Lottery Tickets--Can they be deduted as Gambling Losses?

[Whoson1st]

Assuming one were to win $10,000 betting sports (on-line) and claim that income. Could one also deduct $2500. in lottery ticket losses (with the receipts of course)?

Where I'm coming from is that could the government try to say...that the lottery tickets were a "contribution" or some other nice little word to keep this from being used . In Virginia...the lottery moneys go to public education.

Not saying this applies to me at all....just wondering out loud.

 

[Paterno]

Bingo, even church, and lottery tickets/scratch offs are gambling deductions.

 

[Whoson1st]

Sometimes with the laws they way they are and things constantly changing..I really don't know which end is up anymore or inside from the outside. Some things I take for granted and then start to question myself.....


Just the other day---I saw a guy wearing a shirt with the label on the outside..I thought I was seeing things or the poor guy was drunk...Then damned if I didn't see the same thing on another person a few days later....Somebody said it was the "style".. I would have BET they were on drugs or drunk...