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Sweepstakes Taxes Calculator | Taxes On Gambling Winnings Calculator | Gambling Winnings Tax Calculator

Sweepstakes Taxes Calculator  |   Taxes On Gambling Winnings Calculator  |   Gambling Winnings Tax Calculator   

 

Scoring a big win at a land-based casino or winning big through an online sports betting establishment is exhilarating.  But no matter how much you win, it is taxable income and must be reported to the IRS.

Determining how much you owe in gambling taxes can be a headache.  Luckily, we have put together this simple, easy-to-use, free gambling winnings tax calculator.

Our tax calculator can be used in popular gambling states such as CO,  IN, KS, LA, MI, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN,  and VA.

To use the calculator, you would select your state, indicate your tax filing status, add the amount of the other taxable income outside of gambling, enter the amount you won, and press calculate.  The calculator will display two figures,

  1. the tax you will likely pay on your gambling winnings and
  2. the amount you will probably get to keep from your gambling winnings.

 

Note: The tax calculator assumes a standard deduction of $13,850 (single filers), $27,700 (married filing joint filers), $20,800 (Head of Household filers), $13,850 (Married Filing Separate filers), $27,700 (Qualifying Widower/Surviving Spouse Filer) and does not calculate municipal/local taxes.  The gambling winnings tax calculator will work with all online casinos, such as Fanduel and DraftKings, provided you correctly enter the details, such as the US state of residence, filing status, annual taxable income (excluding the gambling), and the gambling win amount.

 

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The IRS considers all gambling winnings taxable income.  You are required by law to report ALL gambling winnings on your federal income tax returns.  You should always consult a tax professional when submitting any tax returns.  It would be best to consider using session tracking to determine your gambling winning and losses for the best outcome.

Gambling can range from regularly betting on sports to buying the occasional lottery ticket.  All these activities are considered gambling, and all are reportable income.  Tax rates and withholding requirements vary depending on which state you are in.    Not reporting gambling winnings could lead to an IRS under-reporting notice.

Gambling income doesn't just apply to traditional card games and casinos.  Gambling also applies to lotteries, game shows, and racetracks winnings. Particular rules apply to the taxation of gambling winnings, and there are recordkeeping requirements.

One of the most straightforward ways to determine how much taxes you pay on gambling winnings is to use a gambling winnings calculator.  Bettors are typically unsure of their state and federal gambling tax rate and how much they get to keep.  Our gambling winnings tax calculator at the top of this page is ideal if you want to determine how much you get to keep.

 

You Must Always Report Your Gambling Winnings

The golden rule is you must report all gambling winnings.  It doesn't matter if gambling establishment reports them to the IRS or not.  For example, if you strike it rich in the Kentucky Derby and a big Parlay bet comes in, you must report the winnings as income.

Gambling losses MUST be deducted separately.  You cannot subtract gambling losses and the cost of gambling from your winnings and report the net. Suppose you bet on a horse racing, and win $820, but it costs you $20 to bet; the total taxable winnings are $820, not $800.  The $20 would be reported as a loss separately.

If you win a raffle, this also counts as income.  You, therefore, have to claim the item's fair market value when it was won.  This would usually be the amount you would have to pay for the item if you bought it new.  

 

Taxable Gambling Income

All gambling income is taxable income.  This includes cash and the fair market value of any item you win.  The law states that gambling winners must report all winnings on their federal income tax return.  You may receive one or more Form W-2G, depending on how much you win.  This would also indicate the amount of any taxes withheld. 

Even if you did not receive any Form W-2G, you must still report all gambling winnings on your return.  

 

Gambling winnings include money and prizes earned from the following:

  • Slot Machines
  • Sports Betting
  • Casino games
  • Poker Tournaments
  • Keno
  • Gameshows
  • Betting Pools
  • Sweepstakes
  • Raffles
  • Off-track betting
  • Bingo
  • Horse & Dog Racing
  • Lotteries (lottery winnings)

 

Please note that any winnings generated from slot machines, bingo, and keno may not be subject to tax withholding until specific winnings levels have been met.  Note: this does NOT mean it is not taxable!

