Question of the Day - 15 April 2021

I thought everyone went home broke after visiting Vegas!

Ever hear of the WSOP (World Series of Poker) where millions are won in Las Vegas? Or huge jackpots won out of dumb luck. Even Bob Dancer wrote a book about winning a million dollars playing video poker.

Besides a check you can ask for a certified cashiers check which is honored at any bank or even ask the casino where you won the money to do a wire transfer to your account if you have the routing number and account number.  There will be a slight charge for both services.  But a casino issued check is the simplest but not the absolute safest, the wire transfer is the safest. 

The absolute dumbest thing to do is to risk it's exposure to law enforcement as they will just keep it, mostly for themselves or they might turn some of into the department they work for.  Just do an internet search about civil-asset forfeiture and see how many billions cops steal every year.

To your bank (any bank will do this, an inter-bank transfer, for about $40) or, if you don't like that option for some reason, have the casino cut you a check. If you insist on carrying it home in cash, why then, you'll get to test the truth of the old adage, "A fool and his money are soon parted." 

Just flying to Las Vegas (and from) should be enough of an explanation.  

Never had a problem with cash packed in my purse.

I suggest NOT putting it in books or magazines.  Once returning home from SEMA, the aftermarket car parts convention, my husband had picked up multiple catalogs, some just magazine size, some more than an inch thick, packed tightly in a carry-on tote bag.  TSA had to flip through each one BECAUSE the scanner couldn't detect what was inside.  Looking for drugs maybe?  Just about 5 extra minutes waiting for us, but didn't know they'd do that.

Candy

A bank such as Bank of America has branches all over the USA including Las Vegas.  If you have an account you can withdraw spending money at an ATM.  And if you are lucky enough to leave LV with cash, deposit it in an ATM before you go home.

Unless you have a reason to NOT want it in your bank account, listen to those before me who said to wire it to your bank. It's like a direct deposit, similar to your paycheck or SS check. I guess if you want a check, just ask for multiple smaller checks, which gives you the option of depositing or cashing at home in a less conspicuous manner. You could even go to multiple casinos and have each one write you a check for an amount that you decide on by presenting them cash.

I'm still curious, especially given that I'm coming out in June and always bring an envelope, what amount is typically not enough to get hassled over, versus what amount would likely get you hassled. Not that I have anything to hide, but the idea of getting pulled aside and having to justify the cash in my bag is disconcerting.

Another option is if you belong to a credit union you can go to any credit union in Las Vegas and do a shared branching deposit directly into your account at your home credit union with no wire fees.  You can also use this method to make withdrawals from your home credit union.  Solves the problem of carrying the cash in either direction.

I put it in my carry-on in an envelope.  Hopefully some day I will leave with enough cash to worry about.  

Not sure if the check advice is accurate.  Once after I hit a royal on a $2 machine which gave me about $12K in cash (the royal plus other cash I had) I asked the casino where I was staying if I could get a check so I wouldn't have to carry all that cash home.  I was politely told no, they wouldn't do that.  Now maybe it was just the staff that day, or maybe it varies by casino, but asking for a check won't always work.

The advice about going to a bank is good.  I bank at Bank of America which I suspect has branches in LAS.  I'd only have to find some way to get there!

I solved half of this problem for myself by getting set up to take markers as needed.  If I ever end up far enough ahead to be concerned, I'd ask the casino to wire it home for me.

I usually go wtih 20 to 25K in cash.  I usually drive, bringing  golf clubs and other stuff, so do not have to worry about it.  When I do fly, I put half in my computer case, and the other half in my pockets.  Since I have TSA PRE, we only go through the metal detectors, and there is no issue there.  They do not ask you to empty your pockets unless its obvious there is something in them.  As for the computer case/bag, just keep an eye on it as it goes through.  No one sees what I have on me.  I move the cash back into my pockets after I get to the gate.  Never had any problems wiht it.  A few years ago, I was on a cruise, and won over 20K in the casino, and was coming home with over 30K.  You can only bring in 10K without declaring it.  I had the casino on the ship give me paperwork showing the winnings.  I declared the cash, showed them the paperwork, and got right through customs.  I declared it as they were checking everyone.  Not a busy cruise.

Several business - car washes as an example are cash businesses. There is often a certain amount that is not reported to the IRS, never sees a bank etc. Putting the cash into any form of bank, Western Union leaves a pretty solid paper trail. 

You can take cash to a bitcoin or other crypto vendor and not get much fuss, but the challenge is at the other end where the other vendor may not have enough cash for what you want to withdraw and with the wild swings with Crypto lately you might have some surprises good or bad

I have heard of <10k increments going into Caesars NewOrleans on a regular basis to build up a balance then using markers for larger amounts in Vegas. 

You might be smart to take your 10k sit down at a table, get chips, play 1 hand then take it to the cage that way and put it on account. That way if your ever questioned about where the money came from you can say you won it. There will be all sorts of records at the cage that you cashed in chips, vs cash.

The Narcos have real trouble in moving cash around. The US established the $100 bill as the largest bill. If you have bushells/pallets of cash that you can't take to the bank what the Narcos do is buy hard goods. For instance they will buy a Semi Trailer rig, fill it with canned tuna, drive it across the border with all the required paperwork, then force the local merchants to purchase the canned Tuna - either at a profit or at a minimal loss then they will sell the truck and trailer. 

GREAT ARTICLE, as i travel every october and the other  3 guys are 'loaded' . this article will help 'them'.  i hope they read this piece . 

I have been traveling to Vegas for many,many years,and i never had a problem with cash.I just put it in a envelope,secure it and i'm good to go

If pass 75 carry it on money belt. If not I slip in small piece of carry on luggage. Be sure there is nothing in item that will cause it to be flagged.   Pass 75 you just go thru metal detector. On carry on you can just place it in carry on luggage bag and keep an eye  on it as it goes thru scanner. Cash is not illegal but with the current climate you don't want to draw attention to yourself. Certain ones of us would draw attention. This happened to me last flight to Vegas. If you check baggage you have to use wife or girl friend purse. It should not contain anything that would trigger a check. Shame you have to do this for something legal. They do a lot of things not legal and taking money could be one. Of course you get it back with attorney help. I personally do not trust any of them. Just do nothing to dres att to yourself. I have never had a problem when I do abovev

Way back when I had TSA rifle my bag out of my site(with about $10K cash in) and threaten to arrest me when I started yelling for a supivisor. Long story short I was Ok but the guy in front of me had his wallet emptied. Next week multiple agents on that line were arrested. Moral of the story LOCK your carry on If they want to look it is done with wintnesses.

I agree with Timothy Grant's comment about using a Shared Branch Crecit Union. When I travel, I avoid using ATMs when I can access a Shared Branch. However, not all credit unions belong to that network. You need to make sure that your credit union belongs to one and that you are visiting a participating branch. Otherwise, you may be taking a 20 minute Uber ride from your hotel only to learn that you cannot make a transaction there. 

Your advice on a wire deposit is good. Your advice about asking for multiple smaller checks, to put in bluntly, is lousy. If you're asking for several checks under $10K, that is a form of structuring, and not only will no casino honor that request, they'll also write up a Suspicious Activity Report on you as well. There's no getting around the Currency Transaction Report for a transaction over $10K -- absolutely zero point in doing something that will have a SAR filed as well. I would also say that depositing several checks from Las Vegas casinos -- regardless of the amount -- is going to raise some flags in your hometown bank as well.

Make the wire transfer and be done with it; don't do anything where you think you're getting over on the banks.