Cups and Balls Magic Trick – My Full Routine

Here you will learn my full routine for the cups and balls trick, which I perform all the time, surrounded, usually without talking. I use 2 cups and 2 balls. There are many amazing phases and 3 big balls at the end.

I originally learned this routine from David Williamson. David is an incredibly talented magician who I look up to and admire very much. Over the years I have made changes to David’s original routine to suit my performance style.

The Cups and Balls Trick

Cups and Balls Props

• 2 cups
• 3 balls
• 3 loads (big balls)
• Magic wand
• Close-up pad

I keep everything in a small velvet bag.

The cups I am using here are the Brett Sherwood Heavy Silver Plate Cups. I also have a set of his mini cups. All of Brett’s cups are amazing, I highly recommend you check them out.

I have been using a smaller and lighter set of cups because they are more portable. Here is a link to the Paul Fox Mini Cups.

The balls I use are the Leo Smetsers baseballs. I use 1″ balls with the Sherwood cups and 7/8″ balls with the Mini cups. I use his final load baseballs.

Any wand will work. The wand I am using here is the Metal Wand by Joe Porper. I found another wand I like which is smaller, only 8″ long, the Magic Wand by JL Magic. I prefer my props to take up as little space as possible.

Since you will be picking up and placing down the cups you need a soft surface. I recommend using a magician’s close up pad. Here is an excellent inexpensive close-up pad on Amazon.

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

Cups and Balls Setup

• 3 big balls (loads) in your front right pocket.
• Cups nested with 1 ball in between and 2 balls in the top open cup.
• Wand on the right side of the table.

I am right handed. If you are a lefty switch hands.

The Finger Palm – Holding Out a Ball

This is a very important move I use throughout the routine. Hold the ball at the base of your fingers, mostly on your 3rd finger, with it slightly overlapping your 2nd finger.

Curl your fingers naturally and hold the ball gently in place with your 3rd finger against the base of your hand.

• Hold the ball lightly in place, there should be no tension in your hand.
• Keep your fingers together at all times so there are no windows. 
• Relax your hand either at your side or on the table. 
• You can rotate your hand palm up, the ball will remain hidden. 
• You can still hold objects with your thumb, 1st, and 2nd finger. 

Pro Tip

To practice keep a ball in finger palm throughout the day and forget about it as you go about your normal activity. Get comfortable with the ball hidden in your hand and recognize that nobody knows you are holding out.

Cups and Balls – Showing Both Cups Empty

Lift the cups with your left hand and dump the 2 balls onto the table. Flash the opening of the nested cups toward your spectator’s eyes showing it is empty.

Rotate the mouth of the cups 180º toward you. With your palm up right hand take the bottom cup with the ball in it, turn it mouth down, and place it on the table on your right. Do this quickly so the ball stays in the cup.

Rotate the mouth of the cup you are holding 180º away from you showing it is empty, then rotate the mouth 180º toward you. With your palm up right hand turn the cup mouth down and place it on the table to the left of the other cup.  

Put a ball on top of each cup. Place the wand under your left arm pointing downward.  

Cups and Balls Vanish Sequence

“Just a wave, and the ball disappears.”

Pick up the ball on the right and do the Roll Vanish into your left hand.

Roll Vanish

Display the ball in your palm up right hand with your thumb, 1st, and 2nd finger. Turn your right hand palm down and roll the ball onto your right 2nd finger with your thumb as you mime placing the ball into your left hand.

Close your left hand as if you have the ball and focus your attention there. Gently massage your left fingers and thumb together as if you’re holding a ball. Adjust the ball into right finger palm as you reach for the wand.

Grip the wand with your right thumb, 1st, and 2nd finger, with the ball hidden. Wave the wand over your closed palm up left hand. Make a wooshing sound and open your left hand showing the ball is gone. 

Lift the left cup with your left hand and tip the ball onto the table. Place the wand down in the middle of the table.

Transfer the cup to your right hand thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers. Pick up the ball on the table with your left thumb and 1st finger. Place the cup in your right hand on the table secretly loading the finger palmed ball under the cup.

Strike Vanish

Pick up the wand. Stand head on with your spectators and display the ball on your palm up left hand. Hold the wand firmly with your right thumb and 1st finger.

“Just a tap, and it disappears.”

This happens very quickly:

• Tap the tip of the wand on the ball.
• Raise the wand to tap the ball again.
• Quickly jolt your left hand back toward your right hand.
• Toss the ball into your right hand.
• Catch the ball with your right 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers.
• Bring your left hand down with the tip of the wand on your empty hand.

Flip back the cups revealing the balls.

Cups and Balls Scoop Sequence

Place the wand down on the right side of the table. With your right palm toward you scoop the ball on the right into the right cup loading in the finger palmed ball as well. With your left hand flip the cup forward covering the balls.

Repeat the scoop sequence with the left cup. This time steal the ball in right finger palm. Pick up the wand with your right hand and wave over the cups. 

Lift the left cup with your left hand showing the ball is gone. Place the wand down to the right of the cups. Transfer the cup to your right thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers. You are holding out a ball in your right hand.

Pick up the tabled cup with your left hand showing two balls. Place this cup behind the balls. Nest the cup you are holding on top, loading the ball in between.  

Cups and Balls – Charlie Miller Move

Pick up a ball and display it on top of your loosely closed right fist at the thumb opening.

