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Beginner's luck refers to the phenomenon of novices experiencing a disproportionate frequency of success or succeeding against an expert in a given activity.^[1] One would expect experts to outperform novices; when the opposite happens, it is counter-intuitive, hence the need for a term to describe this phenomenon.^[2] The term is most often used in reference to a first attempt in sport or gambling, but is also used in many other contexts. The term is also used when no skill whatsoever is involved, such as a first-time slot machine player winning the jackpot.

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