A Fond Frugal Farewell

Back in 1999, Brad and I had been having good success in casinos for 15 years and word was getting around about it, especially after we appeared on “48 Hours.” Friends were hearing about all the comps we were getting on our frequent Vegas trips and bugging us to tell them our “secret.” The problem was that there wasn’t just a one-ingredient hush-hush recipe for success that I could give them in a couple of sentences.

So being a former English teacher, I decided to write a book, The Frugal Gambler, that would be an end-all explanation about how we were able to enjoy this wonderful life full of freebies and how other gamblers could do it too. Then, I could go back to just enjoying our busy casino life.

Silly me!

In my defense, in 1999, almost no one could have predicted how fast and how radical the changes would come in the casino world in the new century. But I soon saw it beginning to happen and with it the need for frequent updated information to help casino visitors continue to play smarter.

Thus, in April 2000, “Frugal Fridays” was born, a weekly column – we didn’t call them blogs back then – on the LVA website. After eight years, I grew tired of deadlines and sent Anthony a resignation email. He was sympathetic, but offered me a new option. LVA was starting a new feature; would I be interested in writing a blog whenever I felt like it? I took a few weeks to rest and think about it and then came back on board with “Frugal Vegas.”

Funny, I often still wrote almost every week even with no deadline pressure; I was constantly finding new situations and ideas that might be helpful to others. Even when Brad and I moved from Vegas and our casino adventures became limited, I would, albeit on an irregular schedule, think of something I wanted to share with my readers. (I have no reasonable explanation why I also felt I needed to write four more Frugal books during this time!)

However, now, many factors in my life are coming together and compelling me to make the hard decision to put two last words, The End, onto this 23-year LVA writing project.

Actually, I won’t miss the actual process of typing the words on the computer keyboard. What I will miss is the wonderful communication with the hundreds of friends Brad and I made here. No, we haven’t met all of you readers in person, although it has been a joy when so many of us have been able to chat at get-together events. And what I loved the most were the many many times we unexpectedly met in a casino, sometimes side by side at a bank of good video poker machines, and it was such a welcome break when someone recognized us and came up and introduced themselves. However, there are so many of you that, although we never met in person, have also become friends through internet contact: Q+A’s, gambling forums, blog comments, personal emails, and social media.

I will miss you all immensely. You have lifted my spirits so many times during these last few years while I’ve concentrated on being Brad’s caretaker.

There is one major way we can keep in touch. I have a public Jean Scott Facebook page, where I plan to be more active in the future: posting pictures, answering questions, reporting on casino news, and maybe even sharing a new nugget of smart-gambling information I have run across. Go to my page and request to be my friend! Please!

Also, as LasVegasAdvisor.com transitions to a paid-subscription model, Anthony tells me that my past blog posts will be available for everyone to see for free in the archives. This fits perfectly with my own plans. Long-time readers might want to peruse them for the memories. New gamblers, although many of the specifics are outdated, will find a surprising amount of basic smart-gambling concepts that will always be helpful.

In my previous post, I shared the news that I’m retiring from advantage play this year. Several friends commented that they thought this would be hard for me. They know that I’m highly competitive and love pitting my gambling skills against the casino edge. I will admit it was a big adjustment when Brad and I moved into a senior facility far from any casino. But it didn’t take long for me to become the resident game instigator here. I rounded up everyone who was bored and taught them Phase 10, Mexican Train dominoes, and Rummikub.

I hear your next question. No, there is no money involved in any of these games. But you may remember how I began my first Frugal book, describing how I played Uncle Wiggley and Chutes and Ladders with intensity at age four and later our family played Scrabble “for blood.” Back now to just gaming, not gambling, I’m realizing that the challenge of competition had always been my fundamental joy; winning money is just one way to keep score.

Recently, I’ve also gone back to a game I hadn’t played for 50 years, and one that just might provide me a challenge as much as video poker did – mah jongg. It’s addicting and I’m already hooked! It’s sometimes played for very small stakes, although right now I’m only playing in social settings. However, there is the opportunity to play on the tournament circuits. I thought I ‘d developed some good skills during this last year of frequent play, so I entered my first tournament a few weeks. However, I was shocked at the expertise of the competition and was immediately hit with the stark reality that walking the path to great success in this game would take years of practice and experience. But that idea didn’t sound discouraging to me at all; in fact, it lit up some of the competitive fires within me that I thought perhaps were slowly being extinguished. Time will tell!

I’ll do my final signoff here with the same words I’ve used when I autographed so many of your Frugal books down these last 23 years. It will never need updated: The more you study, the luckier you will be!

Posted in Advantage Play, Comps, Frugal Fridays, It's Personal, Meet-ups, Memories, Online, Public Appearances, Q+A, TV Appearance, Video Poker | 47 Comments

A Textbook Trip Report Part 3

Before I start addressing some of the many questions I’ve been asked about the gambling part of our Harrah’s Cherokee casino visit, I need to give some details about the non-gambling part for those who wanted some up-to-date information for their future visits.

There were some changes since our previous trip back in March 2022. Selu Garden Café, our favorite breakfast/lunch choice, has been renovated, with the gift area replaced by a comedy club venue that includes a bar and evening food selections. Also, the nearby Starbucks was closed, as they’re doing a major expansion to provide a much-needed larger sit-down area.

As had been announced when the buffet was closed during the pandemic, that space was turned into a Gordon Ramsay Food Market. We weren’t impressed. I don’t care what fancy name casinos are putting on this new option these days – a food market, food hall, food festival, or food forum, I just refer to it as a food court with higher prices. And to add salt to the wound, the old food court at Harrah’s Cherokee, with several reasonably priced choices that we loved as an easy option right on the casino floor, now has only two choices, Earl of Sandwich and Dunkin’ Donuts. And it’s now open only 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. when most everything else is closed. I guess TV chefs don’t like competition.

It seems that there are still some staffing problems. Most food venues are very crowded, some have limited hours, and service is slow. One exception was the Brio Italian Grill; although always busy and a reservation is recommended, we again found the food and service were top-notch.

We stayed in the older Creek Tower and the two rooms were quite comfortable, although not fancy. It was convenient to have a coffeemaker, a small fridge, and small microwave. All hotel rooms are a good long walk to the casino; we knew that the new tower rooms were more upscale, but a longer trek to the casino. One plus for Brad: They have a whole new fleet of modern wheelchairs to replace the ancient ones we used in the past. No fee for this convenience: Check them out on arrival and use until you leave.

Most of your gambling questions centered around casino tier systems. That’s a complex subject that would require a long detailed discussion, but I’ll give you a condensed version. First, every casino or casino group has their own and very different system and none are simple. So you must do a deep dive into the website of each one that you’re considering, so you know what the play requirements are for each tier.

