39 Series · SOC 39-3012
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $34,980
- Median / year
- $48,270
- Top 10% earn
- -6.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 8,950
- US workers
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners earn a median of $34,980 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $34,980, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $22,090 (10th percentile) to $48,270 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 8,950 US workers. New York pays the most ($54,740), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners earn a median of $34,980, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 2% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Personal Care and Service, it ranks #27 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 6.1% by 2033.
- $34,980
- Median annual wage
- Top 98%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #27 of 32
- in Personal Care and Service
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New York at $54,740. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners (SOC 39-3012) pays a national median of $34,980 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $22,090 at the 10th percentile to $48,270 at the 90th, with a mean of $36,450 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 8,950 Americans work in this occupation across 30 reporting states and 36 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -6.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New York pays the highest state median at $54,740, which is +56% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $57,880 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$34,980
per year
Median Hourly
$16.82/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$36,450
average
Employment
8,950
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$34,980 Bottom 2% higher than 2% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 39-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 39-series occupations with growth data, Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners sits on the slower-growing side at -6.1% growth and $34,980 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-6.1%
Declining
Annual Openings
1,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
2/100
Danger Index
8.8/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Conduct gambling tables or games, such as dice, roulette, cards, or keno, and ensure that game rules are followed.
- ▸ Operate games in which players bet that a ball will come to rest in a particular slot on a rotating wheel, performing actions such as spinning the wheel and releasing the ball.
- ▸ Exchange paper currency for playing chips or coins.
- ▸ Compare the house hand with players' hands to determine the winner.
- ▸ Open or close cash floats or game tables.
- ▸ Pay off or move bets as established by game rules and procedures.
- ▸ Collect bets in the form of cash or chips, verifying and recording amounts.
- ▸ Start gaming equipment that randomly selects numbered balls and announce winning numbers and colors.
- ▸ Check to ensure that all players have placed their bets before play begins.
- ▸ Collect cards or tickets from players.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$22,090
25th Percentile
$28,150
Median
$34,980
75th Percentile
$44,840
90th Percentile
$48,270
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 30 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $54,740 | +56% above national |
| 2 | New Jersey | $48,260 | +38% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $47,720 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $47,250 | +35% above national |
| 5 | California | $44,860 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Washington | $42,180 | +21% above national |
| 7 | Ohio | $38,460 | +10% above national |
| 8 | Kentucky | $37,910 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Michigan | $37,720 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Nevada | $37,500 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Iowa | $37,440 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Arizona | $35,640 | +2% above national |
| 13 | Minnesota | $35,370 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Maryland | $35,230 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Illinois | $34,610 | 1% below national |
| 16 | Colorado | $34,450 | 2% below national |
| 17 | Connecticut | $34,420 | 2% below national |
| 18 | Florida | $34,160 | 2% below national |
| 19 | South Carolina | $33,650 | 4% below national |
| 20 | Indiana | $32,730 | 6% below national |
| 21 | Kansas | $31,550 | 10% below national |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $30,690 | 12% below national |
| 23 | Texas | $30,660 | 12% below national |
| 24 | North Dakota | $30,640 | 12% below national |
| 25 | South Dakota | $30,620 | 12% below national |
| 26 | Nebraska | $29,670 | 15% below national |
| 27 | Mississippi | $28,340 | 19% below national |
| 28 | Louisiana | $26,620 | 24% below national |
| 29 | Montana | $22,030 | 37% below national |
| 30 | West Virginia | $19,740 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 36 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $57,880 | +65% above national |
| 2 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $52,140 | +49% above national |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $47,720 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $43,790 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $43,680 | +25% above national |
| 6 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $39,660 | +13% above national |
| 7 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $38,390 | +10% above national |
| 8 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $37,000 | +6% above national |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $36,360 | +4% above national |
| 10 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $36,190 | +3% above national |
| 11 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $35,580 | +2% above national |
| 12 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $35,440 | +1% above national |
| 13 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $35,370 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $35,100 | same as national |
| 15 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $34,980 | same as national |
| 16 | Reno, NV | $33,780 | 3% below national |
| 17 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $32,910 | 6% below national |
| 18 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $31,970 | 9% below national |
| 19 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $31,870 | 9% below national |
| 20 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $31,690 | 9% below national |
| 21 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $31,120 | 11% below national |
| 22 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $30,620 | 12% below national |
| 23 | Omaha, NE-IA | $30,610 | 12% below national |
| 24 | Oklahoma City, OK | $29,970 | 14% below national |
| 25 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $29,800 | 15% below national |
| 26 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $29,780 | 15% below national |
| 27 | Lincoln, NE | $29,670 | 15% below national |
| 28 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $29,600 | 15% below national |
| 29 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $29,250 | 16% below national |
| 30 | Fargo, ND-MN | $28,620 | 18% below national |
| 31 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $28,580 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $28,030 | 20% below national |
| 33 | Missoula, MT | $22,580 | 35% below national |
| 34 | Helena, MT | $22,300 | 36% below national |
| 35 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $21,980 | 37% below national |
| 36 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $21,940 | 37% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 39 (personal care and service) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners make? ▼
What state pays Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners? ▼
How dangerous is being a Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners? ▼
Is Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners a good career? ▼
How does Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $44,840/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New York leads at $54,740/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.