Automatic Card Shuffler

An automatic card shuffler, comprising:

• a card input unit for receiving a stack of cards;
• a card ejection unit for randomly ejecting cards from the stack of cards in the card input unit;
• a card collection unit for receiving cards from the card input unit to be dealt in a card game;
• a card delivery unit configured to move cards randomly ejected from the card input unit to the card collection unit;
• a card sensor positioned and configured to sense at least one of presence and absence of cards in the card collection unit;
• and
• a processor in information communication with the card sensor, the processor configured to control operation of the automatic card shuffler and, in response to a signal from the card sensor, to direct the card delivery unit to deliver sets of cards to the card collection unit and to direct the card ejection unit to randomly eject cards,
• wherein the automatic card shuffler is configured to deliver cards to the card collection unit during multiple card games without removing all cards remaining in the card input unit between the multiple card games.

A method of randomly arranging and delivering groups of cards, the method comprising:

• receiving unshuffled cards in a card input unit of a card shuffler;
• delivering randomly formed sets of cards from the card input unit to a card collection unit of the card shuffler for use in a game;
• after the randomly formed sets of cards delivered to the card collection unit are used in a game, receiving the used cards in the card input unit without removing remaining cards from the shuffler;
• and
• after receiving the randomly formed sets of cards in the card input unit, delivering additional randomly formed sets of cards from the card input unit to the card collection unit for use in another game.