"In my experience, there's no such thing as luck." OWK

"In my experience" is almost like saying "In my opinion"

Lucas was telling us something about Obi Wan's character with this. Obi Wan was calculated, and didn't want to rely on anything outside himself.

 

I take an agnostic view on luck/karma. Can't b proven or disproved.

 

Taken by itself, it can read as anecdotal. But when you compare it with the other exchanges between OB1 and Han, you notice a trend. The two have opposing viewpoints, but Obi’s is always the correct one (well, more correct anyhow).

Spoiler

Obi-Wan: Your father's lightsaber...not as clumsy or as random as a blaster.
Han: Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

Obi-Wan: The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.
Han: I've never seen anything to make me believe there's one all-powerful force controlling everything.

Obi-Wan: Destroyed by the Empire!
Han: The entire starfleet couldn't destroy the whole planet.

Obi-Wan: It'd be as well to let it go. It's too far out of range.
Han: Not for long.

Obi-Wan: That's no moon! It's a space station.
Han: It's too big to be a space station.

Han: They're not going to get me without a fight!
Obi-Wan: You can't win. But there are alternatives to fighting.

Han: Damn fool. I knew that you were going to say that!
Obi-Wan: Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?

So, when Han links Luke’s use of the Force with ‘luck’, and OB replies there is no luck, the pattern would contend that Obi-Wan is right and Han is wrong. Was he just being hyperbolic though? Maybe, but it’s not a totally crazy interpretation to take him literally.

 

Yeah, I think in a way it's the Jedi version of "everything happens for a reason".

I'm sure random happenstance is a thing in Star Wars, at least outside of the meta-view of "of course all of the events are related, because of narrative structure and planning".

However, it's possible that this is a viewpoint that Obi Wan has that is enhanced by his own experiences as a Jedi. For instance, consider the dice roll with Watto before Anakin's race. Watto would've viewed that roll as a luck based thing, but Qui Gon fixed it via the Force. So, in situations like that, the Jedi actually are able to mitigate luck. Obviously, though, they should be aware that not all beings are capable of that.

 

Much of it comes from Lucas's belief in fate, that while we all make our own choices, there is a fate, or a destiny that we are beholden to in small ways. With that said though, Lucas always has said that when the time comes, we do have a choice to fulfill our fate/destiny, or go along a different path.

For example, it was not luck that Leia's ship was at Tatooine, there was a specific reason for it, and that had a rippling effect that started Luke onto his Destiny. It wasn't luck that Luke wasn't at the homestead when the stormtroopers murdered his Aunt and Uncle. It was fate that he not be there.

If you want to put it in a religious sort of way, it would probably come close to being considered Faith, that someone should have Faith that everything is happening for a reason, and we aren't at the mercy of randomness.

--- Double Post Merged, Feb 22, 2018, Original Post Date: Feb 21, 2018 ---

As for Qui Gon, Watto, and the dice. I've always seen this as a bad omen. Jedi are not supposed to use their powers to alter another persons fate. This is the reason why Obi Wan can't help Luke in ESB when Luke chooses to confront Vader. It is at this point where Luke's fate will be decided by his choices, and Obi Wan cannot interfere.

With the dice, I saw it as a bad omen, because Qui Gon is using the Force to purposely interfere in an outcome, instead of believing in the Force and that the Force will guide their way. Everything in TPM has Qui Gon telling people to believe in the Force and that the Force will guide them, until that moment. IMO, it was a way for Lucas to foreshadow that there were bad things on the horizon for Anakin.