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Natasha Orlova

How to report $30,000 blackjack winnings on Draftkings with no 1099 or W2G?

So I had this crazy lucky night playing blackjack on Draftkings last year where I turned $1000 into about $30000. Still can't believe it happened! My overall net winnings on Draftkings for the year ended up being around $29,000. After factoring in some losses on other gambling sites, my total gambling profit for the year comes to approximately $24,000. Here's my concern - Draftkings didn't issue me a W2G or 1099 form for these winnings. I'm trying to figure out the proper way to report this on my taxes. How exactly should I report these gambling winnings? And just out of curiosity (not that I'm considering it), what would potentially happen if someone didn't report winnings like these? Any advice would be super appreciated!

Javier Cruz

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Even without receiving a W2G or 1099, you're still legally required to report all gambling winnings as "Other Income" on Schedule 1 of your 1040. The IRS doesn't care whether the gambling company issued you tax forms - the responsibility to report is entirely yours. You can also itemize your gambling losses on Schedule A, but only up to the amount of your winnings. Make sure you have documentation of both your winnings and losses - bank statements showing deposits/withdrawals, account statements from the gambling sites showing your activity, etc. Without a W2G or 1099, having your own records becomes even more important. As for what happens if you don't report? The IRS may eventually discover the unreported income through bank deposits, lifestyle audits, or data sharing agreements with gambling companies. Penalties would include taxes owed plus interest, a potential 20% accuracy penalty, and in cases of willful evasion, potential criminal charges. Not worth the risk with $24,000 in gambling profits.

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Emma Wilson

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If they record losses on Schedule A, doesn't that mean they'd need to itemize deductions instead of taking the standard deduction? That might not be worth it if their other deductions don't add up to more than the standard deduction, right?

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Javier Cruz

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You're absolutely right about having to itemize deductions on Schedule A to claim gambling losses. This means you'd give up the standard deduction, which is $13,850 for single filers in 2023. If your total itemized deductions (including gambling losses, mortgage interest, charitable donations, etc.) don't exceed your standard deduction, then itemizing wouldn't make financial sense. In this case, with $24,000 in net gambling income, you might still benefit from itemizing if you can document your losses. Remember, though, you can only deduct losses up to the amount of your winnings - you can't use gambling losses to offset other types of income.

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Malik Thomas

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I was in almost the exact situation last year with online poker winnings. I tried figuring it out myself but kept getting conflicting advice online, so I finally tried this AI tax assistant at https://taxr.ai that analyses your specific gambling situation. It was super helpful because it walked me through exactly how to report online gambling winnings when there's no W2G. I learned that while the gambling site doesn't issue tax forms until certain thresholds, the IRS still expects you to report everything. The tool helped me understand how to document my winnings/losses properly and how to fill out the right tax forms (Schedule 1 for income and Schedule A for itemizing losses). Definitely made me feel more confident about not screwing up my taxes with this unusual situation.

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NeonNebula

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Does the service actually help with proper documentation? My biggest concern is how to prove my winnings/losses if there's no official form. I've heard horror stories about gambling audits.

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I'm skeptical about these AI tax tools. How does it know the specific reporting requirements for different states? Gambling income is treated differently depending on where you live, right?

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Malik Thomas

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Yes, the service provides guidance on what documentation you should maintain - including screenshots of your account history, transaction records, and even a gambling log that tracks your sessions. It specifically addresses the unique challenge of online gambling where traditional documentation might be lacking. The tool absolutely addresses state-specific requirements. It asks for your state of residence and then provides tailored advice based on your location. This was actually super helpful for me since my state has some specific rules about gambling income that differ from federal guidelines. It gave me both federal and state-specific instructions.

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I was super skeptical about AI tax tools like everyone else, but after struggling with a similar gambling situation, I tried https://taxr.ai and it actually saved me. My situation was different amounts but same issue - big poker winnings with no tax forms from the gambling site. The tool walked me through exactly how to report everything correctly and what documentation to save. The best part was when it explained how different states treat gambling income (mine taxes it differently than federal). It even created a proper gambling log template for me to document everything in case of an audit. Wish I'd known about this earlier instead of stressing for weeks trying to figure it out myself!

