Hitting the tables in Las Vegas isn’t as popular as it used to be. The downturn in gambling over the past 30 years or so has led to fewer gamblers. This has, in turn, led to even fewer people that know the lingo thrown around the casino by people who have been gambling in a casino since they turned 21.
I’ve been gambling since grade school and learned my way around the casino the week of my 21st birthday. Not everyone is like me, though. Not everyone gambles (GASP!). Since moving to Las Vegas I’ve met a good number of people who visit casinos frequently and have never gambled. They’ve never rolled the bones, looked at a card or even put money into a machine (GASP again!). Different strokes for different folks.
There was a time where everyone in a casino could identify the kind of player someone was at the tables simply by the color of the chips they played. Every week I meet more people that visit casinos who don’t know the difference between a red chipper, green chipper or black chipper. There are more people than ever who don’t know what the individual chip colors are or mean.
In an effort to educate our non-gambling friends here’s a look at the chips you’ll find at most tables in a casino. I’ll explain how much they’re worth and how most people use them.
- $1 – White or Blue Chips – Fun fact: $1 chips used to be coins and often called “bullets.” Today these chips are usually white but are offered in a variety of colors since white chips get dirty quickly. These are mostly used to tip cocktail waitresses, place appropriate odds in craps or for side bets.
- $5 – Red Chips – These chips are used mostly for table games with minimum wagers below $25. Red chips are sometimes used as a tip for people playing $25 or more per hand. Pro boozing tip: If you’re normally a $1 per drink tipper, use a red chip on the first round to get faster service from the cocktail waitress. This person is often known as a red chipper.
- $25 – Green Chips – You’ll usually see these in play for hands $25 – $200. When the hand is above $200 (8 green chips) you’ll often see $100 chips played instead. This person is often known as green chipper regardless of the amount per wager.
- $100 – Black Chips – Most people in the casino will see a person playing black chips as a high roller. They’re often known as a black chipper. These chips are played similar to green chips.
- $500 – Purple Chips – The goal for most gamblers who play lower denominations is to win so much that they have to cash in their red, green and black chips for a purple (or purplish) chip.
- $1,000 – Orange or Yellow Chips – So pretty. Most gamblers dream of the day they’re paid with this chip. I’ve cashed out with this chip a few times. Multiple purples are more fun to cash out.
You should note that in addition to these chips that roulette tables use their own chip/chip colors for each player. Poker rooms may also use different chips. The information above is good for most table games in the casino.
Photo (not real casino chips, but close enough): ebay
