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- Three-Card Monte is a popular ‘confidence game’ designed to swindle players out of money
- There was a time in history when it was possible to beat the dealer at Three-Card Monte but those days are long gone
- Magician Daniel Roy breaks down how and why it’s legitimately impossible for a player to beat the dealer
- Read more cool articles here
Three-Card Monte is technically defined as a ‘confidence game’ and not even a proper card game. A confidence game/confidence trick is designed to swindle a person out of money by exploiting some sort of vulnerability.
There was a time and place when Three-Card Monte was a winnable game but those days are long gone. The dealer cannot be beaten by the player unless the dealer is a complete and utter nincompoop. If they’re well-practiced then the player might as well set their money on fire.
Some people might liken playing 3-Card Monte to various casino games where the odds are rigged in favor of the house. The common excuse is ‘gambling is fun and I was paying for entertainment (and free drinks)’. But unlike Roulette where the player has a legitimate shot at winning a lot of money the player in 3-Card Monte is dead on arrival.
Sleight of hand magician Daniel Roy breaks down 3-Card Monte aka ‘Find the Lady’ in this clip. He shows the early versions of the games and how the scam has evolved over the years. As you’ll soon see, the player stands no chance whatsoever:
Seriously, next time you see someone trying to take your money for playing Three-Card Monte in a park just keep walking. Unless you’re going to film it and put that video online for the clout. Then you can expose the sleight-of-hand magic that’s happening. But Three-Card Monte is completely unbeatable for the player and everyone should know this.
In the description of his YouTube video, the magician makes a point of saying this isn’t to teach anyone how to cheat. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. He’s exposing the scam. Don’t take this Three-Card Monte knowledge to your friends and try to scam them out of cash. That would be severely messed up. Don’t be that guy.
Looking for more magic tricks? You can check out that guy’s YouTube channel by following the video above. Or you can check out this mind-bending magic trick that even fooled David Blaine.