior to gambling.
Gamblers’ Handwash (6) Gambler’s Lucky 7 Handwash
Make an infusion by pouring boiling water over alfalfa, allspice, calendula, chamomile, cinnamon, clover, and Irish moss. Allow the infusion to cool, then strain out the botanical material and use as needed.
Gamblers’ Handwash (7) Hawthorn Handwash
Hawthorn allegedly draws good fortune. Create an infusion by pouring boiling water over hawthorn leaves and berries. Strain out the botanicals and bottle the liquid. Rub it on your hands and allow them to air-dry as needed.
Inevitably, if someone wins, someone else loses. The temptation to hex a competitor can be very strong:
Gamblers’ Hex: To Keep a Horse from Winning a Race
Collect dirt from the horse’s hoof.
Wrap it in cloth together with asafetida.
Tie the package up with a twisty vine.
Place it under a heavy stone or something of comparable weight.
Gamblers’ Hex: Antidote
The antidote to the above spell? Keep your horse’s hooves immaculately clean, and be aware of who has access to your horse.
Gamblers’ Incense
The advantage of incense is that the power inherent in the botanicals can permeate an entire area. For maximum effect, use the incense to fumigate clothing, tools, and anything else that could use some magical assistance.
Gamblers’ Incense (1) Area Incense
This classic formula is just known as Gamblers’ Incense:
Dragon’s blood
Frankincense
Mastic pearls
Grind all materials to a powder. Sprinkle it on lit charcoals and burn weekly for luck and inspiration.
Gamblers’ Incense (2) Personal Fumigation
Gamblers’ Incense may also be used as a personal fumigant.
Create Gamblers’ Incense as above.
Launder the clothes you intend to wear while gambling.
Hang them from the bathroom shower curtain rod to dry, while burning the incense in the bathroom, so that they are permeated with fragrance.
Gamblers’ Incense (3) Really Personal Fumigation
Fumigate yourself instead of or in addition to your clothing.
Create Gamblers’ Incense as above.
Burn it on lit charcoals in a brazier or burner placed on the floor.
Permeate hair and skin with the fragrance by standing over the incense.
Gamblers’ Incense (4) Huckleberry Leaves
Grind and powder dried huckleberry leaves, and then burn them before bedtime for dreams filled with lucky numbers.
Gamblers’ Incense (5) La Madama’s Dream Incense
Allegedly inhaling the aroma of this incense stimulates dreams of winning lottery numbers. (This Dream Powder may also fulfill other dreams; it is reputed to be an aphrodisiac.)
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Coriander seeds
Licorice root
Grind the ingredients into a fine powder. Add a pinch to a lit charcoal on an incense burner placed beside your bed right before going to sleep.
Gambling Horses
Horses are Poseidon’s sacred creatures. The King of the Sea allegedly created horses from rolling, breaking waves. Horse races were given in Poseidon’s honor in the same manner that the Olympic games were held to honor Zeus. Request Poseidon’s aid for gambling luck with the ponies.
Poseidon Spell (1)
Aquamarine and beryl are Poseidon’s sacred stones. Carry these gem talismans with you to the race track.
Poseidon Spell (2)
Carry ocean water in a flask and wash your hands prior to placing bets.
Gambling Powders
The difference between powders and incense is largely in their mode of use: typically incense is burned while powders are sprinkled, used as dry perfumes or stuffing for mojo hands. Arrowroot powder is traditionally an extremely auspicious base for gambling powders, though rice powder or cornstarch are also suitable. Do not substitute talcum powder.
Gambling Powder (1) Algiers Powder
A traditional gamblers’ formula, Algiers Powder evokes whispers of Hedy Lamarr, Pépé le Moko, and the labyrinthine Casbah. Those whispers would be wrong. Algiers Powder isn’t named after the capital of Algeria but instead for a town in the southern United States. During a nineteenth-century period of intense legal harassment and persecution, New Orleans voodooists fled en masse across the Mississippi River to Algiers, which eventually developed a magical reputation equal to its sister city.
Cinnamon sticks
Dried patchouli leaves
Vanilla beans
Grind all the ingredients together with a mortar and pestle. Carry the powder in a conjure bag and sprinkle and rub as needed.
In addition to providing gambling success, Algiers Powder promises increased money, in general, and luck in love.
Gambling Powder (2) Algiers Spell
Write the amount of money needed on a piece of brown paper.
Sprinkle Algiers Powder over the paper.
Fold it up and burn it.
Sprinkle the ashes on your shoes before going out to play.
Gambling Powder (3) Lottery Luck Powder
Grind black pepper and cinnamon together and sprinkle them in the corners of your home, around your bed, and in your wallet for good luck with the lottery.
Gambling Powder (4) Lucky Gambling Powder
Sandalwood powder
Dried powdered carnation petals
Ground cinnamon
Frankincense
Myrrh
Grind and blend into a fine powder.
Leave the powder as is or blend it into cornstarch or rice powder for a smoother consistency.
Sprinkle and rub as needed.
Ginger-root Charm
Anoint pieces of ginger root with Lucky Dog Oil and carry them in a mojo bag.
High John’s All Conquering Lucky Spells
High John the Conqueror, the root of a morning glory, indigenous to Mexico, draws luck and good fortune.
High John (1) Basic
Dress a High John root with essential oil of bergamot once a week for gamblers’ luck or whenever you have a large win.
