trick

Natural
LOTTERY
By Anthony Owen

TVMagic
 THE NATURAL LOTTERY

Created and Described by Anthony Owen

Effect:

The magician asks six random audience members to each think of a different number
between 1 and 49. Amazingly these numbers are the same six on the printed lottery/lotto
receipt the magician bought earlier that day and has been carrying in the zippered
compartment of his wallet! You might not be able to predict the lottery, but you can influence
your audience members to pick the numbers you want them to!

This will work with ANY national or state lottery or lotto which issues a printed receipt to those
who enter. It doesn't have to be six numbers and they don't have to be between 1 and 49.
That just happens to be the number and range of choices in the UK National Lottery.

There are no stooges, pre show, forces or limited selections.

History:

This effect came out of the incredibly enjoyable and fascination conversation about mentalism
which Marc Paul and I have been having for over fifteen years. I hope that it continues for
many more years to come.

One of our ongoing discussions has centred round the search for the ideal opening effect for
a stage/stand-up performance. The goals which we set for ourselves are that it should be
snappy, strong, involve as many members of the audience as possible and avoid inviting
anybody up on stage (at least in the early stages). Such goals are fairly standard
requirements for most mentalists and, given the lack of existing mental material that fulfils
them, it is easy to see why the Tossed out Deck has become such a popular opener in recent
years. Equally popular in the UK recently have been spectators who ask magicians and
mentalists for the winning numbers for the National Lottery. Tapping into this I developed this
sequence from an existing classic mental effect, which I feel does achieve all our goals of an
ideal opener.

It also successfully overcomes another of Marc's performance requirements. He has a long-

standing dislike of stand-up mental effects with methods that result in a written prediction
that's too small to be displayed to the entire audience (e.g. nail writing, Confabulation). Surely
if it is possible to write a prediction of something it should be possible to write it large enough
for the entire audience to read it? This is particularly noticeable in the performances of
mentalists who write some predictions on large pads in thick marker pens and others on small
scraps of paper. This effect however has a logical reason for the small 'prediction' as it is a
printed receipt.

Or at least that is how it's perceived by the audience. Like a lot of good mentalism and magic
the effect's deception is strengthened by the audience making a big assumption (Michael
Close wrote a great essay on assumptions in Workers Five). On this occasion the big
assumption the audience makes - guided by a few well chosen words from the performer - is
that the numbers which are read out are printed on the receipt. In fact they are written on the
receipt, but as - certainly in the UK - everybody is very familiar with the printed receipt
provided to those playing the lottery the audience is quick to assume that what I am showing
them is the same. And with that assumption they have taken themselves a long way down a
cul de sac frequented by - as Juan Tamariz would put it - three winged horses of mystery who
proceed to trample all over them until they're left bleeding to die painfully unable to solve the
method.
The effect is actually a variant upon Alan Shaxon's Confabulation, which is itself based upon
Al Koran's Triple Car Mystery. (The original Koran effect can be found in the New Pentagram
magazine, published by Supreme Magic.) Alan sold the marketing rights for Confabulation to
Ken Brooke's Magic Place in the 1970s and those rights are now held by Paul Stone. My
thanks to Paul and Alan for allowing me to release my routine for this effect.

In the end Marc decided not to add the effect to his repertoire as he found another opener he
preferred, so I now use it as an opener during my rare performances. The scripting and
performance structure of the piece detailed below is exactly as I now perform it and was
created in collaboration with Andy Nyman.

This routine was first published in my book Some Tricks (author publication) in 2003. It is also
performed and explained on the DVD of my 2007 lecture at the International Magic
Convention. Both these products are available from TVMagic.co.uk

Requirements and Set-up:

You will require the enclosed JOL Large Plus

Wallet and the Wonder Unit (see enclosed Plus
Wallet instructions and DVD for more information).

In addition you'll require a printed lottery or lotto

ticket receipt for the national or state lottery where
you are performing. These are issued as a receipt
and proof of purchase when you participate in
most lotteries around the world. Photograph 1
shows examples of suitable versions from the UK
National Lottery, the US Mega Millions Superlotto
and the Florida State Lottery. You do not need a
new lottery receipt for every performance. You are
able to reuse the same one for several
performances.

