^^^ Don't know if it helps the OP, but thanks for posting this. Interesting.

So what would be a good excuse for a college student who is not working? Basically living off loans..

what about claiming the winnings are from daily fantasy sports? isnt this legit with the banks?

i have no idea what site would that be at? ill say that if it works im in california...

I think you are worrying too much about something that isn't a problem. First off, bank tellers typically don't ask you about your business. All they see, every single day, is people coming in and depositing or cashing checks. Why else would someone go see a teller? Unless there is something suspicious about your banking activity they really couldn't care less about discussing your business. Though I don't go into branches much now, I've never had a teller ask me the origin of a check or the nature of my business, and I've gone to banks for a lot longer than you've been alive

Here is what you should do, though. Next time you go in to the branch (you can make a special trip if you never do this) ask the teller if they have fees for depositing checks from foreign banks. Tell them that you may have a chance to do work with a company that pays from a Canadian bank, and that you've heard that some banks charge fees for this.

One bank I went to with a Bovada check told me that there would be a $50 fee. I fortunately have an account somewhere else that didn't charge a fee. But if they are going to charge it, you are going to need to make a decent sized withdrawal to make that worthwhile. So you'll have time to look around for other banks that don't charge a fee.

Report the money on your taxes as "misc income" or wherever the hell that general non-job type income is listed.
IRS doesn't care where it comes from as long as they get the tax on it...

Try to deposit the check using your debit card through your ATM so you're not dealing with real people.

If you use a bank teller instead, they likely will not ask you what the check is from so you're worrying needlessly. If they do ask, just say you did some consulting through the interwebs.

A few years ago when I deposited to Bovada via WU, the clerk at the drug store where I sent the money from asked me if I had people in the Philippines (where I was directed to send the money). I just looked at the guy sternly and said, "yeah." It's none of their freakin business for sure.