Jinx

Jinx is a superstition that refers to a condition of bad luck brought on by a spoken word, action, or event believed to invoke a negative fate. The term often describes the idea that mentioning a success too soon or acknowledging a positive outcome can cause it to be undone by unforeseen misfortune.

Its origin traces back to early 17th-century English folklore, derived from the Latin "jinx," meaning a charm or spell used to curse someone. Scientifically, the feeling of being jinxed relates to psychological bias—such as confirmation bias and superstition—where people link unrelated negative events to specific causes to make sense of chance and uncertainty. Folklore explains it as a mystical influence or hex, which has influenced many gambling and performance rituals, including the practice of blowing on dice.

On this site, readers share their personal encounters with jinxes and other unexplained phenomena, describing moments when luck seemed to shift mysteriously. These stories are then evaluated by a jury of readers who vote on their authenticity, helping to separate the convincing true experiences from plausible fakes.

Related on this site: /phenomenon/blowing-on-dice/