I often wondered.....Could a Magician with good skills, go out on the streets and make money tossing the disks or cards for real?

Yes I know it is a totally different game on the street with shills, gangs etc....

And you could get yourself in trouble with the law. And not to mentioned a very angry loser.

But if I remember correcting in Whit Haydens book, he mentioned some operators working solo on the train.

Not that I have any intentions, but you would think we would have an advantage with our greater knowledge and sleight of hand skill-set than the crooks???

We could guarantee we would win every time. Nicht wahr???

Sure you could!

But you would no longer be a magician. You would now become a con-man or really just a crook stealing other peoples money.

I grew up seeing both sides of the fence. My parents were like the odd couple.

My father's side of the family was the type of people that were always looking on how to make the quick easy buck.

So I was around the cheating trick's of the trade at a very early age and this is how I learned much of my sleight of hand skills.
I was good at it, but I never really felt good about it as I grew older and wiser.

Now my mother's side of the family were all honest Christian type people.
I feel very fortunate that I had one parent that could help me see that it is much more rewarding to give than to take.

The Magician is always giving!!

I still thank my mom for teaching me her good values in life.
She will be 96 years old soon and she is still a giver with a sharp mind!

Yeah, I reckon you're right on Al. Speaking for myself, I think my bigest obstacle would be that I would feel far to guilty taking peoples money this way.

And I am a Magician because I love magic. Not a crook.

So technically, like most magicians I could probably pull it off. Maybe even make a killing.

But psychologically I wouldn't have the stomach or lack of conscience. I hate confrontation.

But I think one of the main factors is I work part-time as a magician and part time at another job, making enough to pay the bills. So I'm not desperate.

There's an excellent American movie called 'The Flim-Flam Man' in which George c Scott takes on a young apprentice/partner to teach him various cons In the end, the young fellow doesn't want to become what George C Scott has become. An old sour crook using peoples greed to his advantage.

Yes, "The Flim-Flam Man' with George C Scott"(1967) is a great classic that I found on DVD for $9.99 plus $4.01 for shipping.

http://sunshinevm.com/flim-flam-man.html

This is a good classic movie for the ones that haven't seen it.

Well, I read, studied ERDNASE, when I was 14-15. --But, along with performing magic shows, I was also a Boy Scout! I enjoyed the book, but realized that a 15 year old gambler was not apt to do very well. Besides, I was making money with my show. My high school pals, in the mid '40s, were making 50 cents an hour, bagging groceries, and, mowing lawns, while I was making anywhere from $10 to $20 for a half hour magic show!

Watch Pop Haydn do the "nut game" (3 shells). He's having fun, providing fun, to people who are thoroughly entertained. --And, there's never a beef to the fuzz.

Tossing the broad, can be just as much fun!

As late as the late '40s, Ben Davenport's Dailey Bros.Circus DEPENDED on grift to keep the show on the road. Do you want to be chased out of town?

I personally believe that your success would be determined by how good your shills are and what you know; not necessarily how many sleights you know. I think that lots of the magical looking routines would put customers off because they would not feel capable of winning.

I think shills are a must for the monte if you were doing it on the street, even if your hype was impeccable.

I agree with "licker98"

The shills are the key to successfully working the streets.

The mark has to see someone winning to take a chance at putting their money at risk.

Magical routines and street work are done in a totally different way of play.

But a magician could do street work with the same type of play with shills in play and now it is not something magical.

But as I said, you are now not a magician, you are a street worker with good sleight of hand skills working with a team of shills in a different way than a magician.

Having spent 30 years in law enforcement as a street cop, I have heard horror stories regarding those taken in by the short rackets. We arrested a three card monte crew a couple of times after complaints were filed.

I agree with Shellgame-Al, "But you would no longer be a magician. You would now become a con-man or really just a crook stealing other peoples money."

Even those who do it for entertainment sometimes have a run in with cops as the cop may think they are out to swindle people.

Good points brought up by all. Yes, I agree, as soon as one plays it as a con....they are no longer a magician. And that makes all the difference in the world.

Police Magician quote: "Even those who do it for entertainment sometimes have a run in with cops as the cop may think they are out to swindle people."

Glenn, as a member of Police Force, have you known Magicians to be accused of playing the con while performing on the street?????

Better would be playing a crook's game, and, being aware of the moves you could track the money card and choose it = win every time. That would make them move on!

Yes, in some instances, what is meant as entertainment with no swindle has been targeted by some law enforcement personnel as being a swindle on the street. I have attempted to educate law enforcement in classes I gave on this subject matter.

I advised magicians to notify the local authorities and let them know what they will be doing so it is not shut down and arrests made as has happened to some from what I understand. Even putting up a sign showing it is for entertainment and not profit may help.

Sadly, one of my friends who does this as entertainment at a gathering for old west themes, was stopped by a security guard and made to close it up.

Wow. Thanx for info, Glenn. Always nice to get the perspective from someone involved with law enforcement.

You can NOT win, even if you guess correctly. It is not a game. They already have your money in their hands when you choose. They can just walk away with it if you win, and that is what usually happens. If there is a beef, it is six guys to one. They never pay anyone except a shill. This is business.

The hardest thing for a mob to do is to get someone to make a bet. If you are familiar with the methods and think you can win, you have already lost. It is not a show.

Mobs never let a spectator win. If a person wins, they leave. You want them to lose the first time, and then they will chase their losses. If they win, they have the story they want and they will walk.

Erm, oops, yeah you're right Pop. I wasn't thinking. And they could always do something like a Mexican turnover and refuse the fact that you had correctly tracked the card. Why I thought it could even be winnable is beyond even me.
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Thanks for your videos on YouTube. You've really helped me to learn. Just watching your performances is a masterclass in misdirection and technique for me. Thank you.