Sports and tarot may seem like unlikely companions, but both have a long-standing connection with prediction, psychology, intuition, and the uncertainty of the future.
Obviously, tarot cannot determine the outcome of sporting events, no matter how much fans may want it to; however, its symbolism and interpretive nature have attracted legions of sports lovers interested in rituals, predictions, personality, and the unknown.
Today, athletes, sports commentators, and online communities often use tarot readings to create stories to entertain the fans in the build-up to major sporting events.
Fans love sport for of its unpredictability, yet they spend many hours praying for the certainty of victory. From performance stats, the weather, game location, colour of the jerseys, you name it, every scrap of information is scrutinised to predict the outcome; so why not tarot?
Sports fans often use different signals to assess potential outcomes, and DraftKings gives them a practical reference point to compare the lines when following major games and matchups. But there’s always room for superstitions, the supernatural, or just good old-fashioned luck when it comes to your team getting over the line.
In this article, we’ll explore the unusual relationship between sports and tarot, looking at why these seemingly separate worlds intersect, and how tarot has gradually become part of modern-day sports culture.
Sports Predictions and Tarot Readings
Soccer is renowned as one of the most unpredictable sports in the world. From send-offs, lucky deflections and heroic goalkeeping displays, results are never set in stone – no matter how often you crunch the numbers.
At the FIFA 2026 World Cup, the long-held tradition of using animals to predict results continued, proving that the use of tarot is no more far-fetched than any other means of determining who may or may not win a match.
News of soothsaying animals gained worldwide coverage, and created hours of conversation and entertainment amongst fans, commentators, and online communities. In the same way, tarot is increasingly being used by fans and the media as a fun way to predict or discuss upcoming sporting events, creating a buzz of excitement around forthcoming match-ups.
Pre-Game Rituals
A lot of players use a pre-game ritual to alleviate anxiety, maintain focus, and help them prepare for the game ahead. These come in multiple forms and range from which cleat they put on first to specific music playlists, game visualisations, and eating the same food before a match.
Tennis superstar Serena Williams famously wore the same pair of socks until she lost or won the trophy. She also bounced the ball exactly five times before her first serve and twice before her second. While LeBron James is known for his chalk toss before tip-off.
Fans are similarly afflicted, with lucky underwear, meeting in the same bar, and sitting in the same seat very common. One newer addition to fans entertaining pre-game rituals includes a tarot reading before the game in order to spark conversation, while players have also started incorporating the cards.
A reading can be used to give them confidence to follow their instincts during the game and to remove uncertainty. It can bring a fresh perspective, insight and confidence to players, lifting their spirits.
Athlete Personality and Symbolism
Tarot cards represent universal psychological archetypes which often find correlations with different athletes and coaches. That could be their mental state, competitiveness, fearlessness, leadership, ambition, and much more.
Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback, can be likened to the Chariot or Magician tarot cards. These Major Arcana archetypes mirror the on-field dominance, tactical mastery, and leadership skills of a three-time Super Bowl winner.
Coach Andy Reid resembles the King of Wands. A passionate, creative master planner and leader known for inspiring loyalty and empowering his players. Like the King, Reid is fiercely competitive but also a father figure who commands respect.
How Social Media Is Bringing Sports and Tarot Together
TV contracts continue to bring in record revenues for many sports, but social media’s influence cannot be underestimated. Today, more and more sports fans are coming together to discuss the teams and the sports they love with fellow fans.
Thanks to easily accessible social platforms, unusual combinations of interests – such as tarot and sports – are allowed to develop and prosper into popular, niche online communities. With sports-focused tarot creators, tarot readings for major sporting events, fan predictions, online debates, and short-form video content available, the two communities are overlapping and flourishing.
There’s no doubt sports fandom will continue to find new ways to combine traditional rituals, digital culture, and alternative forms of entertainment around the pre- and post-match entertainment – it’s written in the cards.But right now, tarot offers fans an entertaining and creative way to engage with their favourite sports, while at the same time allowing them to secretly hope that maybe – just maybe – the Wheel of Fortune card that flipped over means their team is going to bring it home today.
