Popular English expressions about luck and chance

We all have moments when we need a bit of luck, whether it's before a job interview or when making a big decision. English has quite a few phrases for these situations, and they come up often in daily conversation. Let's look at some common ones.

Strike gold

When someone "strikes gold," they find something valuable or have sudden success. The phrase comes from miners finding gold, but today we use it for any lucky find.

• We tried five apartments before we finally struck gold.
• The band struck gold with their second album.
• I struck gold at the flea market and found a vintage camera for ten euros.

Break a leg

This one sounds strange, but in English, telling someone to "break a leg" means "good luck." You'll hear it most before a performance, a speech, or an audition.

• Break a leg tonight!
• You've got your big audition today? Break a leg!

Nobody knows for sure where it comes from. One popular theory is that it's connected to the German Hals- und Beinbruch, which also wishes someone luck by mentioning a broken leg. So if you speak German, this one might feel surprisingly familiar.

The luck of the draw

"The luck of the draw" means something was decided by chance, like drawing names out of a hat, so nobody had any control over it.

• I didn't choose this project. It was just the luck of the draw.
• Whether you get a good teacher is often the luck of the draw.

Press your luck

Sometimes good things keep happening, and you're tempted to go for more. That's "pressing your luck": taking more risks because things have been going well, even though it could all go wrong. In British English, you'll often hear "push your luck" instead.

• I got away with being late once. I won't press my luck tomorrow.
• You already got a discount. Don't push your luck by asking for free delivery too.

Roll the dice

In board games, rolling the dice decides your next move, and you never know what you'll get. That's why "roll the dice" means taking a chance without knowing how things will turn out.

• She decided to roll the dice and move to a new city.
• Starting a business is always a bit of a roll of the dice.
• We didn't have a plan, so we rolled the dice and tried a new restaurant.

Now you've got some natural ways to talk about luck in English, whether you're wishing someone well or taking a chance yourself.

Want to see these phrases in action? Check out our Daily Dose of Denglisch Docs video.