2a. when do YOU request a check?
Date: Thu Nov 5, 2009 6:57 am ((PST))so, here's my question... am i really the only one asking for a check?
or do casinos routinely have more than one jackpot account they use for payouts?
I can only answer your first question - no, you are not the only one, but from the gamblers I know, most do not ask for checks.
Personally, I keep a cash stash for my total gambling bankroll in a safe desposit box at home, and take trip money from it when I go to gamble (keep a little at home for short trips to local casinos, and transfer from deposit box to and from home according to how it's going). I would ask for a check if I hit a large jackpot AND if I took the cash, it would make my total gambling bankroll so big that I felt like I didn't need all of it in the gambling bankroll. In other words, I'd take a check if I expected to spend the money rather than use it for future gambling.
Also, no matter how much I've brought with me for my trip money, I have the discipline to only play the amount I intended to if I'm losing, and if I have a win, I don't mind putting the money back in for (1) a chance at further winnings and (2) establishing a higher level of play than I might otherwise be able to afford for comps, etc. I have a trip stop-loss and daily stop-loss in mind and pretty well stick to it, but I never play with a stop-win level -- although, on a given session, I might set a stop-loss for my current credits -- e.g., if I am up to 1,000 credits, I may say I'll quit if I hit 700 -- and if I move up to 1,200, I would probably move the stop-loss to 900 or something like that. I especially do this when I'm looking for a way to quit, as when I'm getting tired -- it assures that fatigue will not cause me to make errors of which I'm unaware to an uncontrolled extent (and I believe we all make errors of which we are unaware when we get tired).
At every level I've played at consistently, I've hit a royal and taken the cash -- I played $5 for a while many years ago and have collected 2 or 3 $20K cash royals (never more than one in a single trip, though) (and have also had trips where I had about half that much in losses, which is why I keep the bankroll funded with the winnings when they occur).
I also play live poker tournaments, where I've never (yet) matched a $5 Royal payout, but where there's the potential for a jackpot tha would motivate me to request a check. I look forward to that event 
Obviously, it's personal, depends on how much you feel comfortable carrying around and/or (if you put it in a box while at the casino) carrying home from the room or the box to your house when your trip is over. There have been other discussions on how different people handle carrying large amounts; I split it up and put it in different pockets, etc. (used to even have an under-the-pants ankle wallet), some in my carry-on (none in my checked bags!!), and try to be alert and careful. Haven't had to deal with it for quite a while, unfortunately
--BG
···
===============