Then you look at the benefits of each and see which ones you’ll actually use. Or can you “buy” some of these yourself at a smaller cost than what you would lose trying to earn them? Many casinos have been drastically cutting their tier benefits. For years, Brad and I were CZR Seven Stars, but we dropped down to Diamond Elite when we no longer used some of the benefits. And many people are finding “free” casino cruises have hefty surcharges and fees, when they can find less expensive ones by checking internet specials and discounts. The long and short is that players must consider their bankrolls, goals, their interests and then do the math!

Now, before I give you a final financial report for this visit, I need to confirm the rumors that I’m retiring. I’m not saying I’ll never play video poker again or visit a casino, but I’m leaving the advantage gambling arena. No more long hours of research and scouting to find the best plays. No more wading through pages of fine print to decide what promotions are worth my time. And definitely no more pushing to reach the higher tier levels of players clubs. No longer will I try at every point to balance fun and profit. At long last, fun will trump EV.

I decided in advance that this casino visit would be my last as an advantage player. Getting to Diamond Elite was a good goal, since it will probably generate enough future benefits that I can plan as many just-fun casino visits as I want to through January 2025.

Of course, being human, I would have liked to hit a $20,000 royal and go out with a bang. However, from past experience, playing six hours, I figured I’d lose around $5-$7K if I not only didn’t hit a royal, but also didn’t land at least one $5,000 4-deuce jackpot. Well, I didn’t hit either of the biggies, but I could title this session with the same one I used for the last chapter in my first book so long ago: “Breaking Even is a Terrific Thing.” It was a wonderful textbook ending of a 39-year career.

And now, for the cherry-on-top story I’m so so happy to share with you. I’ve talked more about my own gambling experiences for the last few years, since Brad has forgotten almost everything he knew about casinos and advantage gambling. After our many hours on the road getting to Cherokee, that evening we put Brad to bed thinking he’d be down for the night. Much to our surprise, after about an hour’s nap, he almost jumped out of bed. “Time to go to the casino!”

We helped him get dressed and into the wheelchair and the whole family headed for the long walk from the hotel over the bridge to the casino. In past casino visits, Steve pushed him around, looking for fun slots to play, while I went to a video poker machine. This time, I was looking for another bank of VP, so we were all walking around together, stopping to look at all of the new splashy slot machines. Steve stopped at one and asked Brad if he wanted to play it, but Brad just frowned and waved us away. He’s not very verbal these days, but his gestures seemed very negative toward all the slot machines we were looking at. Finally, he saw the bank of video poker machines I was looking for and he immediately motioned to all of us to come to them.

“You sure remember the best games to play!” I exclaimed as we all gathered around excitedly. He couldn’t wait to get out of the wheelchair and start playing. I sat down beside him, keeping a close watch; it was $25 a hand and I wasn’t at all sure if he remembered accurate strategy. These days, he often can’t remember what happened a couple of minutes ago.

His short-term memory is gone, but the long-term one kicked in strong and he started playing, very fast, just like he’d always done in the past. And surprisingly to all of us, he was extremely accurate, even choosing inside straights without a pause. The main errors I had to keep him from making, like keeping only one of two pairs, I soon realized was because he was remembering the somewhat different strategy for the full-pay Classic Deuces that was our core game for several years when we first started playing video poker. He probably hadn’t played that game for 30 years, but those were the brain cells that suddenly came alive.

We all watched in utter amazement for almost an hour, so happy he was having good luck and was up about $1,000. But then he started slowing down, having trouble deciding what to hold, looking to me for help. The long-term memory was fading. Yes, he just wanted to watch now.

This will probably be the last time he will ever be at a video poker machine, or even in a casino. But it’s a sweet memory that I and the whole family will always treasure.

I know your last question.

No, I’m not retiring from writing about casinos and gambling. Maybe just slowing down? Who knows when or where my words of advice might pop up!

 

Posted in Advantage Play, Bankroll, Brad Stories, Caesars, Casino Player Benefits, Cherokee Casino, Family News, Food Review, Gaming Writing, Hotel Information, Memories, Non-gambling Activities, Q+A, Slot Clubs, Slots, Video Poker | 14 Comments

A Textbook Trip Report Part 2

In my last blog, I talked about my extensive planning for our recent visit to the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in North Carolina. This made for a smooth and relaxing start to our family vacation, a pleasant six-hour trip north through the beautiful Georgia scenery I still enjoy as much as I did when the lush greenery was such a welcome change from the stark landscape of our Las Vegas desert home. Because Brad and I are tired of our fine-dining-style dinner every night at Legacy, we got to choose a fast-food favorite, Arby’s, for a leisurely lunch, then our usual short stop later for a Dairy Queen ice cream treat. I’m addicted to their no-sugar-added Dilly Bars!

Also making this visit easier was the fact that we’d made this trip many times before. When we still lived in Las Vegas, for years Brad and I both usually reached Seven Stars tier status, which gave us two completely comped trips a year to any CZR casino in the country. It worked out perfectly for us to choose Harrah’s Cherokee; we could tack on a family vacation with little additional expense, since our flight from Vegas to Atlanta was comped. We could spend a week or two with the family in Columbus, then take the road trip to Cherokee where we had two or three comped rooms or sometimes a huge two-bedroom suite, depending on how many in the family were with us. Seven Stars benefits fed us the whole time and sometimes we had comps we were “forced” to use in the shops. The family loved to help us out with those use-or-lose benefits!

We didn’t have nearly as many extra benefits on this trip as when we were flying high as Seven Stars, since now only I’m Diamond Elite, but happily my host could go the extra mile and get us two comped rooms. I also had a $100 Celebration Dinner, a Diamond Elite benefit I hadn’t yet used, plus quite a few Reward credits that I accumulated with my heavy play on the visit to Reno last March. (I’d planned to use them for food comps there, but to my surprise, my room-charge bill was completely zeroed out by my host rather than Reward credits being used first, the usual CZR policy.) So when we were ready to check out of Cherokee, those carry-over credits covered most of our food charges, with a very small out-of-pocket balance left for us to pay.

Now for the subject for which many of you are waiting, the actual gambling part of this trip.

Some of the nitty-gritty details I’ll be discussing may seem too technical for some of you. Many say that thinking about math takes the fun out of their casino experience. However, I take the view that I have more fun when I can win more and lose less. So although not a math wizard myself, I’ve learned to take the information from the wizards and apply it to my own play. And in most cases, like the one I’ll be describing here, it’s not complex calculus, just simple arithmetic. And it’s one of the most important and basic foundation stones in Brad’s and my casino success for 39 years.

