FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - whose miles are they?!

Aug 8, 2004 | 9:33 am

#23

peachfront

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: MSY

Programs: NW Gold and now Delta Gold

Posts: 3,072

A friend and I used to play in gambling tournaments for extra income. We always discussed BEFORE the tournament how the win would be distributed. You have a situation where if your friend had won, you probably wouldn't have gotten anything, because it doesn't seem like you had any sort of arrangement, unless I missed it somewhere. So you don't owe your friend any of your win. A gift would be nice, but better make it a modest gift until you see your 1099-MISC. You are the one who will be paying taxes based on the value of your prize, not your friend.

For the record, our "deal" was that the winner kept 80 percent and the friend got 20 percent. It worked great, because both of us played often and won many times. But you have a one-time situation here. Your friend is likely to never win anything to share with you. So, again, my instinct is to say that a modest gift is fine...a friend "hinting" that he should take a significant part of your prize is being a little emotionally abusive for money and he is already willing to stress the friendship to get what he wants...so I would question how real your friendship ever was. Certainly I wouldn't try to buy his continued friendship with miles.

My advice is worth what you paid so think for yourself. I can only tell you what I would do and have done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grog

Yes, it does. It also begs the question as to whether your friend also paid for the taxes and fees on your first free points flight.

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I'm gonna lean way out the window on this one, and see if I fall out.

I'm not sure that either of your positions (yours or your friend's) is good for your friendship. OK, you say you didn't ask/beg, but your friend offered and you did accept. The question I'd ask myself: have I been enough of a friend to deserve that ticket and am I still acting like the friend I was when I accepted it?

I'm sure your friend is also confused and probably interpreting (rightly or wrongly) your position as being greedy and ungrateful, for both the previous free ticket and the referral that led to the win. I would've had a heart-to-heart with my friend a long, long time ago, rather than asking strangers to fortify my bunker against a friend. I save this type of stuff for my enemies.

You even say, had he won, you would've suggested another free trip on his miles, but wouldn't expect it. Why, then, would you suggest it? That alone shows your expectation.

Yes, the law says they are yours; I think you know that. Still, I think it's a bit harsh to say "MINE MINE ALL MINE HAHAHAHAHA!" (and you CAPPED it in both of your posts). Whether they're mine or not--with my true friends, I wouldn't be gloating, especially if that friend is the one who made it all possible.

I think you're looking at this in black-and-white and asking a bunch of miles hounds (meant affectionately) what we think. The law, and a lot of strangers are on your side. Yes, the miles are yours.

But, what I'd be considering: there will come a day when those miles are gone, probably due to expiration

. When that day comes, will being 'right' have been worth it?

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