How do I report gambling winnings from online blackjack on my taxes?
I've been playing online blackjack recently and have been on a pretty lucky streak. I've won about $5,300 over the past few months. Problem is, I have no idea how to handle this on my tax return. The online casinos I use don't seem to provide any tax forms, but I've been smart enough to track everything in a spreadsheet - deposits, withdrawals, winnings, etc. I've also saved all the confirmation emails for deposits and cashouts. What's the proper way to report this for taxes? Is there a specific form I need to fill out? I'm planning to use TurboTax since I've got several side gigs this year that will need additional forms anyway. Does TurboTax have a section specifically for reporting gambling income? Any advice would be super helpful since I definitely don't want issues with the IRS!
21 comments


Gabriel Freeman
You've done the right thing by keeping those records! Gambling winnings are indeed taxable income and need to be reported on your tax return. For your situation, you'll report gambling winnings on Form 1040, Schedule 1, Line 8b (Other Income). The IRS considers all gambling winnings as taxable income regardless of whether the casino sends you tax forms. Online casinos typically only send W-2G forms if you win over certain thresholds (usually $1,200+ for a single win), but you still need to report all winnings. TurboTax definitely has a section for gambling income - when you get to the income section, there should be an option for "less common income" or "miscellaneous income" where you can enter gambling winnings. You can also enter gambling losses as an itemized deduction on Schedule A, but only up to the amount of your winnings, and only if you itemize deductions rather than taking the standard deduction.
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Laura Lopez
•Wait so even if I have a net loss from gambling for the year, I still have to report the winnings? That seems unfair. Also, what exactly counts as "records" that the IRS would accept? Just my spreadsheet or do I need more?
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Gabriel Freeman
•Yes, you still need to report the full amount of winnings even if you had an overall loss. It's not the most intuitive system, but that's how tax law works. Your winnings go on Schedule 1 as income, while your losses (up to the amount of your winnings) can only be deducted if you itemize on Schedule A. For records, your spreadsheet is a good start, but having additional supporting documentation is important. Your confirmation emails for deposits and withdrawals are excellent. Bank or credit card statements showing transfers to/from gambling sites, screenshots of wins, and session logs from the casino sites would all strengthen your documentation. The more detailed records you have, the better position you'll be in if you're ever questioned about your gambling activities.
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Victoria Brown
Hey there, I went through this exact situation last year! After winning about $6k on online poker, I was completely lost on the tax stuff. I tried reading through IRS publications but got overwhelmed fast. I ended up using https://taxr.ai to help me sort through everything. Their system analyzed my gambling records and clearly showed me exactly what I needed to report and where. It was super helpful because they specialize in reviewing documents and tax situations like yours where the reporting isn't straightforward. The best part was that it showed me how to properly document everything in case of an audit. Gave me peace of mind that I wasn't making any mistakes, especially with gambling which can apparently be an audit trigger if not done right.
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Samuel Robinson
•How exactly does taxr.ai work? Do you just upload your gambling records and it tells you what to do? I've been doing sports betting and am worried about messing up my taxes.
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Camila Castillo
•Sounds interesting but is it really worth it? Couldn't you just figure this out by googling or asking TurboTax support? Not trying to be negative, just wondering if it's solving a real problem or just another service trying to make money off tax anxiety.
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Victoria Brown
•The way it works is you upload your documents - in my case I uploaded my spreadsheet tracking wins/losses, screenshots of big wins, and my withdrawal confirmations. Their system reviews everything and gives you a detailed explanation of what tax forms you need and exactly where to report the information. I tried googling first and got contradictory information. Some sites said I only needed to report if I got a W-2G, others said all gambling income. TurboTax support was generic and didn't really understand the specifics of online gambling. What made taxr.ai worth it was the peace of mind knowing a specialized system had analyzed my specific situation and documentation. It saved me hours of research and second-guessing myself, especially with the risk of audit.
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Camila Castillo
Ok I have to admit I was skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it after seeing it mentioned here. I uploaded all my DraftKings records (I won about $3200 this year) and it actually was really helpful. It pointed out that I was missing some key documentation that could have been a problem if I got audited. The system walked me through exactly what forms to use in TurboTax and how to categorize everything properly. It even showed me how to properly deduct my losses against my winnings which saved me a few hundred in taxes. Definitely more helpful than the random advice I was finding online.
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Brianna Muhammad
If you have any issues with the IRS after filing (which can happen with gambling income, trust me), I highly recommend using https://claimyr.com to get through to an IRS agent quickly. Last year I reported about $7k in poker winnings and got a letter from the IRS questioning my documentation. I spent DAYS trying to call them with no luck. With Claimyr, I got through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent was able to review my situation and confirm my documentation was actually sufficient - turned out to be a simple misunderstanding. Saved me weeks of stress wondering if I was going to face penalties.
