I believe that a very large number of regular customers semi-consciously spend money on strippers in a bid to to make the strippers like them. They may think this will happen directly because
a) it shows that the customer has alot of money (so much that he is willing to blow some of it) b) it shows the customer likes the stripper because of all the money he is willing to spend on her (maybe as opposed to other girls).
Other, or the same, regulars may be trying a somewhat indirect approach:
They think that by spending they are buying enough time to get the stripper to know the "real them" well enough for the stripper to start liking them.
I think such customers are using money as a crutch and are being manipulative. Strippers can see through this, however, so it usually backfires and the customers get burnt.
For others spending money is part of a big numbers game/lottery: They realize only one or two strippers a decade will like them, but that's pretty good odds as far as they are concerned so they are willing to spend the money.
The customer OTOH who does not spend money is saying: here I am. Since I am not going to spend money on you, you will either like me based on my personality or you will go off to make some money elsewhere. Seems less manipulative to me.
I agree that there are differences between the regular posters here and your typical regular. I think of many of the regulars here as "SuperAddicts".
It sounds to me like almost no regulars here will ask strippers for dates, for extras, or for OTC meeting. They are taking a more passive approach: see what the stripper offers up on her own.
I think the "sneak in under the radar/buy time" strategy is more what they are employing. A combination of that and the "lottery" strategy. In fact, many here have explicitly used the word "lottery" when discussing how to get OTC relationships/sex going with strippers.