Carrying Chips and Chip Inventories

[NotEnoughHeat]

I have, at a few times kept a very small chip 'inventory' for my local stories. Nothing more than 5 chips really.

Since I am not keen on keeping large denomination chips swimming around in my pocket with my keys, phone and etc., I keep a few chips in a small coin purse.

To digress, when going from table to table I sometimes put chips in my front pocket and on two or three occasions I have dropped blacks on the floor when pulling out my new phone (I mention new because I've never had this issue with my old smaller phone). I imagine it's the edge from case on my new phone that's doing this.

Anyways, lately I have occasionally been trying to browse the internet for a nice case or other accessory for carry chips on my person. My current coin purse works fine, but I have been curious whether there were cases specifically for carrying a small number of chips. My internet searches have turned up almost nothing unless I don't mind putting a 5-row acrylic chip rack in my pocket.

To my questions of this post. How does everyone here generally carry chips on their person? I'd enjoy hearing any creative or novel ideas along with the more mundane and expected responses.

My second, somewhat unrelated question: how do the good people of this forum maintain their chip inventories. This is intentionally an open question. I am personally in a special situation where exchanging high denomination chips is not much of an issue. Nevertheless, I would like to hear what others do. How often do you cash you chips? What kind of chip balance do you like to maintain? Which denominations? How do you physically store them (grocery bag, personal racks, gluing to walls, whatever)? Any answer to any facet of chip inventories or chip handling in general are welcome.

I look forward to reading what everyone has to say.

[Masterhoudini]

Many carry murses, or messenger bags small or large. They can be as fancy or low key as you wish- Hugo boss, Walmart, black leather or hello kitty print. At home it is best to have a chip rack(s) and a small safe or locked cabinet etc.

As for creative responses, I'm sure you could stuff a couple oranges in a g string for added "emphasis"

[mcallister3200]

You could be that AP, and we have all seen one, with a fanny pack cargo shorts snd vest with many pockets at the same time.

[Ryemo]

I keep a chip inventory for all the local casinos in my rotation. I generally have $2K to $3K per store (sometimes more or less) and I mostly hoard green chips. I do have some blacks and reds too. With my blacks, I have them exchanged to green BEFORE I start playing at the BJ tables.

As far as transportation goes; I carry them in my pokets. During the warmer months, I wear cargo shorts. During the colder months, I carry them in my pants and jacket pockets. It does get uncomfortable carrying $2K in green chips in your pockets when you walk into a store, so wear something comfortable.

As for storage; I keep them in quart or gallon sized zip lock bags (separated by casino) and store them in a secure location. Each bag has a note card inside to help keep track of the total chip amounts per bag. Keeping track of this info helps when you're trying to quickly count all your chips as a whole or to help verify the amount won/loss after a specific session. Keeping track of sessions wins can be trickier when you walk into a casino with both cash and chips. You can make it easier on yourself by keeping up to date totals of your chip inventory, walking into a casino with an even dollar amount of chips and cash (easy to remember), etc.

[Zach Black]

I use snack size zip lock bags for each local casino and normally keep $400 to $600 in green. I exchange black/purple/red and excess green either at the beginning or end of a session. I also keep a card in the bag with totals. My cash is all in 2k clips so additional buy-ins are easy to track. The chips go into my front pocket in the car. Car keys and money clips in other pockets.

The chip inventory allows one to make few larger bets without the pit being called over to observe a purchase of chips during a high count. I've had unwanted attention when I lost my entire chip inventory and the dealer had no where to put the chips because of a full tray. If the tray is full, I now buy chips.

[Freightman]

I use cargo shorts and pants, which do tend to be a giveaway. I also purposely buy shirts with double front buttoned pockets, which do not tend to be a giveaway.

[KronikBuddha]

When in the casinos, I just carry chips in my pockets. But when I'm traveling to/from the casinos or at home, I keep chips in some prescription pill bottles I have that are just slightly larger in diameter than a chip.

[Bigdaddy]

One time I had my chips (blacks and greens and a purple or two) in my pants pocket along with my wallet. When I went for my wallet, a few chips sprang out and I had to chase them all over the casino floor. I think my heart stopped. I was lucky to find them all. Thus my new policy is to always carry in a front pants pocket with nothing else in the pocket.

At home I keep a base inventory of chips ($1 - $2k) for my local store. So I only visit the cashier when I have excess chips to cash out. This also makes for an easy buy-in and a more secure exit from the casino. I color up and I'm out of there in a minute...

As for home hiding places - I have a spot that's easy to access but no robber would find if they owned the place for 3 hours. Hey KronikBuddha - I'd rethink the pill bottle idea. If you get burglarized, prescription drugs are on top on the list of things they'll look for. It's right up there with the gun in the shoe in the bedroom..

[Three]

I thought Gretel was leaving a trail of black chips so I could find her. I assumed the poppies started consuming the black chips when I didn't find her. Now I find out it was just you losing chips. LoL

I use the many many pocket approach. I look for garments that have many secure closing pockets (zippers and buttons or even velcro). Also fanny packs work great. I also carry secure closing pouches in the secure closing pockets for extremely high value stashes. You can't be too careful.

[KronikBuddha]

As for home hiding places - I have a spot that's easy to access but no robber would find if they owned the place for 3 hours. Hey KronikBuddha - I'd rethink the pill bottle idea. If you get burglarized, prescription drugs are on top on the list of things they'll look for. It's right up there with the gun in the shoe in the bedroom..

I just use the bottles because they are a handy size for holding chips, but I don't leave them in the medicine cabinet with the real prescription bottles. I keep them hidden in a safe place along with my extra cash I keep on hand.

[NotEnoughHeat]

Out of all the threads I have started, I'm pleased to call this one of my successes. I do find the responses amusing. Here are two of my reactions

As far as transportation goes; I carry them in my pokets. During the warmer months, I wear cargo shorts. During the colder months, I carry them in my pants and jacket pockets. It does get uncomfortable carrying $2K in green chips in your pockets when you walk into a store, so wear something comfortable.

Wow, 2k in greens?! That's four full stacks. I don't think I've ever even had more than 30 chips in my immediate possession away from the poker table let alone walking around with 80 chips in my pocket

I've had unwanted attention when I lost my entire chip inventory and the dealer had no where to put the chips because of a full tray. If the tray is full, I now buy chips.

I will try to remember this lesson if I ever keep a large chip inventory. I guess I'll try to imagine what the tray would look like if I dumped everything to the house.

[NotEnoughHeat]

For what I do with chips when I arrive, I have denominations higher than what I play with but keep at that color for convenience so I color down at the baccarat or any other table which normally have my color then play with my lower denom chips.

I'd imagine for most people, they would avoid the scrutiny that comes with large chips period.

What is the largest color most of you keep in your inventory? I imagine the lowest being green. Black may or may not be serialed/RFID'd depending on how sweaty the store is. Purples and up, I'd be interested to hear how you manage the heat that comes with just flashing that chip to begin with.