Now you're talking table stakes worth playing for - with a little geek chic thrown in.

The table stakes to play on the Strip are now $1 billion and rising.

I want one more play and I'm playing table stakes.

"Sun and sand are the table stakes for the Caribbean," he added.

A certain level of intelligence is required as table stakes, so to speak.

In poker, table stakes limits the amount a player can win or lose in the play of a single hand.

And he likely could raise enough money to reach the table stakes required to compete for the nomination.

But it is also true that a promise to maintain freedom from crime and fear will be table stakes for candidates in the mayor's race.

"It's a game of table stakes - he either accepts it all or gets nothing," he said.

This is not allowed at any casino or any but the most casual home games; see table stakes.