Best Gifts For Gamblers

Do you have a gambler in your life that’s hard to shop for?

Dear Twitpic Community - thank you for all the wonderful photos you have taken over the years. We have now placed Twitpic in an archived state. A gambling gift card works like physical gift cards. Typically, you buy this card and give it to someone you love, and then that person can use it to buy chips to play. Online, the card is electronic. Individuals can.

If you’re like me, you definitely have people in your life who like to spend an evening and a few hundred dollars at the casino. Fortunately, the one thing we know about gamblers is that they like to play casino games, which opens up a whole world of Christmas gifts you can give.

Of course, the world has provided a number of crazy, cool, and fun gifts that are all gambling-themed and will help your friends hone their craft more often and/or better.

Still, it can be hard to narrow down gifts to just a few selections. Fortunately, I gamble, and I love to get presents as often as possible. Therefore, I have found 10 presents that gamblers would love to receive for Christmas within various budgets.

I promise you that somewhere on this list is a gift that your favorite gambler would love to find in their stocking this Christmas.

A Note About Price

This post includes prices for the items. They are current as of the time of this writing, though price on the internet is a fluid thing. Especially when the gifts are handmade (like Etsy) or sold via a third party (some Amazon gifts), there will be fluctuations in cost.

Even better, you may be able to beat the prices I listed if a third party is selling the same item. With that said, I tried to choose the lowest price if I saw the same item for sale twice.

Personalized Dice ($5+ on Etsy)

For the craps player in all of us, I present personalized dice.

Sure, a given six-sided die doesn’t feature a lot of room for personalization (and usually, you can only personalize one of the die’s six faces.) Still, for about $10 with shipping, you can get a personalized set of dice and let your gambler know how you really feel.

Perhaps you can have one die say “love” and the other “you” or even better, have one read “you” and the other “suck.” The sky’s the limit on what you put on the dice, and the price is very reasonable!

Electronic Slot Machines ($10+ on Amazon)

Small, handheld, cheaply made electronic slot machines are good for white elephant gifts and stocking stuffers for those friends that enjoy playing slot machines games. They’re not the most elegant of gifts and haven’t really improved in quality since the 1980s.

With that said, don’t discount them as the cherry on top of the gambler’s cake or a quick gift for someone. The fact of the matter is, as silly as it seems, these electronic machines have a certain addiction factor that even the most ardent slot machine purist can’t resist.

Even better, if you need to pick something up in an emergency situation, you can find these at any Wal-Mart or Target for about the same price. They’re in the toy section with the card games.

Funny Gifts ($15+ on Amazon)

A brief tour of Amazon revealed a number of funny gambling-related gifts that run the gamut from laugh-out-loud funny to dad-joke funny, but any of them make a good gift for the gambler in your life.

A quick Amazon search for gambling gifts will turn up a number of options, but my personal favorite was the slot machine toilet paper (though I can already see my teenaged child turning this into a game…), the t-shirt that read “I’m probably bluffing,” and the slot machine granny salt and pepper shakers.

Your mileage will vary on the best gift for your audience, but you should know there are a number of gambling-related items that are pretty funny. I would avoid the “I’d hit that” t-shirts, though. They’re likely never in good taste.

Roulette Shots Drinking Game ($18+ on Amazon)

A fun blend of table gamers two favorite things, roulette and drinking.

This item is basically a serving tray for different shots with a “roulette” wheel in the middle.

Wherever the ball lands, that is the shot you’d take. Simple and easy!

It’s also a simple little gift for the right person that lets them have fun at their next casino night and shows you honor their love of gaming.

Vegas Sign ($28+ on Amazon)

Even if your favorite gambler only goes to the local casino or Atlantic City, deep down, everyone who enjoys gambling in Las Vegas has a soft spot in their heart the city. To commemorate that soft spot, Amazon has ridiculously well-priced LED and metal signs that say Las Vegas.

It’s not quite the same as bringing the neon glamor of Vegas to your corner of the world, but it’s not too far, either.

Plus, it’s a nice decoration for an office or poker room.

Personalized Poker Chips ($30+ on Oriental Trading Company)

I had seen personalized poker sets where the case or the cards are personalized to the user. Recently, technology has made personalizing poker chips a lot more affordable, too.

Now, for a surprisingly cheap amount, you can put a picture and two lines of text on a set of a hundred poker chips (in varying denominations). That should be enough for most people to host a poker night and make everyone else look at your favorite gambler’s face.

