Definition

Noun: 1. A person who assigns handicaps: A handicapper is someone whose job is to assign weights or other disadvantages to competitors in order to equalize their chances of winning, especially in horse racing. 2. A person who predicts outcomes and sets odds: Specifically, a handicapper is someone who analyzes contestants (like horses, teams, or players) and sets the betting odds based on their calculated predictions of the contest's outcome.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The track handicapper assigned extra weight to the favorite horse to make the race more competitive.
  • As a professional handicapper, he spends hours studying statistics before setting the odds for the football games.
  • The newspaper's sports section includes picks from a well-known handicapper.

Advanced Usage

• "To handicap" (verb): The related verb describes the action of assigning a handicap or analyzing contestants to predict an outcome.
  • It is difficult to handicap this race because the two top horses are so evenly matched.
• The term is most commonly associated with horse racing and sports betting but can be applied to any contest where an expert analyzes competitors.

Variants and Related Words

• Handicap (noun): A disadvantage imposed on a superior competitor to equalize chances; or, a condition that restricts a person's ability to function.
  • The golfer played with a handicap of 12.
• Handicap (verb): To assign a disadvantage; to hinder or impede.
  • The injury handicapped the team's performance.
• Handicapping (gerund/noun): The activity or profession of being a handicapper.
  • Handicapping requires both knowledge and intuition.

Synonyms

• Oddsmaker: A person who sets betting odds (a very close synonym).
• Analyst: A person who examines data in detail (a more general term).
• Forecaster: A person who predicts future events.

Related Phrases

• "Morning line": The initial odds set by the track handicapper before any bets are placed.
  • According to the morning line, the number five horse is the 3-to-1 favorite.

Noun

1. someone who sets the betting odds based on calculations of the outcome of a contest (especially a horse race)