What is the ‘Drop Box’?

In poker, the ‘drop’ is the term commonly used to described the house stake in a game, withdrawn from the pot at the end of the initial betting round. The chips are collected and added to the ‘drop box’ for safety and security. This drop box is usually a sealed metal case which can be locked to prevent tampering or theft. The case is kept to the dealer‘s side close to the table. Many drop boxes are designed so that once chips have been put inside, they can only be removed with the manager‘s key.

The ‘Drop Box’ Explained

Drop boxes are an important piece of casino kit, because they increase the security of chips and cash at the casino table. They keep chips which belong to the casino secure and safe. There are games where the dealer at the table is also a player and they can win chips from the player, which then belong to the casino. In many forms of poker, the casino takes a house stake out of the initial pot. This stake is known as the ‘drop’. This ‘drop’ is the player’s fee for joining the game. Once the drop has been taken, the rest of the pot is up for grabs by any successful player.

In some games, the drop refers to a jackpot stake removed from the overall pot. Jackpots can build up over several rounds, so a drop box might be used to protect these chips until a player eventually lands the jackpot with their hand. Drop boxes might also be used as cash safes to store physical currency which has been played at tables, preventing theft from the casino and allowing dealers and croupiers to concentrate on the game at hand.