World history shows us humans began gambling a very long time ago. For example, common betting activities were wagering real money on the winner of gladiator battles or who would score the highest number of points in a dice game. This history displays the transformation of casino games throughout thousands of years. Nowadays, we prefer playing online casino slots, blackjack, baccarat and other projects because it is convenient. And this is the reason Internet gambling platforms have flourished.
Both land-based and online casinos have special chips to play table games with. Once you are a fervent poker fan, you do know there is nothing more exhilarating than stacking a pyramid of poker chips. You can show your strength and power to everyone in a poker room.
History of Poker Chips
To be fair, playing chips are a new phenomenon on the gambling scene. Actually, it didn’t all began with poker chips straight away. In other words, those table games that we are playing as of today are different from ones our predecessors used to cherish.
Poker chips didn’t exist at all until the 19th century. Two resourceful creators, Gus Hansen and Phil Hellmuth came up with an idea of playing card games wagering gold nuggets.
It goes without saying poker saloons needed to set special rules and principles of standardisation when it comes to playing bets. That is why throughout gambling history poker room operators utilised clay or ivory pieces. Regretfully, operators couldn’t earn enough because of the fact these substances are easily forged. Instead, rooms started to make branded playing symbols and began marking them.
The forging dilemma was on the agenda until the late 1880s. After that, poker operators embarked on producing branded clay chips. This changed the way we play poker drastically.
We Make Chips of…
Maybe if you have friends that are poker aficionados, you might have heard they have a craving for authentic clay chips. Such chips represent the most natural chips in the industry. Such punters boast of having almost real chips that are used in professional gambling.
Do acclaimed poker rooms and renowned brick-and-mortar casinos make use of clay chips? The ultimate answer is yes and no. The thing is you won’t find playing chips entirely made from clay, reputable gambling platforms have stacks of composite chips. Totally clay items are less durable than composite ones.
Away from chips produced from clay composites, multiple land-based venues in Las Vegas feature ceramic poker chips. Such tokens are extremely popular both with newcomers and avid punters.
Casino Chips and Counterfeiting
It speaks volumes that there was plenty of counterfeiting in the past. This is an interesting question that hooks a lot of players. Basically, poker tokens and casino chips are identical. You just find out the design and make an authentic version. Isn’t it simple?
Unfortunately, the overall picture is far from being so certain and straightforward. The unpalatable for the majority of players truth is that it is harder to forge poker tokens than currencies. Land-based gambling operators are well aware of all tricks self-serving punters took advantage of previously. Casinos introduce stringent security procedures so that to protect their chips from being counterfeited. And if you have managed to forge a casino coin, cashiers will easily identify a fake one.
Every poker token has its own characteristics like weight and texture. Once there are rogue players that aspire to replicate a chip, they will have such obstacles as microchips that gambling venues embed original tokens with and special numbers that could be also imprinted. And bear in mind loads of minor details players might have never heard of.
Rules of Poker Chips
If you have decided to take part in a poker game, the very first thing you have to do is to redeem casino tokens. Surely, each game has its own set of rules, that is why it all depends on the exact kind of projects you deal with. For example, poker tournament buy-ins might begin with just $50, whereas you might buy no less than $1,400 in chips.
So, as you might know, every buy-in that is made by a player goes in one pot and then prizes are distributed from that pot. Regulations concerning prize shares and percentages stand on the type of tournament punters participate in.
On the other side of the coin, once you buy into a game for real money, every token matters. The exact price you but chips for is your playing bank. You may stop playing poker or any other game at any given moment and then exchange tokens for real funds. Land-based casinos host tournaments and cash games separately, so they don’t risk losing money.
More than that, poker tokens are designed not just for betting on casino games. With tokens, you may pay for beverages, thank a waitress or order dinner after all. Surely, regulations differ from one venue to another. Ultimately, we have a common standard for chips.
Taking Chips from Venue to Venue
Winning on a roll is overwhelming. So overwhelming you might want to take all your tokens and try your luck in a land-based venue nearby. Is it eligible? Or if my friends want to outplay me, could they take their chips as well?
Bringing casino tokens within the same casino chain is totally ok. But first, check out these terns in the cashier to rest assured there is nothing to hesitate about.
The Most Overpriced Casino Chips
Of course, the city of Las Vegas has the most expensive chips ever made. You won’t find any high-roller punter that plays with $10 or $15 chips. For example, the Paris Las Vegas land-based casino brags about having tokens worth thousands of dollars. Besides, some venues have million-dollar chips, that is what the Nevada Gaming Commission tells us. This authoritative gambling body regulates chip denominations. So, with the approval of the Commission, brick-and-mortar platforms can come up with any value they wish.
There aren’t only Las Vegas land-based venues creating such expensive tokens. Several years ago, one casino maker came up with an overwhelmingly expensive chip of more than $7 million. It was made of alligator skin and designed with different jewels exceeding a thousand carats.
Lucky Tokens
Are you a casino chip collector? If the answer is positive, then you might like to know striking facts in regards to lucky people collecting tokens worth thousands of dollars.
Once upon a time, a woman placed a $1 chip on the eBay market. Sooner or later, a collector contacted the woman and told her that the token she was keeping was of pretty much value. Its price exceeded $15,000! So, once you have a hobby of collecting casino chips, check out your precious collection every time you return from Las Vegas.
Playing Poker at Home
There was a huge poker boom at the beginning of the 2000s. Players from all over the world wanted real clay casino chips badly. More experienced punters and newcomers began gathering at home and playing poker using authentic tokens.
Of course, in order to have a full poker experience, punters wished to play with real chips from acclaimed brick-and-mortar casinos. Consequently, manufacturers initiated the production of these chips in large amounts. Eventually, prices on these chips fell down. Nowadays, punters may purchase real casino chips for a home-play experience hassle-free.
And if you want to have authentic tokens, there are multiple companies that focus on the production of customized items.
Shuffling Poker Chips
Oh, and what about token shuffling, a common attribute you bump into while watching bondiana films, for example. Basically, players elegantly shuffle their tokens while thinking.
Once you take part in poker tournaments or just gather with your friends to relish poker or other table games at home, chances are high you will see a person shuffling chips. Probably you want to learn this trick too.
For example, you may take 8 chips with 4 of them in one pile. Then, you should place these tokens side by side. Put index and thumb fingers on the left pile, whereas ring and pinky fingers hold the right pile. The mıddle fınger is for interlocking those piles. More practice and you will learn how to shuffle casino tokens brilliantly.
Famous Poker Chips
Let’s briefly enumerate the most popular casino tokens in the market:
- Fat Cat
- Claysmith Gaming
- Smilejoy
- Kovot
- Clay Pro Poker Set.
In Conclusion
In today’s world of rapid technological advancements, almost every sphere of our lives exists virtually. What does the future hold for casino chips? Some experts agree sooner or later digital chips will replace classic tokens.
Of course, both newbies and fervent punters would like to see by themselves what chips other gamblers hold. And with the inception of digital tokens, this aspect of the game will vanish for sure.
Ultimately, we are expecting casino chips to remain even further in time. There are no clear indications that the current situation will change.
