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The famous basketball coach Frank Layden is usually credited with the phrase 'you can't teach height,' which perfectly encapsulates the very concept of a so-called 'genetic win.' Indeed, there are countless things in the world that can be learned - but there are also things that we’re simply born with.

Some of us have a phenomenal memory, some can drink lots of booze without getting drunk, and some at the molecular level exude a smell that repels mosquitoes. Finally, some consider their peculiarity a disadvantage, while for others it’s an absolute 'genetic win.' So now please enjoy this selection of self-proclaimed ‘genetic wins’ from various folks in this online thread!

More info: Reddit

#1

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have As a female, my period is 2.5-3 days every time and is regular AF and I've never had extreme pain that accompanied it. Discomfort, sure, but nothing that has kept me from life.

techno-ho , Natracare Report

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martymcmatrix
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5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...like in those ads where the blood is light blue and the women enjoy a day at the public pool, participate in some track and field championships, as well as trampoline jumping all day long? 🤔

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#2

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have All my grandparents made it to at least 100.

handsthefram , RDNE Stock project Report

#3

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Being born to my parents. Unconditional love is powerful.

fatburger321 , Harrison Haines Report

The genome of each of us is absolutely unique (unless you have a twin sibling), and each of us has physical or mental characteristics that do make us special. The only question is how much these “superpowers” ​​stand out against the general background of our lives, and how much they make our lives easier. We can agree, it would be weird, for example, to have excellent night vision - but at the same time go to bed at sunset and wake up at dawn all your life!

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#4

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Not so much a win for me, but a win for others. I have 0- blood and no diseases, so I can donate to others a lot.

that_gay_with_chains , Nguyễn Hiệp Report

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Con O Cuinn
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Universal donor but can only receive O- blood themselves. Blessing and a curse.

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#5

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I don’t get body odor. I still sweat but no matter how much I sweat I don’t smell. My dad is the same way and it infuriates my sister who did not inherit those genes.

SpontaneousTales , Ana Essentiels Report

#6

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Memory

If I see it, it sticks. Made college really easy, but it’s why my biggest fear in life is getting dementia / Alzheimer’s.

CountOff , Nicola Barts Report

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Sky Render
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can relate. School was a breeze for me and only my refusal to do homework ever got me in trouble (because I didn't see the point in it). I still have a stupidly sharp memory, much to my wife's annoyance.

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By the way, we often “pay” for having any specific innate skills or abilities with the absence of other talents. We don’t need to go far to find an example - let's take me. I have a really excellent text memory - I remember large amounts of information without any problems, I remember facts I heard once a long time ago - but at the same time I have a terrible memory for faces.

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In the old days, it was believed that to acquire special abilities, a person, voluntarily or not, “pays” with otherworldly forces - which is why many sorcerers or shamans in fairy tales or legends may not have a limb or grow old sharply after acquiring magical abilities. For example, the Scandinavian god Odin, as we know, gave his own eye in return for wisdom.

#7

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Mosquitos go for me only if other people are not around. I'm like last resort.

DCFud , Anuj Report

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TheGoodBoi
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lucky, I'm the first the go to. They will fight through any mosquito repellant to get to me...

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#8

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have There's more, but I can feel well rested with just 4-6 hours of sleep. This is due to a genetic mutation present in only 1-3% of the global population.

Dovriath , Александар Цветановић Report

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#9

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Thick hair.

Aside from the downside of *millions* of falling hair everyday, my hair stays hella thick.

_functionalanxiety , Engin Akyurt Report

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Lil Miss Hobbit
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same! I love my hair and when it's nice (which it rarely is because thick hair is a LOT to take care of) people compliment me on it all the time.

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On the other hand, if you don’t have anything like that, don’t be upset either. Just think about it - the absence of any unpleasant features is already an advantage of sorts. For example, I already wrote that my wife and I both love cats very much, with one significant difference - my wife is allergic to them, and I am not. However, every time I see a cute kitty, I also have to make a difficult but predetermined choice... Well, okay, that wasn’t a successful example!

#10

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I'm immune to poison ivy. I don't get a rash.

ca77ywumpus , James Whitney Report

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UncleJohn3000
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In scouting, we were playing some sort of capture the flag game. Five of us jumped into a ditch to hide and four of us damn near died of poison ivy. That was also the day that I became the official campsite poison ivy remover, a post I held for years.