You need to put some folds into the receipt, so

that you end up with a folded receipt which is
5cms across by 6cms long with the area where the
predicted numbers are printed uppermost. When
looking at the front of the receipt you need to fold it
away from you 5cms from the right edge of the
receipt [Photograph 2]. The second fold is away
from you 6cms from the top edge [Photograph 3].
These measurements are essential for the smooth
handling of this effect.

You should end up with a folded receipt measuring

6cms high by 5cms wide. If your original receipt
was bigger than 10 cms high and/or 12 cms
across you'll need to put additional fold(s) into it so
that it is the required size. Make these additional
folds away from you so that you are left with the
area of the original receipt which contains the
predicted numbers facing you.

Onto this area of the receipt stick one of the small

white self-adhesive labels which are enclosed.
You may need to cut the label smaller. You'll use
up one of these labels for each performance. When the supply enclosed is exhausted any
white sticky labels of a suitable size can be used.
Slide the folded receipt into the bottom half of the
Wonder Unit so that the label stuck onto the
receipt is uppermost. With a marker pen draw a
large box on the label and using three lines divide
it up into six smaller boxes [Photograph 4]. You'll
notice that the marker pen has also been used to
cross out the numbers which are on the receipt.

For each performance you will need a small piece

of plain white paper that has been cut to the size
of the Wonder Unit.

Using a piece of double stick tape (not enclosed)

attach the top edge of the piece of paper to the top
edge of the bottom half of the Wonder Unit. Fold
the piece of paper exactly in half towards you,
crease it [Photograph 5] and unfold it again so that
the lottery receipt is concealed again [Photograph
6]. Close up the Wonder Unit. It is now set.

Place the wallet in your inside right jacket pocket

so that the top loading pocket is at the far side of
the wallet and the fold of the wallet is to the left.
Place the Wonder Unit in your left trouser pocket.

Finally you need a ball point pen or marker pen

with a push button (rather than a cap) so that you
can 'open' it with one hand. (I use one of the
Sharpie push button markers.) This goes into your
left inside jacket pocket or (if you don't have one)
your left trouser pocket with the pad.

Performance:

I'll describe exactly what I do in performance in the

United Kingdom along with my complete script,
which is in italics. The National Lottery in the
United Kingdom requires the participant to select
six numbers between one and forty nine. If you are performing this effect outside of the UK
you obviously need to adjust your performance and script giving the appropriate number of
people the appropriate choice of numbers for the lottery/lotto where you are performing. In the
UK it is known as the National Lottery. I know that in other parts of the world it is called Lotto.
Again adjust your script accordingly.

I'm going to ask six people to stand up. If I ask you please stand up straight away and don't
worry - I'm not going to embarrass you.

I select six people in different areas of the audience to stand.

Here's what I want the six of you to do: I want each of you to think of a number - don't say
anything out loud-just think of a number between one and forty nine. Please do that now.

If you'd like to change your mind and pick a different number between one and forty nine I'm
giving you one chance to do that. You don't have to do it, but if you want to do it now.

Now we're going to jot down your numbers. If one of the others has chosen the same number
as you don't worry about it just quickly pick a different number between one and forty nine.
And those of you who are sitting please remember the number of the person standing nearest
to you.
As I say the above I remove the Wonder Unit from
my left trouser pocket with my left hand and hold it
in the universal 'pad holding' position [Photograph
7], In this position the semi circular cut out on the
back of the pad is concealed from the audience.
My right hand removes the pen from my left inside
jacket pocket and I flip open the pad.

I casually flash the inside of the pad to show the

piece of paper on which I'm apparently going to jot
down the numbers.

I address the spectator on my far left as I look at

the audience.

Sir/Madam what was the number you're thinking

of?

As they reply I use the tip of the pen and my left

thumb to secretly fold the piece of paper up along
the creased fold to reveal the label on the folded
lottery ticket. From this point on be careful not to
let any spectators see this surface of the pad. It's
important to do the folding move when the first
spectator is calling out their number as everybody
will be looking at them and nobody will be looking
at you.

Whatever number the first spectator has called out I repeat it - in case anybody did not hear it
- and write it on the top half of the folded piece of paper [Photograph 8]. For this description
let's assume they say number 12.

I now address the second spectator and ask them for their number. Let's assume they say
number 34. I repeat it and write it on the folded piece of paper next to the first number. I
repeat this process with the third, fourth, fifth and
sixth spectators; writing down each of their
selected numbers in the order they announce
them. Let's assume they are 12, 34, 7, 29, 41 and
2.

