The most common Chinese word we see plastered on walls around Chinese New Year is the character for luck. This intangible notion of good fortune is considered one of three major attributes for a good life – luck, prosperity and longevity – according to Taoist beliefs. Perhaps it is partly this belief in fate, the thrill of the unknown, and the thinking that today just might be your lucky day that drives the Chinese penchant for gambling.

It is no secret that recreational gambling is a prominent and accepted part of Chinese culture, and Hong Kong’s culture is no exception. The city’s people fervently subscribe to this pastime, which can be seen from the low-stakes weekend games of mahjong to the roaring enthusiasm at horse races.

Hong Kong’s horseracing betting per capita is the highest in the world, and it shows. Swarms of people crowd into the stands on race days, many of them clutching racing newspapers that offer analysis and predictions. The airwaves are inundated with live broadcasts of the races, and television stations dedicate nearly the entire day to racing coverage. The bell sounds, the horses are off, and the rising tension is electrifying as the horses make their way around to the finish line. Hong Kong people are generally reserved about showing their emotions, but in the racing stands, the crowds go wild with cheers and groans.

Even the lottery is something of a phenomenon in Hong Kong. Mark Six, as the lottery is named, is extremely popular: $6.3 billion was spent on the numbers game in the 2005-2006 season alone, at $5 a pop. Visit a Hong Kong Jockey Club betting outlet on the day of a big jackpot and you can expect to see a frenzy of people marking numbers and waiting in long queues to buy their tickets. Winning the top prize is roughly a one in 14,000,000 chance, but we can all dream.

The Jockey Club is the entity that oversees all legal betting in Hong Kong. Other than horseracing and Mark Six, the organisation also manages betting on football games, which generates astronomical revenues as well. The organisation, which was started by the British colonial powers over a century ago, is run as a not-for-profit. It is the city’s largest private charity donor as well as its largest taxpayer, which encourages many to view their gambles as partially for charitable causes.

The club funds a wide variety of projects, ranging from cultural events to scholarships to medical services. This month's Hong Kong Arts Festival, for example, is heavily funded by the Jockey Club. Other prominent cultural fixtures of Hong Kong that have received significant donations include Hong Kong Park, Ocean Park and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

While the Jockey Club’s activities are sanctioned forms of betting, other forms of gambling are also considered acceptable entertainment. The most common game for friends and families to play on any given night is mahjong. These casual games are a social activity in Hong Kong when friends can chat for hours on end, leaving some richer than when they arrived and, inevitably, some empty-pocketed. The mahjong table is the place for discussing tabloid news and personal gossip, but chances are, another common topic of discussion will come up at the mahjong table: stock movements. While “playing” the stock market is not strictly categorised as gambling, many Hong Kong people are highly involved in market trading.

Casinos are outlawed in Hong Kong, but just an hour's ferry ride away are the neon lights of Macau, which has recently emerged as a major tourist destination and gambling capital, beating Las Vegas in terms of gambling revenue. Not quite a decade ago, Macau was a quaint Portuguese colony before becoming a mecca of casino gambling thanks to Vegas-style complexes built by both local and international developers. With its close proximity to Hong Kong, residents and tourists are easily able to take a day trip or spend the weekend in Macau for a short romp in the new mega-malls and enormous casinos.

Get Your Game On

Visitors can take advantage of this gaming aspect of Hong Kong life for an unusual and thrilling experience. A visit to the racecourse is a fun experience to feel the excitement in one of the most race-crazy places in the world. Check out the horses, peruse the analyses and place your bets, which start at only $10. There are two courses in Hong Kong: Happy Valley and Sha Tin, each a world-class venue with high-end dining facilities. The larger Sha Tin Racecourse plays host to several international racing events every year while Happy Valley Racecourse is conveniently located on Hong Kong Island and surrounded by skyscrapers.

Visitors can opt to enter the racecourses with a Tourist Badge, which not only allows entrance into the stands but also to the indoor dining and viewing areas normally restricted to Jockey Club members. The Tourist Badge, which costs $100, can be purchased on race day only by those who are over 18 and who present a valid passport at the Members’ Main Entrance. They are also available up to ten days before each race meeting at designated off-course betting branches. For betting branch locations, visit www.hkjc.com Organised tours are also available for a hassle-free trip to the racecourse; just ask your hotel concierge or visit the Tourism Board visitor centres.

It is easy to get from Hong Kong to Macau to experience Asia’s growing gaming town. The most common way is by taking a ferry from Shun Tak Centre, which takes about one hour. Upon arrival, fleets of hotel buses await to transport you to your casino of choice. For the more extravagant, there is also the ten-minute helicopter ride. So call on Lady Luck and place your bets!