Poker Themed Party Food Ideas

For some people, a high rolling Las Vegas vacation is one of the great pleasures of life. The glitz and glamour of the shows, the endless amounts of food and drink and the thrill of gaming in the casino hot spot of the world makes it one of the top vacation getaways on the planet. But not everyone can throw down a few thousand bucks every time they get the itch to sit at a blackjack table and try their luck. For this reason, casino night parties have become very popular. From frat parties to office soirees, hosting a casino night can be a lot of fun -- if you do it right. Here are some tips to make sure that your casino night event goes down without a hitch.

Poker Themed Party Food Ideas Finger Foods
Casino Themed Party Food Ideas
Poker Themed Party Food Ideas Images
Poker Themed Party Food Ideas On A Budget
Poker Themed Party Food Ideas Pinterest

It is not exactly diet food, but that is what makes it so tasty! - Honey-Glazed Chicken Wings - This poker night favorite is ready to serve in under 20 minutes! - Cheese & Beef Roll-ups - Prepare this appetizer ahead for hassle-free entertaining. Rotel Cheese Deep - A classic at poker night, card night and casino theme parties. Find quick & easy Poker Game Night 2020 recipes & menu ideas, search thousands of recipes & discover cooking tips from the ultimate food resource for home cooks, Epicurious.

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If you live in a fairly large city, then chances are you'll be able to hire some experienced dealers to run the tables for your casino night. Check the Internet for local listings for dealers and compare prices. If you have the budget, having some real dealers can make a big difference in the overall experience of your guests.

If you're hosting the party and can't foot the bill for real dealers, then get some friends who are familiar with the games to volunteer as dealers and make sure everyone is up to speed on the rules of the games. Playing dealer can be a lot of fun for the guests, so you shouldn't have much trouble getting volunteers.

Poker themed party food ideas finger foods

It's one thing to host a poker party and set up a few card tables in your living room. But if you want to throw an authentic casino night event, then you're going to want more options for your guests and the proper equipment to enhance the experience. Check around for places that rent out casino equipment and then spend some time deciding what you can afford and what games you want to feature.

Blackjack and poker tables are relatively inexpensive, whereas a craps table or a roulette wheel may cost a little more. But while poker and blackjack tables will only fit six to eight players at once, a craps table can accommodate as many as 12 to 15 players at a time, so your money may be better spent. For a well-rounded party, try to offer at least three to four different game options.

Las Vegas casinos are all about themes, so your casino night event shouldn't be any different. If you have a few bucks to spend on décor, consider paying homage to one or more of the iconic Vegas casinos to give your party a fun edge.

Caesar's Palace is one of the most famous casino brands in the world, so think about decking out your gaming room with some nods to ancient Rome. The same goes for the MGM Grand, the Flamingo and even newer casinos like Paris or New York New York. You can either go with one central theme, or divide your room up into zones to feature multiple motifs. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort when your bartender is dressed like Julius Caesar.

One of the great things about a casino night event is that you can have a great time throwing a rocking party all for a good cause. If you're considering a casino night event, think about partnering with a local charity to help raise some funds. There are several ways you can go here.

One option is to charge money for tickets to attend the casino event. Typically, the ticket will also buy guests a certain amount of gaming chips to get them started. Or you could have free entry, but the guests have to buy in to get their chips.

At the end of the night, the guests won't trade in their chips for cash like at a real casino, but they get the prestige of being the big winner for the night and the honor of helping out a worthy cause in the process. If you want, you can offer a few prizes for top winners to give them a little something to play for.

If you're going to throw a great casino night event, it's going to cost some money. Hiring dealers, renting gaming equipment, buying food and beverages, decorating your space -- it all adds up. It's best to decide what your budget is early on and then back your way into what you can afford.

If you have a limited budget, you won't be able to have it all, so you'll need to prioritize what is most important. This is true for any party, but especially true for such a specifically themed event like a casino night. Food, drinks and décor are all important, but for a casino night, the top priority has to be the games. Put that at the top of your list, and then see what you can afford in the way of professional dealers, hors d'oeuvres and the bar. And remember, requiring your guests to 'buy in' for the gaming can also help cover a lot of the costs.