For this trip, I knew in advance, as I almost always do, what game I’d be playing, the same one I’ve played at Cherokee for many years: $5 NSUD (Not-So-Ugly Deuces, the nickname for the 44-deuce game with an EV of 99.73%). I checked in advance on vpFREE2 for the machine locations and was happy to find there hadn’t been any major changes since we were there a year and a half ago.

Most importantly, I also planned my playing schedule, which for me, at a CZR property, is 99.9% based on maximizing the players club tier bonus system. (A reminder – the tier system is separate from their Reward system, although you’re earning both tier and Reward credits at the same time. It can be easy to confuse the two!)

500 base tier credits earn 125 bonus tier credits
1,000 base earn 1,000 bonus
2,500 base earn 5,000 bonus
5,000 base earn 10,000 bonus

You can see by this chart why I almost always choose to earn either 2,500 or 5,000 (no more no less) tier credits per day. Those both earn double bonuses; lesser amounts of play earn a smaller % bonus. I’d already earned about 53,000 tier credits this year in Reno, so I needed about 22,000 more for the 75,000 per year to reach the Diamond Elite tier level.

From past experience, I knew that on these $5 machines, I earned about 1,250 credits per hour. So on our arrival day, I planned to play for about two hours, reasonable after six hours of tiring travel. That would get me 7, 500 credits (the base 2,500, plus the 5,000 bonus). On the next full day of playing time, in about four hours I could get 15,000 tier points (5,000 base and 10,000 bonus). With the total of those two days of tier earnings, 22,500, I’d reached my yearly goal of 75,000 and be Diamond Elite until the end of January 2024.

I know that most players don’t have the same goals and/or bankroll or play the same games that I do. But I want to emphasize that this same general principle can be used on lower levels. CZR video poker usually takes $10 of play to earn 1 tier credit. (You must carefully look for any machine labels, because many casinos are making pocket-emptying changes with good or even halfway decent VP paytables requiring $20 or even up to $50 coin-in to earn one tier credit.)

However, on almost all slot machine play, most casino players clubs give twice as many (or more) points than on VP; at a CZR property, it usually takes only $5 to earn 1 tier credit, half of much as for VP. This means slot players earn tier credits (and reward credits) much faster than VP players, not just because of the better bonus rate, but because most play faster than the VP player who has – or should have – more thinking time between hands.

Of course, I feel compelled to mention the cost of this rapid road to higher tier-point accumulation. I’m not judging any player in terms of what game they want to play, but I must repeat this mathematical fact, probably for the hundredth or thousandth time in my writings: A slot player over the long term will lose a lot more than the VP student.

But all machine players (on slots and VP) who have a goal of climbing the CZR tier ladder can reduce their cost by using the bonus chart to their advantage. That doesn’t mean betting over your bankroll, but planning your play schedule carefully. This usually means bunching bigger play on fewer days to reach daily total requirements that have a bigger bonus percentage.

Some couples do this by playing on only one of their cards each day (usually permitted if they have the same address). They hit the goal tier level on one card, perhaps in two days. Then they start the climb on the other card. If you aren’t part of a couple, instead of lighter play for three days, you might take that same bankroll to do heavier play on your card one or two days to reach your tier level goal, then leave the other days for sightseeing or other non-gambling activities.

The bonuses are so important, because they don’t cost you any extra after you have played for the base. Those are credits earned when you don’t have to fight the casino edge. And there are other ways to earn these “free” tier credits. CZR properties run many tier-credit multiplier promotions. You must read the details of these carefully; they aren’t standard across all properties, with varying dates and many different multipliers.

Sometimes it’s one multiplier casino-wide. Sometimes multipliers are graded up the higher tier you are in. Sometimes you have to swipe at a kiosk to find your mystery multiplier. But in almost all cases with bigger multipliers, like 5x, 10x, or higher, you’ll often find – usually in the fine print – that multipliers on video poker are capped, usually at 3x. But whatever you play, these multiplier promotions reduce your cost of reaching higher tiers as they help you get to your goal faster.

I get many questions from readers when I write about our experiences in the CZR tier system. Why did you go down from the Seven Stars tier to Diamond Elite? Does it pay to always strive to go to a higher level? How do I decide what tier to aim for? Are all casino tier systems similar to the one at CZR? Can you use the same methods in all casinos to maximize the benefits you will receive?

There are no simple answers to many of these questions; they’ll take more time and space than I have here. But I’ll tackle them in the upcoming Part 3, along with the questions I know you all have: “How did your play results turn out this trip?” and “Is it really true that you’re retiring from video poker advantage play?”

And I can’t wait to share with you an amazing Brad story that put the cherry on the top of this wonderful family casino visit.

Posted in Advantage Play, Bankroll, Caesars, Casino Policy, Casino Promotions, Cherokee Casino, Comps, Family News, Non-Vegas Casinos, Reno, Travel, Video Poker, VP Extras | 3 Comments

A Textbook Trip Report – Part 1

Twenty-five years ago, I started writing how-to books and articles about ways to play smarter in a casino. Over that time, I occasionally talked about the experiences of other players, but almost every idea I ever discussed came from the knowledge I gained from the 39 years of personal hands-on play Brad and I did in the casino, always seeking the best advantage we could find.

But now we’ve arrived at a time when we need to make major life changes. I always said that the best thing about casino life was that it was something Brad and I could enjoy together, but these last few years, his declining health has greatly curtailed this. However, we did have a short casino visit together recently and I’m sitting at my computer starting a trip report about it. I got to thinking about all those years of play and how the casino environment has changed so much. This might be my last trip report and I started wondering how different it might be from those I wrote in the early days so long ago.

Any wonderfully new ideas? Or is it just a textbook review, pretty much hitting the same basic points I’ve been emphasizing in my writings the last 25 years? I guess you readers will have to decide.

Choose Your Goals

I’ve always had two goals in planning a casino visit, whether it was for a few hours to a nearby locals casino when we lived in Vegas or a long flight for a four-day stay at a casino across the country. I was always looking to combine advantage gambling and non-gambling fun.

Our recent trip was a five-hour road trip from our home in Georgia to Harrah’s Cherokee in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. The advantage gambling part was playing good-schedule video poker with enough added benefits to make it an over-100% play. Actually, this flows over into the fun factor, because we enjoy playing our very favorite game, Deuces Wild.

On this trip, the non-gambling fun activities took up the major part of our stay. First, we had plenty of quality time with family. Daughter and son-in-law Angela and Steve, who live near our home at Legacy, picked us up, then we stopped in Atlanta to pick up granddaughter Kaitlynn. From our arrival, everyone was mixing their time in the casino with activities elsewhere.

