These are the ‘little wins’ that get us through the week

A study of 2,000 adults has revealed the signs that things are going your way – including getting an unexpected pay rise and arriving late for a train, but discovering it’s been delayed.

Other ‘punch the air moments’ include having a good hair day, enjoying sunshine on your day off, and discovering an old item of clothing still fits you. It also emerged half of those polled believe they’re winning at life.

A spokesman for Buzz Bingo, which commissioned the research after giving away a total of £2.5 million through its £50k Big Buzz Special jackpot, said: “As the study suggests, little things can really make all the difference – and really brighten our day.

“No matter how big or small, these wins can make us feel like luck is on our side. But we don’t just have to wait around for them to happen, we can make our own luck sometimes too.

“After all, the saying goes ‘you’ve got to be in it, to win it!’.”

The study found the typical adult enjoys around four little wins a week – that’s 184 during an average year. However, they claim to need closer to five in order to get through a seven-day period – 237 over the course of 12 months. Which might explain why three quarters believe they need more of these moments in their life, and why two thirds are of the opinion they’re due a bit luck.

Other wins include putting in a USB the right way round first time, getting served at the bar straightaway, and having enough milk for one last cup of tea. Receiving the all-clear on your MOT, getting an unexpected pay rise, and it starting to rain just after you’ve brought the washing in are also welcome victories.

It also emerged eight in 10 said these victories give them a happy glow – a feeling which typically lasts for one hour and 45 minutes. Part of the reason for this feeling might be that wins make them luckier – or at least that’s what 70 per cent believe. But sadly, the study carried out through OnePoll found 82 per cent ‘can’t remember’ the last time they had one.

Richard Kearns of Buzz Bingo said: “The research suggests plenty of those polled feel they are due things to go their way and long for that happy glow from little victories.

“It’s always a great moment when you can bask in the glory of that ‘winning at life’ feeling.”

TOP 50 LITTLE WINS

1. Finally finding something you’d lost and been looking for ages
2. Traffic lights turning green as you approach
3. Getting an unexpected tax rebate
4. Getting an unexpected pay rise
5. Getting in a queue at the front just before loads of other people join the queue
6. When your car gets the all-clear on its MOT
7. Getting a small win on the lottery
8. Getting a free hotel upgrade
9. When something you have planted successfully blooms/produces fruit or veg
10. When it’s sunny on a day off work
11. When you do some DIY and it actually looks like it should
12. When someone takes a photo of you and you look good in it
13. Getting a compliment from a stranger
14. When it starts raining just after you’ve brought the washing in
15. When someone says you are wrong about something, so you Google it and find you were correct
16. Finding you still fit into an old but special piece of clothing – like a suit or dress
17. Waking up thinking it’s a weekday but realising it’s the weekend
18. Arriving late for the train only to discover it’s been slightly delayed
19. When a social event you couldn’t be bothered with gets cancelled
20. Getting to the bus stop or train platform just as your transport arrives
21. Parallel parking on the first attempt
22. When the clocks go back and you get an extra hour in bed
23. Getting a seat on a busy train
24. Receiving an online delivery earlier than expected
25. When you remember a bar of chocolate you’d been saving
26. Getting the house to yourself
27. Having a ‘good hair day’
28. When you get an answer right when watching a gameshow
29. When you get served at the bar straightaway
30. Winning an online auction with a last second bid
31. Going to the cinema and having no one sat in front of you
32. When you attempt a joke and it lands / people find it funny
33. Not having to queue at the pumps for petrol
34. When you order a present for someone and it arrives just in time
35. When your birthday falls on a weekend or Bank Holiday
36. When your partners says “shall we have a take-away tonight?”
37. The satisfaction of having put something away where you would be able to find it later
38. Coming home from work and dinner is ready
39. Filling up petrol and perfectly stopping dead on the pound
40. Getting back to your car just as the parking ticket is about to run out/ go up to the next price bracket
41. Remembering your shopping bags and pound for the trolley
42. When you crack an egg and don’t get any shell in the mix/don’t break the yolk
43. Discovering a work meeting has been cancelled
44. When your child sleeps through the night
45. Having enough milk for one last cup of tea
46. Getting to work late and discovering your boss hasn’t arrived yet either
47. Putting in a USB the right way round first time
48. Discovering your boss has the day off
49. Getting out the right key for the door lock at the first attempt
50. Posting on social media and getting lots of likes