Not saying its not annoying, but would you really scrap a really good land for this?
Especialy since, you next 2 ruins (if you are lucky enough to get more) are very unlikelyto be empty one.
Not a retorical question, I'm actualy really interested to read the answer.
I play Gauntlets, or just pick games off the HOF list that have more than a few submissions under the title.
The answer is a honest YES,...I always restart....Usually starting dirt is not the deciding factor that supersedes early game play,...
But, if it is a really good setup normally I wait to see if I receive a Faith ruin turn 20-30, if it combines well with the setup then I am still in,....
For example: Sun God with multiple wheat resources definitely makes up for the earlier ruins.
OR, if I pop a Technology (Archery), Barbarian Camps, Surrounding Area,... then I remain because I will rapidly produce a archer and have a good chance to upgrade to Composite Bow since the first 3 ruins were not a Upgrade Unit.
When your competing against others, or looking to better your personal best on defined setups, then it is critical to get positive ruins early!
Lets say you pop a culture ruin on turn 3, and go Tradition. That is 3 culture every turn, so by turn 20 I will have a extra 51 culture compared to a Barbarian Camp, Surrounding Area ruin combination.
REALLY,...
The most important thing is what you mentioned,...
Especialy since, you next 2 ruins (if you are lucky enough to get more) are very unlikelyto be empty one.
If I get more ruins than three then yes I am likely to get a "Positive" ruin upcoming,...
BUT,..
You are also increasing the possibility of 2 Barbarian Camps down the road (If you popped a total of 5 or 6). And, your getting another "Positive" ruin thrown into the mix on Turn 20 (Faith). So, better to start Positive....The Domino effect of early culture and population builds your starts even more than awesome dirt many times.
The current rewards received from ruins is one of the things I dislike about BNW,...
I personally would combine Barbarian Camps and Surrounding Area, would add the Heal option for wounded units, and also add a Promotion possibility once out of the Ancient Era. Science can be kept in the fold even after all Ancient Techs are discovered, it should become a % and increase as Eras progress.
All Ruins should be adjusted according to Era, so if you find a island ruin that needed Astronomy to discover, it wouldn't be worth 20 Culture in the Renaissance Era (When your making well above that on that Turn alone).
I doubt all players are doing the same.
Vadalaz, Cromagnus, and Zenmaster, probably aren't rerolling many times. But, for the rest of us that are one step below Elite,...I would say it is "Common". Like I mentioned earlier ALL of my games have a predetermined strategy, and YES it is for competition. Even if I am competing against my previous time my goal is never to JUST beat the game,...instead it is HOW QUICKLY I can beat the game.
Also, you can't trade AI for lump gold unless they friend you so I don't understand your second comment.
I said nothing about being friends,...You can acquire lump sums in Peace Treaties
Settle on resource you have Technology for(or will have soon), meet AI Civ on Turn 4ish (Immediate DOW), 240 Gold lump sum given (Or whatever they have acquired at that point) in return for resource on turn 14. DOW on that same Civ on turn 24 to get your resource back,...That's Civilization 101, my friend!
It's also why I put Isabella in many of the (Choose opponent) competitions. If she finds a Natural Wonder,...Easy Money!
My personal opinion is I do what is most fun for me. If you never give yourself the chance to improve by learning to adapt to more challenging situations, you miss out on some of the challenge imho--the feeling of surviving a difficult situation is better then being ahead all game for me. You can do what you want but I'd recommend at least trying a bit more variety. You might be surprised at how fun it is to adapt your game to the situation rather then find a situation that matches the way you want to play. Religion is a fun way to do this making many kinds of terrain better.
The Challenge is to win as quickly as possible,...I can Win every time I play on all levels.
"Improve by learning" That is exactly what I am doing! I actually was a pretty terrible player prior to following the HOF,...Why? Because I thought I was good! It is not til you set your game up for equal parameters that you can judge this,...
If you just hit random every time,...how do you know it was a good game? I am not even talking about the HOF, just challenging your own personal best.
Playing the same setup multiple times reinforces which strategies are the correct ones for those settings.
For me personally, it is the Challenge, Competition, and constant improvement that gives me enjoyment.
"Cool,..another win" does not give the same satisfaction!
Plus, it brings ALL skill levels, Leaders, Maps, Speeds into play,...I could argue that many only play on "Immortal" difficulty every time they play, or only play on "Standard" speed. How is that "Trying a bit more variety"?
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And I think gauntlets and GOTM are fun too, it's just that I don't have the patience to play every game that way. I think it's cool that you do and I like reading advice from players that have really put the time in to optimize some strategies, but you guys must be a bit more meticulous then me to play that way all the time. 
