Lucky Strike cigarettes was first introduced in 1871 as a smoking mixture by R.A. Patterson in Richmond, Virginia. In 1916 it was introduced as a finished cigarette in a dark green pack by the American Tobacco Company.

The Lucky Strike cigarettes logo was created by famous industrial designer Raymond Loewy. The logo later became a prominent fixture in Pop-era artist Ray Johnson's collages.

Lucky Strike popularity early on was due to the fact that it was the sponsor of Jack Benny's television program in the 1950s on CBS. Lucky Strike was also the major sponsor of BAR Honda in Formula One racing. The cigarette brand is also patronized in the anime Cowboy Bebop, where character Faye Valentine is often seen with one in her mouth. The logo also makes prominent background appearances.

An urban legend of Lucky Strike's cigarettes is that every one in a hundred Lucky Strike cigarettes was actually a joint.