How to become Bookmaker
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
- a graduate training scheme
College
You can learn some of the skills you need for this job by doing a course in customer service or retail, such as:
- Level 2 Diploma in Retail Skills
- Level 2 Diploma in Customer Service
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
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Apprenticeship
You could join a bookmaking firm and start on a customer service practitioner intermediate apprenticeship. This is followed by further training which can lead to betting shop manager positions.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
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Work
You could start in a betting shop as a cashier then take training on the job to become a supervisor or betting shop manager.
Direct Application
You could apply directly to bookmakers for a trainee manager job. To do this, you'll need GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths.
Employers will also expect you to have some experience of customer service, supervising staff and handling money.
Other Routes
You may be able to apply for a betting company's graduate training scheme to start your career in bookmaking and betting shop management.
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Career tips
When you apply for a job as a bookmaker, you may be asked to sit a basic maths test. This will show that you can work out odds, payments and percentages.
These tasks are usually done on electronic tills but it's important that you're able to explain them to customers.