3 Card Monte – Learn My Professional Routine

Three card monte combines sleight of hand magic & gambling. It is extremely entertaining. You will learn, in detail, how 3 card monte works, and the routine I use professionally.

Here is a full performance:

What Is 3 Card Monte?

Three card monte, also known as “tossing the broads,” is a gambling game generally played on the streets. It is a complete scam, a total con. You have absolutely no chance of winning. Everyone besides you is in on it.

You need 3 borderless playing cards. I prefer red-backed Bee brand playing cards.

The cards are tossed around on a cardboard box. The goal is to follow the “money card” and bet where it is.

The “money card” is usually a red queen or a red ace. The other two cards are black cards.

Prepping the Cards

It is important to bend the cards so you can easily pick them up. Gently bend (don’t crease) the cards downward in half lengthwise. Bend the top right and bottom left corners, up and down, to soften them for the corner bend.

3 Card Monte – The Hype

This secret move happens as you toss the card on the table. You are supposedly tossing the bottom card, the one you show. Instead, you toss the top card.

Pick up a card from above, at the bend, with your right thumb at the back, right 2nd finger at the front. Line up the left sides and pick up another card beneath it with your right thumb and 3rd finger. 

Turn your right hand palm up and flash the card. Turn your right hand palm down and, in a tossing motion, let go of the top card with your right thumb and 2nd finger, instead of the bottom card.

After the throw switch your right 3rd finger with your 2nd finger at the front of the card you are holding.

Pro Tips

Practice the hype until you can do it smoothly and confidently. It should look the same whether you throw the top card or bottom card.

It is best to use a magician’s close up pad for this trick so you can easily pick up the cards and so you have a performance space.

LEARN MORE: Why I Recommend All Magicians Use a Close up Pad

3 Card Monte Routine

1. Double Turnover

Start with the cards face up in a row on the table, ace in the middle. With your right hand use the card on the right to scoop up the cards into a pile, red ace going in the middle. 

Place the cards face down into dealer’s grip in your left hand. Flex the cards downward to momentarily take out the bend. Turnover a double showing the ace.

“Keep your eyes on the red ace.”

Turn the double face down. Deal the top card on the table, in the middle. You will show both cards to be black cards using the flustration count.

“Don’t worry about the black cards.”

Flustration Count

Grip the packet from above with your right thumb and 2nd finger. Turn your right hand palm up and flash the face card.

Turn your right hand palm down, peel off the top card with your left thumb and 1st finger, and place it to the left of the card on the table. Flash the face of the card you are holding and place it on the right .

“Just a quick mix.”

Slowly and blatantly switch the position of the right and left cards. Turn over the middle card showing it is not the ace. Turn over the right card and then the left card.

“Keep your eyes on the ace.”

2. Mid Air Laydown

Turn the cards face down on the table and move the ace to the middle. Bend the cards so you can pick them up easily.

Pick up the left and right cards. Grip the middle card under the card in your right hand, don’t pick it up yet. Turn your left hand palm up showing the black card.

Turn your left hand palm down as you turn your right hand palm up showing the ace.

Leave the card in your left hand on the table. Turn your right hand palm down and hype the black card onto your left palm. Toss it on top of the tabled card. Toss the card in your right hand to the left.  

“Don’t worry about the black cards, keep your eyes on the ace.”

Flip over the two cards on the right. Turn the card on the left face up showing the ace. 

“Watch for the switch.“

I learned this move from Lee Asher’s Catch 33. Lee Asher is one of the greatest sleight of hand magicians in the world. His work on 3 card monte is incredible. I highly recommend Catch 33.

3. Double Hype

Turn the cards face down and move the ace to the middle. Pick up the left and right cards. Pick up the ace below the right card. Flash the ace and hype the card above it to the left side of the table.

“Keep your eyes on the ace.”

Drop the card in your left hand in the middle. Pick it up below the card in your right hand. Flash the black card and hype the ace above it to the middle. Flash the black card in your hand and drop it to the right.  