Kaitlynn was happy to once again be near her beloved Appalachian Trail and persuaded her dad to go with her on a “little” hike, just eight miles, to relive some happy memories from her previous summer’s 2,190-mile adventure. Angela enjoyed sharing the music of her generation with Kaitlynn, putting good use to the two comped tickets my host provided for the Air Supply concert. And on the way home, in Tiger, Georgia, we stopped, perhaps for the last time, at Brad’s favorite place, Goats on the Roof, an attraction that we usually visited every time we were coming or going to Cherokee the last 15 or so years.

Another enjoyable activity this trip, one which we have often included in our casino visits down through the years, was a Frugalite meet-up. Sometimes old friends attend whom we haven’t seen recently, but this group was made up of Internet friends,  players who’d followed my writings for years, but now we could meet in person. It’s such a joy to chat with enthusiastic fellow players. And subsequent to this meeting, two attendees hit royals, with one getting two in a short period of time. You can’t tell this group that there wasn’t good karma in our get-together! (If you’re a friend on my Jean Scott Facebook page, you can find some discussion and pics of this.)

Do Detailed Pre-Planning

I’ve always said that I probably spend more time planning our casino visits than I actually devote to playing the games. My first job is checking casino communications. That used to be the USPS mailbox. Although I still get some mailers that way, more frequently now, it’s my computer Inbox and the casino phone app/website account.

I started thinking about this Harrah’s Cherokee visit when I received a we-miss-you email offer for $150 free play to be used in July or August. I hadn’t played there since March of ’22. Yes, that’s hardly the amounts we were used to, considering the high level of play I’ve always given them. But one of the problems I found in the past was that Cherokee treated me like a local who could buzz up there every week or so to collect $300. (Maybe if they ever use AI in their reward system, it will see my zip code is a four-hour drive away.) And the offer amounts go down quickly if you don’t play often. But at least this was an offer good for a longer stretch of time and it would provide a small EV (expected-value) boost.

Last March on a trip to Reno, I put on some heavy play to get well on the way to my goal of reaching the CZR Diamond Elite level (75,000 tier points) for next year. After double-checking on vpFREE2 that the $5 NSUD (the 99.7% Deuce game) was still there, Cherokee is still the closest property where I can find the highest EV video poker schedule to finish getting the 22,000 more tier points I needed.

Now it was time to contact our long-time host for a room reservation, which he could easily comp. He’s a regional host who’s not attached to any one casino, but can take care of trip arrangements for any CZR property. We’ve been lucky over the years to find many both regional and casino-specific hosts who’ve given us exceptional service. I realize that these days, many hosts are very limited in what they can do for customers outside strict company comp policies. But not only have I still been finding some who have learned how to broaden or work  around some of these, I’ve talked to others who are using my talk-nice and don’t-ever-demand advice and often being successful in getting some extra benefits. Also, sometimes a long history of play at a casino will make up for a slightly lower level of action.

Be Flexible

Speaking of advice I’ve given in the past to my readers, sometimes I have to remind myself of it.

Case in point: I originally planned this trip for just Kaitlynn, who would drive, and me. Brad would stay home in the care of Steve and Angela. But just a couple of days before the Friday reservation date, Angela and Steve both found out they were free for a three-day weekend. Angela really wanting to see Air Supply and Steve never needs an excuse to head to the mountains. So wouldn’t it be nice if we all went and Brad could also, with the whole family helping to take care of him? But we needed a second room. A weekend at the end of the 4th of July holiday week? I checked the prices online and it would be over $1,000 for the extra room for the two nights! Far from a frugal option.

The original reservation was for one comped room. Back when Brad and I both played heavily, it was no problem to get a second room comped for family or friends. But I was doubtful that I was playing enough for two these days. I’ve always been hesitant to ask for a comp if I wasn’t pretty sure I qualified. I wavered — until I remember what I’ve been telling all of you for years. Just ask … nicely. So I did – in the round-about non-demanding way I often suggest: “Steve does have a veteran’s card and has played some at the sister property … if it isn’t possible that’s okay … etc., etc. I didn’t have to mention that this might be one of the last times Brad would be able to go to a casino; we’ve been very close to this host for probably 15+ years, so he knows our personal circumstances.

Anyway, I did the just-ask – and it was successful. The host put both comped rooms in my name and since I’m Diamond Elite, that saved a pricey resort fee on the second one.

—-

I was afraid this anatomy of a final trip report might not fit into one blog entry. Remember I said pre-planning often takes longer than the main action. Stay tuned for Part 2 when I discuss a textbook ending, an amazing grand happening, and a surprising-or-not future plan.

 

Posted in Advantage Play, Caesars, Casino Hosts, Casino Player Benefits, Cherokee Casino, Comps, Family News, Meet-ups, Non-gambling Activities, Non-Vegas Casinos, Public Appearances, Show Tickets, Travel, Video Poker | 3 Comments

Can You Still Have Fun Casino Visits?

Before I start talking about casino fun, I need to add something to the subject I’ve briefly discussed in recent blogs. Artificial intelligence (AI) has generated many comments and questions from readers who want more information. I find AI is not only not a fun topic to write about, but probably the worst thing I’ve encountered on the long and winding casino path. In fact, it’ll probably do what no other factor has been able to do: push me to retire from this wonderful 40-year journey of advantage play.

But to help those younger frugalites (anyone younger than 84) or even oldsters like me who still enjoy being in a casino, but want to play as smart as possible, I offer you this article, “The Convergence of AI and Gaming.” It explains some of the impact AI might have on players and the surprising possibility I hadn’t even considered – its use by players to improve their odds. I just don’t have the scientific mind to research and discuss this subject further. I suggest you roam the Internet if you want to dig deeper. You have to know your enemy in order to make wise fight strategies!

Now, let’s get back to the fun factor; we all need more of it after so much gloom-and-doom talk.

What got me thinking about this was reading a recent commentary by my long-time friend Dennis Conrad, which took me back to Brad’s and my early casino years, long before I became a speaker at many of Dennis’ casino-consulting seminars.

In the late ’80s-early ’90s before his morphing into a casino consultant, Dennis was the marketing manager of the Holiday Casino (now Harrah’s Las Vegas) where Brad and I put in heavy play at that time. He ran unusual but always enjoyable promotions all the time. Until I read this article, I’d almost forgotten one hilarious contest for VIP players, an interactive game of Sex Trivia in which I was a contestant. And yes, much to the hoots and hollers of the boisterous audience, I stammered around asking for additional information on the question, “Which is larger, the average American woman’s breast or a Big Mac?” I wanted to know, “Is that for one breast or the total of both?” I finally answered the question correctly, won the game, and got a standing ovation. Do I remember the right answer? A big no! I have trouble remembering exactly what happened a few years ago, much less 35 years or so. But I do remember what a fun evening it was.

