I concur on the Lucky Ladies Blackjack "sucker" bet. I was told by the pit manager that the W-2G was issued because it was a single bet that paid 1000 to 1. The threshold may be less than 1000 to 1, however.

I told someone who works at a different casino who said they wouldn't have issued that. Not sure then if it's a fed law or what, but it does concern the amount bet and amount won for a single event at a tables game. This, too, happened locally in WA.

"Jackpots" for table games can be very confusing. To get a W2G at the tables you have to win a bet that is $600 or more with odds that are 300 to 1 or greater.

Was that Lucky Ladies win possibly at the same casino? My case was at Angel of the Winds, 2 weeks or so ago. The odds for that win is 1 in 70 thousand, so I'm guessing it's a once in a month type event at any casino, if not rarer.

I definitely agree on the sucker's bet comment, its house edge is 24%, while blackjack house edge is less than 1%. So, I never play it, and I'd rather put that $1 bet on top of my blackjack bet for better odds. But people seem to love it as it pays at least 4x, and in some cases 9x and 19x, which is more exciting than blackjack's top payout of 1.5x So, players (without knowing) trade off higher volatility with lower expected returns.

Thanks Coushatta. So, that definition makes both of my cases to be appropriate in terms of taxation. And that means, playing Let It Ride, anything except a Royal Flush (500:1 odds in WA) should be treated the same, no W2G. But then inaminute's example casino (treating the 1000 to 1 win in Lucky Ladies as "no tax") should be doing it wrong.

On the web, I was reading some forums, and people were saying that as long as you win something less than $10K, you should be fine from tax perspective on table games. I don't know whether this is accurate or not, but they might be just trying to exemplify what you just said (i.e. Royal Flush pays $17.5K for $5 bet, with $1 bonus bet, hence it'll obviously get above the tax radar).

I would assume they were speaking to playing regular games like Craps and Blackjack, not the side bet that can create a "jackpot". Since most table games don't have this feature, and they don't hit very often, it's much easier for the staff to mishandle it and make a mistake. Mistakes are made, for example sometimes the marketing folks will try to issue a W2G for a promotional win, like a giveaway, which is incorrect. For that the guest will get a 1099 at the end of the year. A W2G is only issued from an event where a wager has been placed.

My $750 win that I received my w-2 was on one of those 3-reel machines, ("Richie Rich", I think), and then the 4 reel is wild if you have a win on the first 3 reels. It was a quarter machine, 75c bet, which would make it a 1000x1.

Grandma, in my opinion you shouldn't have received a W2 if the win was on a slot machine and less than $1200. The $600/300 to 1 thing is for table games only. If I were you I'd call the casnio and speak with someone at a manager level or higher about it. If you can't get anywhere there, consult a tax preparer. W2's on slots should only be issued when the win is $1200 or more on a single "hit" or win.

Although it doesn't make sense for your situation here's an example of how a mistake could be made. The machine comes up with three blue sevens and awards you $750 which goes right to your credit meter. Before the win you already had $500 on the credit meter. So, right after the $750 win you have a total of $1250 on your credit meter. You decide now's the time to cash out, and when you cash out the machine locks up into an "Accumulated Credit" handpay. (There are many reasons it could lock up into a hand pay so let's not get sidetracked now) The slot attendant comes up, sees the game locked up into a hand pay and sees the three blue sevens and assumes that it is a jackpot that he/she is paying and not an accumulated credit. The slot attendant processes a jackpot for $1,250 and creates a W2G (all in error). Since the win was only $750, no W2G is required.

Not to correct you or say you are wrong Coush, just fyi for out here, a machine having done your example would be a W2g because the total handpay was high enough for forms. And I have seen signs at the cashiers that say something along the lines of 'total' when cashing tickets. It isn't handled as a single win; but, rather, a total cumulative. And if they paid Grandma the full amount of the jackpot plus whatever credits she had on the machine then it would be a W2g. I also know of people that had TITO's totalling over $1199 and when they cashed them in all at the same time, they had to do the forms. and only made that mistake one time LOL! So, in many cases, one would have to hope the slot attendant is paying close attention

Interesting...well, if that's the case I'd say they're doing it wrong. It really needs to be a single winning combination of $1200 or more for a W2G. (Unless there's something different going on there )

In my example, the game is locked up into an accumulated credit handpay, but the Slot Attendant is erroneously processing it as a jackpot. Several things should prevent this, 1. the slot tracking system should try to stop the transaction signaling the Slot Attendant that something's not right. Hopefully the Slot Attendant will realize the mistake then. If not, a Supervisor has to be called to process the override. 2. The Supervisor should notice why the transaction is being stopped and correct the situation then. 3. If the Sup doesn't notice and processes the transaction, hopefully the guest will realize the mistake and speak up.


We do have to track cash in/out for IRS Title 31 (money laundering) purposes, but we wouldn't issue a W2G unless there was a single winning combination of $1200 or more. Is it possible that these are the forms that are being filled out?

I would argue with the casino if they tried to issue a W2G to me for less than $1200. In the end, when dealing with the IRS I might not win since, technically, everyone is required to report all gaming winnings, not just winnings over $1200.

Also, promotional payouts can require tax forms as well. There's a yearly cumulative total of $600. Win any number of "hot seat drawings" or whatever
and if that total = $600 or more, expect a 1099 at the end of the year.

Yes it was Angel of the Winds...........before the remodel. It held up the game pretty long, too. By definition, on that hand you always lose the regular bet so anyone betting $100 or more is probably, or should be betting at least $2 on the sucker bet.

As a side note, a vacationing friend was playing there and had been making that bet consistently, didn't for some reason and the dealer didn't ask him if he meant to place that bet as many dealers would do. Needless to say he was dealt 2 Q hearts.........left after the hand.