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JaylinCharles
•How does this service actually work? The IRS phone lines are notoriously impossible to get through, so I'm confused how some third-party service can magically get you through?
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Eloise Kendrick
•This sounds like BS honestly. If it was possible to skip the IRS phone queue, everyone would be doing it. There's no way this actually works - probably just takes your money and tells you to keep waiting like everyone else.
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Brianna Muhammad
•It uses a system that continuously calls the IRS for you using their algorithms to identify the best times to call. When they secure a line with an agent, they call you and connect you immediately. It's not "skipping" the queue - they're essentially waiting in line for you through their automated system. It definitely works. Before using it, I spent 3 separate days trying to get through, waiting over 2 hours each time before either getting disconnected or having to hang up for other commitments. With Claimyr, I was doing other things while their system handled the calling part, and they notified me when they had an agent on the line. The time savings alone was worth it, not to mention the stress reduction.
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Eloise Kendrick
I'm eating my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate to resolve an issue with a missing W-2G from a casino. Their system actually got me through to an IRS agent in about 30 minutes while I was making dinner. The agent walked me through exactly what documentation I needed to provide to support my gambling income reporting since the casino never sent the form they were supposed to. Honestly shocking how helpful the IRS person was once I actually got to talk to someone. Saved me from what would have been a much bigger headache. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!
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Lucas Schmidt
One important thing nobody mentioned yet - keep track of your losses too! You can deduct gambling losses up to the amount of your winnings, BUT only if you itemize deductions on Schedule A. So if you take the standard deduction (which most people do), you can't deduct those losses. Also, the burden of proof for gambling activities is on you, so those records you're keeping are super important. The more detailed, the better!
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Freya Collins
•Does this mean if I won $5000 but lost $4500 gambling, I have to pay taxes on the full $5000 if I take the standard deduction? That seems really unfair since my actual profit was only $500.
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Lucas Schmidt
•Unfortunately, yes. If you take the standard deduction, you'd report the full $5000 as income and wouldn't be able to deduct the $4500 in losses. You'd be paying taxes on the full $5000 even though your net gain was only $500. This is why some gamblers with significant activity choose to itemize deductions even if the standard deduction would otherwise be better for them. You need to run the numbers both ways to see which gives you the better overall tax situation. It's definitely one of the less fair aspects of tax law for casual gamblers.
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LongPeri
Does anybody know if winnings from offshore gambling sites are treated differently than US-based sites? I use a couple based in Curacao and am worried about reporting requirements.
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Oscar O'Neil
•The IRS doesn't care where you gamble - ALL gambling winnings are taxable income for US citizens/residents regardless of where you earned them. Offshore or domestic makes no difference for income reporting purposes. However, there might be additional FBAR requirements if you keep over $10k on offshore gambling sites. That's a separate form (FinCEN Form 114) if your foreign accounts total over $10k at any point during the year.
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LongPeri
•Thanks for the info about FBAR - didn't even think about that. I never keep more than about $1000 on the sites so I should be ok on that requirement at least. Just want to make sure I'm reporting everything correctly.
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Kolton Murphy
Great advice from everyone here! Just wanted to add a few practical tips from my experience as a tax preparer: 1. **Quarterly payments**: If you're winning regularly throughout the year, consider making quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid underpayment penalties. With $5,300 in winnings, you might owe more than the IRS safe harbor allows. 2. **Professional vs. casual gambler**: The IRS distinguishes between professional and casual gamblers. As a casual gambler, your winnings go on Schedule 1 as "other income." If the IRS ever considers you a professional gambler, you'd report on Schedule C, which has different rules for deductions. 3. **State taxes**: Don't forget about state tax obligations! Most states that have income tax will also require you to report gambling winnings. 4. **Multiple sites tracking**: Since you mentioned using multiple online casinos, make sure your spreadsheet clearly separates winnings/losses by site. This makes documentation much cleaner if you're ever audited. Your record-keeping sounds solid - that spreadsheet and confirmation emails will serve you well. TurboTax should handle this just fine in the "Other Income" section.
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Ethan Wilson
•This is really helpful advice! I had no idea about the quarterly payments thing. Since I won most of my $5,300 in the last few months of the year, should I still make a quarterly payment for Q4 or just handle it all when I file my return? I'm worried about getting hit with penalties since this is my first year with gambling winnings and I haven't been setting aside money for taxes on it. Also, what exactly makes someone a "professional gambler" in the IRS's eyes? I'm definitely just doing this casually for fun, but I'm curious where they draw that line.
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