Chip colors

During the pandemic, I've watched a lot of poker vlogs.

I recently noticed that some casinos, particularly those in California, use chip colors that are non-standard. At least, non-standard to me.

I've been to a lot of East Coast and Las Vegas casinos. All I've ever seen are Black $100, Green $25, Red $5, and White $1, although in Vegas I've also seen Light Blue and Grey for $1.

But the vlogs from the California card rooms use colors that forces me to try to evaluate the action and commentary to figure out the values. Sometimes there's a shot of the player's stack, usually towards the end when they rack up to head to the cage.

So I gotta ask, what colors do you consider standard?

Here's a couple screen shots.

Commerce Casino. White $100, Purple $25, Yellow $5.


Lucky Chances. White $100, Black $20 ($20?), Red $5.

That's non-standard and confusing, unless you only go to standard casinos and never set foot in the non-standard casinos, or vice versa.

Why do they have to be "standard"?

Quote: AlanMendelson

Why do they have to be "standard"?

They don't.

It just strikes me as odd that they're not - particularly since ALL of the casinos I've visited tend to use the same colors for the $5, $25, and $100 chips, and most use the same for the $1 chips too. And there also seems to be standardization of colors used for the higher value chips too.

For the record, this includes casinos in NJ, NY, CT, FL, NV, IN, NC, Bahamas, day cruises out of FL, SC, and extended cruises out of NJ and FL.

All of the casino poker tournaments I've played at use non-vale tourney chips that are similar colors to their regular chips.

Quote: ChumpChange

That's non-standard and confusing, unless you only go to standard casinos and never set foot in the non-standard casinos, or vice versa.

Confusing? Only briefly.

Note: many years ago, I regularly played poker in multiple leagues which use chips that have no numbers on them, and there was no standardization among the leagues. It was very little effort to remember the colors and values of the multiple leagues.

El Cortez used to have a chocolate $25 chip that blended in well with some casino's $100 ones.
Other than $1 and $2.50 chips, I don't think I've seen anything but red, green, and black. I don't recall handling any bigger chips.

One thing you might not be aware of is that the California casinos frequently change their chip designs -- and demonetize their old chips -- to counter thefts and counterfeiting.

Having different colors for denominations could be part of their plan.

If I were running a casino, I would make my chips as extravagant as I could and do all in my power to get my customers to take them home with them.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

I've been to a lot of East Coast and Las Vegas casinos. All I've ever seen are Black $100, Green $25, Red $5, and White $1, although in Vegas I've also seen Light Blue and Grey for $1.

But the vlogs from the California card rooms use colors that forces me to try to evaluate the action and commentary to figure out the values. Sometimes there's a shot of the player's stack, usually towards the end when they rack up to head to the cage.

So I gotta ask, what colors do you consider standard?

I go with the "obvious ones" - red 5, green 25, black 100, purple 500.

In addition to white and blue for $1, the one time I saw a Rampart $1 chip, I think it was something like tan.

The only time I've seen confusion was The Riverside in Laughlin. They had a greyish $2.50 that they used in blackjack. I know several people who witnessed a $5 BJ get a red chip and the grey one and mistake it for a 6-5 game.

Quote: billryan

If I were running a casino, I would make my chips as extravagant as I could and do all in my power to get my customers to take them home with them.

... except for the denominations where the value exceeds the cost of the chip. Those are plain and boring.

Edit: cost of the chip exceeds the value.
I knew what I meant to say.