I repeat all six numbers in the order they were

given to me.

12,34, 7, 29, 41 and 2.

I'm now going to put them into numerical order.

I now write the six numbers in numerical order

directly onto the sticky label on the receipt, printing
one number inside each of the six boxes
[Photograph 9]. As I do this I say the numbers out
loud to the audience in numerical order.

2, 7, 12, 29, 34, 41

I pocket the pen.

I tear the sheet of paper out of the pad with my

right hand. As I do this my right middle finger
slides into the fold of the paper and unfolds it so that the numbers on the top half of the paper
are facing me. I don't let the audience see what is on the piece of paper as the numbers in
numerical orders are missing. [Photograph 10]

I repeat the numbers again in numerical order. This acts as a convincer that I have written
them in numerical order on the paper.

2, 7, 12, 29, 34, 41

As I do this, my left hand closes the Wonder Unit and then flips the entire unit over towards
me so that the semi circular cut out section is still facing to the left but the hinge is now at the
bottom edge. My left hand puts the Wonder Unit into my inside jacket pocket and secretly
slides the Unit into the Large Plus wallet through the loading slot at the top of the pocket on
the wallet.

Once this is complete (which should just take a moment) I transfer the piece of paper in my
left jacket pocket and recap:

Six numbers freely thought of by six different members of the audience.

I address those six spectators.

And those are numbers you six have all just thought of, yes?

I nod my head as I look to those spectators as I wait for them to confirm this fact either by
nodding or saying yes.

/ didn't set anything up with any of you in advance?

I shake my head. They do the same or say no.

/ didn't come up to any of you beforehand and ask you to say a specific number?

The head shaking continues.

/ didn't ask any of you to write anything down?

The head shaking continues further.

Nobody else spoke to you about these numbers before the show?

More shaking.

The point I'm making is that those six numbers were free choices you six made right now.
There's no way that anybody could have known in advance any one of those numbers, let
alone all six. And remember I gave you all the chance to change your mind and pick a
different number.

I pause. This recap clarifies and strengthens the effect for the audience (particularly any who
may be aware of the concept of stooges and pre-show). It also provides time misdirection
between putting the Wonder Unit away and removing the wallet.

/ want to show you something very interesting, Sir please join me on stage.

I select an audience member sat near the front to join me. As he is making his way up I
continue:

On the way here today I bought a lottery ticket and I've got my printed lottery ticket receipt
safely inside the zippered compartment of my wallet.

I remove the wallet from my pocket and open the wallet. I unzip the zippered section and
reach into the side where the Wonder Unit has been loaded. Without removing the Wonder
Unit my right thumb goes onto the semi circular cut out and the pad of my thumb makes
contact with the lottery ticket. I remove the lottery ticket, being careful not to pull out the Unit.
As I remove it I keep the printed side of the ticket uppermost so that those close enough can
make out the recognisable printing on the lottery ticket [Photograph 11]. The label side of the
ticket is kept concealed from the audience and the spectator. I replace the wallet in my right
inside jacket pocket.

Now if I were to read out the six numbers that are

printed on this lottery ticket you probably wouldn't
believe me. So Sir I'd like you to read them out
nice and loud.

I address the six standing spectators.

And if by chance any of you six should hear your

thought of number please sit down.

I unfold the lottery ticket receipt, again keeping

the label concealed from the audience. I show the
ticket to the spectator on stage and point to the
six numbered boxes on the label and - as instructed - he reads out the six numbers. As he
does so the six audience members sit down. During the applause I pocket the receipt, thank
the spectator and ask him to return to his seat. Often the applause continues for quite some
time after that.

Final Thoughts:

Often when I lecture on this item I get asked "What do you do if the spectator on stage says
something about the handwritten numbers?". I've never had a spectator say anything on
stage. I guess this is because I handle them in a very direct confident manner. I ask them to
read out the numbers nice and loud. I point to the numbers. They read them out. They don't
have an opportunity to say or do anything else.

After the performance they may tell their friends that the numbers were handwritten on the
ticket. That doesn't bother me, because it is still a mystery how the correct six numbers got
onto the ticket. It is not as though they have seen a completely different effect from the rest of
the audience, as is the case in some dual reality effects where an on stage participant just
discussing the effect with an audience member would reveal the entire method to them both.
The spectator is still fooled they've just experienced a slightly different version of the same
effect.