Tilt the cups forward with your left hand and rest the pinky side of your right fist on top of the cups. Let the ball sink into your right hand and lift the top cup showing the ball in between.

Transfer the cup to your right thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers. Lift the cup on the table with your left hand and tip the ball onto the table. Cover that ball with the cup in your right hand loading in the finger palmed ball.  

Cups and Balls – Wand Penetration

The illusion is perfect. Hold the cup in your palm up left hand with the mouth pointing to your right. Don’t move your left hand, your right hand does everything.

Pick up the wand with your right hand and hold it with your 1st finger extended. The tip of your finger should be about 5″ from the end of the wand.

With the back of your right hand toward the audience tap the tip of the wand against the bottom of the cup 2 times.

Each time bring the wand out of the cup. On the third tap slide the wand behind the cup with your 1st finger still going inside the cup. Pause for half a second, and slide it back out.

Place the wand on the right side of the table. Nest the cup you are holding on top of the cup on the table.

Cups and Balls – Fake Take Vanish

Pick up the ball on the table and display it on your palm up right hand. Do a Fake Take Vanish.

Fake Take Vanish

Push the ball up with your right fingers. Mime taking the ball with your palm down left hand. Close your left hand as if you have the ball and turn your fist palm up. Gently rub your left thumb and fingers together, as a convincer.

Pick up the wand with your right hand. Wave it over your left hand. Open your left hand in one quick motion. I like to make a whooshing sound as I open my hand, I think it adds to the vanish.

Run the wand down the side of the cups. Place the wand on the right side of the table.

Lift the top cup with your left hand and transfer it to your right hand. Lift the tabled cup with your left hand showing the 2 balls.

Place the right cup down on the right side of the table loading the ball underneath. Place the left cup next to it. Place a ball on top of each cup.

How to Load a Ball Under a Cup Secretly

Loading can be very scary. Once learned and understood, loading can be very powerful. Here is what works for me.

Lift the cup from above with your left hand. Pivot it so the mouth points to the right. Move your right hand out of your pocket with the load, back of your hand toward the audience, fingers and thumb together.

Bring the cup to your right hand. Grip the cup with your right thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers. Pivot the cup mouth toward you and let the ball roll in. Hold the ball in place with your pinky.

Toss the cup into your left hand and catch it in the same grip you had in your right hand. Use your pinkies to keep the load inside. Place the cup gently onto the table.

Pro Tips on Loading a Ball

• Be natural – the load must not be seen or detected.
• The loading has to be choreographed well.
• Attention should be focused elsewhere when you load.
• Make sure you can easily get the load out of your pocket.
• Load when your hand comes out of your pocket, do not wait.
• Don’t lean in, it is a major tell.
• Always keep the back of your hand toward the audience.
• Tossing the loaded cup to your left hand is a great subtlety. 

Cups and Balls Loading Sequence

I’ll get rid of this ball, in fact, I’ll get rid of both balls.” 

Place the right ball into your right pocket. Move the ball into right finger palm and bring your hand out. Lift the left cup with your left hand and tip the ball onto the table. Transfer the cup to your right hand.

Pick up the ball on the table with your left hand. Place the cup back down loading the ball underneath. Openly toss the ball into your right hand and put it into your pocket. Drop the ball and get your first load.

 “If I tap the cup, the ball comes back.”

Tap the left cup with your left 1st finger. Lift the cup with your left hand showing the ball has returned. Transfer the cup to your right hand and LOAD.

Toss the cup to your left hand. Pick up the ball on the table with your right hand. Place the loaded cup back on the table.

“If I get rid of this ball and tap this cup, this ball comes back too.”

Place the ball into your right pocket and get your second load. Tap the right cup with your left 1st finger. Lift the cup with your left hand showing the ball. Transfer the cup to your right hand and LOAD.

Toss the cup to your left hand. Pick up the ball on the table with your right hand. Place the loaded cup back on the table.

Cups and Balls Final Load Productions

“Watch the ball go from this cup, to this cup.” 

Display the ball on your palm up right hand. Do a fake take vanish with your left hand. Move your left hand toward the left cup. Open your hand on top of the cup vanishing the ball. Produce the ball from the top of the right cup.

“I don’t need this ball, there’s another one under here.”

I do this vanish phase before I produce the big balls so there is a time delay between my loads and productions. This makes it harder to backtrack.

Place the ball into your right pocket and get your 3rd load. Lift the left cup with your left hand showing the big ball. Transfer the cup to your right hand and LOAD.

Toss the cup to your left hand. Pick up the big ball on the table with your right hand. Place the loaded cup back on the table.

Place the big ball centered in front. Lift both cups and rotate them mouth outward. Place them next to the balls pointed inward for the final display.  

Pro Tips

The reason I use 2 cups is because it is easier to follow and less to carry.

Choreography is everything, not just in this routine, in all good sleight of hand magic. Your moves must be motivated in order to be deceptive.

With experience and practice comes the confidence to slow down.

LEARN MORE: Sleight of Hand Tricks With Pencils – Detailed Guide with Pictures

Conclusion

The Cups and Balls Trick is amazing. It is perfect for close up and parlor magic. The magic is visual and the ending is mind blowing.

Practice your technique. The Cups and Balls magic trick involves a lot of sleight of hand. Put in the necessary time to make all your moves look smooth and effortless.