Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 18, 2026

Beginner's luck

Beginner's luck refers to the phenomenon of novices experiencing a disproportionate frequency of success or succeeding against an expert in a given activity. One would expect experts to outperform novices; when the opposite happens, it is counter-intuitive, hence the need for a term to describe this phenomenon. The term is most often used in reference to a first attempt in sport or gambling, but is also used in many other contexts. The term is also used when no skill whatsoever is involved, such as a first-time slot machine player winning the jackpot.

Last revised
Jul 18, 2026
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≈ 1 min
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Beginner's luck refers to the phenomenon of novices experiencing a disproportionate frequency of success or succeeding against an expert in a given activity.1 One would expect experts to outperform novices; when the opposite happens, it is counter-intuitive, hence the need for a term to describe this phenomenon.2 The term is most often used in reference to a first attempt in sport or gambling, but is also used in many other contexts. The term is also used when no skill whatsoever is involved, such as a first-time slot machine player winning the jackpot.

See also

See also

References

References

  1. "Beginner's Luck | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary". dictionary.cambridge.org. Retrieved 2020-01-18.
  2. "宝くじ"億"呼ぶ秘話、販売員にもビギナーズラックが!". 女性自身 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-11.