Record Keeping

[KC_APS]

How does everyone keep their records? Right now, I record information after each trip to the casino, such as dealers, pit bosses, win/loss, time in/out, heat, etc. At the end of each trip (which are just 1 day trips, hitting multiple stores), I record total win/loss. This way there's always a record of what the bankroll is. I have a hard copy of the bankroll, as well as an online copy in Google Docs.

I'm curious what others do? How do you record other expenses - flights, hotels, food, etc?

Any input is appreciated!

[mofungoo]

Day of the week, date, time of day, casino and location, elapsed time, results, comments. Daily reconciliation of bankroll results.

Kept in pocket notebook.

[DM21]

In addition to what mofungoo said, I also track how much and how many buy in's per session so I know how much of my BR I have shown a certain shift, tips, how many decks and rules, table min, spread used, dealers names as well as there pen and speed, and pit bosses that may have hawked my game.

I keep everything on an excel spreadsheet on my home computer. When on a trip I text myself when I begin and when I end. I also text expenses as they occur because on longer trips details become fuzzy. It is works for me because it has time/date stamps so when I reconcile after a trip I just sort through the texts in cronological order. I just make sure that I am either walking or constantly moving when I am texting so it can't be read from above.

I also keep an additional page that keeps track of overall expenses, tips, hours played per year and per month, and bankroll. I use some of the math functions to calculate my hourly rate net and gross, overall expenses, and tips. There are also pages for every city that I visit with shift changes, dealer names and pen, and their speed for all of the casinos. On the last page I have a line graph for my BR.

It takes a while to set up but once you get to the maintanance phase it isn't much of a chore. I usually can reconcile in about 30 minutes after a weekend trip.

[bigplayer]

Microsoft Excel (or whatever spreadsheet you prefer). Each game his it's own worksheet, plus a worksheet for cash expenses, trip tracking (for M&E per diems), and mileage driven on each trip for the auto business expense deduction. Final worksheet is a consolidation (P&L) of every other worksheet. Keep track of credit card expenses by using a business card and getting their quarterly reports.

For each game you can track any number of things including
-Casino
-Date
-Shift
-Length of Session
-Game (2D, 6D, etc)
-Rules (s17, h17, etc)
-Speed Code (1=Heads Up, 2=With Others, 3=Full Table)
-Winning Session Result
-Losing Session Result
-Tokes
-Bonus Bets Won (Lucky Ladies, etc)
-Dealer Errors -(+ in your favor)
-EV Accrued (estimate based on Speed & Game) You can set up a raw EV table and based on the Game, Rules, Session Length, and Speed Code the EV will automatically be calculated)

If you're a machine player you need to also track
-W2-G Session Wins
-State
-Total Coin-In

Additionally you should track cashback and coupon redemptions.

[nicetrades200303]

I put most of these important details in Excel. I keep blank hard copies in a folder to take on a road trip. I feel it out when I get to my car before going to the next casino. The hard copies might serve a purpose in case you're unlucky and run into those crooked cops out to steal your bankroll.

[Rainmaker]

I put most of these important details in Excel. I keep blank hard copies in a folder to take on a road trip. I feel it out when I get to my car before going to the next casino. The hard copies might serve a purpose in case you're unlucky and run into those crooked cops out to steal your bankroll.

Hardcopies would not prove they stole your money. A guy in my area was recently killed over a $1000 slot win; followed home. There are crazies in every casino. I know some people do it, but I am strongly against keeping your bankroll on your person. But if people saw the records I keep, they would be horrified with the lack of detail so it's just my personal preference. I'm no authority on the matter.

[nicetrades200303]

Hardcopies would not prove they stole your money.

No, they would not. The hard copies of your casino sessions help to prove to the crooks that your hard-earned money came from AP activities--and not from anything illegal.

[Rainmaker]

No, they would not. The hard copies of your casino sessions help to prove to the crooks that your hard-earned money came from AP activities--and not from anything illegal.

That much is true. On the other hand, you never need to prove the source of your money isn't from something illegal...they need to prove that it is. If they are crooks, I don't think they care. Hardcopies could possibly discourage them a bit.

[Nyne]

That much is true. On the other hand, you never need to prove the source of your money isn't from something illegal...they need to prove that it is. If they are crooks, I don't think they care. Hardcopies could possibly discourage them a bit.

Legally, what you say is basically accurate. In the real world, records are crucial when you're on the side of the road with the cops staring at your bankroll. Bank receipts for the starting trip bank help a lot too. If you're lucky, you won't need any of it, but you don't want to need it and not have it.

[moo321]

Don't forget the IRS. They want everything broken down by how much you won or lost at each casino each day.

[Freightman]

Microsoft Excel (or whatever spreadsheet you prefer). Each game his it's own worksheet, plus a worksheet for cash expenses, trip tracking (for M&E per diems), and mileage driven on each trip for the auto business expense deduction. Final worksheet is a consolidation (P&L) of every other worksheet. Keep track of credit card expenses by using a business card and getting their quarterly reports.

For each game you can track any number of things including
-Casino
-Date
-Shift
-Length of Session
-Game (2D, 6D, etc)
-Rules (s17, h17, etc)
-Speed Code (1=Heads Up, 2=With Others, 3=Full Table)
-Winning Session Result
-Losing Session Result
-Tokes
-Bonus Bets Won (Lucky Ladies, etc)
-Dealer Errors -(+ in your favor)
-EV Accrued (estimate based on Speed & Game) You can set up a raw EV table and based on the Game, Rules, Session Length, and Speed Code the EV will automatically be calculated)

If you're a machine player you need to also track
-W2-G Session Wins
-State
-Total Coin-In

Additionally you should track cashback and coupon redemptions.

Residing north of the 49th parallel, I'm not burdened by such mundane things as tax reporting. Having said that, BigPlayers records mirror much of the same info as mine, except that there are a couple of categories which. I do not keep, but rather like. Speed code is a great idea, tied into EV calculation is. Pretty good idea.

Being somewhat of an excel guru, my primary sheet uses a variety of functions that allow me to zero in on specific items such as casino, time period, results over or under certain thresholds - basically any combination that you can think of based on the data entered. As well, once line data is entered, I refresh the data which updates a pivot table and charts, which reflects winnings by casino, month and year. I used to include hours by casino by month, but I thought it made the table just to busy. (Hours are recorded In thespreadsheet)