Harvesting Chips for Forum Members Discussion (6 Viewers)

[WedgeRock]

Would it be profitable for me to buy 2-3 hundred $1 to play like small stake limit hold 'em or something when they are mint/near mint, and take them out the door?

Profitable? Mint Paulsons (if you could buy them) cost more than $1 each. So yes. And you can always return them at face value and lose nothing.

Would i be able to sell them for significantly more than I "bought" them for?

Significantly? Depends on how desirable they are, but I would say they'd go for $200/rack as a ballpark, sight unseen.

Is this quite frowned upon by the casinos?

Well, they probably won't mind letting you take a few... Taking 2-3 racks will be frowned upon by some, but sometimes, you hit gin with the floor people and they don't mind helping you.

Make sure you tip. Make it easy on the next guy.

 

[Chip Wanter]

Profitable? Mint Paulsons (if you could buy them) cost more than $1 each. So yes. And you can always return them at face value and lose nothing.



Significantly? Depends on how desirable they are, but I would say they'd go for $200/rack as a ballpark, sight unseen.



Well, they probably won't mind letting you take a few... Taking 2-3 racks will be frowned upon by some, but sometimes, you hit gin with the floor people and they don't mind helping you.

Make sure you tip. Make it easy on the next guy.

I appreciate the response. and duh - how did I completely forget that if there's no demand for them I can just return them to the casino!

 

[Thestrategist]

Hi everybody,

This following weekend, I will be in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay from Feb. 8-12. My question is what is the best way to farm chips? Do I just walk up to the cage and ask them for a rack of 1s? My main concern is regarding the house being suspicious that I will be removing the chips from their property etc.. Or will I not have a problem if I ask the cage for a rack of 1s or couple racks. Specifically looking for 1s and if anyone knows where they still have fractionals ($.50) and what game has fractions to sit down and possibly buy in for some that would be great.

Also, any recommendation on what casino that have desirable chips designs? Any reference including photos would be nice to compare from each house to another. I saw a member farming Excalibur on here a few months ago and those look awesome. I just am not sure how he was able to farm them.

Any additional chips I am able to retrieve, I will post on PCF so other members can have a chance at them before I return them to the house before I leave. Thank you for everyone advice.

 

[Lemonzest]

Table games or poker are the best bet for harvesting. If you have specific qs let me know.

 

[Chip Wanter]

Table games or poker are the best bet for harvesting. If you have specific qs let me know.

If you go to the chip counter and say "I'm gonna play low stakes limit poker" will they give you like 3 racks of 1s, no problem? I never play limit so I wouldn't know.

Can you just walk straight out with them or should you play a bit first?

If you leave the casino with your chips, are you allowed to keep them in the racks or should we be just dumping them into a backpack?

Thanks!

 

[Lemonzest]

If you go to the chip counter and say "I'm gonna play low stakes limit poker" will they give you like 3 racks of 1s, no problem? I never play limit so I wouldn't know.

Can you just walk straight out with them or should you play a bit first?

If you leave the casino with your chips, are you allowed to keep them in the racks or should we be just dumping them into a backpack?

Thanks!

Most poker room cages will sell you racks of 1s. Most of the main casino cages wont sell you chips. These cages are for redeeming chips for cash.

At the poker rooms I usually put chips with rack and all into my empty laptop bag.

Its trial and error and about finding someone that will help you. If one person says no ask someone else.

 

[moose]

The new Encore casino in MA is opening up nearby where I live in around 5 months. I assume they'll have new chips sent out for the opening of the casino. Would it be profitable for me to buy 2-3 hundred $1 to play like small stake limit hold 'em or something when they are mint/near mint, and take them out the door? Would i be able to sell them for significantly more than I "bought" them for? Is this quite frowned upon by the casinos?

I'll tell you where there are frowns. How about offering them up to the community at cost and being a contributor instead of seeing dollar signs dancing in your eyes?

 

[djmarc]

I would not take chip racks out of the casino. There have been instances where people have been warned and/or gotten in trouble for this depending on the casino and staff/security at the time.

 

[JTBass]

I second mooses opinion or at the very least mention what you had to tip to get said chips if it was required. Then everyone knows that people are not just marking up to line their own pockets. I highly doubt that anyone has ever tipped over 40 to get a rack of 1's.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

@Chip Wanter do what you'd like and don't feel pressured to do otherwise. If everyone sold chips for what they'd gotten them for than we'd all be paying the prices that you'll find in the Classifieds from 2014. Just remember providing them at cost or just slightly above to others will definitely give you good chip karma and more importantly put you on friendly terms with others who will return the favor.

 

[Burke]

I second mooses opinion or at the very least mention what you had to tip to get said chips if it was required. Then everyone knows that people are not just marking up to line their own pockets. I highly doubt that anyone has ever tipped over 40 to get a rack of 1's.

I'd be happy to tip $40-$50 if I could get a rack o NYNY $1s in VGC+ at $1/per

 

[Lemonzest]

I'd be happy to tip $40-$50 if I could get a rack o NYNY $1s in VGC+ at $1/per

NYNY chips were so hard to get in my experience, even harder than Paris chips. As a buyer I would be happy with 200/rack if they were in good shape.

 

[Lemonzest]

The new Encore casino in MA is opening up nearby where I live in around 5 months. I assume they'll have new chips sent out for the opening of the casino. Would it be profitable for me to buy 2-3 hundred $1 to play like small stake limit hold 'em or something when they are mint/near mint, and take them out the door? Would i be able to sell them for significantly more than I "bought" them for? Is this quite frowned upon by the casinos?

Is this something that a lot of people will be doing as the casino opens, so could i assume the market might be flooded?

Finally, when the casino opens, how long do I have before the chips take on that "casino used" feeling? Over/under like the first 2 weeks?

