Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners
What Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners Do
Post information enabling patrons to wager on various races and sporting events. Assist in the operation of games such as keno and bingo. May operate random number-generating equipment and announce the numbers for patrons. Receive, verify, and record patrons' wagers. Scan and process winning tickets presented by patrons and pay out winnings for those wagers.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 4.4%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.1/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.9/5
- English Languageimportance 3.0/5
- Economics and Accountingimportance 2.7/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.6/5
- Sales and Marketingimportance 2.6/5
- Personnel and Human Resourcesimportance 2.4/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.4/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7/5
- Contact With Others4.6/5
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.4/5
- Physical Proximity4.4/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.3/5
- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks4.3/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers96% skill match
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners96% skill match
- Gambling Cage Workers96% skill match
- Psychiatric Aides96% skill match
- Waiters and Waitresses96% skill match
- Flight Attendants95% skill match
- Bailiffs95% skill match
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant95% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Service Orientationimportance 2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.6/5
- Persuasionimportance 2.5/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.5/5
- Time Managementimportance 2.4/5
- Management of Personnel Resourcesimportance 2.4/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Credit card processing software
- Web browser software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Self-Control
- Social Orientation
- Cooperation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- ConventionalHigh
- EnterprisingMedium
- SocialLow
- RealisticLow
- ArtisticLow
- InvestigativeLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where gambling and sports book writers and runners make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Helena, MT31.94× national avg
- 2Missoula, MT30.29× national avg
- 3Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV18.11× national avg
- 4Reno, NV7.17× national avg
- 5Gulfport-Biloxi, MS6.77× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Gambling Cage WorkersCareer Change
- Gambling DealersLateral Move
- TellersCareer Change
- CashiersCareer Change
See the full career path from Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners →