Harvesting chips (8 Viewers)

[Spacehawk]

I am wanting to try and harvest some poker chips from a local casino. I have always kept chips when I play but never tried to build whole racks. Am I going to get on the radar if I am trying to leave the poker room with lets say a barrel of chips at a time?

 

[mikem_nyc]

Following, I’m curious as well. Like has anyone been banned for harvesting?

 

[Spacehawk]

Following, I’m curious as well. Like has anyone been banned for harvesting?

lol thats what i am trying to figure out, can i just walk out with a whole rack or do I have to be more lowkey

 

[chipzilla]

Here’s an old thread with lots chippers stories in harvesting. It’s from 2022 but maybe still good info especially since WSOP just started.

Thread 'Harvesting Paris Chips - Tell Us Your Story!'
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/harvesting-paris-chips-tell-us-your-story.91173/

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

My only attempt at harvesting consisted of walking up to the cage at the Venetian poker room and asking for a rack of $2 chips. While the attendant looked at me a little funny, she gave me the rack. I put it under my sweatshirt until I was done playing and left with it. And as fate would have it, the chips were all in pretty good condition. Pretty much did the same thing the next day at Paris for $1's and $5's. Came home with five racks of chips, no questions asked. So from my perspective, harvesting is the simplest thing on earth.

Now I have to go read the thread above to see if I am just stupid, lucky or both.

 

[chipinla]

 

[xdan]

backpack.
Load it up and walk out.

I did last year and plan to do the same again.

Worst case they will tell you to cash them in. Doubt they’d ban you.

I’d just say ‘I’m playing everyone and keeping them as I play. Saves me cashing in and out’
Play it innocently and you’ll be right.

 

[Spacehawk]

backpack.
Load it up and walk out.

I did last year and plan to do the same again.

Worst case they will tell you to cash them in. Doubt they’d ban you.

I’d just say ‘I’m playing everyone and keeping them as I play. Saves me cashing in and out’
Play it innocently and you’ll be right.

Seems simple enough but i am trying to also grab a rack of snappers

 

[soccerdadof3]

Snappers are usually more difficult in my experience..you usually have to get them at the table games a couple at a time..get a couple put them in your pocket..repeat...hope you don't burn your bankroll before you get what you want.. lol

 

[Spacehawk]

Snappers are usually more difficult in my experience..you usually have to get them at the table games a couple at a time..get a couple put them in your pocket..repeat...hope you don't burn your bankroll before you get what you want.. lol

its simple really sit down buy in all $5s. play one hand. ask to color down. leave

 

[greenchip]

Most likely you’re fine if you’re playing poker. If they ask, say I like to collect chips. That’s a legitimate reason to bring chips home if you brought it. People here bring racks out, including myself when I was harvesting chips.

If no poker, like others mentioned, you have to get maybe 10-20 at a time or they’ll get pissed their table has a shortage on a specific denomination, often fracs and snappers. Repeat and ask dealers you want nice chips, tip if they cooperate with you.

If you they ask why you’re leaving? I’ve always said “I don’t feel the luck so I need to switch tables.” No questions asked.

For non-Vegas casinos, if the cage is nice then they’ll sell you a rack of fracs or snappers. Success rate is low but worth trying. Always tip if successful. This does not work in Vegas.

I’ve done the above mainly from blackjack and baccarat tables from over 100 casinos in the US.

 

[elemeno]

If you’re playing poker, it should be very easy to get racks of chips

 

[chipchipchip]

I'll add that when I did this a few years ago, I played at Caesar's for 3-4 days and got three racks in great condition (two racks of reds and one rack of the blue hotstamp $1's). Ask the cashier for as many $1's as they'll give you, depending on the person and how busy they may or may not accommodate. I played 1/3 and always posted blinds with $5's and steadily grew my $1's stack folding blinds and getting change. While playing, I sorted the good condition from the bad and placed all my bets with the poor condition chips. As you win pots, sort the new ones. Then pocket the good chips and cash out the bads. Repeat until you have what you want. Just don't get stacked lol

Some dealers will ask you to color up your $1's. Just say "no thanks I like how they look in my stack." No one will care. Also if you can find a limit game you can just buy in for racks of $1's usually, but those games aren't that common anymore.

