Keeping a penny on you, blowing on dice before you roll – and wearing lucky pants are among the top ‘good luck’ rituals Brits swear by, a study has found.
A poll of 2,000 adults found others always avoid cracks in the pavement or don a pair of lucky socks whenever they need things to go their way.
One dog-lover even admitted to kissing their pooch on the nose every morning for luck before they leave the house, while another rub’s their pup’s belly ‘like a lucky Buddha’.
A ‘lucky dabber’ is an essential charm for one Bingo enthusiast when they go for a game, while a more spiritual Brit puts their faith in an arrangement of crystals around their home to bring positive vibes.
It also emerged one in four luck-baiting Brits enacts their lucky ritual every day, and considers it bad luck to skip it even on a single occasion.
Greg Tatton-Brown from online casino Casumo.com, which commissioned the study, said: “Luck is a tough concept to reckon with. Is it a real, invisible energy acting on our lives, or does it all exist in our head to explain when the scales tip in our favour?
“Whatever the case, it seems Brits aren’t ready to chance it, just in case luck really does make a difference. If so, it’s probably worth slipping on those lucky socks.”
Seven in 10 Brits are convinced that observing their fortune-boosting rituals have brought them luck in the past, with 14 per cent relying on a pair of lucky socks when they need a charm to see them through the day.
And one in seven have a particular pair of undies they consider luckier than the rest.
One in 10 have a lucky catchphrase or mantra they utter to themselves and 42 per cent keep their eye out for their lucky number wherever they go as a sign of good karma.
A third attribute an unexpected windfall of cash they have received to their ritual, and 12 per cent believe their lucky superstitions have helped them to avoid injury.
One in eight thank their lucky stars for putting them on the path to meet the love of their life and one in 10 believe they would be having a tougher time in their work life were it not for their good luck.
Researchers also found that one in seven have a secret lucky habit which they believe is completely personal to them, and to tell anyone about it would cause it to lose its good-charm powers.
And one in 10 have been made fun of for observing their lucky habit.
But while one in five believe luck in life has generally smiled upon them, 23 per cent currently feel on the wrong side of the coin.
Greg added: “It can be a comfort to apply a system of order – like the idea of good and bad luck – to the unpredictable movements of our lives, and it is nice to feel like we are in control of our destiny in some way.
“And who are we to say? It’s wonderful to read some of us believe good luck brought us together with loved ones and changed lives for the better, even if the true cause was probably the random whims of the universe!”
MOST COMMON LUCKY HABITS
- Have a lucky number
- Keep a lucky penny
- Avoid stepping on cracks
- Wear lucky underwear
- Wear lucky socks
- Wear another item of lucky clothing
- Have a lucky catchphrase
- Avoid walking on three drains
- Blow on dice/coins before rolling or flipping
- Keep a four-leaf clover
- Have a lucky song
- Watch a lucky movie
- Spinning around on the spot three times
- Clicking my heels together
- Turn lights off and on a certain number of times
