CARRYING CASH

[Big O]

Not sure where this post should go so feel free to move is any admin feels it should be somewhere else,
Just a quick question for those who fly alot,
How is the best way and is there an amount of cash that is an issue carrying on flights.
I normally drive to Shreveport and Biloxi. I have flown to Reno several times but usually for short trips and didnt carry that much cash. Heading to Vegas for 5 days so i want to carry more cash this trip.

[DarthNater]

I have not had any issue flying in the USA with cash; though I have been screened for cash multiple times at International departure gates by custom's types. For leaving the USA stay under $10K; however, once I was in Canada studying their rules and believe for them it's bringing in $10K in Canadian dollars, substantially less than USA dollars. Now while I don't travel with that kinda money, all the customs forms you fill out on returning to the USA ask the $10K question. The Australians also screened me strongly on arrival a couple of times, but that was likely because I was traveling solo and with golf clubs, which for them are big trigger points.

I'm sure everyone knows to keep their cash with them or in a carryon that is small enough that you do not need to check it plane-side. ATM fees here in Vegas can be brutal, so plan ahead. I know a few of our members wire funds or have lines of credit pre-established, so hopefully they'll share some feedback

DN8R

[rhythm roller]

Not a problem for me now, but when I used to fly internationally my first stop upon arrival was at a Wells Fargo bank to get any amount I wanted. If holding too much for a return flight my last stop was also Wells Fargo. Of course, only works during banking hours and if you are with a national bank of some kind. Then straight to my room safe and division into session stakes. My suggestion. Check to see if there is your bank near where you are arriving and go from there.

[skasower]

I fly from Sacramento to Las Vegas on fun and business (pandemic slowed me a bit). I usually travel with $5,000 to $6,000 in cash. I put it in envelopes in my carry on that sits right above my head in the plane. It ends up in the hotel safe. I never have problems and have only lost it placing World bets over and over again. It is one of my favorite cash drains similar to video poker.

Another approach is to apply for casino credit and then get your daily cash from the cashier. If you win however, you are stuck carrying all that winning cash back in a carryon stashed right above your head in the plane, never leaving your sight.

I also sometimes carry a huge was of theatrical $100 bills in my pocket when I am walking around Las Vegas. I figure if I am even robbed on the street I will produce the wad (it looks impressive) crying that I just won this $20,000 and then throw it into the street and oncoming traffic and then run like hell while the thief attempts to retrieve theatrical bills in traffic. I have never had to use this methodology even walking from Mandelay Bay to Ballys later in the evening.

[pappyvanwinkle]

Its actually a gamble these days to carry large amounts of cash in the US. The big issue is what's called civil asset forfeiture. Pretty much the police can confiscate assets(primarily cash these days) from you if they want. If you're saying thats BS, they have to charge you with a crime or something, actually they don't. I only came across this because this happen to some poker players(I used to play more poker at one point), and they typically travel with large sums of money.

https://www.top10pokersites.net/news/tr ... ating-cash

Sometimes even having documentation where the money came from doesn't spare you, most police just ignore documentation, since its not relevant to their argument, that you may have been planning on doing something illegal with the money and that's why their taking it, since having cash is inherently suspicious. If you're thinking its just huge sums, its not, I've read cases as low as $5,000. People who buy cars, traveling to go purchase a vehicle get stopped for some reason, find out the individual has a significant amount of cash, declares they are seizing the money, but the person is free to go.

Oh, if you think staying under the $10K limit for coming into the USA will save you, even if your under the limit and correctly declare your amount, they may still seize your money. It happens you get through customs, and did nothing wrong, but customs notifies DEA and they'll just take your money once you've left customs.

Like I said, cash is a gamble.

Pappy

[skasower]

That is very interesting Pappy. I wonder if the money laundering laws are being used for this same grifting strategy.

