… and so will you. Random Odds is new, refreshing, fun and will be reputation making. This is a multi layered, multi reveal and multi climax effect, nothing like I have ever seen before. It’s all so random and yet the finale packs a phenomenal punch. It utilizes a phone, a bill, some playing cards and a great presentation to totally blow everyone away. Know here that it’s their phone, their bill and your spectators provide all the random numbers used in this minor miracle. You can even borrow the deck if someone happens to have one available.

There are no real sleighs to learn just a very basic and simple move. There is a little work to do but it is done all in front of your spectator, no big deal. There is a lot going on for the spectator but once the reveals are established, they won’t believe what they have seen. At each phase of this effect, your spectator/s (use one or more to involve in supplying you with the numbers you use) are controlling the randomness of all the numbers used and what order the cards are dealt down to accomplish the end result.

It is well worth the price for the small amount of time that you will spend learning it. Wait until you see their faces and hear their gasps. It is a miracle and you will certainly be remembers for it. Try it, you will like it.

While admittedly, this IS a good trick. It's just TOO much process for me. Add this, deal this, count that, grrrrr!!! Enough already!!! Let's get to the MAGIC!!! There's not enough entertainment along the way to balance the amount of unentertaining process. It's seems to me this is better suited to the hobbyist, moreso than the pro. Good trick, but, in the words of the great Chuck Berry, "Too much monkey business for me to be involved in!"

My initial reaction to this illusion was that it was very complex. It is not, but I suggest watching the tutorial very carefully a couple of times through. I had to let what he was doing soak in, my ADD kicks in and I need repetition. Once you have the routine down it's a stunning trick. The kicker at the end of this trick with the dollar bill is incredible. Derek said this is his first tutorial with Penguin, I hope to see more. This one is worth learning, just make sure somebody has an I Phone before you start.

This is a cool trick that will leave spectators wondering how such a random occurrence could happen. It has several layers to it that continue to baffle people with each reveal. The video is well done and gives a complete presentation method that is easy to follow. I also like how references are given to help learn the simple moves in case you want to go deeper.

I have to say... I’m impressed. This trick can definitely be a closer or at least a very solid arrow in your quiver. This is a multi-phase trick that can involve several participants. It can be done on a borrowed (preferably full with jokers, but not necessary) deck. You use a borrowed iPhone. There is zero prep (well, I guess there is a tiny prep but you do it right in front of them). There are no gimmicks. You can do this surrounded, except for the first minute or so. Last but not least, a fantastic kicker.

But...

If your lazy, busy, or super new, this trick is not for you. (I’m a poet and didn’t know it)

I say this because...

This trick has quite a few steps and will definitely require concentration, a little memorization (not a big deal once you’re comfortable with this trick), a few moves, and requires lots of magic.

Good things come to those who practice. And practice. And practice. This trick is well worth the investment and effort if you’re willing to commit. This trick, quite frankly, is very impressive IMO. To be honest though, I think this will end up being a trick many won’t end up doing, simply because of the investment required. To be even more honest, that includes me... for now anyway. It is definitely a trick I won’t do anytime soon simply because of my current time. There are other tricks I am working on. But yes it’s worth t and yes I plan to eventually give this the P3 treatment.

Great trick. Now let’s talk about Derek and his teaching.

Derek, you know your stuff. Guys, this guy references probably a half dozen sources at least. For your intro to Penguin, this is a great start and you’ve set the bar very high. Kudos and respect! The only constructive feedback I have for you is that I wish you would have slowed down and gone over the key moves a little slower with a little more detail. I know that, for you, this is as obvious and natural and simple as breathing and talking. But it’s not for many of your viewers. While you do teach the moves “enough”, I think slowing down and spending another couple minutes teaching and demonstrating these moves would have really benefited the viewer... especially any newbies. I felt like it was a little too fast. Yes, I can back it up. But slowing the pace during the key moves would have felt more right I think. I shouldn’t HAVE to go do more of my own research on the key moves to do this trick. It should be complete out of the box. Not everyone is at your level. In fact, I’m thinking there are a lot of newbies who have never hear the moves that you seem to be assuming they know.

