Saint Louis University's Billiken is One of a Kind

World's Most Interesting Mascot Takes Center Stage as Saint Louis University Men's Basketball Heads to NCAA Tournament

ST. LOUIS, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quirky. Unique. Lucky. Whatever adjective you use, the Saint Louis University Billiken is one of a kind.

The Billiken is consistently ranked among the most interesting and unique mascots in college sports. The mythical creature represents things as they ought to be and has been the face of Saint Louis University sports since the early 1900s.

With the Billiken cheering them on, the SLU men's basketball team was a perfect 19-0 at Chaifetz Arena this year, setting a school record for home-court wins. The Billiken will be front and center to cheer on the men's basketball team as the No. 9 Billikens take on the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

The Midwest region game will be played at 8:45 p.m. Thursday, March 19, on CBS.

Fun Facts about the Billiken

• The inimitable Billiken consistently makes the lists of most interesting mascots, including USA Today's 2025 list of "unusual mascots you have to see" and Newsweek's list of the 20 most unique mascots.
• The Billiken is a mythical creature that represents things as they ought to be.
• Saint Louis University is the only University to claim the Billiken as its mascot.
• He was invented by 21-year-old Florence Pretz, a Missouri art teacher. In 1908, Florence developed her sketch for the Billiken, and later that year she patented her design.
• The Billiken exploded in popularity, becoming an international phenomenon.
• Billiken-crazy fans collected Billiken dolls, figurines, marshmallow candies, metal banks, hatpins, pickle forks, belt buckles, salt and pepper shakers, and more. There was even a song and a vaudeville act about him! He was the Cabbage Patch Doll, Beanie Baby and Labubu of his time.
• For enthusiasts, the Billiken was a good luck charm. People rubbed his belly for luck and put Billiken hood ornaments on cars to protect drivers. And, if you gave a Billiken to someone else, you would receive even more luck than if you just bought one for yourself.
• To this day, Saint Louis University students rub the belly of the Billiken statue on campus for good luck before exams and before games.

While the Billiken's appearance has evolved over time, what hasn't changed is the good luck he brings to all those who meet him.

"At SLU, we take our Jesuit values very seriously. We send our students out into the world to make it a better place, to make it as it ought to be, so it's really special to have the Billiken reflect those values in a really unique way," said Katie Mascari, SLU archivist.

About SLU

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.

SOURCE Saint Louis University