Why Do We Use Poker Chips?

It does not seem logical to be spending all this money on poker chips. Why not just put up the cash and use the real thing? What is the real point of investing in these little poker chips?

These questions have run through the mind of everyone who’s ever considered dropping a small fortune on a professional poker chip set. The answers lie in a combination of convenience and psychology.

In the old days it was simply so much easier to have a token instead of carrying a lot of cash to each game. Of course it was not very safe to have all that hard cash on the table. So people started using all sorts of things as symbols of the money. Finally they decided to use chips of ivory and gold.

Once the chips became an established part of poker games the casinos started picking up on an amazing fact. Their customers were better higher and more frequently. This prompted them to do some digging for the truth.

Because chips only symbolized money, this idea enabled gamblers to detach themselves from their cash. This meant they felt safer betting.

It makes sense when you think about it. It’s pretty easy to casually toss a little chip into a pot that represents a hundred dollars. It’s not quite that easy to pull out your wallet and have Benjamin Franklin stare you in the face as you place him in the pot.

Researchers feel that these findings make for higher bets with online games. Firstly the poker chips are just a token and not real hard cash. Secondly when playing online the chips cannot even be handled. This results in even less association with real money and much higher betting. Needless to say players lose a lot of money.

So now the secret is out. The use of chips results in action! When people bid low and are conservative poker games are no fun. Nobody wants to play with tightwads. These little chips make the poker game more exciting as people can forget they are gambling.