Poker themed party food ideas on a budget

How to Host a Trivia Night

Hosting a trivia night can spice up a slow bar night or be a great fundraiser. Learn how to host a trivia night to get started.

Sources

'Casino Stats: Why Gamblers Rarely Win.' Investopedia.com. (Jan. 27, 2012). http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0910/Casino-Stats-Why-Gamblers-Rarely-Win.aspx#axzz1kwmsHeWt
'How to Run a Successful Casino Night Fundraiser.' Fasttrackfundraising.com. (Jan. 27, 20120. http://www.fasttrackfundraising.com/fundraisers/how-to-run-a-successful-casino-night-fundraiser/
'It's Casino Night!' Chiff.com. (Jan. 27, 2012). http://www.chiff.com/entertain/casino-las-vegas-party.htm
'Planning a Casino Night Event?' Fhcevents.com. (Jan. 27, 2012). http://www.fhcevents.com/casino-night-event-planning-tips.php

Poker night? We’re all in. Check out our pointers for planning one.

Invitations

Get started by sending an Evite invitation, like the free “Who’s In?” cards-themed invitation below or a premium “Ante Up” poker night invitation. Check out our game night invitation gallery for more designs.

Decorations

It’s easy to find a home poker kit that includes cards, nice chips and a good playing surface. But if you don’t have one of these fancy kits, take a trip to a fabric store and get a big swatch of green felt to put over your tabletop.

It’s important to make sure you have enough poker chips for all of your guests. You probably can’t get by with less than 35 chips per person — most experts suggest more like 50 to 100 per head. If you don’t mind a mish-mash, ask your guests to bring some extra chips of their own. If you’re playing Texas Hold ‘Em, make sure you have a special chip set aside for the button.

To round out the theme, pick up some casino-themed napkins and plates decorated with images of dice, cards or dollar signs from a party store.

Attire

Poker Themed Party Food Ideas Finger Foods

Even if you’re not playing for high stakes, you can still dress the part. Asking guests to come in suits and ties or cocktail dresses makes a simple get-together seem like an event.

You can also go casual and ironic by getting cheap costume armbands and green plastic dealer visors — poker doesn’t have to be super serious.

Playing with some card sharks? If they arrive wearing shirts with billowy sleeves, make sure they roll them up when you play so they can’t hide cards in them.

Variants

Texas Hold ‘Em is all the rage, but you can have a great card party with other poker variations: five-card draw, seven-card stud, hi/lo, baseball poker and other make-up-your-own-rules games.

The most important thing when playing poker is to be familiar with the winning hands. Here they are from high to low:

Casino Themed Party Food Ideas

Royal flush
Straight flush
Four of a kind
Full house
Flush
Straight
Three of a kind
Two pair
One pair

Too confusing? Just remember that a full house flushes a straight.

Food

Poker Themed Party Food Ideas Images

Get a pizza delivered for quick sustenance that minimizes card-playing down time. Or put together a simple spread of appetizers. Make your own or get a big box of warm-in-the-oven hors d’oeurves at a warehouse club store. Just keep the food away from the playing table.

Poker Themed Party Food Ideas On A Budget

Drinks

If you’re playing poker, you might be thinking martinis are in order. Martinis will make your party upscale for sure (but they do call to mind James Bond, and his game was baccarat). If you’re going to go for some straight liquor, grab a bottle of single-malt scotch. Or, to mix cards and cocktails, consider the classy, old-fashioned cocktail called the Sidecar.

Sidecar

2 parts Cognac
1 part triple sec
1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice. Shake, then strain into a chilled highball glass.

Poker Themed Party Food Ideas Pinterest

There are many who say that serious cards need to be played without the hazy influence of booze. So for a non-alcoholic alternative, grab some carbonated soda water and mix it up with some Italian syrup.

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