Entire Contents Copyright Anthony Owen 2003, 2008 and 2009

Worldwide Television and Marketing Rights Reserved.

We will take action against anyone who we believe infringes our rights.
 NATURAL LOTTERY BONUS IDEAS
By Anthony Owen

The following are two ideas, which I have never shared. These ideas will really strengthen the
effect, especially to fellow magicians who may recognize the classic Confabulation routine.
They will help to make the - already very strong - Natural Lottery effect into something truly of
miracle status. Given that you have paid a premium for these ideas I'd appreciate it if you
didn't devalue their worth to you and kept them to yourself.

My friend Bill Herz made the following excellent suggestion after seeing me lecture Natural
Lottery at MAGIC Live! in 2007 and kindly gave me his permission to pass it on.

Firstly, using a scanner attached to a computer, scan in a regular lottery ticket. Using
Photoshop (or a similar computer design program) erase the printed numbers on the ticket.
Using a colour printer attached to the computer, print out this version of the lottery ticket
without numbers. If you do not have the necessary equipment a friendly design and print shop
should be able to do this for a small charge. Get them to print out several tickets for you as
you'll use one up at each performance.

It is this number-less ticket which you insert into the Wonder Unit. Fold it so that the area
where the numbers should be on the ticket is at the bottom section of the Unit.

During the performance, you write the numbers onto the ticket using a digital block style of
writing (see photograph). If this is done using a pen with ink which matches the colour of the
printing on the ticket, it will appear - at a glance - to be a genuine printed ticket. This should
fool the spectator who reads out the numbers into believing that it is a regular ticket
(especially in the increased pressure of being up in front of the audience).

You will also be able to briefly flash the ticket to the audience, especially if they are at a
distance from you.

Michael Weber said: "Many have previously used the 'digital

font' to approximate the look of printed numbers. There are
tricks in Magick and Syzygy magazines and there's the clever
number trick with the plastic overlay. If you were to print a thin
grey outline of the digital 88 88 88 88 88 88 - by going over it
with a black pen, it will truly look like a computer printed ticket." "J.- I. i i i ••"• I . . ' - i i. M I - V - J :
r i H i ^ w i ^ f f i r

This great idea would be even more deceptive if combined with the following idea, which I first
had when I devised Natural Lottery back in 2000. Since then I have only shared it privately
with a number of close friends and again I'd appreciate you keeping the information to
yourself:

In certain suitable situations you can make use of a couple of secret assistants. One is
standing by at an outlet near to your venue where it is possible to purchase a genuine lottery
ticket. They are listening in by mobile or cell phone connected to another assistant who is at
your performance. As soon as they hear the six numbers selected by the audience members
they purchase a lottery ticket bearing those numbers and quickly make their way with it to
your performance. On arrival they secretly sneak this ticket to you during the course of your
performance (or while you step off stage momentarily to get another prop you require). You
can now hand this genuine lottery ticket printed with the six freely selected numbers -
apparently the same one which you removed from your wallet earlier in your performance - to
a spectator as a souvenir/prize. Tell them that if the ticket is a winner they must split the
money with you and the other six spectators who selected the numbers!

Copyright Anthony Owen 2009. All Rights Reserved.

 NATURAL LOTTERY ADDITIONAL BONUS IDEA BY ANTHONY OWEN

As with the other bonus handlings which have been made available to you, please
keep this valuable secret information to yourself to help protect your investment in
Natural Lottery.

This is an additional, very bold, idea which enables you to hand out a printed lottery
ticket as a souvenir at the end of the effect without the need for any additional off
stage assistance. It is completely self contained, but it is quite ballsy. I like to think
that Annemann, Fogel, Dunninger and Canasta would have loved it. I hope you'll
have the confidence to try it because in the right circumstances it does work.

You'll require an additional lottery ticket

to match the one you are using for the
effect. However unlike the one you'll
place inside the wallet this one is
ungimmicked. When purchasing this ticket
choose the six most psychologically
popular numbers. Pick those numbers
which are selected most frequently by the
audience volunteers when you perform the
standard effect. In the UK and USA I find
these tend to be 13, 23, 27, 37,43 and 47.

This ticket is folded up to match the folds

in the gimmicked ticket (photo shows both
folded tickets), however the ungimmicked
ticket is folded so that the printed numbers
are on the ticket are folded inside (photo).

