Casino chips have been manufactured from a huge selection of materials in an almost endless selection of styles since the advent of wagering and the requirement to keep track of winnings. The most commonly used materials used today in the manufacture of modern poker chips are plastic, clay, and acrylic composite. Clay chips, the oldest of the group, have been manufactured in America since the late 19th century.
Back in the 19th century, poker players appear to be using any tiny valuable item you can imagine. Early poker players sometimes employed rough gold pieces along with chips – primarily manufactured of wood and clay. By the 20th century, poker chip features began to enjoy a greater prominence, and the smooth edges of older chips were given up to chips with engraved slits to hold them neatly piled up with each other.
There is little doubt that poker has grown constantly in popularity since its origin in the 19th century. With the explosive growth of internet gambling and specialty television shows, public appeal in poker has feed the fire more rapidly than ever before. Most folks are first introduced to poker by TV showslike Bravo’s "Celebrity Poker Showdown" or the Travel Channel’s "World Poker Tour," and most will participate in their 1st hands on the net. Regardless of web poker’s rise, not much replaces the feeling of shuffling weighty poker chips in your hand, throwing chips into the middle of a poker table, or creating high pilesstacks of chips after showing a victorious hand.