Sets and adjusts the betting odds at a sportsbook, watching games and betting activity to balance risk and keep prices sharp. BLS does not publish separate figures for first-line supervisors of gambling services workers; it counts them within first-line supervisor of gambling services workers (SOC 39-1013), whose median pay is $63,820 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 39-1013
- Personal Care and Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Sportsbook Trader in four numbers
- Median pay
- $63,820a year, or $30.68/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $41KTop 10% $85K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.5%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,60027,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202527.2K
- Projected 203528.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 27.2K Projected 2035 28.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school6.1%
- High school47.7%
- Certificate11.9%
- Some college17.2%
- Associate's10.6%
- Bachelor's6.5%
Highest education held by first-line supervisors of gambling services workers Segment Value Less than high school 6.1% High school 47.7% Certificate 11.9% Some college 17.2% Associate's 10.6% Bachelor's 6.5%
Also advertised as: Sports Trader, Oddsmaker, Odds Compiler, Sportsbook Risk Trader, Trading Analyst, Sportsbook.
Pay
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers make?
Every sportsbook trader in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$63,820
Middle half earn $51,340 to $75,770
- 10th
- $41,400
- 25th
- $51,340
- 75th
- $75,770
- 90th
- $84,750
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $41,400 |
| 25th | $51,340 |
| Median | $63,820 |
| 75th | $75,770 |
| 90th | $84,750 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $63,820
- Median hourly wage
- $30.68/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $64,830
- People employed
- 26,010
Versus all US occupations
At $63,820, First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers earn 25% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $12,840 a year.
Versus personal care and service occupations
Inside the Personal Care and Service group, where the middle occupation pays $38,120, this is 67% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $84,750 or more while the bottom 10% earn $41,400, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 39% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($77,350), but once local prices are taken into account Alaska leads at $74,581 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $77,350 | $72,281 | 910 |
| 2Oregon | $76,960 | $74,457 | 150 |
| 3Alaska | $76,340 | $74,581 | 90 |
| 4New York | $74,530 | $69,060 | 560 |
| 5Maryland | $74,160 | $70,656 | 600 |
| 6Colorado | $69,070 | $67,024 | 250 |
| 7Arizona | $69,050 | $68,586 | 580 |
| 8California | $68,010 | $61,425 | 3,010 |
| 9Nevada | $66,680 | $66,694 | 5,590 |
| 10Rhode Island | $66,660 | $65,174 | 100 |
Job outlook
Is Sportsbook Trader a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers | +3.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers to change 3.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,600 openings are projected each year, 9.6% of the 27,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Sportsbook Trader
Sportsbook employers look for deep sports knowledge combined with numeracy. Many traders hold a bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, economics, finance or a related field, though some entry roles accept strong sports knowledge and comfort with spreadsheets. Skills in SQL, Python or R help with analytical roles.
Legal sports betting expanded quickly after the Supreme Court struck down the federal ban in Murphy v. NCAA, and states such as New Jersey license operators and require employee licensing through their gaming regulators. Many people start as junior or associate traders and move into senior trading, risk management or pricing model roles.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as first-line supervisors of gambling services workers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)47.7%
- Some College Courses17.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate11.9%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10.6%
- Bachelor's Degree6.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 47.7% |
| Some College Courses | 17.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 11.9% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 10.6% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 6.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Sportsbook Trader do?
Sportsbook traders price sporting events for betting. Using statistical models, injury news, weather and market prices from other books, they set opening lines and then move them as money comes in. During games they monitor live, in-play markets, suspend betting when something big happens, such as a goal or an injury, and reopen with updated prices.
Traders also manage risk. They watch for sharp bettors, unusual patterns that might signal match-fixing, and large exposures on one outcome, and they set limits on accounts. Most specialize in a few sports or leagues so they know the teams and players deeply, and they work with quantitative analysts who build the pricing models.
Day-to-day tasks
- Set opening odds for upcoming games and events
- Adjust lines in response to betting volume and news
- Monitor and manage live in-play betting markets
- Identify sharp bettors and suspicious betting patterns
- Manage exposure and set account limits
- Review pricing model output with quantitative analysts
- Settle markets after events conclude
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Traders work at sportsbook operators and odds providers, in trading rooms or remotely. Schedules follow the sports calendar, so nights, weekends and holidays are normal, with peaks during major events. The pace during live games is fast and screen-intensive.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Writing3.4
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.9
- Social Perceptiveness3.5
- Time Management3.5
- Coordination3.4
- Management of Personnel Resources3.4
- Instructing3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Negotiation3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.5 |
| Time Management | 3.5 |
| Coordination | 3.4 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.4 |
| Instructing | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Negotiation | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Sportsbook Trader?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ICE) built on O*NET's First-Line Supervisor of Gambling Services Workers profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Sportsbook Trader |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising5.9
- Conventional5.5
- Realistic3.7
- Social3.0
- Investigative2.5
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Sportsbook Trader
O*NET related occupations
- Personal Care and Service
First-Line Supervisor of Gambling Services Workers
$63,820median a year
Most earn $41K to $85K
+3.5%High school - Management
- Sales and Related
Gambling Change Person and Booth Cashier
$36,220median a year
Most earn $24K to $60K
−1.9%No formal credential - Office and Administrative Support
- Personal Care and Service
Gambling and Sports Book Writer and Runner
$34,980median a year
Most earn $22K to $48K
+1.8%High school - Personal Care and Service
More personal care and service careers
Median annual pay, with first-line supervisors of gambling services workers highlighted
- Sportsbook Trader$63,820
- Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor$47,160
- Concierge$38,950
- Tour Guide and Escort$38,120
- Hairstylist$35,790
- Manicurist and Pedicurist$35,760
- Nanny$34,980
- Childcare Worker$34,980
- Gambling Dealer$34,320
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Sportsbook Trader | $63,820 |
| Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor | $47,160 |
| Concierge | $38,950 |
| Tour Guide and Escort | $38,120 |
| Hairstylist | $35,790 |
| Manicurist and Pedicurist | $35,760 |
| Nanny | $34,980 |
| Childcare Worker | $34,980 |
| Gambling Dealer | $34,320 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Sportsbook Trader appears on
Questions
Sportsbook Trader: frequently asked questions
How much do First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for first-line supervisors of gambling services workers. It counts them within first-line supervisor of gambling services workers, whose median pay is $63,820 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $51,340 and $75,770, and the top 10% earn $84,750 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Sportsbook Trader?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Sportsbook Trader a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.5% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Sportsbook Trader do?
Sportsbook traders price sporting events for betting. A typical task: set opening odds for upcoming games and events. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers the most?
The highest state medians for First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers are Washington ($77,350), Oregon ($76,960), Alaska ($76,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Alaska moves to the top at $74,581.
What personality type suits a Sportsbook Trader?
O*NET scores First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.