In March 2016, I wrote a blog post about this same subject, having fun in a casino. Even back then, players were already clamoring for help in coping with the decrease in good playing opportunities. Of course, it’s even harder almost eight years later, but as I’ve been writing about lately, some basic techniques will still allow you to decrease your bankroll losses and increase your fun.

I’m getting many positive reports from players who are finding new ways to enjoy their casino visits. True, many once-serious advantage players have exited the gambling/casino arena completely. But others find they can change things: their goals, their attitudes, their expectations. Perhaps they can go down to lower denomination levels, decrease their frequency of play, find new games, do more scouting, work more promotions. broaden their choice of casinos,  And a big change that is helping many is looking for non-gambling activities in and outside the casino to balance out their playing time. This is allowing them to create a total fun experience.

For a long time, my posts have discussed new options, reviewed old techniques, and suggested new ones. If you’re new here, you might find it helpful to go back and read those. And I still do online searches all the time to find frugal nuggets that will be helpful in my search for both fun and profit in a casino.

One good new blogger has shown up on this site. Bobby Vegas is a long-time gambling and Sin City aficionado who has a unique perspective based on his scores of visits, many on business. A recent one that’s on a subject dear to my heart is titled, “Why I Sign up for Everything.” Keep an eye on Bobby; his posts are well worth reading.

And now a final note. I still like the casino life; I’m just not in a position to make it a major part of my life as it was for the last almost 40 years. However, an opportunity has popped up for me to spend a weekend at Harrah’s Cherokee (July 7-9) and hopefully finish my play to get to the CZR Diamond Elite level this year. My granddaughter Kaitlynn has offered to be my driver on this 4½-hour road trip. She’ll enjoy using her tiny gambling bankroll on the slots — $20 is usually her psychological stop-limit! And then she’ll be off to return to spending a little hiking time on her beloved Appalachian Trail, which goes very near Cherokee. She’s still never seen a mountain that she didn’t want to climb!

So … this will be an opportunity for a Frugalite meet-up on July 8th. If you’d like to get together with me and other players, please email me (at [email protected]) and let me know your availability between noon and 7 p.m. and your phone number. I’ll get back to you with the details a couple of days before the trip.

Posted in Advantage Play, Bankroll, Caesars, Cherokee Casino, Family News, Meet-ups, Memories, Non-Vegas Casinos, Slots, Travel, Video Poker | 6 Comments

Hints and Pics from the Frugal Files

Some of you told me that my last blog was depressing.

I feel your pain. I realize that hearing about negative changes in the casino world is anything but uplifting. I also fear the future of downgrades, like when I just ran across this article that gave me more details about how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used in casinos.

I can’t give you one big piece of Pollyanna advice on how to cope with these changing times. I’ve never been able to do that on any gambling issue. However, I have written a lot  about how different kinds of gamblers might modify their play as the casino environment evolves. One of the most detailed discussions of this was a four-part series on this blog back in March and April 2015: “When Casinos cut VP Benefits.” See Part 1 here and you can click forward (using the link to the right above the comments on the Part 1 page) for Part 2. For Part 3 and Part 4, it’s easier to link from here.

I can’t believe that I’ve been writing about this for eight years. Even then, I probably would have found earlier blogs on the same subject if I’d scrolled back through the Archives (which you can also do right here on my site for any month I have been blogging since 2000). I’m not surprised that a lot of my old posts are still relevant today. Although specific details may be outdated, many of the basic concepts are still valuable keys to success.

Despite many negative factors these days, you can still come across some positives when  doing your casino scouting and research. Not all casinos are using the newest software. Smaller companies especially might not have the budget for them and still reward you in the more traditional ways. Some casinos might consider some of the “old ways” to still be a good fit for their market.

Here’s an interesting article that discusses the subject of free play and how not all casinos follow the same views on how it should be used.

Also, some casinos are still giving their hosts broader authority to extend comps, with a range of numbers and factors, rather than one can’t-be-changed schedule. Just asking, but doing it nicely, will always work better than a demanding attitude and you might land in the top of that range.

Another good host hint I’m finding out about in my own casino visits and from the experiences of others is that all properties under one big umbrella company don’t necessarily have the same policies. Therefore, don’t assume you already know all the details about getting comps, just because you’ve played at sister casinos. Check with a new host or, better still, have a chat with several hosts to get the big picture and/or more details. Sometimes you’ll find more generous territory!

If your personal circumstances are flexible, broaden your search to include casinos you haven’t considered before. Your long-time favorite casino may no longer be the best choice for you.

And here’s a new transportation option that might open up some new good casino opportunities for some of you readers out west, from a press release from ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Megabus, one of the largest bus companies in North America. They have announced a new partnership with Salt Lake Express, a popular shuttle service along the northern I-15 corridor. This partnership will allow for expanded service options to and from 75 cities in the Northwest across Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, including daily trips between Las Vegas and Mesquite and Pahrump, Nevada.  Additional service will be offered from Boise, Helena, Salt Lake City, and Reno.

And now changing the subject: For some of you who’ve asked for current pictures of Brad and me, here they are. They also answer someone’s question about whether we do any non-casino gambling these days. These were taken recently when we attended two Kentucky Derby parties. One was here at Legacy Reserve, where we have a party for everything! The other was at the home of friends. Most at the party were spouses and retired Army and/or present government employees who work with son-in-law Steve at Fort Benning (recently renamed Fort Moore).

Now, our parties at the Legacy bar (yes, the only senior facility in Georgia with a licensed bar) are lively, fun, and full of noisy chatter, but sometimes it’s great to get together with the younger generation. Those Army guys really know how to party down and they swept these two oldsters right into the rowdy action. We’d never played Left-Right-Center before and didn’t know how boisterous 25 people surrounding a long table could get, while fiercely defending their $3 bets. Even Brad, who usually sits silently on game sidelines, joined in the action and was just as shocked as I was when, after being “out” for many rounds, I ended up winning the $75 final pot!

His surprising engagement in the activities lasted all evening, even after we got back home. And for a short time, he remembered what he’d had done for 35 years, but has forgotten these last four: counting the organized stacks of little bills, then giving me the total of our day’s gambling results.

I had to retreat to the bedroom to hide my tears.

