How do you track win/loss?

How do you track win-loss or do you at all? I assume its a good idea in case you get that big win. Agree/disagree? I predict I will never need this for taxes. I use it to track my variance, but also... just in case. I made a Google Calendar, 2 years ago, and add a code for each casino visit.

Here is a sample win code:

+158/1145/BB114/2C20/1C25

(Won=$158 / New BR=$1145 / BigBet=$114 / Used 2-$20 coupons / Used 1-$25 coupon)
(I don't think tracking coups matters but its used to know earned vs gifted, and tracking my comp game)

Here is a sample Loss code:

-130/30/BB108/2C20

(Lost $130 / New BR=$30 / BigBet=$108 / Used 2-$20 coupons)




I only play craps but if you surf around the casino like many like to do, would it be a good idea to track gaming win/loss separately or just go with a win/loss from the "property" in one visit?

I have something similar.

Mine is:

Win(Loss)/Bankroll/Turnover/Turnover Percentage/Denomination Table/Bet Range

I have a spreadsheet (old school on my hard drive and in Dropbox, not on Google) that collates all the data, and includes on a line for each session:
*date and time (approx)
*Casino
*buy in
*color out
*Net result (calculated from above) for that session
*For each day, net result from that day

The above are pretty hard and fast (every session). The below vary based on what the game is and how stringent I'm keeping track:
*big bet/small bet (if counting) or average bet (if not)
*minutes played (try to be strict on this if it is advantage play)
*strategy or combination of bets (e.g. on Craps, I might record "$10 pass with full odds + up to 3 come bets same")
*any heat received or any other notes, like penetration or dealer mistakes

I have a separate tab/worksheet for each game, so the game played doesn't get a column on the sheet. Each worksheet has a total for that worksheet, and there is a "grand total" worksheet that totals everything. I generally start a new spreadsheet for each calendar year, to make taxes easier.

For what it's worth (and I am not a tax professional), I think your method would stand up to IRS scrutiny better. Whenever there is a gambling tax expert on GWAE, they say you want contemporaneous account of gambling activity. So a hand-written notebook or day planner (or in your case a Google calendar) may actually look better than my method, which would be easier to falsify retroactively.

For tracking in the moment, I have gone through a few iterations. I used to record this info into my phone and later transfer it into the spreadsheet; the notes were chicken scratches similar to yours that I would be able to interpret. Now I tend to use a voice recorder (my Sansa Clip MP3 player conveniently has this technology, and I would assume any smartphone would too). The voice recorder is faster, and it's fun to hear the despair in my voice after a big loss when recording the data later.

On this topic, I am reminded of my first post ever on this board. SURELY such a thing exists now?! I never got around to building it.

I use the win / loss statements from the casinos I play at as the basis for my yearly win / loss totals.

As backup, I keep a log of daily profit and loss from all the casinos I play at, broken down by game category, e.g. "Chinook Winds, craps, +$32."

My log is very simple and I keep it on my phone and email it to myself every couple of weeks.

ie. 1/29/16 Palms Super Times Bonus Poker -$625

My win loss statement from my casino is Ludacris. Its like they just added up all of my buy-ins.

Quote: rushdl

My win loss statement from my casino is Ludacris. Its like they just added up all of my buy-ins.

Yes, I have found them to be hilariously inaccurate. Like the one time TR said I won X amount at Harrah's New Orleans during a calendar year in which I had never even been in the state of Louisiana.

Harrah's is an absolute joke when it comes to tax reporting your win/loss. Sometimes they report your numbers sometimes they don't. Reason being is that when you hand them your player's card they just jot down your account number and input that information sometime later. This same goes for the MGM Grand. The Wynn and Venetian on the other hand slide your card into a terminal the moment you sit down and lay down the chip(s).

Like you guys have stated those darn win/loss statements are absolute nonsense.

Best is to not hand them your card at all so they don't know who the heck you are.

The tribal casinos I frequent track slot play on the win / loss, but not table games activity.