Luck is one of those mysterious things we all hope for, especially when life throws us into situations we can’t fully control. Whether it’s taking a test, applying for a job, or even playing a game, we often look for ways to feel a little more confident — and that’s where idioms come in. These phrases help us describe hope, positive vibes, and those moments when things go surprisingly well. Idioms about good luck are colorful, creative, and sometimes even a little magical.
Understanding these idioms doesn’t just make your conversations more fun — it also helps you sound more natural and connected, especially in English-speaking cultures where these expressions pop up in everyday life. In this post, you’ll explore 50 popular idioms about good luck, learn what they mean, and see how to use them in sentences. At the end, you’ll also find a fun exercise to test your understanding and practice using these lucky phrases.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to wish someone luck in a way that’s more interesting than just saying “good luck,” this list is for you. Let’s dive in and discover the most charming and upbeat idioms about good fortune!
Idioms About Good Luck
1. Break a leg
Meaning: A way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance or event.
In a Sentence: Before her big theater debut, everyone told her to break a leg, and she nailed the role.
Other Ways to Say: Best of luck, Knock it out of the park
2. Luck of the draw
Meaning: Something that happens purely by chance.
In a Sentence: Getting picked first was just the luck of the draw—I didn’t do anything special.
Other Ways to Say: Random chance, Coincidence
3. Born under a lucky star
Meaning: Someone who seems to always have good fortune.
In a Sentence: He wins every raffle and never misses a bus—he must be born under a lucky star.
Other Ways to Say: Naturally lucky, Always fortunate
4. Cross your fingers
Meaning: To hope for good luck or a positive outcome.
In a Sentence: I submitted my college application, so now I’m crossing my fingers for good news.
Other Ways to Say: Hope for the best, Wish for luck
5. Knock on wood
Meaning: Said to avoid bad luck after mentioning something good.
In a Sentence: I haven’t caught a cold all year—knock on wood, it stays that way.
Other Ways to Say: Stay lucky, Hope nothing changes
6. On a roll
Meaning: Experiencing a streak of success or good luck.
In a Sentence: After three straight wins, our team is definitely on a roll this season.
Other Ways to Say: Doing great, In the zone
7. Lucky break
Meaning: A sudden and unexpected piece of good luck.
In a Sentence: Getting that internship was a lucky break that changed her whole career path.
Other Ways to Say: Stroke of luck, Golden opportunity
8. Hit the jackpot
Meaning: To have great success or suddenly gain a big reward.
In a Sentence: I hit the jackpot when I found that vintage record at the flea market for only $5.
Other Ways to Say: Big win, Strike it rich
9. A stroke of luck
Meaning: A fortunate and unexpected event.
In a Sentence: It was a stroke of luck that the rain stopped just before the outdoor wedding started.
Other Ways to Say: Unexpected good fortune, Chance event
10. Have a charmed life
Meaning: To live with constant good fortune and protection from misfortune.
In a Sentence: No matter what happens, he always seems to come out ahead—he really has a charmed life.
Other Ways to Say: Always lucky, Protected by fate
11. Stars aligned
Meaning: Everything came together perfectly, as if fate arranged it.
In a Sentence: The stars aligned when they met on vacation and discovered they lived in the same city.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect timing, Meant to be
12. In the right place at the right time
Meaning: To be somewhere by chance and benefit from it.
In a Sentence: I got the job simply because I was in the right place at the right time when they needed someone.
Other Ways to Say: Lucky timing, Perfect situation
13. Pot of gold
Meaning: Something valuable or lucky, especially after effort or waiting.
In a Sentence: Finishing the tough project felt like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.
Other Ways to Say: Great reward, Worth the wait
14. Horseshoe up (someone’s) sleeve
Meaning: Someone who is unusually lucky.
In a Sentence: She always wins raffles and contests—it’s like she has a horseshoe up her sleeve.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely lucky, Fortunate
15. As luck would have it
Meaning: By chance, usually in a fortunate way.
In a Sentence: As luck would have it, the only seat left on the bus was right next to my friend.
Other Ways to Say: Fortunately, By chance
16. Gravy train
Meaning: A situation where someone makes a lot of money or benefits without much effort.
In a Sentence: He landed a job on the gravy train and now gets paid big bucks for doing very little.
Other Ways to Say: Easy money, Lucky job
17. Lucky streak
Meaning: A series of good outcomes or fortunate events.
