This is something I've thought about a little since I've up limits once and am buying in for a lot more than when I started and thus am carrying around a lot more cash than when I started. Do you worry about getting robbed or take any precautions to prevent it?

I don't walk far with cash on me but something I do do is keep about 50 bucks in my wallet and keep all my big bills is a back pocket or someplace less obvious. The hope is if i do get robbed i can get away with just losing my wallet and keeping the majority of my cash safe.

Get a safe deposit box at the room(s) at which you're a regular.
Request a check from the casino for money you're uncomfortable carrying in cash.
Keep some of your cash-out in high-denomination chips as it will be a little more difficult for the robber to spend than cash.
Request a security escort to your car.
Split up your cash among all pockets and your wallet.
Be aware of who is around you while you're cashing out, take a lap around the casino to see if anyone follows you, and be aware of any cars following you out of the parking lot.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a couple things, but the above is a good start.

My usual poker spot tends to have a lot of ne'er-do-wells, it's next door to some pretty crime-ridden towns, and the walk between the building and the parking lot is practically an open invitation for a bold robber.

In the way of defense, I am extra-vigilant when walking between my car and the building, and I keep my windows rolled up and doors locked as I'm leaving (often late at night). I bring less cash with me than I might bring to a safer spot, I keep my poker funds separate from my wallet (which has much less cash in it), and when I must handle my cash, I do so discreetly.

In the way of prevention, I stay stone-cold sober, and I wear my "New York face" (what some might call a "don't **** with me" face) while I'm up and about. I also avoid walking into any isolated areas when any questionable-looking folks are nearby. It probably also helps that I'm 6 feet tall and wear all black.

In a broad stroke: Don't look or act like a mark, don't advertise your money, don't put yourself in weird spots, keep your eyes open, and be prepared to respond quickly if necessary.

Oh, and one little thing: Carry a small, very bright flashlight if you're going to be out at night. Keep it in your hand while on foot in sketchy areas. A flashlight that can be started up in "strobe" mode would be ideal. Some phones have a bright enough light that they could be used for this purpose too.

Employed at the right time, briefly stunning or blinding an assailant can give you an extra couple moments to get away safely or deliver a powerful KITN.

Plus, y'know, you can never go wrong having a flashlight handy.

This is a required post in any thread of this nature: I've solved this problem by leaving all my money on the tables HAHAHAHAHAHA

The bulk of my poker money is kept in my box at the casino. I'm a reg at the Borgata and I have 1 box there and another one in Foxwoods for when I play there. Nothing in my pocket over a couple of hundred bucks. Opting for the valet, if available, can/might be a safer way to go, too. And, overall, always be very aware of your surroundings.

GL

Valet parking should help some.

A cell phone "flashlight" won't cut it. Get a Streamlight or an equivalent tactical flashlight. They're expensive, but extremely bright and made just for this purpose.

If you play in Arizona or a few other states, concealed weapons are legal.

I don't actually own a phone with a light. I just know I've been blinded by someone else's phone a couple times. I carry a little Defiant LED flashlight with the strobe function myself.

Legal in public, sure, but is it against cardroom rules? I figured the rooms in my state (NH) were the odd ones out.

Think about the people you play poker with.

Now think about them having a gun.

Point taken, but I hesitate to discuss the topic any further. Total derail fuel.

As to loss prevention measures, is a casino box like a safe deposit box at a bank? Do they differ in any significant way?

OMG, c, in your stirling history of clever posting I'm moving this one into the top 5, well done.

+1 for ALWAYS using valet. I keep an eye out for cars following me out of the lot as well. Finally, I never leave the poker room and head straight to the valet. I walk around the casino for at least 10-15 minutes. That way if anyone watched me cash in a pile of chips and gets some ideas, they'll need to follow me around a while, which hopefully I'll notice.

The most important preventative thing you can do is to be aware of your surroundings. Most people leaving the casino aren't carrying any serious cheese, so I'm aware that the most likely moment I might become a target is when someone sees me cashing out at the cage, so I'm always wary of people who are around, and I have a pretty good sense about if I'm being followed.

I also do what others have mentioned, regarding keeping my large bills separate. I keep all of my non hundreds in my wallet. Sometimes it's $100, sometimes it's $300-400, but either way, it's a negligible amount relative to what I'm actually carrying, which is banded and in a separate pocket. Unless the robber knows about my roll, I imagine they would be satisfied hitting me up for a couple hundred bucks, if that situation were to ever come up.

Overall, I'm not too worried about being targeted, because I AM cautious, and because the places I play seem to be in somewhat okay neighborhoods. Also, at the casino I play most frequently, they seem to be well staffed in terms of security, even in the parking areas and perimeter of the casino. I think that can be quite a deterrent.

I disagree about the valet, because some places overcharge for it, but I think taking a walk through the casino is a decent idea. Not every time--I think you're a little paranoid if you think it's just a necessary routine, but I've had a handful of incidents where someone who appeared to be destitute made a comment to me whilst I was cashing out, even just a friendly "wow kid, that's a lot of cash!" or something like that. Anytime someone shows any interest in what I'm walking out with, I would definitely waste a little time before heading to my car, just to be extra safe.