Thanks for the help guys!

Chips can wear on the casino floor incredibly fast. Even in 3 weeks they will no longer be mint and show signs of wear.

Resale value depends on many factors. It is common for mint chips to sell for 150-220/rack. If you plan to resell them I recommend getting them brand new and mint so there is no wear or dirt. Dirt is less of the issue but wear obviously cannot be fixed.

If you harvest 4-5 mint racks and put them on the classifieds you can probably get 200/rack plus minus.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

Chips can wear on the casino floor incredibly fast. Even in 3 weeks they will no longer be mint and show signs of wear.

Very true. For example MGM's RHC chips... after 5 months of being open it took sorting through 1800 chips to come up with 200ish near mint/excellent chips. About half of all the chips were already riddled with too many nicks to count.

It is common for mint chips to sell for 150-220/rack.

This depends partially on supply but mostly on demand.

Also just an FYI - anyone whose bought MGM's from me before and wants the Encore Wynn chips $105ish/rack (we'll have to see what they look like of course) hit me up

 

[Lemonzest]

Very true. For example MGM's RHC chips... after 5 months of being open it took sorting through 1800 chips to come up with 200ish near mint/excellent chips. About half of all the chips were already riddled with too many nicks to count.

Yep. And for that reason THC >>>RHC. Don't get me wrong RHC are still paulson which puts them in a class of their own IMO but the way they wear tilts the hell outta me.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

Yep. And for that reason THC >>>RHC. Don't get me wrong RHC are still paulson which puts them in a class of their own IMO but the way they wear tilts the hell outta me.

Yeah SO sad most / all? new casinos are titling towards RHC... wonder why, bigger profit margins for GPI and a lower cost for the casinos?

 

[Mr. Cheese]

They wear out faster so the casino has to re-order more often would be my guess

 

[Lemonzest]

Yeah SO sad most / all? new casinos are titling towards RHC... wonder why, bigger profit margins for GPI and a lower cost for the casinos?

Yeah it seems the default setting is RHC. Sad indeed.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

They wear out faster so the casino has to re-order more often would be my guess

I was thinking that but do casinos really care if their players are playing with tires or sharp chips? I can't think of anyone who'd pick one casino over another for the quality of their chips (present company excluded).

I guess the only way to know would be to be a fly on the wall while GPI is pitching their chips. Would pay good money to know what they're selling RHCs over THCs on.

 

[Lemonzest]

I was thinking that but do casinos really care if their players are playing with tires or sharp chips? I can't think of anyone who'd pick one casino over another for the quality of their chips (present company excluded).

I guess the only way to know would be to be a fly on the wall while GPI is pitching their chips. Would pay good money to know what they're selling RHCs over THCs on.

Image is very high priority for casinos. Just think of the Vegas strip, you have a bunch of casinos all offering essentially the same games. Casinos spend millions upon millions on upgrades and features to set them apart from the guys next door.

As a sales person it would be pretty easy to walk in the door show them some of their beat up and dirty chips and suggest they place an order for some new chips.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

Image is very high priority for casinos. Just think of the Vegas strip, you have a bunch of casinos all offering essentially the same games. Casinos spend millions upon millions on upgrades and features to set them apart from the guys next door.

As a sales person it would be pretty easy to walk in the door show them some of their beat up and dirty chips and suggest they place an order for some new chips.

That's a good point but I'd think the level of competition drops off a cliff outside of LV and the strip which is why most/all? of the live THCs are from LV. I'd have to think there's also hundreds of upgrades costing millions of dollars that the average players (their cash cows) prefer over the condition of the chips.

Edit: I wish more players were like us

 

[allforcharity]

Image is very high priority for casinos. Just think of the Vegas strip, you have a bunch of casinos all offering essentially the same games. Casinos spend millions upon millions on upgrades and features to set them apart from the guys next door.

This is probably why almost all of the big casinos use their own House mold.

 

[joker80]

This is probably why almost all of the big casinos use their own House mold.

I would think it is probably more for security than image.

 

[allforcharity]

I would think it is probably more for security than image.

It's for both

 

[Quicksilver-75]

I'll tell you where there are frowns. How about offering them up to the community at cost and being a contributor instead of seeing dollar signs dancing in your eyes?

Posts like this make me sigh...the almighty folks on high who continually piss on others for bringing goods to the market that otherwise wouldn't be available. So what if he asks $200 for his work. If he sells them he sells them. Everyday I see members here posting those ugly assed boat chips for $4+ per chip and that's ok. It must be because you don't say shit about that...
I just don't get it. If harvesting chips for free is what makes you happy, good on you. Step off your podium and move on...

 

[pokerpig]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this out. I'm going on a carnival cruise on Saturday on the splendor. If someone needs or wants chips from there just shoot me message. I don't know what chips they have or condition but you never know what we chippers have and like. Anyway, just throwing it out there...

 

[Tommy]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this out.

Its in the right place now.

 

[18xx Board Gamer]

... I'm going on a carnival cruise on Saturday on the splendor. If someone needs or wants chips from there just shoot me message. I don't know what chips they have or condition but you never know what we chippers have and like. Anyway, just throwing it out there...

I'm a sucka for sample sets.

EDIT: max $25 chip, though

 

[MaxB]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this out. I'm going on a carnival cruise on Saturday on the splendor. If someone needs or wants chips from there just shoot me message. I don't know what chips they have or condition but you never know what we chippers have and like. Anyway, just throwing it out there...

 

[MD Mike]

Yep. And for that reason THC >>>RHC. Don't get me wrong RHC are still paulson which puts them in a class of their own IMO but the way they wear tilts the hell outta me.

My conspiracy theory brain says RHC was designed to wear faster so the casino has to buy more often.