We’ll start this article with the basics and the first thing we need to do is answer this question: what or who is a bookie anyway? A bookkeeper or “bookie” is a person or company that accepts bets in events and that serves as a middle man between the players that make the wagers.

The bookie receives the money wagered by the punters and then delivers the payouts to the winners, and keeps a percentage for himself as a form of payment for the services provided. By adjusting the odds, the bookie guarantees a profit, he never tries to win money from the bets themselves, the goal is to win money from the event regardless of the result.

For a bookie there is nothing more important than their reputation and integrity. As we already know, some of England’s most popular bookkeepers have several decades offering their services. So keep this in mind if you want to become a bookie. Being a bookie is different if you are in the United States or in Europe. In American soil most bookies only take bets for professional and college sports, and in the Old Continent there are lots of variety and diverse options.

Bookies can also make a buck taking bets on political elections, awards ceremonies, or even television contests, as incredible as it may seem you can bet on who is going to win in the Oscars, amazing. You’ll need to very an expert, so sports bookie tips will come in very handy in this new activity that can be very lucrative if you do things right.

Now that we did the initial homework comes the big question: what do I need to know to become a bookie? If you are planning to be a bookie at street level you need to go to bars during the big sporting events and get know people, talk to them and introduce yourself as a bookie. Most potential clients are found in family, friends, coworkers, classmates, or any other type of acquaintances.

Most bookies start with small operations, they try to build a client base. Having more clients makes everything safer for the bookie, but he needs to be more organized. The first thing a new bookie needs to do is have a cellphone exclusive for taking bets and manage a code (for example two phone rings) to make sure you only answer to serious clients. A specific day to pay bets is also a very practical idea.

These are just a few ideas to start, obviously there is a lot more to it, but it’s a nice start. Start taking bets from your friends and become a pro bookie in no time.