Abstract: Playing cards may be selected based on a desired set of payout or house odds and/or house advantage. The playing cards may be placed into, and/or retrieved from, one or more intermediary playing card receivers in a random or pseudo-random order that is based on the selected payout or house odds and/or house advantage. Intermediary playing card receivers may take the form of carousels having an endless array of card receiving compartments. Each compartment may receive a single playing card at a time. The intermediary playing card receivers may pivot bi-directionally about one or more vertical axes. Playing cards may be loaded into one intermediary playing card receivers while being unloaded from the other.

Abstract: An inventory sensor is positioned and configured to identify playing cards stored in compartments of one or more playing card receivers. The inventory sensor allows the identity of a playing card stored in the playing card receiving compartment to be checked or otherwise verified with respect to an identity of a playing card expected to be stored in the playing card receiving compartment. Anomalies may be identified and appropriate messages provides and/or actions taken, for example removing the anomalous playing card from use.

Abstract: An inventory sensor is positioned and configured to identify playing cards stored in compartments of one or more intermediary playing card receivers. The intermediary playing card receivers may be positioned in a card transport path between an input and an output receiver. The inventory sensor allows an inventory of playing cards to be performed, for example, in response to a possibly anomalous condition or in response to a user request. Playing cards may be transferred back to the intermediary playing card receiver from the output receiver before inventorying. A new randomized set of playing cards can be created at the output receiver after inventorying.

Abstract: Playing cards from the input playing card receiver are allocated or directed between at least the first intermediary and the second intermediary playing card receivers based on an order in which the playing cards will be arranged at the playing card output receiver. The second intermediary playing card receiver may comprise an endless array of playing card receiving compartments mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. The first intermediary playing card receiver may comprise an annular array of playing card receiving compartments mounted pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis. The first intermediary playing card receiver may comprise a diagonal array of playing card receiving compartments mounted translation along a vertical axis.

Abstract: A playing card handling system includes a pivoting pair of jaws to retrieve playing cards from a playing card receiver, for example a carousel. The rotational or angular velocity of a picker may be approximately equal to a rotational or angular velocity of a pickup roller, as the picker approaches the pickup roller.

Abstract: A playing card output receiver that is mounted for movement includes a floor that slopes downward toward a back wall, which may, for example, assist in retaining playing cards in the playing card output receiver during movement of the playing card output receiver.

Abstract: The present discussion generally describes separable playing cards that can be reassembled, methods of separating and reassembling the playing cards, and methods of using the playing cards in a gaming environment. The playing cards are combined from constituent components, which are a face and a back. The face can have a suit marking, a rank marking, or both. The combination of any given face and back represents a pairing. This pairing can be changed or reconfigured by separating the face from the back and reordering at least the faces or the backs. The reordered faces and backs can be assembled back into respective playing cards and used in a subsequent card game. The reordering can be done manually, mechanically, or computationally generated. The playing cards can include unique identifiers that can be read by a machine and used to verify that a sufficient number of the original pairings have been altered.

Abstract: A card receiver to receive playing cards includes a substantially circular base having an outer periphery and an inner portion radially spaced from the outer periphery. A plurality of partitions extend longitudinally from the base and opposed surfaces of each adjacent pair of partitions form a respective playing card compartment therebetween. Each of the partitions are cambered such that both a face and a back of a playing card retained in a respective one of the compartments are physically engaged by the opposed surfaces of the pair of partitions forming the respective compartment.

Abstract: Playing cards from the input playing card receiver are allocated or directed between at least the first intermediary and the second intermediary playing card receivers based on an order in which the playing cards will be arranged at the playing card output receiver. The second intermediary playing card receiver may comprise an endless array of playing card receiving compartments mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. The first intermediary playing card receiver may comprise an annular array of playing card receiving compartments mounted pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis. The first intermediary playing card receiver may comprise a diagonal array of playing card receiving compartments mounted translation along a vertical axis.

Abstract: A card receiver to receive playing cards includes a substantially circular base having an outer periphery and an inner portion radially spaced from the outer periphery. A plurality of partitions extend longitudinally from the base and opposed surfaces of each adjacent pair of partitions form a respective playing card compartment therebetween. Each of the partitions are cambered such that both a face and a back of a playing card retained in a respective one of the compartments are physically engaged by the opposed surfaces of the pair of partitions forming the respective compartment.