I also got a rack of $1's from Ellis Island playing craps. It's easy to just pocket whatever you want to keep. Make the bets that pay out in uneven odds (4 or 10 pay 9:5 for instance). I think the table games will notice more and care more since they don't get fresh setups as often as poker, but unless you're at the same table all day I doubt it will matter. If anyone says anything just say you're saving it for the cocktail server tips. Probably took me around four hours to get a rack of good $1's that way.

I know it feels like you're doing something wrong, but once I started it was just no big deal at all. This is probably one of the *least* weird things that dealers and the floor will run into in a typical casino.

Good luck!

 

[Blinders]

I have been harvesting for years and if you keep it low key, no one is ever going to notice. For poker, find somewhere that spreads limit, and buy-in for 3-4 racks of $1s. Then while you are playing, sort out the best chips. Then whenever you are ready, leave the table and pocket all the good chips as you walk to the cage to cash out the bad chips. Easy to get over a rack this way every time depending on condition. If you have to play no limit the advice above on how to accumulate the $1 chips is perfect.

Lately though, I have been harvesting playing Craps using the "Dead Man's Hedge" play extension strategy. You can harvest 20-30 chips an hour with ease and your expected loss will be well below $5/hour. Just pocket a 3-6 chips when a seven out happens and the dealers are busy clearing the table. When a dealer shift happens pocket as many as you want. Just keep changing out $5s for $1s as you get low on $1s which is normal and will not be questioned. While not many casinos spread poker, most spread Craps, so you can get just about any chips you want that way and they will likely be in better condition than poker chips.

Blackjack works well if you can find a $1 or $3 table. You can do it at $5/$10/$15 tables by changing out $5s for $1s and betting odd amounts that will accumulate $1s. Pocket 3-6 chips when the dealer is shuffling, or as many as you want on dealer changes.

Lot's of harvesters are more aggressive and work the cage or get the dealers or other players involved, but that's never been my style. The casinos generally are not going to care unless you are grabbing fractional chips which they would to lose money on. It's pure profit for them if you harvest anything above a $1 chip. I have never been caught or questioned, and have harvested 10s of thousands of Paulsons.

 

[Spacehawk]

I have been harvesting for years and if you keep it low key, no one is ever going to notice. For poker, find somewhere that spreads limit, and buy-in for 3-4 racks of $1s. Then while you are playing, sort out the best chips. Then whenever you are ready, leave the table and pocket all the good chips as you walk to the cage to cash out the bad chips. Easy to get over a rack this way every time depending on condition. If you have to play no limit the advice above on how to accumulate the $1 chips is perfect.

Lately though, I have been harvesting playing Craps using the "Dead Man's Hedge" play extension strategy. You can harvest 20-30 chips an hour with ease and your expected loss will be well below $5/hour. Just pocket a 3-6 chips when a seven out happens and the dealers are busy clearing the table. When a dealer shift happens pocket as many as you want. Just keep changing out $5s for $1s as you get low on $1s which is normal and will not be questioned. While not many casinos spread poker, most spread Craps, so you can get just about any chips you want that way and they will likely be in better condition than poker chips.

Blackjack works well if you can find a $1 or $3 table. You can do it at $5/$10/$15 tables by changing out $5s for $1s and betting odd amounts that will accumulate $1s. Pocket 3-6 chips when the dealer is shuffling, or as many as you want on dealer changes.

Lot's of harvesters are more aggressive and work the cage or get the dealers or other players involved, but that's never been my style. The casinos generally are not going to care unless you are grabbing fractional chips which they would to lose money on. It's pure profit for them if you harvest anything above a $1 chip. I have never been caught or questioned, and have harvested 10s of thousands of Paulsons.

