Casino chips have been manufactured from a huge range of materials in an almost endless selection of variations since the advent of betting and the need to keep track of winnings. The most common components used at this time in the creation of new poker chips are plastic, clay, and acrylics. Clay chips, the primary of the group, have been made in the US since the late 1800s.
Back in the 19th century, poker players seemed to use any small valuable object imaginable. Early poker enthusiasts sometimes used jagged gold pieces as well as chips – chiefly made of wood and clay. By the 20th century, poker chip features started to enjoy a greater prominence, and the smooth sides of older chips were given up to chips with engraved slits to keep them neatly arranged with each other.
There is little or no debate that poker has grown steadily in acceptance since its beginnings in the 19th century. With the explosive growth of net gaming and unique television shows, public interest in poker has accelerated faster than ever before. Most people are first introduced to poker by TV showssuch as "Celebrity Poker" or the Travel Channel’s "World Poker Tour," and many will play their initial hands online. Regardless of internet poker’s growth, nothing competes with the feeling of mixing heavy poker chips in your hand, tossing chips into the center of a casino table, or creating high pilesstacks of chips after showing a winning hand.
