Card shuffling apparatuses and related methods

Abstract

Card shuffler apparatuses include a card repositioner used to randomly reposition a plurality of cards on-edge over an aperture extending through a card support surface to allow cards to sequentially pass through the aperture in a random order. The apparatuses may be capable of continuously and sequentially forming playing card hands for use in a game. Shuffler apparatuses may be used to obtain a measurement relating to a thickness of the deck of cards. Methods involve the use of card shuffler apparatuses to form one or more playing card hands in a playing card game. Additional methods involve counting playing cards present within a stack of playing cards using a shuffler apparatus. In further methods, a number of shuffler apparatuses and a lesser number of shuffler activation devices are provided in a gaming establishment so as to preclude simultaneous use of all the shuffler apparatuses in the establishment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.