You might need to consider making estimated payments if you receive gambling winnings not subject to tax withholdings.  Gambling winnings are typically subject to a flat 24% tax.  However, for the activities listed below, only winnings over $5,000 are subject to income tax withholdings:

  • Any lottery, sweepstakes, or betting pool
  • Any other bet if the proceeds equal to or exceed 300 times the wager amount.

 

If you win a cash prize like a VIP weekend giveaway, you must pay taxes on each prize's fair value market value. Depending on the amount you win and the type of gambling you have participated in, the payer or the establishment may be required to withhold income taxes. You will likely receive a Form 1099- Misc.

If you encounter an instance where tax is withheld from your gambling winnings, you will receive a W2-G form from the payer.  Generally, around 24% of the amount is required to be withheld.  There may be cases where a backup withholding of 24% is required instead.

 

You Can Deduct Your Gambling Losses

You are permitted to deduct gambling losses if you itemize your deductions.  You may deduct losses only up to the amount of your total gambling winnings.  You must always report your winnings and losses separately.  Gambling winning are reported on Line 21 of the 1040, and gambling losses are reported on Schedule A- Gambling losses.  Very Important:  YOU CANNOT NET YOUR WINNINGS AND LOSSES

Gambling losses are deducted on Schedule A and recorded as a miscellaneous deduction, not subject to the 2% of AGI limitation.  

For example, if you won $2000 but lost $5,000, your itemized deduction is limited to $2,000.  You cannot use the remaining $3,000 to reduce your other taxable income.

 

Professional Gambling

You may be wondering if the rules on gambling tax change if you don't just gamble recreationally but do it as a living.  Unfortunately, there is no straight answer.  In 1987 the US Supreme Court ruled in the case of Commissioner vs. Groetzinger that deductions for losses cannot go above the income from winnings.  Deductions from losses that go above your winnings are still prohibited.

It becomes your job if you actively participate in gambling to make a profit.  Instead of claiming your winnings as "other income" on your Form 1040, you would list it on Schedule C, subject to self-employment taxes.

This distinction is vital because you can deduct your other business costs on Schedule C.  This means you are reducing your taxable income.  You could deduct the costs of the following:

  • Internet costs if you bet online.
  • Literature that relates to your gambling profession.
  • Travel expenses and food and drink costs if you attend tournaments.

The significant drawback of turning pro is that you'll have to pay self-employment tax on your winnings.

 

Legal online & mobile betting in the US

There are over 30 states that now allow some form of sports betting.  Below, you can see the individual state guides to see which online and mobile sportsbooks are available in your state:

 

Gambling Records

The IRS states that you must keep detailed records of gambling winnings, losses, and related documents.  These documents include tickets, payment slips, Form W-2G, statements, and receipts.  All bettors must be able to prove both their winnings and losses if they want to deduct their losses.  The IRS guidance suggests that it would be sensible to keep a gambling log.

 

The IRS mandates that you have the following information about each gambling win and loss:

  • Type of gambling activity
  • Date
  • Name and address of the event
  • Names of other people there when you placed the bet
  • Amounts of winnings and losses

 

It would be wise to get into the habit of recording all gambling activities you participate in during each financial year.

 

See more details and requirements about Session Gambling.

 

 

Useful sites and resources:

American Gaming Association

IRS

 

 

Check out our Gambling FAQs

 

 

How much can you win in a casino without having taxes withheld?

The most you can win at a licensed casino without paying taxes is $600, except winnings from slot machines, keno, and poker tournaments if the amount is at least 300 times your bet.  This equates to $1,500 or more in keno winnings, $5,000 or more in a poker tournament, and $1,200 or more from a slot machine.

How much taxes do you pay on slot machine winnings?

Typically, if you win more than $5,000 on a wager and the payout is at least 300 times the amount of your bet, the IRS states the gambling institution must withhold 24% of your winnings for income taxes.  This includes winnings on slot machines.

What happens if I don't report my gambling winnings?

A lot of this depends on how much you have failed to report.  However, you must always report ALL of your gambling winnings.  Failure to do so will result in legal action, which will be more severe if you fail to report a large amount, usually over $1,200.

 

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