Gambling terms, explained straight

Card Games

Casino riffle shuffle

A casino riffle shuffle is a method of randomising a deck by splitting it into two piles and then interleaving the cards, typically with a bridge move to keep the cards hidden during the process.

Also called
riffle shuffle, dovetail shuffle, leafing the cards; in mathematics, GSR shuffle13
Mathematical model
A single riffle shuffle produces permutations with at most 2 increasing subsequences; parameter k=1 denotes one shuffle3

Key points

  • The dealer cuts the deck into two piles and releases cards so they fall interleaved.1
  • A bridge may be used after the riffle to minimise the risk of exposing cards during the shuffle.1
  • The casino riffle shuffle is the standard shuffling method in many parts of the world.2

Where this term is used

Not the same as

  • Faro shuffle vs riffle — a faro shuffle interleaves cards perfectly from two halves, whereas a riffle shuffle is a probabilistic interleaving that does not require perfect alternation
Card games Riffle shuffle The generic term for cutting the deck into two packets and interleaving them. Card games Mash shuffle vs riffle shuffle Compares the mash shuffle, where cards are pushed together, with the riffle shuffle. Card games Faro shuffle A perfect interleaving shuffle often used in magic and card tricks. Card games Overhand shuffle A shuffle where small packets are taken from the top and reassembled in a different order. Card games Hindu shuffle A shuffle where cards are stripped from the top of the deck into the other hand. Card games Bridge shuffle A riffle shuffle followed by a bridge to re-align the cards.

Sources

  1. Shuffling en.wikipedia.org Defines the casino riffle shuffle and its use of a bridge to reduce card exposure.
  2. A Better Way to Deal the Cards arxiv.org Describes the riffle shuffle as cutting the deck into two piles and interleaving, and notes it is standard in many parts of the world.
  3. No Feedback? No Worries! arxiv.org Provides the mathematical model of a single riffle shuffle producing permutations with at most 2 increasing subsequences.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.