New Jersey ranks least-luckiest state in America in Casinos.com study

For a time, New Jersey was one of only two states in the nation that allowed casino gambling.

Atlantic City was synonymous with bright lights, non-stop drinks, good times and big jackpots.

Now the state is the unluckiest in the nation for gambling.

At least according to a new study by Casinos.com, where the Garden State chalked up a paltry 10 points out of 100 in an "America's Luckiest States" ranking. That tied it with Alaska for the least lucky state.

On the other hand, Wyoming topped the list with 70 points, followed by South Dakota with 59.78 and Vermont with 55.42.

"Some folks believe that ... good and bad moments just happen by chance. But have you ever wondered if where you live can actually affect your luck, especially when it comes to gambling," the site asked.

How lucky is your state?

To find out, Casinos.com developed an index to weigh multiple criteria, including number of Powerball and MegaMillions winners, the hold percentage for online betting (the amount the company retains, lower is better), accident mortality rate, GDP per capita, number of casinos and quality of life rankings.

Here's how those individual rankings shook out:

• Number of Powerball winners: Indiana, 39.
• Number of Mega Millions winners: New York, 44.
• Best hold percentage:  Nevada, 5.7%.
• Lowest accident mortality rate: Hawaii, 39.6.
• Highest GDP: District of Columbia, $259,938.
• Number of casinos: Nevada, 345.
• Best state to live in for quality of life: Wyoming.

It's not all bad news for New Jersey

The study did note some bright points for New Jersey, including:

• New Jersey was No. 4 for online bettors winning, with a hold percentage of 7.36%
• New Jersey ranks No. 3 when it comes to the number of Mega Millions winners: 25 winners in total
• New Jersey ranked No. 7 in the quality of life ranking 

What is luck?

The study concluded: "The diverse factors considered (lottery winnings, safety, economy, etc.) indicate that luck is influenced by a combination of chance, economic conditions, safety measures and overall quality of life."

Some of the factors are not coincidental when leading to luck, Casinos.com says. For instance, states with higher GDP probably have higher disposable income for gambling, and that states with a lot of casinos have more competition and may offer more promotions and better odds to retain customers.