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The Effect

Raffle-ation is an extremely clever double revelation of two different sets of numbers on colorful, English-style raffle tickets (although you can apply the principles at work here to other styles of tickets, etc.). Now get this ... the spectator has an absolutely free choice from 100 tickets! No switch bags or gimmicks of any kind, no forcing, no duplicates, no peeks, and no writing or carbons. The spectator simply takes a ticket, looks at the number, and you are able to reveal what he sees in an uncanny fashion - first the big three-digit number, followed by a longer security code at the top as an added kicker.

Cost

$6.95 plus 25% off using a discount coupon

You can get it at Trickshop thru this link: http://www.trickshop.com/raffle-ation.html

Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

1 - no sleight of hands. Just like most mentalism feats, it heavily relies on performance.

Review

First of all, it's inexpensive. Got it for about $5.20 with the discount. You would spend some money on getting colored papers to print all the provided raffle tickets on the PDF file. Cut out all those hundred pieces and you're good to go.

The effect works as the description tells it. It doesn't really rely on swticheries or peeks. You may already have an idea on how the effect would work since it relies on a classic system used in mentalism for years. However, the process is entirely original and easy to master.

You let the spectator look at his ticket, make sure it's only one. The spectator opens the folded ticket and can even cover it with his hands just to be sure. You would now ask him to think of any number on the raffle ticket, ask him to count from nine to zero as you write the number down. You now ask to think of the second number while the spectator counts down again but only by thinking of it. You now ask him to think of the last number...and then you write it down! Before you even finish, you also wrote down the alphanumberic security code on top fo the raffle stub! That's exaclty how you perform it.

As a giveaway, the only difficult part here is getting the first number, once you get it...the trick is done.

I would even recommend this as an opening effect even since I find it very comfortable to perform. I haven't tried it in a larger group yet...hopefully it would do better.

Overall

Since I find it as a good effect, easy to master and it's cheap...I'll give it a 9/10.

The creator of the effect, Paul Sharp, thanked me for appreciating his product. A swell guy. Thanks a lot Paul, I had fun with this stuff

It sounds like something quite close to a trick in thirteen steps to mentalism.

Ian the Mental-Ian wrote:It sounds like something quite close to a trick in thirteen steps to mentalism.

I believe so. I've lost my copy of 13 steps eons ago but if I remember correctly it's somehow related to the third step.