There's nothing as disheartening to a chipper than what I experienced during my week trip across Nevada last week. I was fortunate to be able to go all across the state for work by car. I started in Reno and Sparks, then Carson City, then North Lake Takoe (Incline Village and Crystal Bay). Then down to South Lake Tahoe (Stateline) No problem getting chips for these places. I did however, ahve to buy the chips from the tables at almost all casino in the Tahoe area.
No problem, I played...I lost....I got chips.

Then...came the problems. I went on across the loneliest highway in America. For those that don't know which that is: Its Highway 50. I took it all across the state stopping during the daytime in many little towns on the way to Ely. What I discovered across the rest of the state is this: Most of the small casinos no longer have table games open during the daytime. If they do, its a black jack table. The tables open typically at 8:30-9:00pm. I was told it's against the Nevada Gaming Commission's new rules to sell chips from the cage. I was told this time after time after time. Occasionally, if I flirted successfully, and pouted in a cute enough way, a cage manager would take pity on me and sell me one or two chips. This, unfortunately was the rarity. Maybe I need to work on my flirting skill..or even hone my puting abilities. I came away over and over again broken hearted and chipless. Luckily, I was able to spend a few nights in cool areas before driving on to the next casino.

I expreienced the same thing as I drove up I93 to Elko. In Elko I missed the craps table closing by 3 minutes! I was able to get three chips from the cage there. The craps table is quite often the only place to get $1.00 chips now as the trend Ive seen is $1.00 tokens at the BJ tables.

I returned to Reno via I80 and found more of the same, missing lots of other cool casinos that most likely I'll not have the chance to visit for a long time, if ever.

So...In conclusion....It appears that places other then Vegas and Reno...good luck getting chips from the cage. Oh....and practice up on your flirting and pouting.