In the superstition called “three on a match,” what is considered unlucky to have on one match?

In the “three on a match” superstition, it is considered unlucky for three people to light cigarettes from one match.

The belief became especially famous among soldiers during the First World War. A match held alight for three cigarettes was supposedly visible to an enemy sniper for long enough to aim and fire. The story is often repeated as a battlefield rule, although historians debate how much the practice was genuinely widespread and how much was strengthened by advertising and popular culture.

The superstition concerns one match shared in sequence, not simply three cigarettes being smoked at the same time. That detail is why “three on a match” became a fixed phrase.

Modern safety concerns are different: smoking causes serious health risks, and matches can burn skin or start fires. The old belief survives mainly as a cultural expression and a memorable example of wartime folklore.