This is a time of mixed emotions for me. Dementia is such a cruel condition. There are so many long days of silence when he’s in his own world, thankfully peaceful, but not “with me.”  And again, thankfully, I’ve been able to adjust and to make for myself a different but happy world.  However, I’m thrilled beyond words when his memory unexpectedly wakes up and we can, even just for a few hours, re-live some of those joyful times we shared in the past.

Posted in Advantage Play, Casino Hosts, Casino Player Benefits, Casino Policy, Comments, Comps, It's Personal, Memories, Transportation, Video Poker | 11 Comments

The BIG Question

I field questions all the time about all sorts of gambling and casino topics. But recently, it seems they can mostly be combined into one big question: Why is it getting so hard to be an advantage player? And then many tack on a plea: What can I do about it?

Let me take that second part first.

For many years now, I’ve been trying to give you little nuggets of information in my writings, especially here in this blog, that may help you cope as gambling conditions deteriorate. Actually, in a recent QOD, I gave a 10-item summary list of some of the most valuable nuggets that made casino action so successful for Brad and me down through the years. But sad to say, there never has been just one secret advantage-play gold mine anywhere. You have to prospect and dig constantly and it’s hard work.

It is a little easier to answer the first part of the question, the “why?” And I think you can boil it down to one word: analytics.

Eons ago when I started gambling in casinos, although I knew the meaning of the word, I was mostly unaware of the specifics that analytics covered. After all I was an English teacher and never a math major, and a very latecomer to the digital world. (In fact, after I handed in my first book in my little chicken-scratch handwriting, my long-time editor and friend, Deke Castleman, rejoiced when I bought a computer and learned word processing.)

In those earlier days, in my writing and talking about slot club benefits, I frequently emphasized that it didn’t matter what you played or whether you won or lost, that the key statistic was just the amount of coin-in you gave the casino. That’s why I pounded on the idea of using your players card, so the casino could track how much money you put through the machines. And that was true in almost all casinos at that time. They were just interested in how much play you gave them and they rewarded you accordingly.

However, I noticed early on, especially in the advertising and mailings I received, that they were full of positive terms and glowing descriptions that emphasized the “fun of winning.”  I knew their copywriters were either trained by or were themselves psychologists, well versed in influencing people’s behavior, as was common in any business at the time. I wrote about this in my 2003 book More Frugal Gambling, railing against the host system being called “player development.”

I have visions of wild-eyed scientists in the casino basement, madly working with multi-colored fluids and rows and rows of test tubes, cooking up a potion to add to the casino’s free drinks that will turn a sensible thrifty deliberate conservative nickel-playing Iowa hog farmer into a reckless loud-mouthed out-of-control money-flinging red-eyed marathon high-limit slot player.

Even more sinister, I see psychologists, advertising mavens, market researchers, and time-study experts sitting around a large boardroom table discussing how they can get gray-haired retirees to dig into that deep dark part of their wallet, take out the $20 stashed for emergencies, and try to hit that progressive jackpot that they know is “due.”

I can develop myself — my character, my physical body, my mind — all by myself, thank you. I don’t want to walk into a casino and feel I’m a subject in an experiment.

Today, I will at myself laugh with you at these naïve words.

Because, soon after, to the consternation of all of us knowledgeable players, casinos started using simple software that looked at several other factors as well as coin-in to determine how many benefits to give machine players: some combination of your zip code, frequency of visits, choice of machine, denomination level, and time spent playing. To maximize this last factor with reduced financial cost, I remember some of us experimented with playing two machines, trying to see how long we could pause between hands and not be timed out.

Even more problematic, we were slowly finding out that we could no longer depend on our friendly hosts who in the past helped us figure out the best way to take full advantage of the players club system; they themselves no longer knew all the details of these new programs that were quickly adding more and more pieces of information. So now I had a new picture in my head to describe in my writings – a kitchen food mixer. I remember I made a joke that perhaps if I changed the color of my hair, they’d throw that piece of information into the mixer and I could see if that changed my monthly mailers!

Well, as the old saying goes: That was then. This is now.

No longer a dozen or so factors, but millions of data points are being fed into programs. It’s hard enough for non-math me to understand the descriptions of the new ultra-sophisticated software available to casinos these days, much less to describe how they work and what they can do. Just google “modern casino technology” and you can read for hours about the many companies bringing out new and more complex programs at a fast and furious pace.

Although the press releases are full of hype about how these new programs will “improve the customer’s entertainment experience,” the casinos aren’t, to be sure, scrambling to install them for that as a primary purpose. Their eyes are always focused on improving their bottom line. Here is an example about one program put out by Acres, a leading innovator in casino technology.

The ability to double casino revenues! You don’t have to be a mathematician to know from whose pockets these new profits are coming. Their new Video Poker Analyzer software is a glaring example of the casinos’ bottom-line interest and a stark revelation for knowledgeable players of that game.

Another promotional piece I saw exclaimed, “The data and profiles we collect allow us to know the players’ personality and that can be used anywhere in the property.”

Another brags that their program “helps hosts get their players to play more.”

And this one made me laugh out loud. “So much of where we’re going and what we’re doing is to remove friction from the consumer experience.” Do they believe we casino players think it’s just too much to have to go to our mailbox to see how much money the casino wants to give us!?

Just when we think the situation can’t get any worse, now they’re going to use AI (artificial intelligence for you who are still hiding under a moldy rock).

Back almost 40 years ago, I was worrying about test tubes in a lab. I’m not even sure I knew what a computer chip was then.

 

Posted in Advantage Play, Casino Hosts, Casino Player Benefits, Comps, Memories, Online, Q+A, Slot Clubs, Technology, Video Poker, Web Sites | 13 Comments

Reno Trip Report

My recent casino visit to Reno was definitely a trip down memory lane. Although I’d never played or stayed at the Silver Legacy before, Brad and I had made many trips to the city, especially back in the mid-’80s when we were playing blackjack. We stayed at Circus Circus, the Peppermill, Atlantis, and the now-closed Harrah’s Reno. The latter was the scene of one unforgettable event in my past when I was barred from the blackjack tables.

“You can play any other game in the casino.” Suits smiling nicely.

“But I’m losing!” I protested in my poor-little-innocent-woman voice. They just walked away, still smiling.

Funny, they didn’t stop at the next table where Brad was killing them with his card counting. This was very early in our casino career, 1986, and we hadn’t yet discovered video poker; I could probably have been tearing them up at a machine and it wouldn’t have mattered if my lips moved when I was concentrating! Anyway, the day had a happy ending; I moved to the blackjack tables at the nearby Ramada and won a bundle.

