Card washing is a shuffling technique that casino dealers use to randomise cards. It involves spreading the cards face down on the table and mixing them with both hands flat on the surface. This process is also known as “scrambling.”
The dealer begins by placing the cards face down in two rows on the table. They then use their hands to move the cards around in circular motions for at least five seconds, thoroughly mixing them. The dealer will lift their hands and repeat this process at least three times, ensuring the cards are well-scrambled. New decks of cards are washed for a longer duration, typically one to two minutes.
Once the card washing is complete, the cards are gathered and further randomised using a standard shuffling method like the riffle-strip-riffle-cut technique. This combination of washing and shuffling is designed to eliminate any patterns or orders from previous games and ensure a truly random distribution of cards before play begins.
Card washing is used to eliminate any inconsistencies that might have occurred during the previous hand and to randomise the cards. In poker, dealers wash cards after every round before shuffling them more conventionally. In blackjack and baccarat, cards are washed when new decks replace old ones.
The term “washing” also refers to a practice where dealers rub their hands together to show players that their hands are empty. This action is also known as “washing hands” because the movement resembles someone washing their hands. This practice is part of casino transparency policies.