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/246/mlta.pdf

This US Treasury description basically argues the same kind of argument that the local law enforcement personnel used in Pappy's example. I am struck by the US Treasury statement that if they don't know where the money came from then the law allows them to consider it "laundering". It still cites a figure of over $10,000 in cash withdrawn from a bank account. I also understand that if one removes to cash over $100,000 in a 12-month period then that too is considered both laundering and patterning (meaning how much you withdrew each time if it were less than $!0,000.

I know this sounds far out there but government has some authorities that are surprising. The US Treasury had reasons for this legislated authority. It came after we were attacked and the Twin Towers destroyed.

[pappyvanwinkle]

Skasower, it's not that far out, I suspect you're probably right.

People hear that $10K number and think as long as I keep below that I'll be fine. $10K transactions will generate a CTR (Currency Transaction Report), correct, but if you actively work to avoid that $10K limit, that's called "structuring." Guess what? That is illegal! It's the intent to evade/circumvent the report that they will nail you with. They may seize your accounts and prosecute. Legitimate businesses have gotten hit with this because the person didn't want to generate CTR's because they didn't want the government knowing their business, so they figure, I'll just deposit less. There is nothing illegal about making a deposit larger that $10K, it just generates a CTR. The thing is a CTR will raise a flag and they may ask you some questions, and often, that will be it end of story. If you tell them something that's believable that they can verify, probably won't lead to anything else.

The thing that gets people is a SAR (Suspicious Activity Report). If for whatever reason, the financial institution suspects you're doing something nefarious/illegal, they'll report that to the government and then they'll determine if anything illegal is going on.

Pappy

[BigJohnOhio]

I understand what Pappy is saying and there may be instances of confiscation but luckily I have not dealt with that. I flew from Ohio to Vegas 5 times last year and had around $10k with me each time I flew. Going through security I left it in my side pants pocket one time and they never said a word. Normally I stuff it into my shoe when I put them into the security basket. I have not had any issues Knock on wood.

My trip I took this week I came home with over $10k and they never said anything. I stuffed it all in my shoe and security didn’t flag it.

[midgetcoach]

I have a pair of these. They fit and are very comfortable. They can carry 10K unnoticed . Been patted down by the TSA at the airports with no problems. I use them for air travel and cruises.
https://www.clothingarts.com/products/p ... avel_pants

[skasower]

The thing that gets people is a SAR (Suspicious Activity Report). If for whatever reason, the financial institution suspects you're doing something nefarious/illegal, they'll report that to the government and then they'll determine if anything illegal is going on.

Pappy all this is way too much government intrusiveness for my liking. However, I know it's true first hand. A few years ago I had a project that included some major steel structure. The steel subcontractor gave me a price and then said he would knock about $40K off the price if I paid him in cash.

I didn't care what he was doing tax avoiding or whatever. We were still going to 1099 his ass. I paid him weekly $8K, $5K, etc. The total was $190K and when I got up around $90K I got a nasty letter from our Credit Union that threatened my with federal legal issues if I continued to pay him (obviously it looked just like patterning or structuring). We stopped and paid him in checks from then on.

But it pissed me off since on the bills it says for all legal transactions. I figured whatever nefarious stuff the steel contractor was doing had nothing to do with me. But of course the Credit Union told me in that letter that it was going to be my bad too. And they would have made me the primary bad guy.

I learned the lesson and don't deal with cash in business. However, it is a cautionary tale for any of us transacting too much cash for our increasingly successful trips to the the craps table.

[AllahPena]

I fly to and from Vegas with $100k Cash all the time. There's nothing illegal about it. Occasionally I get stopped and they just ask me how much it is then let me be... however the main thing they're looking for is denomination of money. Banks and casinos don't pay out in 10s and 20s. When in doubt just don't be stupid

[aeiou]

Howdy all,

Being the conservative that I am, when I travel any distance for a trip to the casinos I usually contact a host at the hotel/casino and arrange to send any significant amount of mmoney ahead to the casino cage, wiring it to them from my bank. That way the money is there waiting on me when I want access to it, even to the point of where I will ask for markers while at the tables to draw from the "front money" that I have sent in advance. Back in the old days of playing the "comp game" that always seemed to get me rated a little higher than when I just fished cash out of my pocket and kept my stash in the room safe.
That's my plan for my upcoming trip next month and of course the host I contacted was happy to provide me with wiring instructions!

