Casino Winnings...is there such a thing?

[quinceygirl]

Is there such a thing as winning on cruiseship slots? Not talking a jackpot, I'm rarely lucky enough to win that...but is it worth playing?

 

 

[springtxbill]

You can win, but the payout on them is only about 90%.

[BobBeaSea]

Yes, it is possible to win "something". The HP (house percentage) is higher on cruise ships than places like Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City so you need to be aware of that. Personally, if I go to the ship's casino, it is for fun and recreation rather than serious gaming.

[Bluedevil]

Well we came home with 6 W-2's. So yup, you can win on a cruise.

:)

WE did however give most of it back

:(

[larasmom]

i played the nickel slots and played with $20. i came home with an extra $15

[Krazy Kruizers]

Although we don't gamble, we do stand around and watch others. Have seen a few people hit it big on the slots.

[geoherb]

I have a $10 limit per day and don't gamble every day on a cruise. The only time I had big winnings was on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. I started out playing the nickel slots with my $10. After playing awhile and being up a bunch (but it was just nickels), I decided to cash out and change over to the quarter machines. I saved my original $10 and got $15 in quarters. After playing the quarter machines awhile, I was up on them as well--but just a few dollars. I cashed out and got five $1 coins. On the third spin of the reels on a $1 slot, I hit $300. I ended up up $330 on that cruise. But that's the only one where I've ended up more than a couple of dollars ahead, and most of the time I end up losing $20-$30.

[spongerob]

Although we don't gamble, we do stand around and watch others.

 

I knew someone who did that. He always said that he was just gambling mentally. Eventually he lost his mind.

 

 

Ba-da-bing! :D

[serene56]

First cruise== first day-- first hour-- mom won 2500.00 didnt get no 1099 or any forms..didnt even have to sign something. I never won but SO wins every cruise

[Bequia]

I drew a inside straight royal flush on a RCCL video poker machine not long ago. Payout was around $1800. It happened just as a show was exiting the theater, everyone was standing around looking at the screen in disbelief. The casino took my picture and posted it with the other big winners during that cruise. They gave me a RCCL casino winner t-shirt as well.

As far as forms... I didn't receive anything either. ;)

[CathieM88]

I work with a gentleman who went on an Alaskan cruise 2 years ago (not sure with which cruise line) and he won $8,000 in a poker game!!! Yep, $8,000!!! It paid for his entire families cruise and then some. It was a huge deal on the ship, the CD even sent them a really nice bottle of champagne to celebrate!! He is the only person I've heard of winning that big on a cruise ship...he had a once in a lifetime hand (I don't know poker so I'm not sure what it's called).

[2Cruise4Ever]

On my last cruise (Carnival Fascination), I hit 3 triple diamonds on the third pull Saturday night. It was one of those, "Ok, what the heck, I'll just do one more $20 and call it a night). Well, of course I took my buckets of quarters and left. No more slots for the rest of the cruise. I didn't want to chance losing it all :cool: So, in answer to your question, yes, it can and does happen.

[quinceygirl]

Thank you so much for all your responses, I might give it a try. When I go I usually lose but still have fun playing.:)

 

Just wanted to make sure I'm not feeding in my $$$ and not even having fun with it but sounds like there is some potential so I will pull some arms and give it a shot!

 

P.S. I'm from Canada and curious about the documents some of you mentioned. Would I have to fill out paperwork if I won? I'm assuming if you fill out paperwork it would be for a significant amount:confused: ?

[bjboothman]

I'm a little surprised that everyone is reporting they didn't have to pay taxes on the winnings. Princess posts signs right in the casino that if you win $1,200 or more, they will report you to the IRS. Not sure how that affects non-US travelers. My biggest shipboard casino win was $500 so I can't say firsthand.

[CLS/KAS]

True story, last year after Superbowl (thats why I remember it), DW played the $1.00 slots, starting with about $60.00. up a little/ down a little, finally was down to last $2.00 on machine-bet it, and won $480.00!! When she finally found me , in my sorrows (Philly fan), I didn't believe her. I made her show me. Thats my story-chris (she bought herself a REALLY nice ring, by the way)

[Bob-A-Loo]

My daughter won a jackpot on the $1 slots - $8,640.00 - this was on the Star Princess 2 years ago. She sure had fun shopping in all the ports!!!

[GrannyJ]

Based on past experience, I figure my best bet would be to just walk into the casino and hand my money over to the nearest employee......cuts out the middleman, saves time and the result will be the same. Then I can get back to eating.

[Bequia]

I'm a little surprised that everyone is reporting they didn't have to pay taxes on the winnings. Princess posts signs right in the casino that if you win $1,200 or more, they will report you to the IRS. Not sure how that affects non-US travelers. My biggest shipboard casino win was $500 so I can't say firsthand.