By 1990, we’d discovered video poker and gradually left blackjack behind to concentrate on the great VP opportunities in Vegas. However, in 1998, we planned a cross-country train adventure, an Amtrak package where we could choose three stops between Indianapolis and the west coast. We chose San Louis Obispo and San Francisco, but the first one was Reno, with a specific non-gambling purpose: babysitting Deke Castleman’s two little boys while he and his wife took a vacation. Brad and I had become close friends with Deke due to our mutual affiliation with Anthony Curtis and the Las Vegas Advisor, and we were just starting out with our writer-editor relationship. Adam and Jonathan were seven and six at the time and we considered them our bonus grandchildren.

Well, on this recent Reno visit, I met with our “little boys,” now in their early 30s, at a new location for their juice and smoothie business. This brother partnership (with Deke as the CFO, the Chief Father Officer) has made jüs a popular place for healthy cold-pressed juice and other raw products since Adam launched the business 12 years ago when he was 19 years old!

Over one of their delicious acai bowls, we chatted about that long-ago visit, remembering how the boys got separated from us in the crowd at the Silver Legacy Casino and were “lost” for about 20 minutes. We thought they went back to the midway at Circus Circus where we’d been earlier, but notified security when we couldn’t spot them there. We all had a good laugh, and Brad and I a big feeling of relief, when we finally reunited at the Eldorado security office. If you’ve ever been to the three connected casinos (Circus, Eldorado, and Legacy, now appropriately called “The Row”) and traversed their multi-level design, you know how easy it is to get lost there!

Actually, this reunion wasn’t the only pleasurable connection with old friends on this trip. Dennis Conrad and his wife Becky invited my travel buddy Susan and me to join them for dinner one evening.  For many years, I was one of the speakers at Dennis’ frequent Raving Consulting casino seminars around the country. I also met several frugal fans as I played in the Silver Legacy high-limit room; one couple I hadn’t seen in 15 or so years.

Finally, the discovery of a long-ago host, Grant Wellington, now at The Row, comes with a story that still makes me giggle. Back in 2003, we flew from our new home in Vegas to Reno and stayed and played at the Reno Hilton (after many ownership changes, it is now the Grand Sierra) where Grant was our host. We soon found out through the grapevine about an “alternative-lifestyle” convention at the hotel at the same time we were there, one that included nude bowling. Brad and I casually walked by the alley, but the doors were shut and he commented that probably this wouldn’t be a pretty picture anyway. I still have that picture in my mind and snicker now, as I did then, about whether this was a dangerous activity for the male participants. When I met Grant this time, I mentioned this incident and he smiled at the 20-year-old memory.

This was a comped trip through Caesars Rewards Air. However, instead of a very easy short charter flight like Susan and I took to Atlantic City last summer, it was on a Southwest commercial flight, which had an inconvenient schedule of long layovers. But she and I are retired and didn’t have to be anywhere any certain time, so we didn’t complain too much. Besides, it was a $1,300 fare and five nights in the hotel for which we didn’t have to pay. And we both were ready for a fun getaway. Susan is adjusting to a new life since her husband passed away last year. And I was grateful for a short time free of caretaking, knowing Brad was being given loving care by Angela and Steve.

The gambling part of the trip went fairly routinely. The three-hour time difference from Georgia hit me hard and I could earn only 2,500 tier points the first day before the hotel bed demanded my presence. But that was okay, since that earned a max double bonus of 5,000 points. The next three days I earned my 5,000 points, with the max 10,000 bonus for each. So, I’m well on the way to my goal of renewing my Diamond Elite status for another year.  A plus was a multiplier-reward-credit spin on the last night. The 4x pumped up that balance, which will be waiting for me on my next CZR trip, since Grant, instead of first using our reward-credit balance as most properties do, comped our whole bill, not just the food, but gift shop purchases too.

Good thing I had a big win on my Tahoe trip last year, since Lady Luck barely showed her face this time. I love playing NSUDs, but if you can’t get the 4-deuce jackpot, much less a royal, it can be a bloodbath. I’m glad I can look at all my play through a very positive long-term lens and not be discouraged at any short-term view.

Susan knew in advance that this would be a “working trip” for me. She’s definitely not a risk-taker herself, so she knew she wouldn’t be gambling. She did say she had a $40 bankroll set aside in case she could find a Wonder Woman slot machine, which we loved on our Atlantic City trip. Well, to our surprise, there were five of those machines, a couple of old versions like in A.C., but also one new one. So, she and I put together $100 apiece for a Wonder Woman recreational bankroll when I took breaks from $5 and $10 video poker and we took turns playing short sessions, always sticking to a 50-cent minimum bet to stretch our relaxing fun time. That $200 bankroll took us through four days of on-and-off play, while Susan played by herself on her own mini bankroll. At the end of that fourth day, when I was finishing my play, Susan came to High Limit and proudly showed me her personal bankroll ticket she was about to cash in: $40.11!

Everyone can have their own goals when they visit a casino! And there is no price tag on happy success.

As usual, if you have any questions about this trip or on any other subject I write about, please feel free to put them here in the Comments or email me at [email protected].

Posted in Advantage Play, Atlantic City, Bankroll, Blackjack, Caesars, Casino Hosts, Casino Player Benefits, Casino Promotions, Comps, Harrahs Lake Tahoe, Meet-ups, Memories, Non-gambling Activities, Non-Vegas Casinos, Reno, Slots, Transportation, Travel, Video Poker | 3 Comments

An Old Gambler

Yes, I want to talk about aging and being 84, I feel well qualified to discuss the topic. Of course, getting old is such a broad subject that it could and has filled many entire books. In this post, I want to talk about old age and gambling, specifically seniors who play video poker.

If you’re a regular reader of the content on this website, you might note, “In his last column, Bob Dancer wrote on this same subject.”

I said that same thing to myself when I saw his post in the middle of writing mine. No, Bob and I don’t discuss what we’re planning to write about,  but I’ve been amazed how many times we’ve ended up mining the same veins.

Perhaps that’s not surprising. Over the course of our long careers, we’ve often played the same games and the same promotions in the same casinos. We’ve also come across the same casino news that affect playing conditions. And as active players, we experience many of the same emotions and psychological factors. However, our similar-subject articles aren’t competing; hopefully, they’re both helpful by presenting a subject from different angles.

The impetus for this post comes directly from my experiences in the last few weeks. I’ve been planning an upcoming trip to Reno, where I’ll be working to extend my CZR Diamond Elite tier status for another year. Since I’ll be playing NSUD, I wanted to refresh my memory on that strategy. I hadn’t played the game for more than a year, since a trip to Harrah’s Cherokee last March, but having played it so much in my life, I believed a few sessions with my software tutorial would quickly get me to max accuracy.