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#11

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I'm a woman. My leg hairs are so light and thin they're barely visible. Never have I shaved my legs.

Edit: never plucked my eyebrows either. They've been in perfect shape since I was born. I have dark eyebrows and eyelashes.

Aurora_96 , Sora Shimazaki Report

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Serena Myers
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get the leg hair, but my invisible leg hair is down to old age! On the minus side, my eyebrows and eyelashes are invisible as well!!

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#12

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I have highly concentrated taste buds. So I'm classified as a "super" taster. And can discern flavors in just about everything I eat. Same with smells. Probably the reason people say I'm such a good cook. Only 25% of people in the world are super tasters. But I think that's pretty cool.

Spoonthedude92 , animationscreencaps Report

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Ace
Community Member
5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The downside of being a supertaster is that there are many foods that I just cannot abide. Anything bitter, basically, so a lot of veg are borderline, some fruits (e.g. grapefruit) and a lot of drinks. Oh, and goat's cheese, although that's not bitter and may be unrelated to the supertaster thing, idk.

Id row
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Only 25% are super tasters.". One out of every four people have that? That's 2 billion people, lol.

BarkingSquirell
Community Member
5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me, too. Slip some cumin into the stew? I know. Is there cardamum in my rice pudding? You betcha there is (and I wouldn't have it any other way.)

Ozymandias73
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a super smeller. My sense of smell is very acute. I cook by smelling when the food is done. I of course use a time, but I can usually tell when something is done like 30secs before the timer goes off w/o fail. It's also a curse as well. Any bad smells I'll pick up very quickly and those around me think I'm crazy until the smell finally hits them minutes later.

Gourdeous
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For me it also goes along with being a super sniffer though. I find so many odours unbearable

TooTrue
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The other downside of super taste/smell is you also become the official sniffer of bad food. (Yes, one of the 25% too). Actually smokers and body odour is the worst, makes me gag when my husband doesn't even notice it. And people say I'm a good cook too.

Anna Drever
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother has excellent sense of smell. She’s a super sniffer. Did not pass that on to me. I’ve lived half my life with a blocked nose which has its benefits when the dog 💨.

Ephemera Image
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i do think that many people lose their sense of taste through smoking, and eating meat drenched in spicy condiments. I'm also vegetarian, possibly that and eating home-made dishes that are 'plain' to others helps as well. To me, those foods have subtle, rich flavours that others find tasteless. To each his own.

_physically_insane_(he/him)
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There’s a webcomic called Gourmet Hound that has a girl that can smell really well (it’s on webtoons) is that like this?

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By the way, do you know what unique superpower you may also have? I’ll tell you: this special ability is to scroll the list to the end and write an interesting comment. Yes, that’s a superpower too! So let's check if you have this superpower! Why not, right?

#13

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Good teeth! Didn't have dental insurance for 7 years, went to dentist, she complimented me on having good strong teeth! Its good genes because I only started flossing at age 40.

Material_Draft5926 , Shiny Diamond Report

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AtMostAFabulist
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You are very lucky. I have hit an age where my teeth are cracking. I don't recommend ot.

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#14

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have One I like to flex is I have no allergies 😌

Edit*
Okay, yet. I have no allergies yet 😭 so far in my 28 years. I've been lucky 😌.

hiddendoor_5 , cottonbro studio Report

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AtMostAFabulist
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have adult onset allergies. They started when I was about 35. They get worse over time.

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#15

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Literally got the results back today from a fertility panel that screens for almost 500 disorders and gene mutations and I carry NONE OF THEM. Doc said it’s super rare to not carry even a few recessive issues. Pretty neat! Got to tell my parents they made a near perfect human ;)

Edit to add for everyone: it’s a panel from Natera. You ask your OB or a Genetic Counselor (or geneticist) to order it. Some insurances cover it. Others don’t. I think we’ll end up paying $300 per person for ours. It’s a blood draw and it gets sent to their lab in CA.

Edit 2: please stop telling me to procreate. That’s why we got the testing done. And stop telling me to be an egg donor. Not something that I’m remotely interested in.

