bookmaker

noun

book·​mak·​er ˈbu̇k-ˌmā-kər 

1

: a printer, binder, or designer of books

2

: a person who determines odds and receives and pays off bets

bookmaking

ˈbu̇k-ˌmā-kiŋ 

noun

Examples of bookmaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Two years ago, the NCAA released a study finding 67% of college students living on campus had engaged in sports betting, 41% had bet on their school’s teams and 35% had used a student bookmaker. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Nov. 2025

But her husband was the bookmaker, the FBI alleged. —Idaho Statesman, 14 Nov. 2025

Ahead of time bookmakers made ‘Flesh’ one of favorites alongside Andrew Miller’s ‘The Land In Winter’ and Kiran Desai‘s ‘The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny’. —Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 10 Nov. 2025

None of this was any news to professional gamblers or bookmakers, who have long had an instinct for when something is off in the betting markets. —David Hill, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bookmaker

noun

book·​mak·​er ˈbu̇k-ˌmā-kər 

: a person who receives and pays off bets

Legal Definition

bookmaker

noun

book·​mak·​er ˈbu̇k-ˌmā-kər 

: a person who determines odds and receives and pays off bets

called also bookie