Let's play make-believe. You walk up to a slot machine and insert one-dollar. You push the button and you hit a jackpot of $100,000.

After you clap your hands (jackpot winners always make a loud, singular clap) and after you get out of your chair (jackpot winners always stand up after hitting a big winner), and after you whip out your cell phone and take a photo to send to your ex-spouse to rub in your good fortune (of course you want to do it), you will come face to face with the slot attendant.

After saying "congratulations" which they are always trained to do, and after they call for a "verifier" which they must do for a hand-pay, the slot attendant will ask you for your driver's license or government ID and your social security number, which they must do, and then comes the big question...

"How would you like it?"

And this is probably the most crucial question and answer every jackpot winner will have. "How would you like it?"

Well, if you are going through a divorce, you'd probably like to say "hidden from my soon-to-be ex."

Or if you are married and don't want your spouse to know that you were in a casino or won so much money, you'd probably like to say "hidden from my spouse."

What the casino management would love for you to say is: "I'd like it all in cash so I can plow it back into your machines and give it all back before I leave your casino at noon tomorrow because I can't get a late check-out."

But if you say "I'd like a check" a manager will likely tell you that if get a check your credit line will immediately be closed for this trip, and then you'd have to go through the trouble of getting the check cashed-- so why not deposit it in a casino account?

Well, depositing it in a casino account is almost like taking the cash.

How about this for an idea: "I'd like 60% taken out for Federal taxes, 30% in a check, and 10% in cash."

There's nothing wrong with having Uncle Sam and the IRS hold the money for you. Oh -- CPAs and financial planners say you should never have the IRS hold your money because they don't pay interest on over-withholding. But when it comes to casino winnings, letting the IRS hold it is a damn good idea so you don't blow it.

Taking a check is also a good idea. And taking 10% as cash let's you enjoy the casino some more with a limited amount of that jackpot at risk.

Oh, and tipping the casino personnel? Yes, I'd tip. But one-half of one percent is more than enough and that comes out of the 10% cash.

Okay, that's what I would do. And what would you do?