Even with legal gambling, most bettors still place their wagers with local bookies. Real bookies are nothing like that, especially now that sports gambling is legal in many places. There are countless movies where a bookie sends some goons to break some problem gambler’s knees after he can’t pay. In popular culture, bookies are often shady figures. Setting the odds (and sometimes changing them, but more on that later).They make it possible for people to place bets by: In other words, why should bookies get paid at all?Ī bookie is someone who facilitates gambling.
What Do Bookies Do?īefore looking at how bookmakers, or bookies, get paid, it’s worth considering what bookies do. Once you see the profits from betting explained, you won’t want to be a gambler anymore. It’s nice to win bets, but the guaranteed money is in bookmaking. That’s 15% of the adult population, betting only on professional football. According to a study by the American Gaming Association, 38 million American adults planned to bet on the 2019 NFL season.