Roulette Wheel With Accessories ($38+ on Amazon)

Sometimes, a roulette shot glass wheel just isn’t enough. In this case, you want to give your favorite gambler their own roulette wheel.

This can be somewhat of a dangerous gift, though. There are lots of cheaply made roulette wheels that will get unbalanced or break after a few spins. That’s why if you want to get a serious gift, I don’t recommend spending less than $35.

You can spend a lot more than that, too, but the $38 price tag seemed solid and came with the felt and other accessories that your gambler needs to host casino night at their house.

Daniel Negreanu’s MasterClass ($99 on MasterClass)

This gift only works if your gambler has an interest in playing poker, but if they do, what better gift could there be than one-on-one instruction from a pro?

Daniel Negreanu’s MasterClass on poker is a comprehensive lesson on how to do better at Texas Holdem and is one of the best poker resources out there. Even if your gambler is a poker pro, Daniel Negreanu can still teach them something.

Just make sure that your gambler has a good internet connection, as that is definitely required for this gift.

Also, if you’re worried about giving a MasterClass, they have easy options on their site to buy a class for other people.

Hotel Gift Certificates (Varies)

If you know that your favorite gambler likes to go to Vegas, fly off to Atlantic City, or spend the night at the local casino, why not get them a gift certificate? You don’t need to get a certificate that will cover their entire trip or even a night’s stay.

Every little bit helps get that gambler to the casino and even if you gave them a $10 certificate, that’s $10 more they can spend at the table.

Used Slot Machine (Varies)

This is the high-ticket item that you’re only going to give someone that’s really high up on your Christmas list. A used slot machine (that was once in a casino) is going to set you back about $400, plus shipping. However, if you have the funds, this is a great addition to your game room.

NOTE:

To get one, you can actually look on Amazon to see if any casinos have parted with slot machines from their casino. You can also do a Google search to find one.

Once you’ve found the used slot machine, it’s just a matter of paying, arranging to get the slot machine in your house, then figuring out how to get it wrapped.

Seriously, those things are huge!

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of gifts out there that you can give your favorite gambler to suit any price range. All you need to do is figure out how much you want to spend on that person and consult the chart above.

If you’re not looking to spend a lot of money, look for those electronic slot machines or personalized dice. If you don’t mind splashing the cash, gift certificates to a hotel chain or that slot machine that was once in a real casino are both exceptionally good gifts.

Of course, you know your gambler better than I, so have fun with it. Get creative, but rest assured that gamblers will really love something you get them from this list.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Holidays, birthdays and special occasions have often brought an unnecessary stress on me. I place so much pressure on myself to offer my gift recipients a gift that shows thoughtfulness and as importantly is useful.

Best Gifts For Gamblers Couples

I am sure we have all had gifters remorse before. You buy a gift spur of the moment for a special person in your life and when the moment to bestow comes it hits you that an error has been made. Often these feelings are totally irrational, and the gift is warmly received.

Putting the extra thought into a gift certainly can make it even more special to the one receiving the gift. I’m reminded of Walter White in Breaking Bad. Walt is invited to the posh birthday party of his former business partner. While Walt sees his friend opening new guitars and other pretty high-ticket items, he becomes resistant, slightly embarrassed to have his gift opened before the other guests.

When the gift is opened it reveals a simple pack of ramen noodles, not exactly a new Fender. However, his friend is blown away and nearly drawn to tears. The birthday boy is sent back to a time when the mansion he calls home today was but only a distant dream and 2 broke friends would survive on a $0.33 meal while working insane hours.

If you have a special person in your life that is a casino gambler, I’m here to help. Hopefully, these 7 gifts for the casino gambler in your life can remove some of the stress of gift giving.

1 – Lucky Charms

Who doesn’t love a nice bowl of cereal to start the day?

Kidding, unless your casino gambler is also a big fan of marshmallows for breakfast.

Any gambler could use a little bit of extra luck regardless of their chosen game. Even the professionals wouldn’t dream of hitting the tables without their favorite charm.

There are a plethora of options available for you to select. There are staples in the luck game like the horseshoe, 4 leaf clover and rabbit’s foot (though this one may be archaic). All of which have been thought to bring luck to the bearer for centuries.

Then there are the outside the box lucky charms. Really, this could be anything that has a sentimental value to the owner. When my daughter was born, I gave my wife a small stone flat on both sides engraved with a special saying. Not long ago I was asked to retrieve something from my wife’s purse and found the stone in a pocket. That was a $4 investment that she still carries with her every day.

So, while I don’t have a special formula for what route to go. I can assure you that the casino gambler in your life could use a little luck Like they say, “I’d rather be lucky than good”.

2 – Home Team

Texas Hold ‘Em has soared in popularity the last 2 decades. ESPN airs the World Series of Poker every year and the multi day event is must watch TV for the casino gambler.
It isn’t always feasible to make it to your favorite casino for a game. Unless you’re a professional gambler or live near a casino it’s likely only a few times a year.

So, why not give the poker player in your life the gift of year-round poker games. You can purchase complete poker sets with cards and all the chips you could need from any big box retailer and it won’t break the bank.

Some manufacturers offer custom poker chips that can be embossed with a name or even printed with an image,

Although if you really want to make an impression, UK game maker Geoffrey Parker can set you up for a smooth $7.5 million

3 – Gamble Boxes

This is a pretty ingenious concept. How many times have we had a good night at the tables or hit a small jackpot on slots and gone to bed with “house money” only to give it right back the following day?

Gamble Boxes to the Rescue

These small personal safes are as simple to use as they are in concept. Simply leave the key at home, take the gamble box to the casino with you and when the gambling day has come to an end, deposit your winnings in the box.

The box won’t be able to be opened until you get home to the key. So, that $200 you won playing real money blackjack is sure to make it home with you.

These typically come as a cash box the casinos themselves use and are very basic in appearance. So, I encourage you to bust out the paint or sharpies and unleash your creativity by personalizing the gift.

Best Gifts For Gamblers Boys

4 – Trippin’

I would not be disappointed if my sister endowed me with a trip to Vegas for my birthday. I can’t think of a single casino gambler in my life that wouldn’t jump at a free trip to a casino.

One wonderful benefit of giving this gift is that the gambler in your life won’t be making this trip alone. That’s right, pack your bags and go enjoy the gift of giving.

Obviously, this is a somewhat pricey option. I do want to point out that it is approximately $7,498,000 cheaper than a nice poker set. So, why not splurge?

5 – Take a Look, It’s in a Book

Depending on the game preferences of the casino gambler in your life there are hundreds of books that are sure to pique interest.
While for slots players there aren’t really strategy guides a book on the history of slots could be a great read. Maybe a coffee table book with pictures of the most unique and beautifully designed slot machines is the gift for the win.

The table game players have nearly endless options on the subject. You are certain to find something for even the most discerning gambler. You may choose a book on the history of baccarat, your casino gambler’s favorite poker player or strategies of blackjack.

These are only a few options available to you. Retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble are stocked to the gills with wonderful books on any casino gambling topic that strikes a fancy in any gambler.

6 – Casino Gift Cards

Casino gift cards make a wonderful surprise for any casino gambler. These wonderful and easy to use little cards may be used for anything from a relaxing spa experience complete with massage to a round of golf with friends.

While these may seem impersonal at first look. There is really nothing that will be more universally appreciated by all casino gamblers.

If you are wondering what casino to buy a gift card from, I suggest asking the gambler in your life. Personally, if I’m staying at Aria in Las Vegas, I rather not make a trip down the strip just to burn a gift card.

7 – Slot Machine

I was completely surprised at the affordability of owning your very own slot machine. As with other options on this list, when it comes to slots there are a ton of options.

For budget conscious gift givers there is an abundance of scaled down, largely plastic versions of slots complete with lights and sound. Amazon has what appear to be decent options starting under $30.

Now, if the casino gambler in your life has more of a purist taste, then eBay has some budget friendly options. I found several working slot machines that match the size and shape of what you get in popular casinos in the $125 range.

Of course, if there’s a budget-based option there has to be a peak of ostentatious sensibility. Take a peek, and you’ll see that some slot machines will set you back as much as a new midsize sedan.

Conclusion

I don’t know what the best gambling game for the casino gambler in your life is. My hope is that this list helps you make that decision more easily.

I have covered some basics and with a little consideration on your part, a little cash in your pocket and the right occasion I’m confident that you will blow away the casino gambler in your life. Just remember to not take it too seriously.

I believe 100% of the pressure associated with gift giving is self-imposed. Giving gifts is one of the most rewarding endeavors and you’re now armed with tools to make the special day a little more special.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.