Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person or organization that accepts and pays out bets on the outcome of events, especially sporting events: A bookmaker calculates odds and accepts wagers, profiting from the difference between the amounts wagered on all possible outcomes.
   • A person or company involved in the production of books: This can refer to someone who edits, publishes, or binds books.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Gambling):

  • He placed a £10 bet with an online bookmaker on the football match.
  • The bookmaker offered favorable odds on the underdog.

• Noun (Publishing):

  • The skilled bookmaker restored the antique manuscript with a new leather binding.
  • She worked as a bookmaker for a small, independent press.

Advanced Usage

• "To set up as a bookmaker": To establish a business accepting bets.

  • After years as a punter, he decided to set up as a bookmaker.

• "Legal/illegal bookmaker": Distinguishing between licensed/regulated operators and unlicensed ones.

  • He was arrested for placing bets with an illegal bookmaker.

Variants and Related Words

• Bookmaking (n): The profession or activity of being a bookmaker, especially in gambling.

  • Bookmaking is a heavily regulated industry.

• Bookie (n, informal): A common, informal shortening of "bookmaker" in the gambling sense.

  • He called his bookie to check the latest odds.

Synonyms

• Turf accountant (n, formal): A formal term, primarily British, for a bookmaker in gambling.
• Oddsmaker (n): A person who sets the betting odds, often used synonymously with bookmaker in some contexts.
• Publisher (n): A synonym in the context of the publishing sense.
• Binder (n): A synonym in the specific context of the bookbinding sense.

Related Phrases

• "To lay off a bet" (Professional practice): When a bookmaker places a bet with another bookmaker to reduce their own risk on a particular outcome.
  • The bookmaker laid off a large portion of the wager to minimize potential losses.

Related Idioms

• "Against the bookmaker": Betting in opposition to the odds set by the bookmaker.
  • The public sentiment was against the bookmaker, with most money coming in on one team.

Noun

1. a gambler who accepts and pays off bets (especially on horse races)
2. a maker of books; someone who edits or publishes or binds books