Sports Betting Guide and Terms - Runner

Definition

A runner, in the sports gambling industry, is simply a person who places bets for another in a land-based casino sportsbook. They are mostly used by professional sports gamblers such as sharps and wiseguys.

Usage

Why use a runner? Runners are used by those individuals who have been banned by certain sportsbooks due to a high, winning record against them. Runner can be almost anybody, for it really does not take a very high intelligence quotient to place a sports bet. A lot of wiseguys and sharps use runners on a daily basis to place bets for them. One word of caution though to wiseguys and sharps: be sure you know who you are dealing with—since you are dealing with cold cash, make sure your runners are reliable and honest and will return your ticket to you after he / she has placed your bet. Another advantage of using runners is that if they are caught by the sportsbook (having been seen on numerous occasions), then a wiseguy / sharp can simply hire another runner to take his place. Sportsbook have no idea who is placing bets in their book, simply caring that everything is legit (meaning that the money being wagered is not counterfeit).

Who uses runners?

Successful sports gamblers who bet huge amounts of money are often banned by sportsbooks mainly because they ‘win too much’. To get around this, these ‘sharps’ and ‘wiseguys’ often use runners to place bets for them. A ‘sharp’ or ‘wiseguy’ is a sports gambler who is professional, knowledgeable, and adept to winning in the long run. They wager massive amounts of money and are the most feared bettors of sportsbooks. With the advent of the internet, new sharps and wiseguys have emerged. Another group of sports gamblers who use runners are syndicates.
Syndicates

A syndicate is a group of sharps / wiseguys who place their bets all at the same time. This ensures that they all get the same line for a particular sports matchup. Syndicates often also use runners to increase their position (increasing their total bet on a game).

Summary

In closing, a runner is a person who places bets for another. Specifically, a runner is a person who works for a professional sports gambler by placing bets for the latter. The reason behind this necessity is that these ‘professional sports gamblers’ have been so successful that land-based casino sportsbooks have banned them from placing bets.