Thanks I am on the hunt for a rack of snappers so it will be interesting to see how long it takes

 

[Blinders]

Thanks I am on the hunt for a rack of snappers so it will be interesting to see how long it takes

This is not something I have tried, but at blackjack you could say to the dealer that "I like to tip with the $2.50 chips", and then buy $20 worth of them. You would need to run some $2.50 tips for the dealer with your hand. Then on a dealer change, pocket what you have, or just later walk with all your chips saying you are moving to a different table. Then do the same with next dealer/table. @dizzyChipper is a bit more aggressive with the harvesting and he has a great story where even the pit boss was helping him get snappers from all the open BJ tables. Legendary!

 

[rum3002576]

no issues at any of the casinos ive played at but thats only two. i get the from blackjack table and poker room

 

[Colquhoun]

I remember reading something here on PCF a while back that was brilliant.
Go to the cashier and say that you are having a wedding in the area later in the year and are planning on giving chips as party favors for a casino night party (or reception, rehearsal dinner, etc) at this casino. You’d love it if you could get 100+ of (insert denomination here), and great condition chips would be best.

 

[ekricket]

I remember reading something here on PCF a while back that was brilliant.
Go to the cashier and say that you are having a wedding in the area later in the year and are planning on giving chips as party favors for a casino night party (or reception, rehearsal dinner, etc) at this casino. You’d love it if you could get 100+ of (insert denomination here), and great condition chips would be best.

I did this several times, and specially for pink chips. I say I’m planning the bachelor party and a poker game will happen and the “pink chips” would work great. And I promise to bring them back after the wedding.

I actually harvested 500 618 pink/white fifty centers from indigo sky. They only have these to pay the ante at the table games usually. I tried to sell a few racks, nobody interested at the time (7+ yrs ago) so I kept two racks and returned three racks in gallon baggies. The cage had to call a manager as they thought I was as doing something scammy, - cashing in their chips. I told him I got them for a wedding and it was over. That was as a long time ago and chipping was way different back then.

But the two racks are in my mixed rhc set, all 1/8 spots.

 

[FreeBop59]

@xdan , @greenchip , @chipchipchip, and @Blinders :
Thank you for the advice: earlier today I played at Caesars Palace for the first time and tried harvesting chips while playing $1/$3 NLHE.

I bought in for $300 at the front desk of the poker room—I didn’t specify any mix of $1s & $5s, so the cashier gave me 3 barrels of $5s.

I noticed that the dealer tray had a couple of rows of $2s which I thought were used mainly for the drop. The dealers at my table would make change for blinds using the $2s somewhat frequently, so I posted blinds using $5s like chipchipchip suggested, kept any $2s that were in my won pots, and was able to secure a barrel of $2s by the end of my 2 hour session. After the session, I was able to sort out the dirtiest and most worn $5s and cashed out the rest like Blinders mentioned

xdan and greenchip’s advice was spot on as well: after I left the table, I was able to place 5 barrels into a cardboard CPC-style box while at an empty table and put it into my backpack. No one said anything to me, and I cashed out the remaining $42 at the front desk with no issues

 

[dizzyChipper]

@xdan , @greenchip , @chipchipchip, and @Blinders :
Thank you for the advice: earlier today I played at Caesars Palace for the first time and tried harvesting chips while playing $1/$3 NLHE.

I bought in for $300 at the front desk of the poker room—I didn’t specify any mix of $1s & $5s, so the cashier gave me 3 barrels of $5s.

I noticed that the dealer tray had a couple of rows of $2s which I thought were used mainly for the drop. The dealers at my table would make change for blinds using the $2s somewhat frequently, so I posted blinds using $5s like chipchipchip suggested, kept any $2s that were in my won pots, and was able to secure a barrel of $2s by the end of my 2 hour session. After the session, I was able to sort out the dirtiest and most worn $5s and cashed out the rest like Blinders mentioned

xdan and greenchip’s advice was spot on as well: after I left the table, I was able to place 5 barrels into a cardboard CPC-style box while at an empty table and put it into my backpack. No one said anything to me, and I cashed out the remaining $42 at the front desk with no issues

Good work. You received good advice. Apologies that my tips are coming after the fact.

