Best way to harvest chips? (2 Viewers)

[DJ Mack]

Personally, I'd prefer to not ever see the back rooms of a casino under those circumstances.

I'm just curious. I saw you shuffling your checks with your right hand. Can you do that with both hands?

If he was harvesting $100s they probably wouldn't have cared about the racks; they might have even walked him to his car. But seriously, that's a bummer. Truth be told now that we've figured out where we can buy genuine casino quality Paulson racks there's absolutely no excuse for walking out with them anymore.

 

[WedgeRock]

Personally, I'd prefer to not ever see the back rooms of a casino under those circumstances. Sounds mighty -EV to me.

Thanks for the story.

 

[Lemonzest]

The thread has apparently been deleted, no real surprise there given the context of the story.

I think it was the Jack Casino Cincinnati, where the PCF member had played and previously harvested many racks of chips (along with racks) on multiple occasions. The PCF member returned (presumably to just play, not harvest), was approached by security, and taken to a back room for questioning. They were expecting him. After hearing his story about why the chips were removed (for resale on PCF to chippers), the bottom line is that they really didn't seem to care about the chips any longer, but demanded that the racks be returned. He wasn't banned, but they made it quite clear that nothing belonging to the casino should be leaving the casino by his hand in the future. My guess is they were likely more concerned about him using the chips to make counterfeits and returning with fake copies or counterfeited larger denominations made from the chips he took. But they were certainly aware of what he was doing, directly confronted him on it, and could have pressed charges, but chose not to.

Personally, I'd prefer to not ever see the back rooms of a casino under those circumstances. Sounds mighty -EV to me.

I have a hard time seeing this happen in Vegas. LV is so much more relaxed than your local casino I find. LV after all is a tourist town and everyone is there to have fun. They generally don't bust your balls unless you are really out of line.

I think being upfront with cage staff about wanting souvenirs will generally go over okay. And if there is a problem they will let you know.

I can see how stealing racks would annoy the staff as that could actually impede them from doing their job. However, the chips don't cost the staff any money or inconvenience. At the end of the day poker room staff and cage staff are working pretty low end jobs. A smile and a tip go a long way.

I am pretty excited to go harvesting next time in Vegas.

 

[DJ Mack]

At the end of the day poker room staff and cage staff are working pretty low end jobs. A smile and a tip go a long way.

Yeah they might not care, but security does care. They get graded based on how well they protect the casino's assets. Not so much about the chips because those are paid for and any walk outs are free money but racks are casino assets. I think if you went to a Vegas casino week after week and stuffed ashtrays (ew) into your bag they'd eventually say hey quit stealing our shit because management is going to question why they are having to reorder ashtrays more frequently. When they learn that they're just going AWOL they're going to tell security to get to the bottom of it. Security would much rather catch the thief proactively than get called on the carpet for letting it happen.

Next time I'm in Vegas I'm taking some of my own cardboard boxes since I have 200 downstairs with no immediate use. No need for their dinged up plastic racks that I can buy from Unique anyhow.

 

[Lemonzest]

Yeah they might not care, but security does care. They get graded based on how well they protect the casino's assets. Not so much about the chips because those are paid for and any walk outs are free money but racks are casino assets. I think if you went to a Vegas casino week after week and stuffed ashtrays (ew) into your bag they'd eventually say hey quit stealing our shit because management is going to question why they are having to reorder ashtrays more frequently. When they learn that they're just going AWOL they're going to tell security to get to the bottom of it. Security would much rather catch the thief proactively than get called on the carpet for letting it happen.

Next time I'm in Vegas I'm taking some of my own cardboard boxes since I have 200 downstairs with no immediate use. No need for their dinged up plastic racks that I can buy from Unique anyhow.

Maybe my post wasn't clear. Definitely don't take racks or other casino property. I think if you are upfront with the cage they won't care. There is so much crazy shit happening in Vegas I have a hard time seeing someone walking out with a couple hundred singles being an issue.

Worst scenario if security does somehow approach you they will ask you to cash in your chips. It really isn't a big deal IMO.

Naturally, if you are there raping them week in week out it will raise some eyebrows...

 

[DJ Mack]

Maybe my post wasn't clear. Definitely don't take racks or other casino property.

According to BGinGA once the Ohio fellow in this story was interviewed the casino didn't care about the chips either. They just wanted the racks back.

 

[Lemonzest]

According to BGinGA once the Ohio fellow in this story was interviewed the casino didn't care about the chips either. They just wanted the racks back.

Makes sense though. If you are a runner at the poker room and you start running short on racks it is going to be frustrating. Then your boss is going to be like "well where the fuck did our racks go" and you are going to be like "ummm I dunno"...

 

[BGinGA]

Yeah, but my take was only because counterfeiting was no longer a concern.

The security issues involved with chips leaving the casino is real (ask Green Valley), and the Nevada gaming authorities don't take it lightly.

 

[pedrofisk]

Counterfeiting low denomination chips into high denomination is an actual threat they watch for. It has been done and they have been caught. These guys actually first tried to make chips, which of course proved impossible.

