bookie
"Bookie" is an informal word with one main meaning rooted in the world of gambling. It's a shortened, everyday form of "bookmaker," and you'll hear it most often in casual conversation about sports betting.
A bookie is a person whose job is to accept bets from other people — usually on sports like horse racing or football. They calculate the odds (the chances of winning), collect money from people who bet, and pay out winnings if someone guesses correctly. Think of them as the 'middleman' of gambling. The word is simply a casual shortening of 'bookmaker.'
gambling, sports betting · Informal, widely used in everyday speech