Wrong. When I hit the computer, boy, did I have a rude awakening. The error notification feature had to work overtime! True, many were minor errors that even on a $5 game would be only a 5- or 10-cent theoretical loss. But some were major and costly. On one hand, I clicked on a 4-card straight flush instead of a dealt dirty royal; that was a more than $180 loss!

This story isn’t quite as bad as it sounds. Whenever I brush up on a strategy, the best way to find my weaknesses is to put the program on “Perfect,” then play as fast as I can. Also, I practice late in the evening when I’m tired. My errors reveal what plays I need to review on my strategy chart, then be extra aware of at the casino.

After frequent sessions the last few weeks, I’m getting back to the accuracy levels I want. However, I do feel that this is a harder job than it was even a few years ago. My mental processes are definitely slowing down. Then again, I’m of my own dictum about video poker: “Speed kills.” This note of caution has always been good for me to remember, but as I get older, it’s much more important to slow down, both for my memory and energy.

I’m hoping to meet up with some fellow Frugalites on my trip to Reno next week (March 17-20). I’ll be staying at the Silver Legacy. Drop me an email if you’ll be there and want to chat and we can arrange to meet. [email protected]

———————–

One last possible happy gambling note. I say “possible,” but I’m not holding my breath; it has failed so many times before, including just last year. But Nevada Representative Dina Titus is again proposing legislation to raise the tax reporting for machine play (requiring a W-2G) to $5,000 and indexed to inflation, so that the amount would keep up in the future. The current $1,200 was made a policy in 1977, only 46 years ago! Of course, this adjustment is long overdue, but the IRS knows that any reduction in the paperwork will give many more players an excuse not to report gambling income.

 

Posted in Advantage Play, Caesars, Cherokee Casino, Non-Vegas Casinos, Public Appearances, Reno, Taxes, Travel, Video Poker, VP Software | 7 Comments

Tax Help Q+A

Down through the years, many casino players, and especially regular readers here, knew that when they needed information about how to handle gambling figures on their tax returns, they could go to the most current edition of Tax Help for Gamblers. Thus, I didn’t get a lot of questions during tax season.

However, this year has been different. The questions have been coming in right and left. Plus, I’m seeing far too much bad advice on the Internet. Case in point, see the comments on the recent QOD on tax questions.

Why more questions, you wonder? One reason could be a whole new generation of inexperienced gamblers who get much of their gambling entertainment and action online. Sports betting, especially, is bringing in many new gamblers who have no experience in dealing with the tax issues connected with gambling. Also, because of the recent jump in the standard deduction, many long-time gamblers who used to deduct their losses by itemizing and thus reduce the impact of their wins find that this is no longer a smart tax move and are looking at the possibility of filing as a professional.

So in this blog I want to discuss a few of the questions I’m hearing to give some basic tax information that both new and experienced gamblers may need to keep out of trouble with the IRS.

One note:  My answers here obviously need to be brief. To get more details, check for the expanded answers in Tax Help for Gamblers. I will help you find those by giving chapter references.

Q: I don’t have to report my gambling wins if I have just a few and most are very small, do I? I lose most of the time.

A: Yes, all of them, including online gambling. Read Chapter 1.

Q:  But most people don’t do that unless they get some paperwork from a casino, right?

A: You’re probably right, but my job is to give you the government rules and regulations.  If you don’t follow them, it’s your problem if you have to deal with the IRS, not mine.

Q: I don’t keep a very detailed  record of my gambling results, but if I were audited, I could get a win-loss statement from the casinos and that would satisfy the IRS?

A: No, no, no! The win-loss statement would be very very unlikely to satisfy an auditor. It takes much much more paperwork. It took me 10 pages to cover this subject in Chapter 2!

Q: I play in casinos a lot and I get lots of W2-Gs. Would you suggest I file as a professional gambler?

A:  Oh, dear. I dread this question and I get so many of them. Although Brad and I filed this way for umpteen years and I continue to do so, I cannot give a definitive answer to anyone asking my advice about it. The long Chapter 4, “The Recreational vs. Professional Gambler,” tackles the question from every angle, with a helpful list of nine factors that can be considered. The more of these factors you can claim and the strength of each will help determine whether you’re conducting a real business and not just a hobby. Many court cases have put more – or less – importance on each of these basic components. However, over and over again, courts have ruled on individual taxpayer’s situations, using the age-old legal guide for evaluation according to the facts and circumstances of the case. It’s not an easy decision and most would want to consult a tax preparer who is experienced dealing with gambling issues.

Q: If I hit a slot machine jackpot over $1,200, I know I’ll get a W2-G, but will the casino automatically withhold federal tax?

A:  Not if you’re a U.S citizen, present proper ID, and give your Social Security number.  However, you can request (before any paperwork is started) any amount to be withheld for federal taxes, perhaps a good ploy to avoid filing required tax withholding. Chapter 5, “Federal Government Issues,” covers all the details – and the special situations and exceptions – for W-2Gs and other special government-required forms, tax withholding, Social Security numbers, and gambling issues for non-U.S. citizens. You may – or may not – be surprised how much Big Brother is watching your gambling!

Q: I played more live and online poker this year rather than video poker previously. I knew the tax rules I had to follow for machine play, but are they the same for poker?

A:  I wrote Chapter 6, “Tax Help for the Poker Player,” for players just like you. Some of the basic concepts are the same or similar, but there are many special circumstances. I cover these special rules about recordkeeping, casino paperwork, tournament play, group play, and recreational vs. professional play.

Q: I live in a state that doesn’t have a state income tax, but I’m planning to take a long road trip around the country visiting and playing in casinos wherever I find them.  Hopefully, I’ll get lucky and hit some good-size jackpots, but I hear that in some places, they will take state taxes out automatically. Is this going to involve a lot of paperwork?

A: I’m afraid you aren’t going to like this answer. Not only might you get hit with more paperwork, but in some states, you might face automatic state withholding that you can’t get refunded even if you file that state return. Before you plan your trip itinerary, you might want to read Chapter 9, “How All 50 States Handle Gambling Wins/Losses.”

Other topics my co-authors and I cover not mentioned above: lottery play, tournaments, comps, free play, gambling sessions, fantasy sports, cryptocurrencies, tax audits, and much more.

Finally, if this post sounds too much like an ad for my book, well, the $20 or so you spend on learning the ropes when it comes to gambling and taxes will more than pay for itself in correct information on the subject that you can’t get anywhere else at any price. I learned that early in our casino adventure when I had to research the information to give to our foreign-to-gambling accountant . That’s why I had to write it to help others with information on  avoiding costly mistakes. In fact, many gamblers down through the years have given this tax book to their tax preparer!

Posted in Q+A, Taxes, Web Sites | 3 Comments