SPORTS fans are more likely to feel lucky if their side wins, researchers have found.
Intense emotions caused by seeing a ‘remarkable’ victory have a knock-on effect on sex drive.
The birth rate shoots up nine months after major football and rugby tournaments such as the World Cups, the European Championship, the Champions League and rugby’s Six Nations, especially among fans living in the host country.
A team from University College Dublin discovered the link after analyzing ten studies.
Solsones found one of these in Spain, where the number of births increased by 16 percent after Barcelona won the Champions League in 2009.
They won the final after beating Manchester United 2-0.
They also found that “unexpected losses” were associated with a decline in births.
Dr. Gwinyai Masukume said: “The higher birth rates nine months later may be due to celebratory sex.
“This suggests that euphoria or sadness experienced when a sports team wins or loses coincides with a hormonal change that increases or decreases the desire for sex.
“Human emotions can have a significant impact on the population.”