Students sitting for entrance examinations or athletes before a match often eat katsudons a day before or on the day of such an event, believing in the auspicious homophony between the words, 'katsu' (to win) and 'katsu' (cutlet) which might bring them luck.
受験生や試合に臨むスポーツ選手の「勝つ」という験担ぎのために、前日や当日にカツ丼が食べられる事がある。