Can you share me how it works? I sometimes ask dealers to sell, doesn’t always work. Most casinos don’t have poker so cage won’t sell ever.
Usually I have to go thru barrel or small stacks when I buy in, then keep the nicest ones then leave
Believe it or not, my neighbor Jeff (who doesn’t even collect chips) has helped me snag over 3,000 chips—and he’s never placed a single bet to get them. There are really two main ways to do it, based on what we've learned.
1. The Direct Ask
When you’re buying in, just ask the dealer or cage staff for a specific denomination. If they ask why, I usually go with something like:
"Honestly, I’m superstitious. If I only have a small stack of $5s, I bet too fast and go broke. I like using more $1s to slow down and enjoy the game."
That works 90% of the time. Just be polite, casual, and confident.
2. The Smooth Talk
This one takes some charm. Jeff only plays poker, which makes it hard to get chips like snappers or $3s. So, his move (which I’ve also used) is to chat with the floor manager or whoever’s watching the cage (if they have one). Make small talk first, then ease into the chip ask with a decent excuse. A few that have worked:
“My kids are in the hotel room bouncing off the walls. I wanted to bring some chips up to play a little game with them. I’d really appreciate the help.”
“I have a friend who loves chips but can’t travel. I was hoping to take a few back to show him.”
I've walked out with multiple racks using those lines. As in, two or more.
Some people wonder why I share this stuff, and the truth is—there’s no secret sauce. You just need a little creativity. You don’t have to sit at the tables and lose money. I’ve harvested all kinds of chips this way—including the Agua Caliente $1s that people were grinding out one barrel at a time. You just have to ask the right way.
