Meaning & use
British punter
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableBritishinformal
a British customer or client, especially one who pays for a service or bets money
Grammar: Countable noun: a British punter, two British punters. Often used in business or betting contexts.
Patterns
- a British punter
- the average British punter
The new online casino is popular with the British punter.
The average British punter spends about £10 a week on lottery tickets.
Companies are trying to attract the British punter with special offers.
nouncountableBritishinformal
a British person who gambles or places bets, especially on horse racing or sports
Grammar: Countable noun; often used in news reports about gambling.
Patterns
- British punters bet on something
- British punters place bets
British punters lost millions on the race.
Many British punters bet on football matches every weekend.
Word forms
| plural | British punters |
|---|
Common combinations
- the average British punter
- The average British punter doesn't bet more than a few pounds.
- British punters bet on
- British punters bet on everything from horse racing to reality TV.
- attract British punters
- Bookmakers are using mobile apps to attract British punters.
Synonyms and how they differ
- British customer
- This is the neutral, formal equivalent; 'British punter' is informal and often used in business or betting slang.
- British gambler
- This specifically means someone who bets, while 'punter' can also mean a general customer.
Word family
- punter noun
- In British English, a customer or gambler; in American English, a football player who kicks the ball.
Commonly confused: British punter or punter?
British punter vs punter
In American English, 'punter' means a football player who kicks the ball, not a customer. 'British punter' makes the British meaning clear.
Practice
In British English, what is a 'punter'?
Choose one answer.
In British English, a punter is a customer or a person who bets. In American English, a punter is a football player who kicks the ball, which is why the phrase 'British punter' is used to avoid confusion.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “British punter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.