Poker gifts come in all varieties and can be obtained within just about any budget. It matters not whether you’re looking to spend about $25 on novelty poker gifts for dad or whether you have the money to splurge on something luxurious. Without a doubt, there are a lot of options for poker player gifts and getting something that’s perfectly themed for your loved one can result in something that is treasured for a lifetime. Read on as we list a wide array of poker gifts for dad!
Poker Gifts in the Online Era
Once upon a time, poker players kept track of time just like everyone else did: with a watch.
However, the days when a wearable timepiece was the most common and convenient way to know which side midnight you were at while playing at the poker tables have long since passed us by.
In today’s world, poker players still tell time just like everyone else does, but the device has since switched to mobile phones that use an iOS or Android operating system.
So if you have a dad who would appreciate one or more poker gifts, why not opt for a poker themed phone case? These convenient protectors are considered to be a “must have” in today’s society, and there aren’t any restrictions on the graphics that can be printed onto the case itself.
Moreover, phone cases have become so common in today’s society that they can often be purchased for anywhere between $20-$50 — as long as the customization isn’t too involved.
Higher end phone cases can also be obtained if you have the budget. If you’re willing to shell-out hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars, then a jewel encrusted phone case can be customized to depict anything from the Ace of Spades to a popular poker brand logo.
Card Protectors as Poker Gifts
Poker card guards are another wonderful choice that poker dads will immediately recognize and use.
And again, these items come in all varieties and can fit into just about any budget.
A novelty poker card protector might cost as little as $25-$50 if you get it off the shelf at certain retailers. But you can also spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a customized card guard made with one or more precious metals.
Unlike a phone case, which would require some form of poker-themed printing to make it relevant to the game, the graphics on a card guard can depict just about anything and still be recognizable as something commonly used in a poker home game or at the casino.
Due to their large size relative to actual playing cards, mobile phones aren’t typically used as card protectors in live poker games; all the more reason why a large coin or branded card guard might be greatly appreciated by your poker dad.
Poker Gifts for Live Gaming Enthusiasts
Do you have a dad or loved one who manages a home game or has room specifically dedicated to gaming within his home?
If so, there are a ton of great poker table toppers that can be found online for under $100.
If opting for this choice, you’ll need to know that general shape (circular, square, rectangular, oval, hexagonal) of the actual poker table used for gaming along with the table’s surface dimensions.
There are other awesome presents for poker lovers who enjoy in-person gaming. If table toppers aren’t an attractive purchase for you, how about a set of poker chips? These can be easily customized (if you’re willing to spend over $150 for a full set) and can endure quite a bit of wear and tear during actual home games.
Of course, you’ll also find poker chip sets on the market for under $50, but these won’t be a very attractive addition to a serious home game due to their lack of weight and durability.
Our advice would be to spend the extra money if you choose to buy your poker dad a chip set, as the customization and quality will more than make up for the more expensive pricing in the long run.
Also, if you’re super-mega-ultra rich, Geoffrey Parker has customized poker chips that are sold for millions of dollars!
If that happens to be too expensive, there are quality automatic poker card shuffler machines on the market that range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Novelty Gifts for Poker Player Execs
These days, gifts such as pens and keychains fit more into the “novelty” category much like koozies, bumper stickers, picture frames do. Still, there may be some poker-themed items that poker dads could place on their desk at work on in their office.
Some dads might really appreciate a portrait of the late, great Doyle Brunson and could proudly hang it in their office or game room for guests to enjoy.
And who hasn’t heard of the enduring Dogs Playing Poker paintings? Nowadays, you can find prints of one or more of the original oil paintings that cost anywhere from a few dollars to a few thousand dollars, depending on the materials used and overall quality.
There’s also a lot of memorabilia value that can be obtained from one or more poker books. These can be added to any collection and can — in some cases — double as a way for your dad to read up on poker strategy topics.
Poker collectibles can likewise be a hot commodity among certain poker dads, especially those who work in corporate office spaces.
So while you may not have a spare WSOP Circuit ring or WPT live tournament trophy to bequeath to your loved one, certain poker enthusiasts will see quite a bit of value in an iconic, framed portrait or something as fun as a poker-themed Rolodex that contains poker hand rankings.
Gifting a Premium Poker Subscription or Course
If your dad enjoys poker and spends a large percentage of his time “surfing” or “browsing” the internet, then you might consider shopping around for one or more premium poker courses offered by well known poker training sites.
General online, poker-themed course work is usually archived under specific categories and can be consumed at one’s own pace, with yearly subscription plans available in most cases.
