The Best Bar Trick Ever

Okay, I'm not sure that this qualifies as a magic trick, but I consider it one. This makes a great bar bet. Here's the setup: You're going to need a saucer, a rocks glass, a couple of lime wedges, a book of matches and some water. You'll also want a few other things as distractions. You can use whatever's available to you, like toothpicks, coasters, an ashtray, cigarettes, whatever is in reach.

Once you have all of your stuff together, add some water to the saucer but not too much. Now here's the bet/trick. Challenge someone to get the water into the rocks glass without touching either the saucer or the water. They also can't move the saucer or spill any of the water. They can use any of the items you have supplied them with.

The majority of the time, your mark is going to stare at the saucer, then stare at the glass, then stare at the items you gave them to use. Then they'll stare at the saucer, then..... you get the picture. Eventually, when they give up and say its impossible, you show them how to do it.

Tear off three or four of the matches and stick them in the lime, with the heads sticking up. Then place the lime with matches into the middle of the saucer. Now tear off another match, strike it and light the matches stuck in the lime with it. Place the rocks glass upside down over lime and watch as the water is sucked into the glass.

How's it work? The burning matches consume oxygen. As they use of all of the oxygen in the upside down glass, it creates a vacuum and pulls the water into the glass.

Now, someone might figure out how to do this, but I've not met anyone yet who has. Chances are, unless they've seen this trick or a similar one, it will work every time. Enjoy!