Abstract: A playing card output receiver that is mounted for movement includes a floor that slopes downward toward a back wall, which may, for example, assist in retaining playing cards in the playing card output receiver during movement of the playing card output receiver.

Abstract: A playing card handling system includes a pivoting pair of jaws to retrieve playing cards from a playing card receiver, for example a carousel. The rotational or angular velocity of a picker may be approximately equal to a rotational or angular velocity of a pickup roller, as the picker approaches the pickup roller.

Abstract: A card shoe handling device includes a cover that is manually movable from a closed position to an opened position and a locking mechanism operable to selectively lock and unlock the cover in the closed position in response to a state of the playing card handling system. In the closed position the cover limits access to playing cards carried by the playing card output receiver from an exterior of the playing card handling system and in the opened position the cover does not limit access to playing cards carried by the playing card output receiver from an exterior of the playing card handling system.

Abstract: A card shoe that includes a housing forming a receptacle sized to receive a plurality of playing cards, the housing having a sloped front face, an opening formed in the front face sized to allow the withdrawal of playing cards, a card support surface proximate a bottom of the opening. At least one protuberance may extend upward from the card support surface, proximate the opening such that playing cards pass over the protuberance when withdrawn from the receptacle. An anti-backsliding protrusion may extend generally downwardly from at least proximate the top of the housing and positioned within the receptacle proximate the front face. A lever may be positioned to selectively disengage a wedge from a locking mechanism that retains the wedge toward a rear of the housing to facilitate loading.

Abstract: A card shoe for holding and distributing playing cards during a playing card game, where the card shoe can hold multiple decks of playing cards. The card shoe includes a wedge assembly that biases playing cards toward a playing card extraction opening. Gravity and/or other forces, for example a spring force, may bias the wedge assembly. The wedge assembly includes a wedge block and a roller subassembly. The roller subassembly includes a shaft, a clutch assembly, and a roller. In one embodiment, the clutch assembly and roller are mounted on an offset portion of the shaft so that the roller can be adjusted relative to a bottom of the wedge block. The clutch assembly permits the roller to roll in only one direction. The clutch assembly locks onto the shaft if a force is exerted which would tend to push the wedge block away from the playing card extraction opening.

Abstract: A card shoe handling device includes a cover that is manually movable from a closed position to an opened position, where in the closed position the cover limits access to playing cards carried by the playing card output receiver from an exterior of the playing card handling system and in the opened position the cover does not limit access to playing cards carried by the playing card output receiver from an exterior of the playing card handling system.

Abstract: Playing cards may be selected based on a desired set of payout or house odds and/or house advantage. The playing cards may be placed into, and/or retrieved from, one or more intermediary playing card receivers in a random or pseudo-random order that is based on the selected payout or house odds and/or house advantage. Intermediary playing card receivers may take the form of carousels having an endless array of card receiving compartments. Each compartment may receive a single playing card at a time. The intermediary playing card receivers may pivot bi-directionally about one or more vertical axes. Playing cards may be loaded into one intermediary playing card receivers while being unloaded from the other.

Abstract: An inventory sensor is positioned and configured to identify playing cards stored in compartments of one or more intermediary playing card receivers. The intermediary playing card receivers may be positioned in a card transport path between an input and an output receiver. The inventory sensor allows an inventory of playing cards to be performed, for example, in response to a possibly anomalous condition or in response to a user request. Playing cards may be transferred back to the intermediary playing card receiver from the output receiver before inventorying. A new randomized set of playing cards can be created at the output receiver after inventorying.

Abstract: A card shoe handling device includes a cover that is manually movable from a closed position to an opened position and a switch operable to cause a delivery of at least some of the playing cards externally from the playing card handling system in response to a position of the cover. In the closed position the cover limits access to playing cards carried by the playing card output receiver from an exterior of the playing card handling system and in the opened position the cover does not limit access to playing cards carried by the playing card output receiver from an exterior of the playing card handling system.

Abstract: An inventory sensor is positioned and configured to identify playing cards stored in compartments of one or more playing card receivers. The inventory sensor allows the identity of a playing card stored in the playing card receiving compartment to be checked or otherwise verified with respect to an identity of a playing card expected to be stored in the playing card receiving compartment. Anomalies may be identified and appropriate messages provides and/or actions taken, for example removing the anomalous playing card from use.