bookmaker

noun

book·​mak·​er ˈbu̇k-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce bookmaker (audio)
1
: a printer, binder, or designer of books
2
: a person who determines odds and receives and pays off bets
bookmaking noun

Examples of bookmaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Bowyer, a bookmaker, dealt directly with Mizuhara, who placed bets on soccer matches and other sports — except for baseball — beginning in 2021, sources told ESPN. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2024 Liverpool goes into the final against Chelsea as heavy favorite with bookmakers, though Klopp attempted to play down his side’s chances after Wednesday’s comeback victory over Luton Town in the Premier League. Matias Grez, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 Walters was so successful with his gambling operation that bookmakers often limited the amount of his wagers. Doug Ferguson, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2023 This evolution is making the betting market more efficient and dynamic, benefiting both bookmakers and bettors. Neil Sahota, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024 The biggest winners on Super Bowl Sunday will almost surely be the Las Vegas sports books on a day when the expanding nation of legal bookmakers are expected to handle a record $1.5 billion in wagers, according to the American Gaming Association. John L. Smith, Rolling Stone, 9 Feb. 2024 The 49ers are the favorites to win, according to bookmakers, with an opening spread of around 2 points, though that is likely to fluctuate in the run-up to the actual gameday. TIME, 29 Jan. 2024 Yes, licensed esports bookmakers, such as Sportsbetting.ag are safe to join. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024 Granted, the Mets are the bookmakers’ favorites to win the NL East, and have decent odds of making the World Series, but, uh, the Nats touched Max Scherzer for seven runs last week? Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bookmaker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bookmaker was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bookmaker

Cite this Entry

“Bookmaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bookmaker. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bookmaker

noun
book·​mak·​er ˈbu̇k-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce bookmaker (audio)
: a person who receives and pays off bets

Legal Definition

bookmaker

noun
book·​mak·​er ˈbu̇k-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce bookmaker (audio)
: a person who determines odds and receives and pays off bets

called also bookie

More from Merriam-Webster on bookmaker

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