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Apollo93
New Member

Gambling (Online Sports Betting + Casinos), how is it taxed?

Hello, 

I am wondering how sports betting is taxed if you play on websites like FanDuel/BET/Draftkings. 

I need an answer to all 3 questions below. 

 

1. Do you only report when you withdraw to your bank account, or do you report every time you win? So i could bet let's say $600, turn that into $3000, but keep that $3,000 in my DraftKings account never withdraw it and continue placing bets with that balance. Do i have to report my $+2,400 winnings if i don't withdraw them?

 

1. Casino. Please bare with my example. 

You deposit $1,000, and you keep playing poker for weeks on DraftKings, you never make a single withdrawal, you keep losing bets, and winning bets, with that initial $1,000 you deposited. The amount of money you have wagered across these last few weeks amounted to $50,000, but really your balance never changed from around $1,000. You could have placed a $1,000 bet, won +1,000, but then you place another $1,000 bet, and lost, and now you are back at $1,000, and you keep playing with this style over and over and eventually your total bets reaches $50,000 overall. Out of that $50,000 though you are actually at a loss with just $400 remaining, and you decide to cash it out. 

Do you report your winnings of $50,000 to the IRS or do you report $400, or do you simply not report anything since your initial deposit was $1,000, but you withdrew $400. 

 

2. Sports Betting (Very similar question). 

You deposited $1,000, you keep winning and losing bets, but you never withdraw and your total bets placed over the year is $30,000, but in reality you never withdrew and your balance stays around $1,500. Do you have to report the $30,000?

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5 Replies

Gambling (Online Sports Betting + Casinos), how is it taxed?

[link removed]

 

The FAQ linked above should answer your questions.  Whether or not you withdraw from your account is irrelevant.  You will receive a W-2G when your winning meets the IRS criteria for that specific gambling activity.

 

The IRS instruction for W-2G is here:

https://www.irs.gov/instructions/iw2g

 

You must report your winnings on page 1 of your Form 1040.  You may deduct your gambling losses as an itemized miscellaneous deduction on Line 16 of Schedule A, up to the amount of your winnings.  That means you lose the ability to take the standard deduction if your gambling losses are relatively large.

Apollo93
New Member

Gambling (Online Sports Betting + Casinos), how is it taxed?

 Hi, the link you sent from fan duel doesn't lead to anywhere, it says no such page. 

Gambling (Online Sports Betting + Casinos), how is it taxed?

Try this one:

[removed]

 

And here's from the IRS on Gambling Income and Losses :

https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc419

Datawonne
New Member

Gambling (Online Sports Betting + Casinos), how is it taxed?

Trying to wrap my head around how gambling taxes work, especially with online stuff like sports betting and crypto casinos. Seems like a whole new ball game!

I saw an article about VIP bonuses on crypto casinos https://www.crypto-casinos.com/crypto-casino-bonus/vip-bonus/ , but it didn't mention anything about taxes. Are these winnings treated any differently than regular gambling?

The whole thing feels like a minefield. Definitely don't want to end up owing Uncle Sam a fortune because I didn't understand the rules. Anyone have any tips for beginners navigating the world of gambling taxes? Is it best to consult a professional or can I figure it out on my own? Thanks in advance for the advice!

DianeW777
Expert Alumni

Gambling (Online Sports Betting + Casinos), how is it taxed?

Yes, you can do it on your own.  You must track the winnings and the expenses of the gambling.

 

Gambling Winnings

A payer is required to issue you a Form W-2G if you receive certain gambling winnings or have any gambling winnings subject to federal income tax withholding. You must report all gambling winnings as 'Other Income' on your tax return including winnings that aren't reported on a form. 

 

Gambling Losses

You may deduct gambling losses only if you itemize your deductions and kept a record of your winnings and losses. The amount of losses you deduct can't be more than the amount of gambling income you reported on your return. Claim your gambling losses up to the amount of winnings, as 'Other Itemized Deductions'.

 

Less Common Income: How to enter in TurboTax

  1. Go to the Wages and Income  section of TurboTax
  2. Scroll to  Less Common Income > Select  Prizes, Awards, and Gambling Winnings
  3. Select Start or Update/Review > Continue to enter your winnings and your losses
  4. TurboTax will carry the winnings and the losses to the appropriate place on your tax return.
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