An American gambling term for accepting bets privately or off the books — specifically, taking wagers outside of a licensed bookmaking operation, often illegally.
An American gambling term for accepting bets privately or off the books — specifically, taking wagers outside of a licensed bookmaking operation, often illegally. A "handbook" was a small betting operation run by hand, without official registration. Handbooking was especially common during the horse-racing era when street-corner bookies would scribble bets in notebooks. The word has a historical, slightly underground flavour that ties it firmly to American gambling culture of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
He got arrested for handbooking at the racetrack — taking bets without a license for years.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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(US, gambling) A place where illicit bets can be placed.
(British, sports) Warranting a booking (a yellow card).
(chiefly, British) The premises of a bookmaker, where people may place bets, watch horse races etc on television, and collect their winnings.
(US) A business establishment for the placing of wagers on athletic competitions and horse or dog races.
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(US, gambling) betting.
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