Unless you’re competing in the World Series of Poker or preparing yourself to be the next James Bond, you probably haven’t given poker chips a lot of thought lately. Used as currency in games like Texas Hold ‘Em – and available as large, rectangular gaming plaques to high rollers – poker chips might seem, to use an appropriately monetary-themed idiom, a dime a dozen.
But maybe you should give poker chips a second thought. Why? Because custom poker chips are surprisingly versatile, and can be used in ways that go beyond the green baize and gaming mats. Find the right idea (and the right poker chip set from Zazzle), and they can make a memorable, cost-effective option for promoting a business, celebrating an event, or even making new friends.
Ready to go all-in? Here’s the deal on other things to do with poker chips…
Business Cards
As long as you haven’t spent all of your capital in an online tournament, a poker chip business card will stand out from the crowd of basic paper options. You only need to include your most important contact information – perhaps even a headshot or QR code – and then you can send them out to your top prospects. Match the design to the type of industry you’re in, and whether you want to appear distinguished and exclusive or fun and casual.
Crafting Material
Because of their handy shape and colorful designs, poker chips can quite easily be adapted into art and décor projects. Repurpose old or unused chips into classy holiday ornaments, unique jewelry items, or decorative picture frames. For those looking to transform their man cave into Caesar’s Palace, then poker chip craft will be how you double-down on that casino theme.
Promo Items
If you’ve ever wondered whether the poker chip values inscribed on each disc could serve any other function, well, wonder no more! Advertise a discount percentage or promo code on personalized poker chips, and allow customers to ‘cash’ them in at the register or upon checkout. – Poker chips are more practical and environmentally friendly than paper coupons, too, as they can be handed out again and again when they’re redeemed.
Membership Cards
While we do sell paper membership and loyalty cards on Zazzle, even our high-quality card stock can’t compete with the old-school appeal of a branded poker chip. If your clients or customers need proof of identification or of their membership level, a custom poker chip is a cool alternative to laminated paper cards that will stand up to the wear and tear of regular use.
Morale Boosters
Want to foster team spirit, camaraderie, and friendly competition among your staff? Challenge coins have a long, storied history that takes in the Roman Empire, the Renaissance, and the modern-day military, and are generally used to prove membership or reward service. In your organization, you could present each team member with a challenge coin – made from a personalized poker chip – to instill a feeling of ‘belonging,’ or to acknowledge their entry into a company-wide game or contest.
Magic Tricks
Behold, as we now make your preconceptions about poker chip uses disappear! In keeping with the playing card and party night theme, you can also employ your casino chip set to perform some sleight-of-hand tricks. Check out the YouTube video below – though there are hundreds overall – to learn several stylish poker chip tricks, including the ‘Chip Roll,’ ‘Chip Slinky,’ and the ‘Up and Over’!
Scene Setters
While we’ve already discussed how poker chips can help you achieve a particular ambience in your living room or home bar, they can also make your display booth at a conference or trade show more engaging. Decorate your exhibition with poker chips as tabletop confetti, and be sure to slip one of your poker chip-business cards, as described earlier, into attendees’ goody bags.
Unique Invitations
Whether you’re planning a black-tie wedding or putting together a high-stakes birthday party, a custom poker chip is a great way to get your guests excited or let them know the date. Indeed, a casino-themed birthday party was among those we recently suggested in our “21st Exceptional 21st Birthday Party Ideas” article, so if you’d like to celebrate your newfound freedom to gamble legally, then a poker chip invitation will encourage everyone to suit up.
Big Announcements
Poker chips already generate a lot of excitement: whether you’re shoving them to the center of the table or drawing them – like your cards – close to your chest, the most climactic moments in poker usually involve big piles of chips and plaques changing hands. Summon some of that same drama and excitement, then, by using a personalized poker chip to announce a birth, pregnancy, graduation, or wedding!
Party Souvenirs
Not every wedding or party favor has to be handed out on the day of the event; some can be saved to recall the magic at a later date. For example, you could take a group photo and print it on a poker chip. Send it out after the party or wedding (you can enclose it with your thank you cards) to create a winning souvenir your guests can carry with them for years.
Golf Ball Spotters
It’s easy to lose your place on a golfing green, and nobody wants to be left scrambling in the bunker while their friends continue to play through. Golf ball spotters are small, easily identifiable objects that mark the position of the ball while you’re attending to other tasks, and because poker chips are “small” and “easily identifiable,” they’re a perfect replacement for the standard flat discs typically used as golf ball markers.
Prized Objects
Personalized poker chips are just the right size for hiding and can stand up to the elements, which makes them suitable to use in scavenger hunts, for geocaching, or to mark the trail on an especially challenging hike. Whether you’re sending kids on an orienteering adventure or planning a bachelorette party treasure hunt, a set of customizable poker chips makes excellent loot for your explorers.
Signs of Encouragement
Print your personal motto or the advice you can’t give often enough, and hand it out when friends come to you for advice. Just feeling it in their pocket can be a powerful reminder of what they want to do! You could even dispense some well-worn poker tips via your one-of-a-kind chips, urging your compatriots to fold when they’re ahead and raise the stakes when they’re bluffing…
Table Décor
Poker chip confetti isn’t just for conferences or networking events; you can use it on gift or cake tables at weddings, baby showers, or other parties. This idea is particularly viable if you combine your casino-themed confetti with other clubhouse décor, such as posters, signs, and party supplies. Just remember to check with the bride or mother-to-be, and confirm that they don’t mind their venue being converted into a gambling den!
Other Card or Board Games!
Obviously, poker is the main game you expect to play with poker chips; however, they can actually be utilized in any game that requires tokens to be traded among players. Furthermore, any board game that requires players’ positions to be marked – such as Ludo or Monopoly – can also make use of poker chips. Nobody likes playing a game when they don’t have all the pieces, so replace the ones that have gone astray with a poker chip stand-in. You can even swap battered game money for poker chips, too.
By now, you’ve probably realized that the humble poker chip has a variety of uses, whether you’re demonstrating parlor tricks, organizing scavenger hunts, decorating tables, or playing every other conceivable game besides poker. If you still want to host the ultimate poker tournament, then take a look at our “How to Plan the Perfect Poker Night Party” article on Zazzle Ideas; otherwise, let us know in the comments below whether we’ve hit the jackpot with our suggestions!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.
I read your post. Thanks for telling most of the people about the unique ways to use the poker chips through this blog.