Only having an official birthday every 4 years? That’s business as usual for our leap year-born babies. Those born on 29th February get their next official birthday in 2024, so we’re going all out this non-leap year with a 29 Free Spins birthday gift for OJO’s leaplings!  Come and learn why we need leap years, which famous celebrities were born on a leap year, plus a shocking leap year fact that’ll have you leaping out of your chair.

Why do we need leap years?

We have leap years because the number of days in the calendar don’t match with the number of days it takes for Earth to orbit the Sun. Earth’s complete orbit around the sun actually takes 365.256 days. Therefore, to make up that extra time and to ensure that we don’t end up wearing woolly hats and scarves in August, we need to add an extra day every four years. Simples.

Obviously leap day babies, (leaplings, leapers, or leapsters) still get to celebrate their birthday in non-leap years. Some choose to celebrate on February 28, some prefer March 1 – makes sense to see which one falls on a weekend really!

Famous Leaplings

A whopping 4 million people in the world were born on a leap day, and they are considered my some to be very lucky – in fact, the chances of being born on a leap day are 1 in 1461.

Ja Rule is a leapling, born in the leap year of 1964, and so is motivational guru Tony Robbins, born on 29th February 1960. And famous leapling figures from history include Pope Paul III (1468) and the author of William Tell, Gioacchino Rossini (1792). There’s a bit of history for you.

ja Rule
Ja Rule, leapling of 1964

Record-breaking Leaplings

This one is both strange and shocking. The Henriksen family from Norway currently hold the official record for the most family members born in one family on a leap day. Mother, Karin Henriksen gave birth to all three of her children on a February 29th; her daughter Heidi in 1960 and her son Olav in 1964 and her other son, Leif-Martin in 1968. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

29 Free Spins for OJO’s Leaplings

Our lovely leaplings, you may not get Facebook reminding your friends that you’re a year older (or maybe that’s a good thing?!), but we certainly haven’t forgotten about our leaplings this year. We’re treating all of our OJO leaplings to 29 Free Spins for their birthday. If you’re a leapling, here’s how you can claim your birthday present:

  • Go to our Facebook Page.
  • From 28.02.21 – 01.03.21, comment on our Leap Year post: “I’m a Leapling!” with your OJO username.
  • The OJO crew will confirm that you’re an authentic 29th February born baby.
  • All verified players will receive 29 Free Spins!
 Free Spins are valued at 20p per spin. Free Spins will be awarded to play on Ninja Master. Participants will only be eligible for the prize if they have left a comment on the Facebook post from 00:00 on 28.02.21 – 23:59 on 01.03.21. Participants who have unverified OJO accounts with relevant verification documents may be asked to supply ID proof of birthdate. 18+ and Begambleaware.org.

Aviva

Aviva is the Content Manager at PlayOJO and writes blogs, copy and all things OJOey. A copy/content marketer for over 7 years, she gets her creative juices flowing by singing, dancing (around her living room), and belly laughing regularly.