[AllahPena]

You don't have to wire. A cashier's check works the same way or a line of credit is easy also. There's times where that doesn't work like for example I had a 275k ticket on superbowl last weekend (not bragging, I still lost) and most sportsbooks pay out in cash so nothing you can really do except carry it. Worst case if you get stopped by TSA they just might ask the origin and denominations of the cash. Sportsbooks don't pay out in 10s and 20s either unless you gave it to them first.

[Big O]

sportsbooks pay out in cash so nothing you can really do except carry it.

I have often thought/dreamed about how i would handle a BIG payout. Will or can casinos wire money to your bank? Not that you would want a big payout transaction deposited to your bank.

[memo]

Howdy all,

Being the conservative that I am, when I travel any distance for a trip to the casinos I usually contact a host at the hotel/casino and arrange to send any significant amount of mmoney ahead to the casino cage, wiring it to them from my bank. That way the money is there waiting on me when I want access to it, even to the point of where I will ask for markers while at the tables to draw from the "front money" that I have sent in advance.

aeiou,

I also like doing the front money thing, there is one caviot, however...
They get kinda sticky if you just try to withdraw funds directly from the cage..
No problem getting a marker at the tables. They do not want you to take the funds to another casino. I imagine that you could win in an argument, however I have never tested it.

They have warned me, ...OK, we will honor This withdrawal, however we prefer you take it out in markers at the tables..It was stronger than a request.

Memo

[AllahPena]

sportsbooks pay out in cash so nothing you can really do except carry it.

I have often thought/dreamed about how i would handle a BIG payout. Will or can casinos wire money to your bank? Not that you would want a big payout transaction deposited to your bank.

I've never asked the sportsbook to wire and not sure they would. Problem is even if they could it's only winnings not the original amount you bet. Why is everyone so afraid to have money deposited in the bank?? Does no one pay taxes? Lol

[AllahPena]

Howdy all,

Being the conservative that I am, when I travel any distance for a trip to the casinos I usually contact a host at the hotel/casino and arrange to send any significant amount of mmoney ahead to the casino cage, wiring it to them from my bank. That way the money is there waiting on me when I want access to it, even to the point of where I will ask for markers while at the tables to draw from the "front money" that I have sent in advance.

aeiou,

I also like doing the front money thing, there is one caviot, however...
They get kinda sticky if you just try to withdraw funds directly from the cage..
No problem getting a marker at the tables. They do not want you to take the funds to another casino. I imagine that you could win in an argument, however I have never tested it.

They have warned me, ...OK, we will honor This withdrawal, however we prefer you take it out in markers at the tables..It was stronger than a request.

Memo

This is also the reason I don't like wiring money to a cage. It basically locks you in there and you can't really take chips out to swap at a different place also. If you had to post upfront then cash or cashier's check are your best options if you were at all interested in playing at more than 1 place. If you are 100% not going to play at multiple places then all options are fine. A cashier's check is much easier to be mobile with than a wire is. Cash obviously is easiest.

[AllahPena]

Let me also add that with the less than 1% chance that someone gets robbed people should still exercise caution when carrying large amounts of cash. Don't roam around by yourself, be very aware of your surroundings, only go to and from the cage with cash on you, do your transactions in the back or private rooms at the cage, etc. I deal with a lot in cash/chips but I also have credit lines everywhere I play to make life easier. I didn't want to be a super advocate of cash and not tell people to do it correctly. Be safe out there

[wild child]

T

[crapsjourney]

I have a pair of these. They fit and are very comfortable. They can carry 10K unnoticed . Been patted down by the TSA at the airports with no problems. I use them for air travel and cruises.
https://www.clothingarts.com/products/p ... avel_pants

Now that is a good pant.

Aaron