Places may vary from town to town, but where I play the Parking Lots are lit up very brightly and there are a lot of cameras. The only incidents that I am aware of are some thugs following a big winner home and robbing the player there. They were caught by the police very soon. I am sure there are some places that are much, much worse. Lots of decent advice in the comments , especially about shady types hanging out near the cashout cage.

When I'm traveling to unfamiliar areas, for vacations, work, etc., I carry a dummy wallet with my old driver's license, $50 in assorted bills, and a few expired debit/credit cards. In the event I'm faced with a threat and in a geography where I'm unable to carry, it's an easy decision and robbers are placated.

This doesn't really apply to your everyday card room trips due to its inconvenient nature, but I guess if you're rolled for higher limit games and don't have a box it may help out.

I've been robbed before in Atlantic City leaving a strip club (Which was -EV for the robber, as I only had about $70 left on me, but about 4 bank/credit cards in my wallet). I was walking to my car parked on a street (Mistake #1), when I noticed a guy out of nowhere about 10 steps behind me and closing the distance. Something felt off, and it was. Someone out of nowhere asked me for a lighter, and instead of ignoring them and walking (Mistake #2) I stopped and turned to see who said what, when the guy behind me flashed his gun and told me "Chill son, don't move, just give up the ****" while his accomplice went through my pockets and took my wallet. Luckily I had my cell phone in the car, as they aren't allowed in the strip clubs, and I had my car keys on a D-Ring on my belt loop.

#1 thing in all this..... if you feel sketched out, you're probably 100% right. Your body has a danger mechanism for a reason so trust it. In Vegas, unless I'm downtown at night (which I try not to be), I don't feel too worried about being robbed. I still take precaution though. On the East coast at places like Atlantic City and Maryland Live, it's best to just pony up the $10 Valet fee to ensure your safety, and if it's really an issue, any hotel-casino will give you a security escort to your vehicle. Tip the guy $10 bucks when you get where you're going and all is good. Also, now I don't carry a wallet. I carry one of those credit card wallets that hold about 8-10 cards total for my comp cards, license, & bank cards. Any cash I keep on a clip or wad and in my hoodie pocket or a hidden pants pocket.

Pro-tip: Levi's makes an awesome pair of Chinos that are super comfortable, and somewhere in between khaki & denim as far as fabric strength/softness. The pockets are pretty deep, but inside the pocket is another hidden pocket with a fold on it so it's good & big enough for keeping your money/chips/valuables/phone in it. You don't have to worry about anything falling out of the pocket, or pickpockets. I wear them anytime I'm playing poker.

The Strobe/flashing light on the cellphone is a good one too, especially for walking garages. Anyone schemeing in the dark is most likely to think security is coming from a distance and will leave you alone. Also, if you use self parking, park as close to an elevator as possible even if you have to go to levels 5 & 6+. Criminals only look for the low-hanging fruit.

And for the love of God people.... pay ****ing attention when you're walking around in public. Everytime I see someone walking and staring at their phone in a daze, I can't help but think what a mark they are if someone decides to knock them off right now. They won't even see it coming. Don't be that guy.

This whole "paying attention" thing is so often ignored. Get your face out of your cell phone. Take off the earphones. Smile and say hi to people you recognize so they recognize you.

And not just when you have a monster night and have pockets stuffed with cash - take a look around on those nights where you leave with an empty wallet to get a baseline on what's going on. That dude who's eyeballing you when you cash out may just be the cashier's stalky ex-boyfriend.

Just a thought...

I am a robber.
I chose you because I saw you cash out three and a half racks and put the bills in you front pocket.
In the parking lot, I point a gun at you and demand your money.
You reach in your back pocket and give me a wallet with $50
I am not amused.

In all of the instances where robbers do not target me due to a particular cash-out at the cage, the dummy wallet is a +EV move, imo. But again there's no real cure-all here for the times when they did in fact perform this recon. (Hand them the money and apologize that you thought they were the other robbers who hadn't surveyed the cage beforehand?)

Additionally, I would think as a robber you may have your intentions established mentally before, whether to shoot the victim or not, and being not amused by the $50 wallet will not likely trigger this impulse if not already predetermined. Not to derail, as I think that's a topic for another thread.

Staying keen to one's surroundings and employing street smarts to the best of one's ability, as mentioned above, probably the best course of action. Not getting shot is my M.O. as a NY-based worker, Philly native and Parx player, so whatever serves that end best...

If you're at a casino and have a choice between an outdoor parking lot and a parking garage, I'd go with the garage. Seems brighter, more camera-heavy, and generally a closer walk to the building.

Also I always try to look sad when I'm walking out... Who would rob a loser?

I'll try to be a little more wary if a car is following me home, seems like the bigger risk when leaving a casino since it's pretty bold to pull a move with so many cameras.

strap up

being aware of your surrounding has to be the No. 1 tip. Not just walking to your car after cashing out, but at all times & all places.

I travel a lot, & have never had any problems walking through a foreign city. I walk with a purpose, as if I know exactly where I'm going (even if I don't). I'm always scanning the street/my surrounding & taking notes on who I see where. I guarantee you that no one is ever going to sneak up on me.