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This is my first time sharing any experience online that happened to myself or anyone else so I'm sorry if I drag in places or if the formatting is bad.
I will change names of any people involved but the places and road names will be factual... I've never shared this other than with her until now because although I have belief in paranormal events to a certain extent,(aliens,ghosts, certain legendary creatures etc) I'm not the type that just believes every story to be true or want people to think I've lost my mind.
It was early summer 2010 (I only remember because my 21st birthday had just passed and was finally legal to hit the bars) it was a friday night and I was up having a drink at a bar that my cousin David was the bartender at. It was a small town bar that outside of an event like a band or other entertainment was there it usually stayed pretty quiet.. it was very early in the evening and I had just gotten out of work for the night working at a mcdonalds in another small town less than 10 miles from the small town I lived in.
I was on only my second drink of the evening when my phone rang. On the other line was a friend of mine from childhood James. He was calling asking if I wanted to come over to his brothers house and join them for a night of poker, beer and weed. Sounded like a good time in my book and since I was literally only 1 sip into my 2nd gin and tonic I agreed to make the drive into Toledo. (Most people know where toledo is but for those who dont it is a city in the Northwest region of Ohio about an hour or so south of Detroit) it was about a 20 minute drive from my small town and figured itd be a good time
I stopped at home to grab some cash. I only ever took 10 to 20 bucks with me to the bar to make sure if I ever got caught up having a good time drinking I didnt screw up and have too good of a time and end up closing down the bar that evening.
I left my house at 11:05 PM. I remember that distinctly because i has called James to tell him i was on my way as they were going to wait for me and start the poker game at 11:30. We always played a tournament style of poker game where we all put our money in at once, got equal amount of chips. And played until there was only 1 person left with any chips left who then got to keep all of the money.
I took my usual route over to his brother Eddys house as I have done so many times before. We had all gotten together a group of anywhere from 4 to 6 of us and would play poker in Eddys basement at least twice a month. (Usually more) . I had just gotten to the corner of Oakdale street and East Broadway. I was sitting at a red light in an area that's nothing but residential housing outside of the elementary school that sat at that exact corner.
I'm sitting up looking at the red light waiting for it to change (which always seemed to take absolutely forever coming from this direction) when I noticed something in the sky that from my vantage point was partially hidden directly behind the red light.
It was a very bright white light that seemed to be pointing straight down almost like it was a helicopter using a spotlight to identify something but much much brighter at the point of origin. I heard absolutely nothing after rolling my windows down and knew this could not possibly be a helicopter or I'd absolutely be able to hear it..
Wanting a better view I pulled into the parking lot of an ice cream shop that sat directly across the road from the school I was nearby and got out of my car to try and figure out what this thing was. When I got out of the car I stared up into the sky and immediately found it again.
It couldnt of been a plane because it didnt have the right shape. It was more oval than anything (most stories you hear like this say its circular) but it was definitely an oval shape. I almost thought perhaps it was a blimp given the shape. But it seemed far too large to be a blimp even by the measurements of some everyone knows about like the Goodyear blimp... plus it had no decals or identifying Mark's. Either silver or grayish..
After what felt to me about 30 seconds or so of looking at this thing my eyes started to burn... not burn in the sense of extreme burning or anything like that. But almost like that feeling of when a bug flies into your eyes and causes them to water up.. I close my eyes and begin to rub them. My eyes are closed at this point so obviously all I see is black..
After finally getting my eyes to stop bothering me I try to look up again and find it only for it to be gone.. I looked all around but could not see it anymore.. this is a very densely populated neighborhood with houses trees etc able to obscure any view of things youd look up into the Sky to see ... after a little less than a minute I decided oh well time to go play poker.
I get over to eddys house which is about 4 blocks from where this had taken place and knock on the basement door.... a few moments go by and no one answers I decide to go to the front door and knock... figured maybe since I'm probably 5 or 10 minutes early maybe they were upstairs playing on the playstation 3..
I knock on the door but still no answer.... finally I start knocking very loudly on the door almost pounding... Eddy finally answers the door and says "man why the hell are you knocking on my door this late" I look at him honestly confused and said "well your brother said to come over and come play cards with you guys "
He stares at me for what felt like an eternity and finally responds "yea man I know he did. He called you 5 or 6 hours ago man . Its 4:30 in the morning how late did you think we would be playing"
This scared me quite a bit as from what I had remembered .at this moment it could not possibly be any later than 11:25 to 11:30 at most... I attempted to play it off and say, "damn man I must've track of time, can I use your bathroom before I head back home".
He agrees and tells me I should splash some water on my face as I look like I'm either drunk or havent slept in a week. I walk into his bathroom and my eyes are absolutely BLOODSHOT and it almost looks like I have two black eyes...
To this day I have absolutely no idea what happened to me that night. I have no explanation for the lost hours worth of time, how I could not have possibly noticed that much time being past, or how on earth something that felt like my eyes being irritated by a mosquito or something similar flying into my eyes. I dont want to pretend to know what it was and explain it or even assume that whatever it was I saw that evening had anything to do with it... but it has creeped me out ever since
(EDIT) HOLY BALLLZZZ... this thing really blew up in a hurry.. all I can say is thanks for the words and support and just general kindness.. for YEARS I've been afraid to tell this story. And I've heard some very interesting theories as well as others sharing some of their odd experiences...

We all love to read stories about big wins and imagine ourselves in the shoes of those winners. But, have you ever thought about what happens at that very moment after successfully beating the slot machine? Usually, the slot machine locks up and, in most cases, you hear the music and see the flashing lights on top of the machine. But one of the first questions every player asks is whether they have to pay taxes on casino winnings? Well, you’re about to find out!

