Why people think it’s unlucky

Why we freak out about Friday the 13th

Discover why Friday the 13th has been known to give some people the creeps.

USA TODAY

June 13 may be an unlucky date this year as it falls on a Friday, making it the first and only Friday the 13th of 2025.

The unlucky date has long been a staple of pop culture, most notably being the title of the long-running film franchise.

Last year saw Friday the 13th on the calendar twice, while 2026 will have three instances of Fridays the 13th in February, March and November.

According to National Geographic Kids, the exact origins of when Friday the 13th became thought of as unlucky are unknown, however, it “likely comes from the Christian religion.”

“For example, in the Bible, Judas — a person who is said to have betrayed Jesus — was the 13th guest at the Last Supper. Also in the Bible, many unfortunate things happened on Fridays,” according to the magazine.

Here’s why some think Friday the 13th is unlucky.

Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky?

Friday the 13th combines two taboos that come from the Bible, according to Dr. Phil Stevens, a retired anthropology professor from the University at Buffalo and the author of a book titled “Rethinking the Anthropology of Magic and Witchcraft: Inherently Human.” Based on the story of the Last Supper of Jesus, 13 people were seated at the table and it happened on a Thursday. He was arrested that evening, and crucified the next day, on a Friday.

“So 13 is associated with that terrible event. And Friday, the 13th you get a double whammy. You get both of these elements coming together: the taboo against 13, and the crucifixion, which was on a Friday,” Stevens said in a previous interview with USA TODAY.

Even though the taboo is tied to the Last Supper, Stevens said it didn’t become widespread until 1,000 years after Jesus’s story, when more people became interested in the Bible. Now he thinks the taboo is weakening as people embrace the number 13 more, and it is only a matter of time before it phases out.

Stevens said that he likes to think of the superstition around Friday the 13th as an example of magical thinking. He says that magical thinking is when someone believes is there is a causal relationship between two things that are otherwise unrelated. For example, Friday and 13 together take on a different quality when they fall on the same day.

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He also said he thinks of it as a taboo, as superstition has a negative connotation, even when someone uses it to describe their own belief.

“The word taboo actually is appropriate for this kind of a superstition. Because it’s the it’s the term that means avoiding establishing a magical connection. People can actively work magic to make things happen, recognizing the connections between things, but if the connections between things could cause an unfortunate result, then people avoid those connections.” Stevens said at the time.