What’s with the all the 8’s ?

There’s a well known online casino that is listed at Livedealer.org named 888.com.  We also list a casino that is the Asian facing operation of the well known Bodog brand, named Bodog88.  And they’re not the only online casinos with the number 8 included in their domain name and branding.

Are the 8’s a coincidence?

Before answering this question, here’s a little more food for thought.  Consider the phone numbers of casinos situated in the world’s gambling Mecca of Macau…

• Altira: (853) 2886 8888
• City of Dreams: (853) 8868 6688
• Club VIP Legend: (853) 2878 6233
• Emperor Palace: (853) 8981 6803
• Grand Lisboa: (853) 2828 3838
• Grand Waldo: (853) 2888 6886
• Grandview (Macau Jockey Club): (853) 2883 2265
• Jimei: (853) 2822 8811
• Lan Kwai Fung: (853) 2880 0888
• Le Royal Arc: (853) 2880 8888
• MGM Grand Paradise: (853) 8802 8888
• Oceanus at Jai Alai: (853) 8801 3388
• Plaza: (853) 2881 8888
• Ponte 16: (853) 8861 8888
• President: (853) 2878 8198
• Sands: (853) 2888 3388
• Star World: (853) 2838 3838
• Venetian: (853) 2882 8888
• Waldo: (853) 2888 6615
• Wynn: (853) 8986 9966

Almost half of all digits contained in these numbers are 8’s.  Another coincidence?

Of course not.  But why all the eights?

The power of the 8

There is a strong belief in Chinese and many other cultures that certain numbers are auspicious while others are not depending on the homophonous meaning of that number.  The number 7  spoken in Chinese, sounds like the word meaning togetherness and is therefore considered a good number.  4 on the other hand shares its sound with the word meaning death in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese and is considered a very bad number and one to be avoided if possible.

The number 8 is tied to the word meaning prosperity or wealth and is therefore considered the most auspicious of all numbers in China and many other Asian countries.  Casinos, being  a pastime concerned wholly with the creation or destruction of wealth have latched onto this belief and leveraged it to the hilt.   But it’s not just casinos where 8 has strong significance.

Remember the Beijing Olympics official opening time….8 August 2008 at 8pm.  Seems the Chinese authorities have more than a little respect for the power of the almighty 8.  And the more 8’s the better.  88 has added significance because it is visually similar to the characters meaning ‘double joy’.  And there doesn’t seem to be an upper limit on the number of eights that bring fortune and happiness.

According to Wiki, in Chengdu China the phone number (+86 28) 8888 8888 was bought by a particularly superstitious resident for US$270,723.

So do the 8’s at casinos actually bring fortune?  Well I believe they do.  But not necessarily for the players.