In a Sentence: I’m on a lucky streak lately—won a gift card, found money, and aced a test.
Other Ways to Say: Winning run, Good luck chain
18. Find a four-leaf clover
Meaning: To experience an extremely rare good luck moment.
In a Sentence: Getting a table during peak dinner hours felt like finding a four-leaf clover.
Other Ways to Say: Rare good fortune, Hard-to-find luck
19. Good things come in threes
Meaning: Luck often arrives in groups of three.
In a Sentence: I got a job offer, passed my exam, and met someone amazing—all in one week. I guess good things really do come in threes.
Other Ways to Say: Triple luck, Lucky trio
20. Serendipity
Meaning: Finding something good without actually looking for it.
In a Sentence: Running into my childhood friend at the airport was pure serendipity.
Other Ways to Say: Happy accident, Fortunate coincidence
21. Catch a lucky break
Meaning: To suddenly experience success or fortune after difficulty.
In a Sentence: After months of rejections, she finally caught a lucky break and got a publishing deal.
Other Ways to Say: Turn of luck, Fortunate twist
22. Rabbit’s foot
Meaning: A charm believed to bring good luck.
In a Sentence: He keeps a rabbit’s foot on his keychain and swears it brings him luck.
Other Ways to Say: Good luck charm, Lucky token
23. Fortune smiles on (someone)
Meaning: To experience good luck or positive outcomes.
In a Sentence: Fortune smiled on us when we found the perfect house within our budget.
Other Ways to Say: Luck favored, Blessed by fate
24. Windfall
Meaning: A sudden and unexpected gain, especially financial.
In a Sentence: That surprise inheritance was a real windfall that helped us pay off our debts.
Other Ways to Say: Sudden gain, Unexpected blessing
25. Penny from heaven
Meaning: A small, unexpected blessing or moment of good luck.
In a Sentence: Finding a $10 bill on the sidewalk felt like a penny from heaven after a long day.
Other Ways to Say: Tiny lucky surprise, Unexpected gift
26. Lady Luck
Meaning: A fictional figure who symbolizes fortune and success.
In a Sentence: I hope Lady Luck is on my side during tomorrow’s big game.
Other Ways to Say: Luck is with me, Hope for fortune
27. Blow of good fortune
Meaning: A sudden and surprising event that brings good luck.
In a Sentence: That last-minute cancellation turned out to be a blow of good fortune—we got front row seats instead.
Other Ways to Say: Stroke of luck, Unexpected blessing
28. Have the Midas touch
Meaning: To be lucky in making money or achieving success in everything.
In a Sentence: Everything he invests in becomes profitable—he clearly has the Midas touch.
Other Ways to Say: Always succeeds, Financially lucky
29. Happy accident
Meaning: A mistake that turns out well.
In a Sentence: Forgetting my umbrella turned into a happy accident when I met an old friend at the store.
Other Ways to Say: Unexpected good outcome, Fortunate mistake
30. Green light
Meaning: Permission or the go-ahead to do something, often linked with lucky timing.
In a Sentence: I finally got the green light to launch my business idea.
Other Ways to Say: Approval, Go ahead
31. Stars in your favor
Meaning: Conditions are right for something good to happen.
In a Sentence: With the stars in my favor, I knew this interview would go well.
Other Ways to Say: Favorable timing, Good signs
32. Dice roll
Meaning: Taking a chance, sometimes resulting in good luck.
In a Sentence: I took a dice roll by applying to that elite school—and got accepted!
Other Ways to Say: Risk that paid off, Lucky gamble
33. Gift horse
Meaning: An unexpected gift or piece of good fortune.
In a Sentence: Getting that second-hand laptop was a gift horse I wasn’t going to question.
Other Ways to Say: Blessing, Unexpected gift
34. Walk in clover
Meaning: Living a life of ease and luxury, often due to good luck.
In a Sentence: Ever since the promotion, he’s been walking in clover with all the perks.
Other Ways to Say: Living well, Easy life
35. Got it made
Meaning: To be in a very good or lucky situation.
In a Sentence: Once she got that scholarship, she really had it made.
Other Ways to Say: In a great spot, Living the dream
36. Thank your lucky stars
Meaning: To be grateful for good fortune or escaping trouble.
In a Sentence: I thank my lucky stars I caught the error before submitting the final report.