Rule #1 of chip harvesting:
“Nobody cares”

Of course we on PCF do but I mean employees and other players generally won’t care what you’re doing even if they see it.

Tip #1: cargo shorts and backpack.

If you’re staying on property or know you’ll be back you can take all chips and sort in your room at session end like you did.

If not on property you can harvest good chips into cargo shorts dedicated pocket. Occasionally go to bathroom with backpack and empty shorts into rack in backpack.

Tip #2: Have color up chips in your pocket.

So in your case I’d ask for $800 and ask for $300 in green.

• Before you even sit at table you can pull the rack of red/blue/white and sit with big chips if the rack is all good.
• Throughout the session you can pull off good $5 five at a time without going south. Essentially color up with your pocket into cargo shorts.
• Because going south for a couple $1 & $2 as they come in is acceptable but $5s less so in a $1-$3. I’ll clearly show my neighbor I’m coloring up and not going south. Rule #1 applies to harvesting and not poker etiquette.

If I’m really going after it after I pick through my good chips at the table I’ll swap red stacks with a neighbor and go through those. Refer Rule #1

I do like the box and following rule #1 it’s great. This alternative is great if you have full barrels and are in a pinch.

Tip 4: The Harvesters Chipwich.

Take a full rack. Place a second rack upside down and rubber band for a chip sandwich with racks as bread:

Cages will have rubber bands. No advanced planning needed.

Upside is it looks less like you planned ahead to harvest. You can just be in a rush to leave. Say you’re back tomorrow. It’ll get you back to your room to pack better in cardboard boxes or bubble. Etc.

Downside is nobody can ethically say anything about you taking chips you bought. If someone were to care they can say “Hey. You didn’t buy the racks.” But refer rule #1.

I don’t think I’d be this brazen in general:

Hex rack on the rail to pull $2 chips. This long session didn’t start out like this but Rule #1 holds. Beyond nobody cares isn’t them caring…. It’s people helping. If you’re overt and smiling and have a good cover story and tip then employees and other players will be helpful.

Tip #4: Chips for gaming

There’s one piece of advice I don’t love that generally won’t work in my experience:
@Colquhoun said the story was party favors and that’s a good one.
@ekricket said that they were for his bachelor party poker game. He said it worked several times. I don’t doubt this one iota but it surprises me.

The only thing I avoid when harvesting is saying I’m using the chips for gaming. They’re always souvenirs, crafts, collectibles. Casinos will protect their business. If I want Wynn racks to play a private game in my hotel room instead of their poker room that’s no bueno. Saying I want to use the chips at my home game has raised eyebrows with employees. The only exception to rule #1. Players still won’t care.

Also @ekricket can I buy that Tachi $100 rack?

—Diz

 

[dizzyChipper]

I'll add that when I did this a few years ago, I played at Caesar's for 3-4 days and got three racks in great condition (two racks of reds and one rack of the blue hotstamp $1's). Ask the cashier for as many $1's as they'll give you, depending on the person and how busy they may or may not accommodate. I played 1/3 and always posted blinds with $5's and steadily grew my $1's stack folding blinds and getting change. While playing, I sorted the good condition from the bad and placed all my bets with the poor condition chips. As you win pots, sort the new ones. Then pocket the good chips and cash out the bads. Repeat until you have what you want.

See post above. Always color up good chips with pocket.

Just don't get stacked lol

This. It’ll happen and extra tilt when your good sorted chips are gone.

 

[dizzyChipper]

Ok. The story @Blinders referenced above. Mostly a copy and paste.

I’m driving for hours on the interstate and see a sign for a casino. I figure I’ll use the bathroom, which was vital ATM, harvest/gamble a bit. Get a *free* water and split.

I buy into craps and they short pay me on my buy in. I’m tired as hell and I keep counting and staring at my chips and I just can’t reconcile. Eventually croupier to my right say it’s wrong and he calls pit boss and vouches that he saw that it was wrong.

The boss, a sweet grey haired older lady, is super apologetic. I say no big deal. She says “no. I should’ve caught it. That’s my job. That’s on me.” I reiterate it’s no big deal with a smile and to demonstrate that I tip $5 immediately on my $400 buy in to the dealer that made the mistake.

