Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 39-3012 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$34,986
$16.82/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners is $34,986 per year ($16.82/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $28,163 and $44,845 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $48,277 per year. There are approximately 8,950 gambling and sports book writers and runners employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-6.1%
Much slower than average
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
8K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Gambling Industries
NAICS 713200
6K
$34,450
Traveler Accommodation
NAICS 721100
2K
$33,560
Civic and Social Organizations
NAICS 813400
520
$36,110
Spectator Sports
NAICS 711200
470
$37,190
Amusement Parks and Arcades
NAICS 713100
210
$36,100
Wage range across top 5 industries: $33,560 to $37,190 (11% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$10.62
$22,090
P25
$13.54
$28,163
P50MEDIAN
$16.82
$34,986
P75
$21.56
$44,845
P90
$23.21
$48,277
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · retail sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.6%
Quits Rate
3.1%
Retail openings rose to 737K (+52K) in March, rate up to 4.6%. Hires increased to 684K (+73K). Frontline turnover persists with quit rate at 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average gambling and sports book writers and runners salary?
The national median salary for Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners is $34,986 per year ($16.82/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $28,163 and $44,845 annually.
How much do top-earning gambling and sports book writers and runners make?
The 90th percentile salary for Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners is $48,277 per year ($23.21/hr). The 75th percentile is $44,845 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for gambling and sports book writers and runners?
Entry-level Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners (10th percentile) earn approximately $22,090 per year ($10.62/hr). The 25th percentile is $28,163 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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