Lucky Find: Google Searches Reveal Most Common Superstition In Massachusetts And Other States

BOSTON (CBS) -- There's a new report revealing the most common superstitions in every state, from lucky ladybugs to the ominous sight of a black cat in your path. And in Massachusetts, it appears people believe in combing the grass for a fortuitous find.

The analysis from a Wisconsin casino determined that the four leaf clover is the most common superstition in the Bay State. It's said that only about 1 in 10,000 clovers have four leaves, according to Scientific American. 

The report took more than 200 common superstitions and did a Google search analysis of which terms and phrases were disproportionately popular in each state. Seventeen states, including Maine and Rhode Island, were most likely to look up why throwing salt over your shoulder is considered lucky ("believed to reverse bad luck brought on by spilling salt"). Six states, including Vermont and New Hampshire, searched for "bad luck comes in threes" the most.

Massachusetts was the only state with such a high interest in four leaf clovers, according to the report - could it be because of our belief in "the luck of the Irish"? That would come as no surprise, as a Boston Globe story from 2017 found that Massachusetts is the most Irish state state in America, with 22% of residents claiming Irish ancestry.

But while there's some debate on the internet over whether the four leaf clover has a special connection to Ireland, the Irish Times says it's not to be confused with the Emerald Isle's iconic shamrock.

"One is an Irish symbol and inextricably linked with the country's patron saint; the other is a four leaf clover and nothing to do with anything Irish," the newspaper wrote in 2018.

Click here to see the most popular superstitions in other states.