Neapolitans supersticious belief in numbers and their power to influence the future can be seen as an attempt to take destiny in your own hands.
Naples has many neighbourhoods with small ricevitorie (gambling offices). The daily visitors don’t pick numbers ramdomly; for them there is a direct link between the chosen numbers and their attempt to change destiny.
Some play the same numbers a lifetime, because it has a special meaning for them. Others play the numbers corresponding the death dates of family members. And there are those who chose the happy events in their lifes. They believe happiness will -once- be back.