Other Ways to Say: Be grateful, Appreciate good luck
37. Just my luck (positive use)
Meaning: Sometimes used sarcastically, but can also express genuine good luck.
In a Sentence: Just my luck—I found the last item on sale right when I needed it.
Other Ways to Say: What a stroke of luck, Talk about timing
38. Bluebird of happiness
Meaning: A symbol of joy and good fortune.
In a Sentence: That call offering me a job was the bluebird of happiness I’d been waiting for.
Other Ways to Say: Joyful surprise, Good omen
39. Money falls into your lap
Meaning: To get unexpected financial luck.
In a Sentence: When her video went viral, money practically fell into her lap.
Other Ways to Say: Unexpected earnings, Easy wealth
40. Bright side of the coin
Meaning: A positive or fortunate aspect of a situation.
In a Sentence: Losing the game hurt, but the bright side of the coin was how much we improved.
Other Ways to Say: Silver lining, Upside
41. Right as rain
Meaning: Perfect or just the way it should be—often used after things go well.
In a Sentence: Everything turned out right as rain once we fixed the issue.
Other Ways to Say: All good, Worked out
42. Smooth sailing
Meaning: Things are going well without any problems.
In a Sentence: After a few rough weeks, it’s been smooth sailing with our new routine.
Other Ways to Say: No issues, Going well
43. Golden hour
Meaning: A perfect moment, often lucky or beautiful.
In a Sentence: The proposal during sunset felt like the golden hour of our relationship.
Other Ways to Say: Perfect timing, Magical moment
44. Turn the tide
Meaning: To shift a situation in a better, luckier direction.
In a Sentence: Her brilliant idea turned the tide during the competition.
Other Ways to Say: Change your luck, Reverse fortune
45. Ahead of the game
Meaning: In a favorable position thanks to good luck or preparation.
In a Sentence: Studying early put me ahead of the game before finals started.
Other Ways to Say: Prepared, In a good spot
46. Pull a rabbit out of a hat
Meaning: To do something surprising or lucky, like solving a tough problem.
In a Sentence: He pulled a rabbit out of a hat by finding the missing file just in time.
Other Ways to Say: Perform a miracle, Pull off something lucky
47. Lucky charm
Meaning: An object or person believed to bring good luck.
In a Sentence: She wore her grandmother’s necklace as a lucky charm during every exam.
Other Ways to Say: Symbol of luck, Personal talisman
48. Shine on you
Meaning: When luck or success seems to follow someone.
In a Sentence: The sun always seems to shine on you—you get the best luck!
Other Ways to Say: Fortunate glow, Good energy
49. Get your lucky stars in a row
Meaning: Have everything go perfectly or fall into place.
In a Sentence: I must’ve had my lucky stars in a row to land that opportunity.
Other Ways to Say: Everything aligned, Lucky moment
50. Golden ticket
Meaning: An opportunity that brings major luck or success.
In a Sentence: That invitation was the golden ticket to the biggest networking event of the year.
Other Ways to Say: Rare chance, Lucky access
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks:
- Before her performance, we told her to _______ a leg for confidence.
- It was just the _______ of the draw that I got called first.
- Everything fell into place like my lucky _______ were in a row.
- After weeks of bad luck, I finally got a _______ break and landed a job.
- He found a parking spot right at the entrance—talk about hitting the _______.
- You should thank your lucky _______ that you made it through that storm safely.
- His business is thriving—he really has the _______ touch.
- I took a chance applying, and the stars _______ in my favor.
- That unexpected bonus was a financial _______ we didn’t expect.
- Her necklace is more than just jewelry—it’s her lucky _______.
Answers:
break, luck, stars, lucky, jackpot, stars, Midas, aligned, windfall, charm
Conclusion
Idioms about good luck are more than just phrases—they carry a sense of charm, hope, and encouragement in every word. Whether you’re wishing someone well, celebrating a moment of unexpected success, or just enjoying the poetry of everyday language, these expressions help add color and creativity to your conversations.
The next time you’re feeling hopeful or want to encourage someone else, try using one of these idioms instead of a plain “good luck.” They’ll help you connect in a more meaningful way and sound more fluent and expressive, especially in casual and friendly conversations.
Remember: when you embrace idioms, it’s like carrying a little bit of linguistic luck with you everywhere you go.
