Since the dawn of time, mankind has used implements of chance to entertain and amuse. Bones shaped into dice have been found in caves dating back to before the Iron Age, and complete backgammon boards have been discovered in ancient Egypt and Rome. It is nearly impossible to tell due to the fact that no records exist, but judging by our knowledge of human nature, it is likely that humans have being gambling in some form on these games since they discovered them.
 

UK Bookmakers origins in late 1700′s

The modern era of betting can be traced back to the advent of large scale bookmaking and table game operations in England during the late 1700′s, and the creation of poker in America in the late 1800′s. These three key areas have become the core betting products in the modern era, and to this day provide the vast majority of the areas wagered on in nearly every gambling environment. With the advent of the internet, gaming has taken on yet another form, and has enabled markets and information to move much faster, giving the end user a much more competitive and high quality product than many of the traditional forms of gaming.

Old Fashioned Bookmakers at Toronto Racetrack

Old Fashioned Bookmakers at Toronto Racetrack