Taxes on Slot Machine Winnings in USA

In the USA, when a lucky player hits a jackpot, there’s the option of receiving the winnings in cash or check. In case it’s a large sum, it’s usually paid by check. However, the IRS only obliges the casinos to report winnings that are larger than $1,200.
Of course, all winners are obliged to show a proper identification— a valid ID or passport. When the casino checks for your identification they also look at your age to make sure you are officially and legally old enough to play. As the minimum legal age for gambling varies from state to state, be sure to check it out before you decide to play.

Do I Have to Report All Winnings?

All gambling winnings received from slot machines are subject to federal taxes, and both cash and non-cash winnings (like a car or a vacation) are fully taxable. Apart from slot machines, the same applies to winnings from lottery, bingo, keno, poker or other games of chance. So, if the amount won on a slot machine is higher than $1200, the casino is required to report it. In other words, all your gambling winnings have to be reported on your tax return as "other income" on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8.

Slot Machine Winnings in W-2G Form

In case it happens to you and you snag that big win (which we hope one day you will), it’s useful to know that casino or other payer must give you a W-2G Form, listing your name, address and Social Security number. So, if the winnings are reported through a W-2G Form, federal taxes will be withheld at a rate of 25%.
If, however, you didn’t provide your Social Security number (or your Tax Identification Number), in that case the withholding will be 28%. Either way, a copy of your Form W-2G should be issued, showing the amount you won alongside the amount of tax withheld. One copy needs to go to the IRS, as well.
Aside from slot winnings, Form W-2G is issued to winners of the following types of gambling activities like:

• bingo (for players who win $1,200 or more),
• keno (for at least $1,500 worth wins)
• poker tournament players (for the $5,000 win or more).
• a horse track (if the winnings are 300x your bet)

However, not all gambling winnings are subject to IRS Form W2-G. For instance, W2-G forms are not required for winnings from table games like blackjack, baccarat, and roulette, whatever the amount. You’d still have to report your winnings to the IRS, it’s just you won’t need to do it through W-2G Form.

Are My Slot Losses Deductible?

The good news is that you can deduct your slot losses (line 28 of Schedule A, Form 1040), while the bad news is gambling losses are deductible only up to the amount of your wins. In other words, you can use your losses to compensate for your winnings. So, let’s say you won $200 on one bet, but you lost $400 on one or a few others, you can only deduct the first $200 of losses. Meaning if you didn’t win anything for a year, you won’t be able to deduct any of your gambling losses.
In order to prove your losses, you need to keep good records and have suitable documents. So, whenever you lose, keep those losing tickets, cancelled checks and credit slips. Your documentation must include the amount you won or lost, a date and time, type of wager, type of your gambling activity, name of each casino/address of each casino you visited and the location of their gambling business. You may as well list the people who were with you.

Do State and Local Taxes Apply Separately?

Yes, you are required to pay your state or local taxes on your gambling winnings. In case you travel to another state, and snag some huge winning combo there, that other state would want to tax your winnings too. But don’t worry, you won't be taxed twice, as the state where you reside needs to give you a tax credit for the taxes you pay to that other state.
Keep in mind though that some states like Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Ohio don't allow gambling losses.

Online Slot Taxes

Whether you usually spin the reels of your favourite casino games in land-based casinos in the US, overseas casinos, or online casinos, all income for the citizens of the US is taxable. As a US citizen, you are required to send Form W2G for all winnings from a slot machine (not reduced by the wager) that equals to or is more than $1,200.

Taxes on Slot Machine Winnings in UK

As a resident of the United Kingdom, your gambling winnings won’t be taxed. Unlike the USA mentioned above, you’ll be allowed to keep whatever it is that you have won and earned in Britain, even in case you are a poker pro. Then again, you won’t be able to deduct any losses you might collect.
It doesn’t really matter if you win £5 or £5 million playing online slots, your winnings will be tax-free as long as you reside anywhere in the UK, be that in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland.

Taxes on Slot Machine Winnings in Canada

If you are a recreational player who lives in Canada, we have good news for you. When it comes to gambling, you don't have to pay taxes as your winnings are totally tax free. According to laws in Canada, gambling activities don’t fall under the category of constant source of income, therefore your winnings will not be taxed.
Canadians don't even pay taxes on their lottery winnings. The only exception here are professional gamblers who make a living from betting and are, therefore, obliged to pay taxes. Keep in mind though, this is the current situation - laws in Canada change frequently, which may also include tax laws.

Taxes on Slot Machine Winnings in Australia

In case you reside in Australia and like to visit casinos from time to time, you’ll be happy to find out that your winnings in Australia will not taxed and here are 3 core reasons for that:

• Gambling is not treated a profession (it's treated as a hobby)
• The government doesn’t see profits from gambling activities as income, but as a result of good luck
• The Australian government taxes casino operators and lottery organisers instead.

Of course, taxation varies from state to state.

Taxes on Slot Machine Winnings in New Zealand

Unlike in Australia, where even professional players can claim they are recreational, in New Zealand slot machine winnings (and any other winnings from casino games) are considered taxable income, in case the player has little income from other resources.
But, apart from professional gambling, it is very unusual for winnings to be taxed in New Zealand. Most often, gambling is considered recreational and not income, so players can enjoy their gameplay as they do not have to pay taxes on their winnings.

I've looked everywhere but there doesn't seem to be a single reliable source online that definitely states what the legal age for gambling in Ohio is. I am wondering, since the casino is opening in Cleveland next month, and I would like to be able to play poker there. I know some states have different age requirements for poker and the rest of the casino (game of skill vs. game of chance), but does anyone know what it will be here? Thanks and source of information is appreciated.