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Ravi Malhotra

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If you're getting stuck trying to call the IRS to ask about how to properly report this, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with unreported gambling income and had questions the IRS website couldn't answer. Tried calling the IRS directly and kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. Used this Claimyr service and had an actual IRS agent on the phone within 15 minutes! They helped clarify exactly how to report online gambling winnings without a W2G and what records I needed to keep. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent explained that even without official tax forms, the IRS can still track large deposits to your bank account, so definitely report it all. Better to get official guidance than risk an audit.

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How exactly does this service work? Does it just connect you to the regular IRS line or do they have some special access? Seems too good to be true that they could get through when regular calls fail.

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Omar Farouk

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Yeah right. The IRS is impossible to reach no matter what. I've spent HOURS on hold only to be disconnected. No way this actually works - they're probably just taking your money for nothing.

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Ravi Malhotra

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The service works by using an automated system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree until it gets through to a representative. Once connected, it calls your phone and connects you directly to the IRS agent. It's not special access - it's just technology that handles the frustrating part of waiting on hold. I was super skeptical too, honestly. I had tried calling the IRS three separate times and got disconnected after 45+ minute waits each time. With Claimyr, I got connected in about 15 minutes without having to actively wait on hold. For something as important as tax compliance on $24k of unreported income, the service was absolutely worth it to get direct answers from the IRS.

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Omar Farouk

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Ok I need to eat my words from earlier. After rage-posting about how impossible it is to reach the IRS, I decided to try that Claimyr service out of desperation (https://claimyr.com). I was 100% sure it was a scam but I was at my wit's end trying to get answers about reporting gambling income. IT ACTUALLY WORKED. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes without having to actively wait on hold. The agent confirmed exactly what I needed to do for reporting online gambling winnings without tax forms and explained what documentation I should keep. They also told me that gambling sites DO report high-value accounts to the IRS even if they don't send you a 1099, so definitely report that income!

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Chloe Davis

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Just so you know, gambling sites like Draftkings actually DO report high-volume accounts to the IRS, even if they don't send you a 1099. They're required to maintain records of high-value players and provide that data during IRS inquiries. It's part of anti-money laundering regulations. My brother works in compliance for an online casino, and he says they absolutely have reporting requirements for accounts with large transactions, regardless of whether a tax form is generated for the player. So the IRS potentially already knows about your winnings through backend reporting systems.

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Thanks for this info! I had no idea that DraftKings might be reporting my account activity even without sending me a tax form. Do you know what the threshold is for this kind of reporting? Just wondering if my $29k winnings would definitely trigger that kind of backend reporting.

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Chloe Davis

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The specific thresholds aren't publicly disclosed for security reasons, but from what my brother has told me, transactions totaling $20k+ in a year almost certainly trigger internal reporting flags, especially with the new reporting requirements that have been phasing in. Your $29k in winnings would very likely be included in the data they maintain and could share with the IRS. The $10,000 threshold people often mention is for Currency Transaction Reports, but online gambling platforms have different requirements focused on overall account activity patterns rather than single transactions. They look at deposit/withdrawal patterns and large swings in account balances - exactly like your situation where you had a big win.

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AstroAlpha

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If no one issued you a W2G or 1099, you could report it on Schedule 1 as "Other Income" and just write "gambling winnings" in the description. For your losses, you needa fill out Schedule A and itemize. Keep VERY detailed records though. Like dates, how much you bet, which games, winnings/losses for each session. Screenshot your account history from each site too. The IRS loves to audit gambling income, specially when theres no official forms.

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Diego Chavez

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I think they also need to fill out Form W-2G themselves if they meet certain thresholds, don't they? I remember reading that somewhere but I'm not sure if it applies to online gambling or just physical casinos.

