Humanity’s flavorful cultures are inherently rooted in religion and supernatural beliefs. And while some people find believing in bad luck or a good luck sign from the universe, there is no doubt that consulting the goddesses of fortune or numerology for the next number to bet on is still popular among punters.
We’ve compiled some of the unlucky numbers around the world, the luckiest numbers, as well as some theories from different countries that might explain why they are regarded as such.
Let’s begin!
Unlucky numbers
There are a lot of unlucky numbers around the world. Here are a few numbers that are frowned upon both by the goddesses of fortune and punters alike. Let’s take a look:
4 (Four)
Because the pronunciation of the number 4 is akin to the Chinese word for death, the number 4 is considered bad luck in China. This is why many Chinese buildings do not have a fourth story, and some people may even avoid buying a house if it is number four on the block. There’s even a fear of number 4, named “Tetraphobia.” By extension, the Japanese also consider 4 to be one of its unlucky numbers for the same reason.
13 (Thirteen)
Next on the unlucky numbers list needs no introduction. The number 13 has maintained its infamy for centuries across countries and generations. However, the distaste for it is much contained in the West, and it is theorized that its roots are from the Bible. As the 13th guest at The Last Supper, Judas was thought to be the unlucky number 13, according to many people. There is even a word for fear of the number 13, which is “Triskaidekaphobia.”
17 (Seventeen)
The term “VIXI” can be created by rearranging the Roman numeral XVII, which means “my life is over” in Latin. Italians despise this day; they even stop stores and perform things’ per scaramanzia’ to fend off evil omens.’
39 (Thirty-nine)
In Afghanistan, the number 39 is avoided as much as possible since it is seen as a “badge of disgrace.” Many Afghans claim the number 39 translates to morda-gow, which literally means ‘dead cow’ but is also a well-known slang term for a procurer of prostitutes—a pimp.
Lucky Numbers
While there are unlucky numbers, there are others that Lady Luck (and bettors!) seems to favour more. Here are a few:
3 (Three)
For many reasons, the number 3 is said to be auspicious in China. First, it is considered lucky due to its similarity in sound to the word that means ‘birth.” In addition to that, this number also represents the three stages in the life of humans – birth, marriage, and death, which adds to its importance in Chinese culture.
7 (Seven)
Many religions and cultures around the world have a significant relationship to the number seven. Many stories and folklore are based on the lucky number 7. According to Bible scholars, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Therefore, the number seven is utilized throughout the Bible to represent a sense of completion. Meanwhile, in Islam and Judaism, it is believed that there are seven heavens. And in Confucianism, seven denotes harmony, which includes yin, yang, and the five elements.
9 (Nine)
According to Chinese and Thai culture, the number 9 is the luckiest of them all. The Chinese regard 9 as a standard-bearer for completeness and eternity, and emperors of ancient China favoured the number greatly. While the Thais pronounce the number similarly to how they say ‘moving forward.’
12 (Twelve)
The origins of why the number 12 is kind of wishy-washy, but some sources suggest that the even number gained ints lucky reputation because of how smooth its divisibility is. Others believe that the number 12 got all of the positive vibes away from its neighbour, the number 13.
Conclusion
Whether you believe in the supernatural or are a very calculating punter that thinks relying on luck and superstition is irrational, you can’t deny the fascinating appeal of luck, especially when it comes to betting, where people gamble on chance. Who knows, perhaps knowing more about what kind of luck the numbers hold would grant you providence from the goddesses of fortune, or just have a better general feel of what’s the best bet for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is the number 9 unlucky?
To some, it might be. But most cultures consider the number 9 a very lucky number as many business hang the number above their door as a sign of good luck.
Why is 444 unlucky?
In most Asian cultures, the number 4 is considered unlucky because of how the number closely resembles the word for death. So, in theory, seeing the number 4 repeatedly brings horrible luck.
What does 555 mean?
This number is popular among the numerology circles as one of the most popular angel numbers. Bettors who hold strong beliefs on this would signify change and transition in one’s life.
What does 1212 mean?
Perhaps the combination stems from someone wanting to double the fortune that number 12 has, but it would loosely translate to being lucky in love if you consult numerology. But overall, this is definitely not one of the unlucky numbers around the world. In fact, it might just be the complete opposite.