You’ve waited until the last minute to shop for one of the hardest demographics: poker players. Fear not, PokerOrg is here with a few ideas that might save your reputation this holiday season.
Last year, we had a few suggestions like original poker art, historical artifacts, and vintage casino clothing. This year we are taking a more practical approach with backpacks, clothing, collectibles, and even a video message from the real-life Phil Hellmuth.
Last minute holiday gifts for poker players
Fancy backpacks
The status symbol for the modern poker player is the stylish and functional backpack, good for storing snacks and amounts of money that you probably shouldn’t be carrying around. While we don’t have specific suggestions, the backpack industry is a lot bigger than you think, and there are entire websites devoted to the latest backpack news.
Tell them who you are. Brands like GORUCK, Yeti, and Aer are at the top of a lot of lists, and you can spend an entire day researching the best backpack. To narrow it down a bit, think about what a poker player might need. It should be easy to slip under an airplane seat and big enough to carry food, electronics, and money. Poker players love stylish brands, but you may want to focus more on function.
‘I Don’t Even Fold My Laundry’ t-shirt or card protector
Send a proud message at the table. No explanation needed. A must have. You can find the t-shirt on Amazon and the card protector at Etsy. If you're struggling, it’s ok to settle for ‘Eat Sleep Poker Repeat.’ If you are still having trouble, pick up a coffee mug that says ‘Tears of my poker opponents’ on it.
Rare poker chips
If the poker player in your life doesn’t have any rare casino chips yet, get them started on a lifelong addiction with a toke from their favorite cardroom. The Museum of Gaming History maintains a ChipGuide and it’s a good place to start. You can look up casino tokens from all over the world, giving you some great ideas to pursue on eBay and at the annual Casino Collectibles Association convention every summer in Las Vegas.
The online database can zero in on chips from anywhere in the world. This might be a better option than just another poker chip set, and this can come with a personal touch. Casino chip collectors say it always starts with the first one before you soon have thousands. Next time you’re in Las Vegas, check out the collectibles showroom at Spinetti’s in the Arts District.
Hellmuth on Cameo
Don’t sleep on the celebrity video message as the ultimate last minute gift that puts a big, stupid smile on the face of a loved one. Look no further than Cameo, where you can pay your favorite poker personality to send a message about anything, whether it’s a holiday hello, a pep talk, or you just want Mike Matusow to say something mean to your brother for only $40.
Mike Matusow is a great Cameo value. Poker players on Cameo include Hellmuth, Josh Arieh, and even Norman Chad. Here’s an exhaustive list and their asking price:
- Phil Hellmuth: $400
- Mike Matusow: $40
- Lon McEachern: $75
- Josh Arieh: $25
- Jonathan Little: $20
- Norman Chad: $75
- Joe Stapleton: $75
- Antonio Esfandiari: $250
- Joe Hachem: $55
- Jeff Gross: $44
- Ronnie Bardah: $40
- Chad Power: $1,000
- Cedrric Trevino: $15
A stack of lottery scratch-off tickets
Barring any of these other ideas, just give the gift of gambling.
