How To Win One Million Dollars From Your Friends - Or Enemies!

It is rumoured that an unknown Magician won $1,000,000 from gangster Luck Luciano with this card trick. No one knows if the Magician lived to collect his money, but it still remains one of the greatest bar bets of all time.

Requirements
A deck of cards, a poker face, eyes like flint, and nerves of steel.

The Scam

Have a friend pick a card from the deck, look at it, and remember it. Impress upon them they must not show it to you nor tell you what the card is.

While they are looking at their card, sneak a peek at the bottom card of the deck, and memorise it.

Cut the deck into two halves, holding one half in each hand.

Get the spectator to replace his card face down on the top half of the deck.

Place the bottom half of the deck on top of his card.

The card you have memorised is now on top of his card.

Tell him that you are going to try to find his card and he must not help you. Even if he sees his card at any time, he must not say anything until you ask him to. This is important.

Start dealing the cards from the top of the deck, one at a time. You turn each card face up so both of you can see it. You then say "That's not your card" and place it face "down" on the bar or table.

Keep on doing this until you come to the card that "you" have memorised. You now know the card after this will be his card. Toss the card you memorised on the table with the other cards, saying it is not his card.

Turn over "his" card pretend that you think that is not his card and throw it face down on the table with the other cards - but remember where it lies on the table. You will need to go back to it in a moment for the killer finish.

Deal a few more cards, remarking they are not his card either.

When you start to deal the next card - stop and hold it face down in front of you.

The Sting!

With a knowing smile say look at the face down card in your hand and say "I bet you a million dollars that the next card I turn over will be your card".

Your friend will think he has caught you out because he has already seen you deal his card onto the table. He will therefore greedily accept the bet.

Put the card you are holding face down on the deck.

Reach into the pile of face-down cards on the table and turn over his card!

Congratulations - you have just won a $1,000,000!

Of course, if he is a really, good friend, then you can let him off with just having him buy the next round of beers...

Michael Breck is a professional Magician and Entertainment Agent in Scotland. He has been entertaining at weddings and booking entertainment for weddings for over twenty years. For more ideas about wedding entertainment go to Entertainment For Weddings and Events or Magical Entertainment For Weddings and Events.