Friday the 13th not-so-fun facts: Here's why the day is so unlucky?

Beware, Friday the 13th is upon us.

Some consider it an extremely unlucky day, which can land as often as three times a year on the calendar. Why is it unlucky? Some point references in the Bible. A couple of the bad omens:

◾ Judas , the 13th person at the Last Supper in the Bible, is believed to have betrayed Jesus.

◾ Friday : Several unsettling events occurred on the day, including Jesus' crucifixion .

There are other reasons to worry about 13 beyond the Bible. According to Norse mythology , Loki, the 13th guest, interrupted the gods' dinner party by plunging the world into darkness.

When is the next Friday 13th?

Luckily, Fridays falling on the 13th are fairly rare. Each year typical has two. A particularly unsettling year for some could be 2026, which has three.

Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them.

Fear of the number 13

If Friday the 13th worries you, others share your fear. It's possible that you have triskaidekaphobia , or a phobia of the number 13.

But if the number 13 only terrifies you on Fridays, you may have paraskevidekatriaphobia , or the fear of Friday the 13th.

According to an online survey by YouGov.com , Americans think walking under a ladder brings more bad luck than Friday the 13th.

Most popular searched superstitions by state

An analysis by a Wisconsin casino found most people searched for more good luck than bad luck.

The 2021 study examined more than 200 popular superstitions by determining which terms and phrases were popular in each state through a Google search analysis.

For most people, fearing Friday the 13th is a harmless superstition – something we may playfully pretend to fear. At the same time, it wouldn't hurt to toss some salt over your shoulder on Friday or keep your eyes open for a penny on the sidewalk.

CONTRIBUTING Jim Sergent/USA TODAY

SOURCE TimeandDate.com, YouGov.com, NationalGeographic.com, LiveScience.com and History.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Friday the 13th not-so-fun facts: Here's why the day is so unlucky?