 

[RagsPoker]

Not sure how everyone brings their harvested chips home, but here's my recent experience.

I harvested about 300 chips from Vegas last week (a few pics in the harvest pron thread). I wasn't crazy about the idea of dragging all those heavy chips in my backpack on my flight home. Prior to my trip to Vegas, I preprinted a USPS label, took along a small flat rate box and some packaging tape. I wrapped about 180 chips and squeezed them in the box, taped on the label and taped the box shut. I took it to the front desk at Planet Hollywood and they said they would put it in the outgoing mail. I signed up for email notification on the USPS website and was a little nervous as there was no notice of the box being shipped or even received at the post office for nearly a week....needless to say I was getting nervous. But six days later I received an email from USPS saying the package was en route....two hours later I received the package in my PO box.

The rest of the chips I brought back in my checked luggage. I put them loose in a ziploc bag....no issues with TSA. In the past I had wrapped chips in paper (like big coin wrappers) and taped them, and TSA went through my luggage, presumably because they looked suspicious when being x-rayed.

 

[Jambine]

I'm sure every casino has policy on players removing chips, and they are the property of the casino. They are checks, so I don't they care much if you never cash a higher denom. They definitely lose money on smaller checks.

 

[urestimw]

It all depends on the casino. Most of the employees I have talked to have been more than happy to help me. I usually only collect a small amount so it may be different for you. When I go in I always try the cage first and some locations say that they cannot sell them to you and that you need to get them from the tables (which would suck for large amounts) and have had the dealers sit down and sort through them for me until I find what I need. But when I have been in smaller towns, the rules seem to change.

You also need to be careful in Indian Casinos as well because they do not like anything going out the door. This last year someone sent me an article about a man being arrested for taking a handful of chips out to his car and when he returned he was stopped by security and escorted to a back room. The man was questioned for a long period of time and informed the staff that he collects chips and always picks up a few extras for friends, which they did not care about and were ready to arrest him. After some time, he agreed to give the chips back, the casino did not cash him out and banned him from coming back for a year.

Now to even get more petty, the article was linked to another one talking about a couple that played $.03 of credits that were left in a machine and ended up being fined almost $300 before they could leave. When they asked why, they were informed that any money left in a machine, laying on the floor or even a forgotten payout slip was casino property and spending it was stealing. So just be careful.

 

[CABRON JAMES]

what about casino's that are closing - do they sell off their chips only to big resellers? or casino that are changing there chips?

how do you find out about dat?

 

[bradiggy]

what about casino's that are closing - do they sell off their chips only to big resellers? or casino that are changing there chips?

how do you find out about dat?

I wish I knew the answer to this. Nevada requires chips be destroyed should they become obsolete. I think this factors into why live Nevada chips have a pretty hefty premium here on the forums.

I’d imagine a very close relationship with casino management could net you a small collection if chips are being replaced. Liquidation auction for a closing casino?

It’d be cool if the forum as a collective could negotiate buyouts with equal distribution at cost to active members. Make cool sets attainable for everybody here that truly enjoys them.

 

[CABRON JAMES]

that would be awesome - chip exchange just had a big black friday sell - pretty good deals on some "GARDEN CITY CASINO" chips.... you might check it out - but be quick - they have already sold out on some of their offerings.

I bought a boat load. I'm in Los angeles - maybe we could chip harvest locally and trade?

commerce casino, hollywood park, hustler and lucky lady - you can look up what the chips look like and if any small denominations look interesting let me know. i would trade $20 for $20 to start.

commerce, hollywood park, hustler and lucky lady - are the local casinos for me - I live near LAX (los angeles international) airport.

 

[bradiggy]

that would be awesome - chip exchange just had a big black friday sell - pretty good deals on some "GARDEN CITY CASINO" chips.... you might check it out - but be quick - they have already sold out on some of their offerings.

I bought a boat load. I'm in Los angeles - maybe we could chip harvest locally and trade?

commerce casino, hollywood park, hustler and lucky lady - you can look up what the chips look like and if any small denominations look interesting let me know. i would trade $20 for $20 to start.

commerce, hollywood park, hustler and lucky lady - are the local casinos for me - I live near LAX (los angeles international) airport.

I'm moving back to Socal in a few weeks, OC though. Hawaiian Gardens is my closest spot.

 

[RocAFella1]

@pipdenny

 

[WazamBelina]

Lots of people here talk about harvesting chips but some tips would be appreciated. My last time in vegas it seemed to work to go to the cashier cage and ask for 10 singles without issue. I did notice that if the cashier asks if they're souvenirs you answer YES as they will give you minty ones every time. So how do you harvest your chips? Can you sit down at a table and instead of cashing out just walk out with a couple racks in your hand and head up to your room? Will they stop you? What casinos are easy or hard? Stories are good to. Whats the best strategy you've used and of course a story where you were asked to stop would be cool too.
Please share your tips as I'm heading back to vegas in July. Would like to come home with a bullet from every casino or perhaps even a rack or two from one casino.
Thanks!

The casino I regularly go to just got new chips. I got a most of them from the craps table. There are a lot of ones there.