One-on-one poker coaching is another potential gift that your poker dad can get a lot of educational and entertainment value from. However, these plans might be somewhat pricey for a budget-minded individual, so you might want to sign-up for a subscription that can be purchased and used throughout a full calendar year.
Some of the communities that are created around poker training sites can be quite large, and it’s not uncommon for extra perks such as social media communications access to be included with a paid subscription.
Playing Cards as Gifts
It may sound simple and lack elegance, but a home game host is always in the market for quality poker playing cards.
There’s an undeniable element of practicality in gifting playing cards to a poker dad who frequently participates in home games.
WPT Branded Poker Playing Cards
A quick Google search will direct you to multiple quality brands, and we recommend WPT branded cards if the cards are going to be used in actual in-person poker games.
The @WPT Voyage
and our newest version #FadedSpade cards
are making waves
on the high seas. Open seat…! pic.twitter.com/U2ja6OKNrG
— Faded Spade (@FadedSpadeBrand) April 1, 2024
You can get higher end, World Poker Tour branded playing cards for under $100 (four decks total). All sets will include the standard 52-cards (13 cards of each suit: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs) along with two jokers.
Dad and his poker buddies will already know how and when to set aside the jokers at their convenience.
The most common materials used for poker decks include plastic and paper, but the monetary value of these decks will vary based on how these materials perform (including the process that goes into making the cards) rather than the material as a stand-alone factor.
Some paper cards are objectively better (or at least more durable) than some plastic cards, and vice-versa; just like some clay poker chips are better than some plastic chips, etc.
Mostly, you’ll want to ensure the cards that you purchase as a poker gift are correctly sized (if they will be used in a card shuffler machine) and durable. Playing cards that stain easily, are easily marked, or lose their original “feel” won’t last long in any poker game, regardless of whether it’s at a friend’s house or in a professional casino or card room.
One final note about poker gifts that revolve around decks of playing cards: you’ll probably want to ask dad first before buying four-colored decks. While these decks can be very useful and enhance overall playing experience for colorblind individuals, most decks used in professional environments as well as casual settings are still two-tone — red (Hearts & Diamonds) and black (Spades & Clubs).
A four-colored deck will typically (but not always) come with black Spades, red Hearts, blue Diamonds, and green Clubs.
Poker Songs and Mixed Tapes as Poker Gifts?
Mixed tapes as gifts have become about as outdated in today’s society as wall calendars, but that doesn’t mean you can’t buy dad a heartfelt gift that includes access to music.
A monthly or yearly subscription to services like Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, iTunes, Audible, and even Twitch can be just the thing to get dad up to speed on the conveniences of modern-day digital media. Best of all, he’ll still get to listen to his Top 7 Songs about Playing Cards and Gambling even if his old CD player no longer works.
For the most part, these mass-media platforms have online gift cards that can be purchased by a third party and will conveniently arrive in dad’s email Inbox as soon as the transaction goes through.
If, for some reason, dad (or grandpa) hasn’t gotten around to creating an email account yet, physical gift cards can often be purchased at major land-based retailers like Walmart with little to no extra commission.
Just make sure your loved one has a pair of reading glasses (if applicable), as the codes printed on handheld gift cards will need to be scratched off and manually entered on an iOS/Android mobile device or Windows/MAC personal computer before the subscription will activate.
Twitch and YouTube subscriptions have an added advantage of providing live-streamed poker content at all hours of the day — both archived and live. And if you really want to impress dad, a yearly subscription to PokerGO will give him access to some of the most historic poker events of all time along with official WSOP streams from Las Vegas!
Poker Gifts for Dads of All Generations
Poker has been around for centuries, and as a result, has cemented its generational standing in popular culture. Even dads who don’t routinely play poker are probably aware of historic poker terms like Aces & Eights being called the “Dead Man’s Hand.”
Casino-style poker games like Double Draw Poker and Caribbean Stud may lack the player-versus-player competitive element that televised poker games do, but they still follow generally accepted poker house rules and utilize the same rankings for hand strength.
So while fuzzy dice hanging on the rear view mirror may no longer be an appropriate accessory for your poker playing dad, other casino-themed items can work really well in terms of poker gifts.
If you frequent in-person casinos, then you can likely pick up one or more poker gifts from shops and storefronts that operate within the facility itself.
If not, you might want to try shopping around at large truck stops if you’re on the road a lot. Truck stops situated along major US interstates can offer a trove of poker and casino-themed shot glasses, posters, bar accessories, booklets, and other poker paraphernalia that you won’t find at your local casino!
Have fun shopping for dad. A few minutes of online searching might be all it takes to finding ideal poker gifts for your family member or loved one!
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