This ungimmicked ticket is stuck to the

outside of the wallet with a small piece of
double sided tape. The tape and
ungimmicked ticket should be on the side
of the wallet facing you as the wallet is
removed (photo). The ticket should have
the lottery logo facing outwards.

Perform the routine as per the standard

basic routine or using the Herz idea to give
the impression of a printed ticket, however
do not say the line in the patter "Those of
you who are seated please remember the
number of the person standing nearest to
you." You want those who are sat NOT to
remember the chosen numbers!

When you remove the wallet from your pocket be careful that the ungimmicked ticket
stuck to the wallet remains concealed from the audience. Rest the wallet on your open
left hand so that the ungimmicked ticket rests on top your left fingertips. Using your
right fingers open the zipper on the
wallet and at the same time under
the cover of the open wallet use the
left fingers to secretly remove the
ungimmicked ticket from the tape.

With your right fingers remove the

gimmicked ticket from inside the
zippered section as per the
instructions. Depending upon
which gimmicked wallet you are
using it may be necessary to turn
the wallet 180 degrees at this point.
Your left hand returns the wallet to
your inside jacket pocket, but
keeps holding onto the
ungimmicked ticket, moving it into
finger palm position (photo).

Open the gimmicked ticket and

place it on top of the folded
ungimmicked ticket in your left
hand (photo). Be careful as you do
this that you do not flash the
palmed ungimmicked ticket to the
on-stage spectator. I do this by
misdirecting him at this moment by
looking directly at him and telling
him that I'll going to need him to
read out the numbers "in a loud,
clear voice".

Use your right finger to point to the

first number on the gimmicked
ticket and wait for the spectator to
read it out. Continue to point to
each of the six numbers and have
them read them out. Shake the
spectator's hand and ask them to
return to their seat.

Under the applause fold back up the gimmicked ticket so that the front of the ticket
matches the ungimmicked ticket again. Place the gimmicked ticket into your left hand
on top of the ungimmicked one, but so that it still visible to the audience beyond the
fingertips (photo shows the situation inside the hand which must not be seen by the
audience). You are now about to do a very basic billet switch. Your left thumb pulls
the gimmicked ticket back and your left second and third fingertips are going to push
the ungimmicked ticket forward (photo on the next page shows the situation after the
completion of this move). To the audience the situation will look identical before and
after the move.
I cover this secret action by the
larger action of raising my right arm
to address the spectator on the right
end of the front row to whom I am
going to hand the ungimmicked
ticket as a souvenir.

The spectator to select is NOT the

one who assisted you on stage or
any of the six who stood. Nor is it
anyone sat close to any of those
people who may be friends of theirs.
You want someone who is unlikely
to have remembered exactly which six numbers were selected!

All that an average audience member is likely to remember is that six numbers were
selected by audience members and that the on stage spectator confirmed that the
numbers were correct on the ticket.

As you approach the spectator who you are going to hand the ticket extend your right
hand to point at them and ask them "What is your name?" It is at exactly this time that
you perform the secret switch of the tickets. The larger action of the right arm's
movement provides the misdirection to cover the smaller action of the tickets being
switched and the question provides the psychological misdirection. After they have
replied repeat their name and continue "I have a souvenir for you." With your right
hand take the folded up ungimmicked ticket from the left fingertips and hand it to
them. You want to choose someone for this who is on the right side of the audience to
motivate the action of transferring the ticket from your left hand to your right.

The fact that the ticket is folded up with the numbers concealed means that the
spectator is less likely to realise the numbers are different from those selected. Say to
them "Put it somewhere safe as I think it might be a winner". This encourages them to
put the ticket away and not open it during the rest of the performance. I perform the
effect as my opener and by the end of the show - when the spectator gets a chance to
have a look at the ticket - they are very unlikely to remember exactly which numbers
were chosen.

Also, if you are lucky, some of the psychologically popular numbers will be chosen
by the audience members and that may help to convince the spectator who is given
the ticket that it was the same one if they do vaguely remember that number or
numbers.

And if they are Rain Man and do realise it is not the same ticket it really doesn't
matter. The effect on the rest of the audience is so much greater because they think
you gave away the ticket with the chosen numbers on!

As I said at the beginning this is bold and ballsy and requires confidence but good
magic is made into great magic by using these kind of cheeky psychological
techniques.