Reminder: Good records will keep you out of hot water

If you are an avid gambler, you know how important it is to stay on the good side of the IRS. This means you have to keep excellent tax records so that when they come knocking wanting to verify your wins and losses, you have the documentation to show them and then they can go away peacefully and bother somebody else. If you don’t already do this, you need to keep reading and find out what you need to be doing.

The easiest way to keep up with your wins and losses is to get a notebook with folder pockets. The pockets will hold your receipts from the online casino in for example the Netherlands (gambling tax). You can also scan these into your computer if you prefer to have an electronic copy as well. Your diary should have a page for every win or loss that includes:

• Date
• Time of Game
• Casino or other establishment where you played
• Game you played (if you played multiple games, you need to keep them separate)
• Table or machine number

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Understanding the slot and video machines

Have you ever wondered how slot machines and video poker machines work? Are you like some people who think there is a literal spinning mechanism inside that stops on a combination that may or may not be the winning one. It shocks these people to discover that there is not a wheel inside the machine, only a visual representation of one on the screen. If you would like to understand more about how these machines work, keep reading.

The random number generator (rng) is the heart and soul of slot machines and video poker. This piece of the machines does exactly what it sounds like it does, generates a random number that is the translated by the computer of the machine into its corresponding card, number, or other icon that the machine uses for game play. Every push of the play button starts the random number generator over and you can’t alter the outcome. Each play is independent of the previous one.

Practically every player who visits the slots or video poker believes they can tell the machine is getting ready to hit big. They have a gut feeling that it’s time. There isn’t a set time for the machines to hit. However, after playing for hours, the brain starts thinking that simply because it has been watching patterns over and over it knows when this is going to happen, and when coupled with the emotional desire to win, the brain tells you that the machine should be ready to hit big. Be careful, your brain can get you in trouble.

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