I lose but get some chips. I then go to blackjack to get snappers in the same pit. I wait awhile until after the shoe ends ask for two barrels of snappers. I probably ask a pit boss and dealer at same time. The pit boss is like eh I’ll give you 20. I say “ok.” I pass over 10 red chips. She says “no I meant $20.” And I pull back 6 chips.

Pit boss I was nice to that didn’t double correctly is next to us. Walks over. Hears what I want….

She says to the other boss. “We owe this guy a favor.” or “we have to help *him* out.” I get my $20 worth and she says follow me.

She proceeds to walk the inside of the pit with me on the outside. We stop at every blackjack table. She apologizes to the players. Interrupts the shoe. And has each dealer sell me all the pinks I want.

So despite some great stories hanging out with insane whales in Vegas I’m not sure I ever felt as VIP as a pit boss interrupting an in progress blackjack shoe to sell me snappers.

 

[FreeBop59]

Good work. You received good advice. Apologies that my tips are coming after the fact.

Rule #1 of chip harvesting:
“Nobody cares”

Of course we on PCF do but I mean employees and other players generally won’t care what you’re doing even if they see it.

Tip #1: cargo shorts and backpack.

If you’re staying on property or know you’ll be back you can take all chips and sort in your room at session end like you did.

If not on property you can harvest good chips into cargo shorts dedicated pocket. Occasionally go to bathroom with backpack and empty shorts into rack in backpack.

Tip #2: Have color up chips in your pocket.

So in your case I’d ask for $800 and ask for $300 in green.

• Before you even sit at table you can pull the rack of red/blue/white and sit with big chips if the rack is all good.
• Throughout the session you can pull off good $5 five at a time without going south. Essentially color up with your pocket into cargo shorts.
• Because going south for a couple $1 & $2 as they come in is acceptable but $5s less so in a $1-$3. I’ll clearly show my neighbor I’m coloring up and not going south. Rule #1 applies to harvesting and not poker etiquette.

If I’m really going after it after I pick through my good chips at the table I’ll swap red stacks with a neighbor and go through those. Refer Rule #1

I do like the box and following rule #1 it’s great. This alternative is great if you have full barrels and are in a pinch.

Tip 4: The Harvesters Chipwich.

Take a full rack. Place a second rack upside down and rubber band for a chip sandwich with racks as bread:

View attachment 1688098

Cages will have rubber bands. No advanced planning needed.

Upside is it looks less like you planned ahead to harvest. You can just be in a rush to leave. Say you’re back tomorrow. It’ll get you back to your room to pack better in cardboard boxes or bubble. Etc.

Downside is nobody can ethically say anything about you taking chips you bought. If someone were to care they can say “Hey. You didn’t buy the racks.” But refer rule #1.

I don’t think I’d be this brazen in general:
View attachment 1688099
Hex rack on the rail to pull $2 chips. This long session didn’t start out like this but Rule #1 holds. Beyond nobody cares isn’t them caring…. It’s people helping. If you’re overt and smiling and have a good cover story and tip then employees and other players will be helpful.

Tip #4: Chips for gaming

There’s one piece of advice I don’t love that generally won’t work in my experience:
@Colquhoun said the story was party favors and that’s a good one.
@ekricket said that they were for his bachelor party poker game. He said it worked several times. I don’t doubt this one iota but it surprises me.

The only thing I avoid when harvesting is saying I’m using the chips for gaming. They’re always souvenirs, crafts, collectibles. Casinos will protect their business. If I want Wynn racks to play a private game in my hotel room instead of their poker room that’s no bueno. Saying I want to use the chips at my home game has raised eyebrows with employees. The only exception to rule #1. Players still won’t care.

Also @ekricket can I buy that Tachi $100 rack?

—Diz

Thanks for the additional insight:
Tip #2 about the color-up chips should work smoothly since the dealers I saw would issue rebuys in $25s if floor runners were unavailable for getting rebuys in $5s