Where Is The Number 8 Considered Lucky and Why?

17th Mar 2021, 10:50:36 AM

In our very first blog post, we looked at the number 7 and why it’s treated as lucky in western countries. In this post, we’ll be focusing our attention on the number 8 and seeing what makes it lucky in some eastern countries.

China’s Relationship with the Number 8

In China, the number 8 is pronounced ‘ba’. It’s believed to be lucky because its pronunciation sounds similar to that of the word ‘fa’, which means ‘well off’ or ‘generating wealth’. The practice of associating 8 with good luck supposedly originated in Hong Kong, which is a very business-oriented place, before spreading throughout the rest of the country.

There are lots of examples in contemporary Chinese culture of the number 8 being favoured above others. Some of the most notable examples could be seen at the 2008 Summer Olympics, which was held in Beijing.

The event’s opening ceremony was watched by over two billion people. The spectacle was widely lauded and was hailed as the best ever in the history of the Olympics. What’s particularly remarkable about it was that it was scheduled to start at a very specific time: eight minutes and eight seconds past 8 p.m. on the eighth day of August, the eighth month, 2008 - that’s a whole lot of 8s!

Many Chinese couples timed getting pregnant so the woman could give birth in August, 2008. A lot of them were successful, as this particular month saw more newborns welcomed to the world than any other month by far.

It’s not uncommon for people to pay more for a phone number if it includes 8. Moreover, many people living in China will favour apartments on the eighth floor of a building over ones on other floors. Likewise, things like dates for events and house numbers usually take preference if there’s an 8 somewhere.

Why the Japanese Consider 8 a Lucky Number

Another East Asian country worth mentioning is Japan. Here, the number 8 is treated as lucky not because it sounds like a word to do with wealth; instead, it’s because the way it’s written: 八. The character for 8 is thin at the top and widens at the bottom. People link this with growth and prosperity, hence the number’s association with luck.

In Japan, there’s an extreme work culture that’s deeply ingrained in modern society. It’s common practice for people to work long hours, use their days off sparingly and stay loyal to their company for most, if not all, of their working lives. There’s even a phenomenon of dying from being overworked.

Though steps are being made to create more of a work-life balance, working and being productive are still key parts of living in Japan today. With such a focus on maximising your potential and contributing to society, it should come as no surprise that the number 8 is regarded as lucky by some.

In ancient Japan, 8 wasn’t necessarily seen as lucky, but it was still treated as an important number. Back then, as well as being used to mean eight of something, 8 was used to mean a large quantity of something. For example, if you wanted to say there were a lot of trees, saying there were eight trees would do the trick.

Even so, it’s not fully understood why 8 was used this way and why the ancients saw it as special.

Try Your Luck at Slots Inspired by the Lucky Number 8

There are more than 300 developers creating slots and other games for online casinos. Many of these look to China and Japan for inspiration and create slots inspired by these countries’ rich cultures and traditions.

You’ll find quite a few slots with the number 8 featuring in the name. Many of these are themed to luck and riches, and invite you to play and see if it’s your lucky day. Below are some of our recommended choices:

• 3,888 Ways of the Dragon. Has 3,888 ways to win and a special feature where you’re given 8 or 18 free spins.

• 888 Gold. A simple 5-payline slot where the 8 symbol is wild.

• 88 Lucky Fortunes. This slot has free spins, multiplier wilds and respins as its special features.

• 88 Riches. Offers a free spins round with sticky wilds and a gamble feature that can increase the size of payouts, though at a risk.

Head to our online slots section and play some of our suggested slots inspired by the number 8 and its connections to luck. Make sure you check out our current bonuses, too!