8 Legendary Gods of Gambling From Around The World

Thoth – For the Egyptians

Depicted with the body of a man and the head of an Ibis bird, Thoth is known to have dominion over the moon, magic, wisdom, and time. He’s hailed for creating himself as well as hieroglyphics writing, speech, art, magic, and science. Thoth also rules over the dead’s souls.

Due to his immense knowledge, Thoth serves as an arbitrator for godly disputes. This task is said to have been undertaken through a game of dice.

The Greeks liken his qualities to Hermes. But unlike the Greek god, Thoth doesn’t interfere with people’s fortunes. Add this to the fact that he desires to help people and you have the ideal deity for overseeing gambling activities.

Hermes – For the Greeks

Gambling is said to have existed in Greek mythology for a long time. It’s believed that one of the first instances was when Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon gambled for who would watch over the underworld, skies, and seas.

Hermes, also referred to as Mercury by the Romans, was Zeus’ son. Depicted as a messenger with a helmet and winged sandals, Hermes could travel freely between the divine and mortal world. He was known for his happy-go-lucky demeanor and was reputed for creating dice, fire, and the alphabet.

Most of his stories feature elements of trickery towards his god uncles, which is partly why he’s celebrated as the deity to look up to for anyone’s gambling success. His cunning ways were a quality expected to help gamblers outwit their opponents and win whenever they play.

Dazhbog – For the Slavics

Due to their adoption of Christianity at an early period, it’s not a widely known fact that the Slavic people had more gods than the Romans and Greeks.

Dazhbog is one of the most popular, with evidence of his existence indicated in several medieval manuscripts. He was known as the deity of prosperity, wealth, light, and giving. These elements tie well into gambling since the aim is to earn as much wealth as possible.

Macuilxochitl – For the Aztecs

Also called 5 Flower or the Flower Prince, Macuilxochitl earned praise from the Aztecs as the god of excesses, something symbolically attributed to the 5 in his name. So whether it was lust, the arts, food, or gambling, he was known for overindulging in everything. But the same behavior wasn’t to apply to the mortals he watched over.

Although Macuilxochitl was blatant with his habits, he was also known to punish mortals who did the same as he did. That’s especially during periods of fasting. So, to keep him happy, the Aztecs would offer sacrifices and hope for guidance with their indulgences to do right by the Flower Prince.

Fortuna – For the Romans

This is one of the few female deities said to care for gamblers. Also called the goddess of fate, luck, and abundance, Fortuna is depicted alongside the wheel of fortune, which symbolizes the volatile nature of life. In some instances, she wears a blindfold since the Romans believe luck is blind. Fortuna also holds the horn of plenty, symbolizing nourishment and abundance.

So while you gamble, expect that you may or may not be lucky since fate is unpredictable. We all know that anything goes with games of chance, but players would prefer to pray that Fortuna would award them luck in abundance when they gambled.

Papa Legba – For the Haitians

Papa Legba is well known among Haitians as the gambling deity to turn to. He’s said to be an aged, ethereal man with a walking stick and straw hat waiting at the spiritual crossroads. And sometimes, he carries around a bottle, guitar, or deck of cards. This deity can easily travel between the spirit and human realms, having mastered every language used in both domains.

Papa Legba’s said to favor the colors red and black. So perhaps he’s more inclined to favor roulette players. Regardless, as a sign of respect, it’s best to appease him first if you seek favor. According to Haitian voodoo lore, keeping this deity happy requires you to only set out a drink or tobacco for him before you start your game.

Nezha – For the Chinese

Born during the Shang Dynasty as a small boy rather than a baby, Nezha often gets depicted as an adolescent deity. He’s said to have often fought military commanders, emperors, and dragons to protect his loved ones.

But as is typical with most teens, Nezha has a mischievous nature as well. This is what gamblers look forward to. It’s said that if he likes you, he’ll reveal winning lottery numbers to ensure you win your game. And if you have no interest in the lottery, his trickster ways can still aid you in outsmarting your opponents at the tables.

Noqoìlpi – For the Navajos

Noqoilpi, the sun god’s son, had a vibrant character. He was extremely intelligent, earning him a reputation as a teacher, thanks to his desire to improve people’s analytical capabilities. These are vital gambling skills since they enable you to analyze and know when a game isn’t going in your favor.

But, also known as the Great Gambler of Navajo, this deity grew comfortable in his intelligence as no human could beat him at a game.

So instead of teaching, he grew to love seeing people get defeated whenever they played against him. Worst still, he’d ask for women and children as his prize for winning. Angered by this, the other gods bestowed godly knowledge on a human who finally won against Nohoipili.