What would you do when faced with a bet so unbelievably good that you simply couldn't lose? How far would you go? What are your limits? Before you meet UP THE ANTE then you'd better have an idea.....

Imagine if you will that a spectator is able to cut, deal and shuffle your cards, without you touching them whatsoever, and yet, you are able to make the most unbelievable bets upon the cards he or she deals to the table! There is no sleight of hand and this works with totally un-gaffed cards! You are able to bet that the first several pairs dealt face-down to the table will contain both a red and a black card. When you have had enough of challenging your opponent in this way, you then propose that the next group of cards dealt will contain one card of each suit! This is repeated a few times before you make the final, outrageous wager that, if thirteen face-down cards were dealt then that group will contain an ace right through to a king - thirteen different cards in all! Amazingly you are able to repeat that feat a second time.

If you did not possess a reputation as a card-sharp before this routine, you certainly will at the end! Remember that you did not shuffle or indeed even handle the cards!

Interested? Then read on.....

• Very Easy to do!
• No gaffed cards or gimmicks!
• No hard memorization work!
• No sleight of hand!
• The cards do all the work for you!
• The outcome is the same every time!
• A great bar bet and magician fooler!

'Did I ever tell you how I came to become a magic dealer? I walked into the magic shop and spread the deck across the table; clearly they could see for themselves that nothing had been set up......I closed the spread and gave them the deck. I swear that I did not touch the deck again, nor did I switch it. Between us, they cut, dealt and riffle-shuffled that deck themselves... At my behest they dealt cards in groups, small at first and face down onto the table. I proposed a bet... They felt at first that it could go either way....it just seemed so completely...fair.... they accepted the bet, a 50:50 fair bet. More cards were dealt, the odds were clearly lengthening - and in their favour, too! - I proposed that we UP THE ANTE and they accepted - I NEVER, EVER touched that deck and yet I kept proposing more and more unbelievable bets on the outcome of their dealing. All that I insisted on was that we kept UPPING THE ANTE, raising the bet so to speak. They cut, they had shuffled and they dealt those cards and the bets were simply outrageous... the pot was enormous.....the final bet was just awesome.... They called each other impetuous as they left the shop and the business that they had spent years building up.....I locked my new door behind me............They will never, ever bet with a stranger for money again...'
-Dominic Reyes (Don't believe a word of it)

"This routine isn't for the table hopper or strolling magician, you need table space as this routine is a 'layout' type effect. If you do gambling type routines or you perform magic at parties, on the streets, parlor, down the pub or at work etc (or this could be a feature routine for that intimate cabaret type gig) then this would be very hard to top. Martyn is an airline pilot and a very clever thinker, what really stands out for me is the 'hands off' bit, once you hand out the deck you never need touch it again. Each prediction/proposition bet gets more outrageous and finishes with an impossible and logical climax.

I'm getting more and more bookings these days for private house parties and this is the type of routine you can do when they say 'I wouldn't like to play cards with you.' In Martyn's own words....'If you did not possess a reputation as a card-sharp before this routine, you certainly will at the end! Remember that you did not shuffle or indeed even handle the cards!'

Included with this are some really nice touches and presentational tips, ideas and scripts, also there are additional handling's for the more esoteric type of performer."
-Gary Jones

Pages: 12 - Softbound