What is "lucky loser"

n. (context sports English) A player who lose#Verb in the final round of qualifying for a tournament, and who subsequently enters the tournament after the withdrawal of another competitor, e.g. due to injury.

A lucky loser is a sports player who loses a match in the qualifying round of a knockout tournament, but who then enters the main draw when another player withdraws after the tournament has started because of illness, injury or other reason. The lucky loser then enters the main draw, normally in place of the withdrawn player. This can only happen before all players in the main draw have started their first match in the tournament.

Lucky Loser is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Reginald Denham and starring Richard Dolman, Aileen Marson and Anna Lee. It was made as a quota quickie at Elstree Studios for release by the British subsidiary of Paramount Pictures.