# skinner

/ˈskɪnɝ/ (US) · /skˈɪnɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/skinner
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 3. gambling win

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · British English

a situation where a bookmaker wins all the bets because no one picked the winner.

For teachers: a bookmaker's windfall occurring when no bettors back the winning participant, resulting in the bookmaker retaining all stakes.

- The race was a total skinner for the bookies when the 100-1 outsider won.
- The unexpected victory of the rank outsider turned the final race into a skinner, leaving the betting ring in stunned silence.

Usage: Often used in horse racing or greyhound racing contexts.

## Examples

- The local gamblers warned me that the dealer was a total skinner.
- After losing his entire inheritance in a single night, he realized the casino was nothing more than a professional skinner operation.
- In the underground betting circuits of the nineteenth century, a skinner was a bookmaker who would vanish with the stakes before the race had even concluded.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.