Word
bookie
Phoneticsbook·ie, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbʊki/
UK/bˈʊki/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person whose job is to take bets on things like horse races or sports. They calculate the odds and pay out money to people who win.
n. a person who accepts and pays out bets on sporting events or other competitions.
Examples
“He placed a small bet with his local bookie.”
“Before the match started, he called his bookie to see which team was favored to win.”
“While legal betting apps have changed the industry, the neighborhood bookie remains a fixture in certain social circles, operating on personal trust and cash transactions.”
Examples
simple
“He placed a small bet with his local bookie.”
contextual
“Before the match started, he called his bookie to see which team was favored to win.”
complex
“While legal betting apps have changed the industry, the neighborhood bookie remains a fixture in certain social circles, operating on personal trust and cash transactions.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “bookie” in context.
Verb
01. bookie offers
“The bookie offers shorter odds on the favorite to win the championship.”
noun + verb
02. bookie pays
“The bookie pays out immediately if you have a winning ticket.”
noun + verb
03. owe bookie
“He was in deep trouble because he owed the bookie thousands of pounds.”
verb + noun
04. pay bookie
“He had to sell his car to pay the bookie after a series of heavy losses.”
verb + noun
05. visit bookie
“He would visit the bookie every Saturday morning before the football matches started.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. illegal bookie
“The police cracked down on an illegal bookie operating out of the back of the pub.”
adj + noun
07. local bookie
“He placed a small bet on the horse race with his local bookie.”
adj + noun
08. online bookie
“Most gamblers now prefer using an online bookie for better convenience and odds.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. debt to bookie
“His mounting debt to the bookie caused significant stress for his family.”
noun + prep + noun
10. place a bet with a bookie
“It is now easier than ever to place a bet with a bookie using a smartphone.”
11. run a bookie shop
“His grandfather used to run a bookie shop in the center of town.”
Real-World Examples
“Campaigners supporting an increase in MGD have focused less on bookies and more on high-street slot machine venues known as adult gaming centres (AGCs), most of which are open 24 hours.” “A new memoir by the retired bookmaker Art Manteris, “ The Bookie: How I Bet It All on Sports Gambling and Watched an Industry Explode,” helps us to understand how we got here, and to glimpse the industry in its fledgling form.” “If you wagered $100 on Seattle and they won, you would get your $100 back, plus an additional $110 (minus the bookie’s “juice,” or commission, usually set at 5–10 percent).” “Unlike an illegal bookie, Walker can’t lay off risk by moving his customers’ bets to a bigger bookie.” Etymology
A nineteenth-century clipping of bookmaker with the addition of the suffix -ie, first appearing in the late 1800s to denote a professional taker of bets. The diminutive ending suggests a level of social familiarity that the legal standing of the profession did not always warrant.
Attested from 1885, bookie is a colloquial formation derived from book + -ie. The term emerged as a shortened reference to the bookmaker, a figure whose professional existence relies upon the meticulous recording of wagers.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/bookie