The highs and lows of 2017 - PPP yearly review

[DAAnMAAn]

One can go to a craps table with $5 and run it up to $10,000...and no tax form...just a ctr (cash transaction report). Yet if one takes the same $5 dollars to a $1 single line DDB game and on the first spin gets a Royal ($4k), next spin another royal ($4k), and yet the next spin aces with a kicker ($2k) for a win of $10,000 (minus $15 dollars)...its all taxed and if ur in a state that collects state income tax, well add that as well. It’s unfair, the cost of inflation since making this $1200 w2g should make it around $5600 for a taxable hit today.
I don’t know a great solution except don’t play taxable denominations in those states, Congress changing the tax laws on slot winnings (good luck), or casinos dishing extra free play and comps to make up for the pain...once again, good luck.
I’m fortunate to be playing in a “tax friendly” state, Nevada, but my w2g’s are still considered taxable income, even with gambling loss deductions, to the feds.
One year back in the day I had $12k in w2g’s...bumped me and my wife to the next tax bracket since we both work and always at the threshold of the next bracket. Not fun.
Which is one of the reasons I stick to quarter play. Everyone will have to figure the math for themselves and decide if it’s worth it.

[FloridaPhil]

There are many reasons people choose to play quarter VP.  Taxes or the specter of triggering an audit are just one.  For the vast majority of players, there is a cost to play VP.  Playing quarters keeps this cost manageable.  Surprisingly, most casinos offer decent comps to loyal quarter players who are willing to put time in on the machines.  The last time I was in Vegas the only positive VP game I saw was in quarters.  If you play smart, you can play quarter VP cheaper than a lot of other entertainment options.Some people have moral or personal issues with gambling in general.  Playing quarters makes casino gambling more acceptable to these folks.  A max coin dollar player gambles at least $2,500 an hour.  If you told your friends you dropped $2,500 an hour in a casino, would they think you are intelligent?  What would your parents think?  Do you care?  We know it doesn't work that way, but some do.What it comes down to is this.  Unless you are a professional gambler, VP is a leisure activity.   It's fun, entertaining, exciting and all the rest.  It's nice to make money at the game, few do forever.   If you need to risk $2,500 an hour to enjoy the game, you pay the price.   I expect to lose every time I walk into the casino, the question is how much?  When I win as I sometimes do, I'm surprised.I made the decision to stick with quarters in 2018 for all the reasons above.  It doesn't make me feel less of a person to play that way and in fact I think I'm smarter than the people I see as I walk by the High Limit Room.  As usual, others may have different opinions.   It's your money.... 

[FAA]

Everyone likes jackpot stories and pictures, but I wanted to show the other side of VP too.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It's been no mystery. The players with TR threads have been documenting their ups and downs for years, so you're just joining the club. Interesting nonetheless.

[Carcounter]

Thinking about what to play in 2018. Finished 2017 -$2,000. Friday session on .50 SDB was good start to 2018 at + $700. Hit Jacks, Queens and then dealt a full house with trip Aces and a pair of 5's. Did the right thing and tossed the 5's, and up popped the fourth ace for $400. Will not play dollars anymore because of the new tax law, but thinking I can swallow some 2k w2-G's on fifty cents. Going down to quarters will be difficult. Thinking about it. Remember the good old days in AC, prior to the recession when I regularly had 20-30K of w-2 G's every year. I wonder how this will affect the casinos. Maybe not much based on the games I see people play.

[FAA]

If you need to risk $2,500 an hour to enjoy the game, you pay the price.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Absolutely. And it's one I can't afford. I'm comfortable with a forty hand dip at that denomination, figuring that I'll lose my loss limit of  three figures. If a RF hits, I will happily stick to quarters. When you've never had a hand pay, it's a bigger dilemma.

[pokerpokerpoker]

When the attendant is counting hundos into my hand I never cared that the state keeps the last one. But if the feds are gonna ask for the last 3, or maybe 7 for a royal, that is just too much. I hope to play around even,(I don't expect to profit long term) and giving up 25% of jackpots makes playing DDB or TDB Dream Card for dollars impossible. I thought about BP or BPDLX because only royals are taxable; but those games aren't as fun. Unfortunately, this is the only full-pay 5 Star around and it is $1,$2, $5.

I am seriously considering brushing off the old TTB strategy - cheap thrills for quarters.