“If I show you the black cards…”

Openly and slowly switch the left and middle card. Slowly turn over the left card showing the ace.  

“…you know where the ace is.”

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4. All Black

Turn the ace face down and move it to the middle. You will show all the cards to be black.

“Some people think there is a black card, a black card, and a black card.”

Pick up the left and middle cards. Pick up the card on the right below the card in your right hand. Turn your right hand palm up and flash a black card. Hype the ace above it to the center.

Turn your left hand palm up showing another black card. Turn it face down and toss it to the right. Turn the card in your right hand face up showing another black card. Place it face up on the left.

“Yet, there is an ace.”  

Turn over the middle card showing an ace and turn the right card face up.

5. Flip Switch

Turn the right and left cards face down and pick them up. Flip the ace face down with the left edge of the right card. In a continuing motion toss the right card to the left. 

“Keep your eyes on the ace.”

Lift up the face down ace with your right hand and drop the card in your left hand in the middle. Pick it up below the card in your right hand. Flash the black card and hype the ace to the middle. Drop the card you are holding on the right.

“If I show you a black card and not this one…”

Slowly flip the right and left cards face up. Flip the ace face up.

“…you know where the ace is.”

6. Corner Bend

Turn the left and right black cards face down. Pick up the ace with your right thumb on the ace side, 1st and 2nd fingers on the back. Turn it face down.

“Over here is A, over here is B, the ace is the one you have to see.”

Press the top right corner on the mat next to each card openly bending it. Flash the ace and drop it face down in the center, bent corner at the top right.

Pick up the right and left cards. Turn you right hand palm up and flash the black card. Move your pinky and 3rd finger into bending position.  

“Not this card, or this card.”

Turn your right hand palm down as you turn your left hand palm up showing the other black card. This is when you put in the corner bend. Turn your left hand palm down.

Pick up the ace below the right card, flash it, and hype the top card to the middle. Cross your left hand in front of your right hand and place the left hand card on the right.

“Follow the ace.”

Under cover of your left arm unbend the corner and place the right hand card to the left.  

Notice the bent corner, unbend it, and flip the card over, slowly. Turn over the right card and then the left card.  

“Oh, that’s obvious, a little too obvious.”

Pro Tips

Make sure to go slowly. Three card monte can be very confusing. I keep my sequences simple and do as few mixes as possible. Here is a great 3 card monte scene where you can see how confusing it can be if there is too much mixing.

I never have spectators guess which card is the ace. I have tried doing that and it never goes well. Some spectators will randomly guess and find the ace. It ruins the flow of the routine.

I have included the minimal patter I use. I prefer to do the routine without talking, which is perfect when performing at events with loud music.

I only do the hype with my right hand, I don’t think it is necessary to learn with both hands.

I don’t use any “bust out” moves where you switch cards when they guess the correct one. I think even the best switches look suspicious.

Is 3 Card Monte Illegal?

The 3 card monte game is illegal in many cities. It is considered a swindle. Yet you will still find it on the streets. I would highly recommend not playing. Even if you find the money card they will never ever pay you.

There are many forms of this scam. Check out 3 card monte with cups –

How to Do the Cups and Balls Magic Trick – My Full Routine

3 Card Monte Rhymes

• You had the card, you didn’t have the heart.
• 5 will get you 10, 10 will get you 20.
• Find the card with the big brown eyes, show me where the lady lies.
• Over here is A, over here is B, the ace is the one you have to see.
• These are the bees, here is the honey, this is the card that will get you the money.
• A little game of hanky poo, two cards for me, one for you.
• She creeps and she crawls like a snake in the grass, sometimes she’s slow, sometimes she’s fast.

Conclusion

The three card monte trick is a wonderful routine to have in your arsenal as a magician. Audiences absolutely love watching it performed.

Even if you know how it works, stay away from playing the game on the street. It is a total scam and you can never win. Anyone you see getting paid is in on it.