Mokelachild , Kelly Sikkema Report

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Lil Miss Hobbit
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The edits are so funny. Like of course the internet told her to have kids and be an egg donor.🤣

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#16

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Eyelashes. I don't use Mascara because they are so long. .

pookie74 , Tommy van Kessel Report

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Gabby M
Community Member
5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish. Eyebrows, head hair super lacking. But so is leg hair and underarm. Am I lucky or not lol? Also barely any grey @ 64.

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#17

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Both my mother and grandmother had breast and uterine cancer (which they recovered from, thankfully). Due to my family history my primary care provider tested me for the breast cancer genes, and I don't have them! Woohoo!

[Edit: thank you all for your concern. I still get screened. My mother tested positive for the genes and I did not. I know there are other types of breast/uterine cancers and my risk is not zero. I am just happy I have a lower risk of that particular family curse.].

Bwahalla , Anna Tarazevich Report

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Foxglove🇮🇪
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mum had breast cancer twice, 10 years apart - triple negative so genetic testing is of limited benefit.

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#18

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Lol I inherited lots of genetic losses but one win is my body type - I've always looked athletic (thin with moderate muscle mass) even when I've been extremely out of shape.

expat_mel , Andrea Piacquadio Report

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#20

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have My genetic flex is great skin. I appreciate it all the time and wish I could brag, lol.

CherryBombO_O , Linda Prebreza Report

#21

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Grey eyes...actual grey not tiktok trendy grey.

Bodatheyoda , ShotPot Report

#22

I’m a twin and my twin is like the other half of my heart. I would feel so lost without that connection, and I’m so grateful.

bullhorn_big*ss Report

#23

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I have never had a headache before.

zBabyHank , Andrea Piacquadio Report

#24

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Low (not abnormally…) blood pressure.

CaliNVJ , Pavel Danilyuk Report

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#25

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Still have all my hair at 52.

Onlyonecantherebe , Amina Filkins Report

#26

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Strong immune system I guess. I barely get ill even though my lifestyle is really unhealthy. Also never got COVID but idk if you can be naturally immune to that, studies are inconclusive as far as I know.

Tsjaad_Donderlul , Sora Shimazaki Report

#27

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I have zero recovery period after spicy times. I just stay ready.

tersty , Pixabay Report

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jeffrey champion
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This entry has -1 votes at the time of writing, is it because people don't like the post, or they're envious?

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#28

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I’ve never had a nosebleed in my life! (Not sure how common or uncommon that is tbh).

Beautiful-Flower-79 , Brittany Colette Report

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Serena Myers
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Neither have I. Nor migraines or headaches. My old mum used to say "Where there's no sense, there's no feeling" which might have something to do with it. Lol.

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#29

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have Calves. I have naturally muscular and shapely calves and I don’t even work them.

Decent-Temperature31 , Marcus Wallis Report

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Con O Cuinn
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If OP is overweight, that could also be why. Fat people tend to have jacked calves from lugging our lard asses around.

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#30

My feet do not sweat nor smell.

mozzzz Report

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Hey!
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5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My son's feet smelled so badly that if he tried on some shoes, we had to buy them. Later, I got him to put his feet in vinegar a few times and it went away.

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#31

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I can eat really unhealthy and a lot and not gain weight.

malu_saadi , Robin Stickel Report

#32

No tonsils. Born without 'em.

Theobroma1000 Report

#33

I’m decently healthy both physically and mentally. Granted I’m only 40 so I’ve got some years ahead of me so that will probably change, but right now I feel like I’m in the minority among friends and close coworkers that I am not on prescription meds for anything.

travelingsoul83 Report

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Bec
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5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mom was getting surgery in her 60's and Dr.'s office called because she hadn't filled out her prescriptions list - she wasn't taking any daily prescriptions; guess that is unusual for Americans in their 60s

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#34

Natural muscle size and strength. I’ve been gifted.

Necessary-Fennel8754 Report

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Lil Miss Hobbit
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother, haha. His bicep is the size of a dinner plate and he has never lifted.

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#35

35 People Who Won The Gene Lottery Share The Traits They Are Happy To Have I don’t get the “Asian Flush/Glow” after drinking.

dedeenxo , Mai Anh Report