 

Your absolutely right! I Googled it and came up with the following:

 

Not everyone is getting a W-2G on slot jackpot wins at sea. Ah yes, but hear the bitter truth -- they should be receiving a W-2G if their jackpot crosses a certain threshold. And although friends may have squeaked past the W-2G toll booth, their winnings, in the eyes of the IRS, whether snagged in the Bermuda Triangle or in a cellar-dweller casino in Moscow, are just what is meant in the IRS statement that any winnings, from whatever form of gambling worldwide, are taxable and must be reported as "Other Income," on Form 1040, of the U.S. Individual Tax Return.

So, what size jackpot should trigger traceable paperwork? According to Uncle Sam:

...winnings of $1,200 or more from slot machines and bingo are taxable. As for on-the-spot withholdings, there shouldn't be any on jackpots of less than $5,000, unless you fail to provide a valid social security number, in which case they can withhold 29% of the booty won. If the spoils are more than $5,000, the casino is required to withhold 25% of the proceeds for Federal Income Tax.

...winnings on all table game progressive side bets with payouts of 300 to 1 or more are fair game for the IRS. Although W-2Gs are not required for typical wagers won from table games such as blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette, etc., even if you got a decent chunk of change on the layout -- but regardless of the amount, casinos are still subject to the "Money Laundering Rules", and must report to the IRS, using a Cash Transaction Report (CTR), aggregate cash transactions of $10,000 or more in any one day.

...winnings of $1,500 or more from keno, less the cost of the tickets bought on the winning game.

...winnings of $600 or more from horse racing, dog racing, or jai alai, if the winnings are at least 300 times the wager.

...winnings of $600 or more from poker tournaments, (although I am informed by a few recent e-mails that this rule is not being applied consistently)

...and winnings of $600 or more from state lotteries.

Finally, now that you have won a jackpot and received a W2-G, don't try to keep your windfall under wraps from Uncle Sam. The IRS also receives a copy of your W2-G from the casino, and their computers are already hungry to share your kismet well before you file your returns.

 

http://info.detnews.com/casino/columns/details.cfm?column=pilarski&myrec=306

[QTPieRye]

My mom won $1,000 on the Conquest Sept 2005... happened to be her 60th birthday! She won is on the keno machine.

[Lomita]

FWIW, I think you'll have a better time (and have a better chance bringing home some cash) if you spend your time at a game like roulette rather than spinning the reels on the slot machine.

 

If you stay with the outside bets (odd or even, black or red, that sort of thing), the odds on any given roll of the wheel are just about even for you. (The green zero or double zero just tips the odds in favor of the house. If you have a choice, choose to play at a table where the wheel has just a single green zero, not a green zero and a green double zero. Your odds are better on a wheel with just one zero.) Because of the nature of the way the game is played, it's slower than slots, so you stretch your playing time out. Plus, it tends to be more of a sociable game than playing the slots. When you're playing roulette, you tend to converse with the other players, and if things are a little bit slow you can sometimes coax the casino guy or lady who runs the roulette table into telling you stories about the interesting things that have happened to him/her-- and believe me they have some interesting stories to tell!

 

I've found that $60 at a roulette table buys me a far, far, far more entertaining time than $60 at a slot machine, plus I'm more likely to finish a little bit up for the time I allot for gambling play. But the real bonus is the socializing and fun.

[karolm]

The best game usually to play on a ship is blackjack. Know basic strategy or have a printout in your hand of basic strategy. Usually the rules are fair.

[clementyne]

I agree with Lomita. Last year on Carnival, I learned to play roulette from a fellow passenger who was more than happy to help me. We had a GREAT time and spent several hours playing - I started with $20 by the way. By the end of the week, I had won over $300 - not bad for a rookie, I thought! ;)

 

Clem

[BobBeaSea]

Thank you so much for all your responses, I might give it a try. When I go I usually lose but still have fun playing.:)

 

Just wanted to make sure I'm not feeding in my $$$ and not even having fun with it but sounds like there is some potential so I will pull some arms and give it a shot!

 

P.S. I'm from Canada and curious about the documents some of you mentioned. Would I have to fill out paperwork if I won? I'm assuming if you fill out paperwork it would be for a significant amount:confused: ?

 

No, you won't need any forms. In Canada there is no tax on gaming wins. The ship flies a foreign flag so no IRS problems like you may have in the States. Good luck and have fun :).

[Andros]

I went on my first cruise in Feb. of 2005. It was a short cruise to Nassau on Majesty. After losing about 50-100 bucks, I finally hit on a slot machine. I put 20 bucks in and hit for 500.00 bucks! Ended up paying for my cruise and seapass account, not to mention all of my souvenirs. What a way to go for me. Just make sure you set a limit and do not pursuede yourself to spend any more. My limit was 100.00 and once I won, I left that place and only watched the rest of the cruise. They want you to put it back in, but I'm to greedy to do that! LOL! Andros:rolleyes:

[takeabreath3]

i hit $1000 on the $1 wheel of fortune on the vision to alaska in sept 2005. i love the casinos, have a hard time staying out of them during a cruise. that is the first time i have been on the winning side.

 

that's my 2 cents!

 

sea ya all soon, judy