Carry it in your pocket or in a gamblers’ hand.
High John (2.) Incense
Grind and powder High John the Conqueror.
Burn it as incense once a week and especially before gambling.
High John Spell (3) Candle Spell
Once a week, carve a green candle with your name, identifying information and lucky numbers.
Dress the candle with Magnet Oil or other gambling oil of your preference.
Sprinkle powdered High John the Conqueror over and around the candle.
Burn it for blessings of luck, good fortune, and winning numbers.
Lottery Numbers Spell
Obtain one small (birthday candle-size will do) green or gold candle for every number needed. In other words, if your game has six numbers, six candles are required.
Charge each candle with its mission of discovering winning numbers.
Dress the candles with Fast Luck, Lucky Dog or Black Cat Oil.
Burn one candle at a time. Gaze at the flame and let the number pop into your head. Fill in the lottery ticket as you cast your spell.
Repeat until all the candles are lit.
Sprinkle the ticket with Money Drawing Powder or magnetic sand.
Place a dry lodestone on top of the ticket. (You don’t want your ticket to be stained with oil.)
Pinch out the candles, if they haven’t burned out already.
Let the ticket sit with the lodestone overnight, then Play.
After you’ve burned a candle, what do you do with the leftover wax? Although many spells specify that you dispose of it, the temptation to hold on to it can be powerful, particularly when the spell was potent or when, as in days gone by, wax and oils were precious and expensive. These wax balls may also be understood as conjure bags carried in wax rather than cloth. In Hoodoo, they’re categorized as “jack balls.“ Well known in European occult traditions, they were particularly popular in Spain, where they are referred to as luck balls, love balls, money balls or whatever the specific purpose of the spell may be.
Luck Ball
Burn gambling luck candles: plain purple or green candles, or perhaps one of the cat candles. More than one candle may be used. (Carve the candle, if you wish, but don’t dress it heavily with oil, as this may affect the eventual texture and consistency of the wax.)
If you have a specific monetary (or other) goal, write it on a piece of paper and slip it under the only or most prominent candle. Burn it.
Gather up a small handful of warm soft wax.
Roll it into a ball. (The size depends upon what’s comfortable for you and what you wish to insert inside it.)
Push lucky charms into the wax: little dice, little magnetic horseshoes, four-leaf clover charms, etc.
Roll the wax in powdered herbs such as basil, vervain or parsley, or in one of the gambling powders.
Carry this as a mojo hand or in a mojo hand Anoint with dressing oils as needed.
As gambling occurs outside the casino, too, this is also good for general good fortune, for playing life’s Wheel of Fortune.
Lucky Cat Spells
Lucky dogs to the contrary, cats are the animal allies of gamblers and games of chance.
Lucky Cat Spell (1) Big Cat!
If you want lots of luck, you may require a larger cat. In traditional Chinese magic, the tiger is the animal ally of gamblers. This fierce animal drives away bad luck.
Post the image of a rampant tiger clutching cash to provide enhanced gambling success.
Contemplate the image before playing.
Burn incense or spirit money before the image for extra success or to give thanks as needed.
Lucky Cat Spell (2) Big Cat (2)
There are also more active methods of accessing tiger-power, albeit without injuring the tiger.
Charge tiger’s eye crystal gemstone with your desires.
Pass it through gamblers’ incense and carry within a conjure bag.
Lucky Cat Spell (3) Cat’s Eye
Small cats are powerful, too. In addition to general gambling luck, cat’s eye gemstones are believed especially fortuitous for lottery players and speculators in the stock market. Carry them in your pocket or charm bag. Keep one on your desk or by your telephone, computer or most frequent method of transaction.
Lucky Cat Spells (4) Candle
Candles in the shape of cats are the figure candles most associated with gambling magic. Red, black or green candles may all be used. Let your intuition guide you.
Inscribe the candle with your name, identifying information, and any lucky numbers.
Dress it with Black Cat Oil or another gamblers’ luck oil.
Burn the candle.
Lucky Hand Oil
Grind and powder the following ingredients: cinnamon, cloves, five-finger grass (cinquefoil), and peony roots. Add them to sunflower and jojoba oils and rub the oil on your hands as needed, or use it to anoint cash or chips.
Make a Wish Easter Sunday Spell
Although many spells demand discretion, if that’s a concern for you, you’ll never be able to cast this Russian gambler’s spell. It can only be accomplished at church on Easter Sunday.
Be alert and pay attention.
When the priest announces, “Christ is risen,” immediately shout out loud something like, “I’ve got an ace!” or “I have a full house,” or whatever it is that you need. Allegedly whatever you call out will be yours for the year.
Spit Spell
Saliva, like urine, is believed able to transmit your will.
Spit forcefully (with intent!) but lightly (you need to be able to turn them in) on lottery tickets, race cards or similar. Spitting on your palms before applying handwash or dressing oils, or spitting into your mojo hand, may also be effective.
Thoth’s Roll of the Dice Spell
Invoke Thoth for success with games of dice. After all, he invented them and won the very first game. Place a pair of dice atop the Magician card pulled from a tarot deck and light a candle beside it.
Toad Spell
The name of the game “craps” allegedly derives from the French word crapaud, meaning“ toads.” Frogs and toads have symbolized the concept of increase and generation since at least the days of ancient Egypt.
Just before rolling the dice, discreetly touch them to the genitals to endow them with generative power.