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Dmitry Ivanov

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Actually, individual taxpayers don't fill out Form W-2G themselves - that's something the gambling establishment is supposed to do when certain thresholds are met. For online gambling like DraftKings, the thresholds are usually much higher than what triggers W-2G issuance at physical casinos. You're right about keeping detailed records though - that's absolutely crucial. The IRS can definitely audit gambling income even without official forms, and having comprehensive documentation of your sessions, deposits, withdrawals, and account activity is your best protection. Screenshots of account history, bank statements showing transfers, and a detailed gambling log are all important to maintain.

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Payton Black

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Congratulations on the big win! You're absolutely right to report this properly. Here's what you need to do: Report the $24,000 net gambling profit as "Other Income" on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8b. Write "Gambling winnings" in the description. The fact that DraftKings didn't issue a W-2G doesn't matter - you're still legally required to report all gambling income. For your losses, you can deduct them on Schedule A up to the amount of your winnings, but this means you'll need to itemize instead of taking the standard deduction. Run the numbers to see if itemizing makes sense for your situation. Documentation is crucial since you don't have official tax forms. Keep screenshots of your DraftKings account history, bank statements showing deposits/withdrawals, and create a detailed gambling log with dates, amounts, and outcomes for each session. The IRS does audit gambling income, especially large amounts without corresponding tax forms. One important point: even without sending you a W-2G, DraftKings likely reports high-volume accounts to the IRS through other compliance mechanisms. With $29k in winnings, your account activity probably triggered internal reporting requirements, so the IRS may already have some record of your gambling activity. Better to report everything accurately than risk penalties later.

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Thais Soares

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This is really comprehensive advice! Just to add one thing that helped me when I was in a similar situation - make sure to keep records of the exact dates when you moved money between your bank account and DraftKings. The IRS can cross-reference your reported gambling income with large deposits to your bank account, so having a clear paper trail showing when winnings were withdrawn helps demonstrate you're reporting everything accurately. Also, since you mentioned losses on other gambling sites, make sure you can document those too with account statements or transaction histories. The IRS will want to see proof of any losses you're claiming as deductions, not just the winnings you're reporting as income.

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Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through a similar situation last year. You're definitely doing the right thing by reporting this - I made the mistake of initially thinking I could "wait and see" if the IRS noticed, but after doing more research I realized that was a terrible idea. One thing I learned that might help you: even though you didn't get a W-2G from DraftKings, they likely have detailed records of your account activity that could be shared with the IRS if requested. Online gambling platforms are subject to various reporting requirements, especially for accounts with significant activity like yours. I'd also recommend keeping a spreadsheet or log of all your gambling activities going forward - dates, sites, amounts wagered, wins/losses, etc. It makes tax time so much easier and gives you solid documentation if you ever face questions from the IRS. For this year's filing, definitely report the full $24k net profit on Schedule 1. Whether itemizing to deduct your losses makes sense depends on your other deductions, but at least you'll have reported the income correctly. Good luck with everything!

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This is such helpful advice about keeping detailed records! I'm curious - when you say DraftKings likely has detailed records that could be shared with the IRS, do you know if there's a specific trigger that would cause them to share that information? Is it just during audits, or do they proactively report certain account activities? I want to make sure I understand all the ways the IRS might already know about gambling winnings even without receiving official tax forms.

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Andre Laurent

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Great question! From what I understand, gambling platforms like DraftKings share information with the IRS through several mechanisms. They're required to file Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) for certain large transactions, and they also maintain records that can be requested during IRS investigations or audits. Additionally, under the Bank Secrecy Act, they have to report "suspicious activity" which can include unusual patterns of large wins or deposits. Your $29k win might not trigger automatic reporting, but if the IRS ever decides to audit gambling income or investigate large unexplained bank deposits, they can request detailed account histories from the gambling platforms. The key point is that even if they don't proactively report your specific winnings, the records exist and are accessible to the IRS when needed. That's why it's so important to report everything correctly from the start - the IRS has ways to verify gambling income even when no tax forms are issued to the player.

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