When you think about purchasing a betting card, you probably imagine that it’s a luxury item reserved for the wealthy. But that couldn’t be further from the truth! In this article, we’ll discuss what a betting card actually costs, along with several options for those looking for a cheaper alternative.
What Is a Betting Card?
A betting card is a smart card or portable electronic device that allows users to place bets and wagers on the go. Simply put, it’s the portable equivalent of a casino chip. But what makes a betting card different from the standard fare? The key to this type of device is the fact that it stores and processes information that is required to place wagers.
As mentioned above, a betting card has many of the same functionalities as a regular casino chip. But whereas a standard chip may only be used at one casino site, a betting card can be used at casinos and racetracks around the world. It’s virtually impossible to track where these chips will end up once they’re utilized, making them more of a liability than an asset. This is why most casinos will only accept these cards on their properties. The same goes for horse racing and sports betting sites as well.
What Are the Different Types of Betting Card?
While we mentioned above that a betting card is similar to a regular casino chip, this is only half the truth. Like any other type of gaming device, there are several varieties of betting card out there to choose from.
Memory Chip Betting Cards
Memory chip betting cards are what we described above: a portable device that allows users to place wagers. These cards are often found in the form of a square with a raised edge. The most recognizable brand of memory chips are casino grade, which can store hundreds of thousands of bits of information. A single card can store a single bet or wager (in the form of a binary number) up to a certain number of bits (for example, 64 kilobytes).
Because of their size and portability, memory chip cards are perfect for those who wish to place wagers at casinos and other gaming venues where they are not legally allowed to use a regular chip (e.g., online gambling). If a casino prohibits the use of certain types of cards (e.g., memory chips), an online casino may accept them as payment or in lieu of cash.
Secure Digital (SD) Cards
Another type of betting card, which is gaining in popularity, is the secure digital (SD) card. Similar to a memory chip, a secure digital card is a small, credit card sized device that can be used to both store and make wagers. The main difference between these two types of devices is the level of security they provide.
Like a memory chip card, a secure digital card is able to store a single bet or wager. But because they’re a bit smaller, they also store less data. A typical SD card can store a single binary number—usually 64 kilobytes—which represents the total number of bets or wagers the card can store. In addition, because these cards are smaller, they are easier for consumers to carry around in their wallet or purse. What’s more, like a casino chip, a secure digital chip can be created in order to pay for items at online casinos, provided they accept this type of chip.
NFC (Near Field Communication) Chips
Near field communication (NFC) technology is another type of portable electronic device that allows users to both store and make wagers. Basically, NFC is the modern-day version of the classic bar code. Instead of using an optical scanner to read barcodes, NFC chips are able to read or write data within a short range of each other (typically, within four inches).
The most popular and most recognizable NFC chip brand is Google, which makes a variety of tiny NFC chips known as the Google Pay Bites. These devices are perfect for those who wish to use portable electronic devices to store or make wagers at casinos and other gaming venues. Plus, because NFC requires very little energy, it is a perfect fit for mobile gaming.
Which One Is Cheapest?
The cheapest type of betting card is the one you make yourself. All you need to have is a microSD card and some sort of computer, tablet or mobile device to write the data to and read it from. Because they’re an intermediary step, creating your own card is less expensive than buying one of the pre-made varieties.
If you already have a microSD card and a device of some sort, you can get started creating your own card right away. Simply follow the instructions below to transfer data to the microSD card (the process of writing data to a microSD card is known as formatting the card). Once the card is formatted, you can use it in any of the ways described above to both store and make wagers:
Create A Casino Chip
One of the simplest ways to make a betting card is to create one on your own. All you need are a microSD card and a device to write the data to and read it from (for example, a PC or a mobile device).
With a PC, you can use the Google Chrome browser’s built-in storage to both store and make bets. Simply go to chrome.google.com in your browser’s address bar, and then click the folder icon (the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of the browser). Next, click the settings icon (the gear symbol in the upper-right corner of the browser) and choose the option to create a new folder. Name the new folder “Chrome Casino” for a quick, easy reference, as shown in the image below.
Now, you can click on the Chrome Casino folder and then launch the folder’s content: the File menu. From here, you can click the button to create a new folder, or you can choose to overwrite an existing file. When you click the button to create the new folder, a dialog box will appear where you can enter a name for the new folder. Once you enter a name, the dialog box will disappear, and your new folder will be displayed in the file browser. You can now drag and drop files into the new folder to begin the process of writing the data to your card.
You can repeat this process for as many cards as you need using the same Google Chrome browser on a different device or through Google Cloud. This way, you can have an entire spreadsheet of all your casino-related data stored on a single card.
Use An Online Service
If you wish to create a new card through an online service, you can use one of the many available services to do it for you. With these services, you don’t need to have any specialized equipment to create a new card. You can simply use their website to both read and write data to the microSD card. This is why these services are often preferred by individuals and organizations who need a steady, reliable source of data storage.
Why Are Online Services Preferred?
One of the biggest reasons why online services are so popular is because they provide a safe and reliable way to store and make data. This, in turn, reduces the risk of losing sensitive information due to hardware malfunction or theft. That’s a risk that you have to assume if you choose to make and store your own card.
These online services also provide a quick and easy way to store and make wagers. Because all you need is an internet connection to utilize these services, you can bet on sports, check out casino games, or perform other transactions at any time, from anywhere.
Use A Mobile Device
Mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are perfect for both storing and making wagers. Not only do they provide a large, high-resolution display for viewing data, but they also have the processing power to run specialized software that makes writing and reading data easy. These devices also, inherently, have a camera and microphone, making it easy for individuals to both record and listen to data, respectively.
You can take this device and use its camera to take a picture of either the front or back of a casino receipt (or other printed matter). Once you have the picture, you can use mobile software to annotate the material. This, in turn, creates a new file that you can access and write to with ease.