Other then that though, bravo. Four stars for you!

By the way, I always try to be honest and straightforward in my reviews, while being respectful to the magician. If you appreciate my reviews, can you please click the "Yes" button below beside the question, "Did this review help you?" It's not like I actually benefit in any way by your clicking it... but it would be nice to see if my reviews are helpful or not. I hope they are. If you ever have suggestions or comments or questions about my reviews, please feel free to leave me a constructive comment. I'm just trying to be helpful. I love the Penguin community and hope that I can someday contribute my own product. :-) Thanks for reading and for any (hopefully positive, but either way, at least kind) feedback.
3 of 3 magicians found this helpful.

There is a lot of moves and slights taught here, that are worth learning on their own 👍 put together this does genuinely seem like “ Random Odds”

This is a beautiful routine! The method feels a bit all over the place at first, but once you get it down, it's really quite easy.

While we are taught how to do this with borrowed items, I will be doing a b*ll sw***h and using my own deck. This will make it flow much smoother for me, and probably quite a few other performers as well.
There's nothing wrong with the impromptu version whatsoever, I just need that extra reassurance that comes with being prepared.

Another great thing about the method behind this routine is that it can be customized to your liking. Some routines just don't offer that option, but this one does.

I am very much looking forward to Derek's next release.

I gotta say, this trick KILLED at a few casual settings. People were amazed by how not once but twice(!) the cards matched. It's easy to perform and even easier to learn! The only thing I'd say that needs improvement is the awkward downtime when you do the calculator move. Derek says to fill it in with a joke about tinder, but I know most of my friends, and that is not a joke that would be laughed at. I usually say that I'm playing Angry Birds instead, but that only fills for a few seconds. The time it takes to do the move is approx. 5-10 seconds for me, and if that is not cloaked by chatter, then it will become boring and suspicious very quickly. Overall, great trick and the downtime will, I'm sure, be easily overcome by creative magicians.

This is a perfect routine for the spectators who say "Can you do one more" at the end of the night / session. It's impromptu, everything happens in the moment and everything can be borrowed. It can also be varied. If someone doesn't have a bill, ask them for a credit card.

Now, technically there is "set up" to be done, but you do this in front of your audience, out in the open. I personally think the most difficult element of the routine is hiding this in plain sight. Make sure you are confident with your scripting and misdirection. You will have to be confident with "the move". I started learning "the move" upon purchase of this effect. I'm getting confident with it less than 48 hours later. It wont take long to get to a standard which you are comfortable performing.

This is not a "beginner effect" in my opinion. You will need to be comfortable hiding things in plain sight, but I'm making it sound scarier than it is.

It's a wonderful Climax effect, using borrowed items. Imagine a Derren Brown stage finale that packs into your pocket. That's what it feels like.

Amazing value for money, great support from Penguin and Derek. Wonderfully filmed. Derek's performances are lovely to watch.

Buy it!

N.B USD have 8 digit serial numbers. As do UK. Euros have more.

This is a really good trick. Everything in the preview is true.
You use a borrowed signed bill. (Can use any value. There's no bill switch.)
You use a borrowed iPhone. (It probably does need to be an iPhone, and you certainly want to borrow it rather than use your own phone to avoid suspicion.)
And you can even use a borrowed shuffled deck. (Although you're probably going to use your own deck in case none of your spectators is carrying a deck.)
The deck requires no setup, so this could (and probably should) be a closer that use can do with whatever deck you've already been using and shuffling.

This is not a trick for beginners, although there are no tricky moves or slights.
It does require that you do several things right in the open while you are casually talking to distract from what you are doing.

But for someone who is comfortable with playing with cards, and with a phone, while looking like you're not doing anything, this is an amazing impromptu trick.

I can't wait to see what Derek comes up with next.