noun

• 1American Football Rugby
  A player who punts.

  ‘You run timed drills in a specific task like punting or run stopping where you only get to control the relevant player like the punter or middle linebacker.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘He played quarterback, strong safety, punter and placekicker at North Central High School in Kiln, Missisippi, for his father, Irvin.’
  • ‘In Bengals history, there have been some effective players named Johnson, including punter Lee and running back Pete.’
  • ‘Anyone who earns a contract as a punter in American football is barred from playing kick-to-kick in our local park.’
  • ‘The Broncos still need to add a quality punter, a wide receiver, a quarterback to replace Danny Kanell as the backup and depth on the offensive line.’

• 2A person who propels or travels in a punt.

• 3British informal A person who gambles, places a bet, or makes a risky investment.

  More example sentences

  • ‘The Isle of Man now allows US punters to gamble in online casinos based on the island, the NY Times reports.’
  • ‘The internet is a major gambling hall for punters where they play poker bingo cards whatever; gamblers even get to play lotto online.’
  • ‘This means that the average punter's investments will do worse than the average performance of the market over any given time frame.’
  • ‘What if it's then sold to potential punters as an ‘investment opportunity’?’
  • ‘Tracker funds are also seen as one of the best first steps into investments for novice punters.’
  • ‘Betfair, the internet betting exchange, has revolutionised the world of gambling by allowing punters to wager on horses not winning.’
  • ‘All that will be very welcome, and if they sort out the Tote betting shop pronto, punters will be glad.’
  • ‘Most turn out to be bad investments in which punters lose their shirts.’
  • ‘It's the side of gambling you don't hear about: the punters who enjoy the casino and don't lose their shirt doing it.’
  • ‘Sure, there have been some bookmaker failures, but the punter can see the evidence of the main bookmakers' financial strength on the High Street.’
  • ‘Trouble is, us punters too often invest through the rear-view mirror.’
  • ‘Small companies, where many a retail punter likes to invest, are also back in fashion.’
  • ‘Our English punters couldn't bet on England because of this, but emotionally couldn't bet against them either.’
  • ‘With an online betting account, punters may call to place bets or bet through the Internet after the betting centres close.’
  • ‘Casual/recreational punters can use the same strategy that gives wiseguys their winning edge.’
  • ‘It will allow punters who wish to invest in today's volatile equity markets to do so, safe in the knowledge that they will not lose their original investment.’
  • ‘A leading bookmaker has also warned punters to be careful and make sure their bookies are licensed before they place a bet.’
  • ‘He also wants punters entering casinos to have to show some form of identity.’
  • ‘The tourist season generally gathers pace for the four day meeting with visitors and local punters joining in the annual battle with bookies.’
  • ‘Maria Luisa has been a frustrating filly for punters to follow even though she has paid her way for her connections throughout the season.’

  Synonyms

  gambler, backer, staker, speculator

  View synonyms

  1. 3.1A customer or client, especially a member of an audience.
     More example sentences

     • ‘Roux then grandstands and takes off his team blazer and tie and puts it up for auction - apparently at the request of a punter in the audience.’
     • ‘The spa is open only to residents, so there's no sharing your thermal dunks with pay-and-play punters or ‘club members’.’
     • ‘Once upon a year not that long ago, a young man sat in a pub telling a wide-eyed audience of punters all about his skiing holiday.’
     • ‘Around 160,000 of those new high speed Internet customers were existing dial-up punters who upgraded to faster services.’
     • ‘So were the punters in the audience when the Dubliner's name appeared on the scoreboard during O'Sullivan's match with Dott.’
     • ‘The broadband Internet Service Provider is under fire for its poor customer service with punters up in arms at being left without phone and broadband.’
     • ‘The business end of the rugby league season starts tonight, and, if the market framers and punters are right, then get ready for a couple of lopsided matches.’
     • ‘Hong Kong punters follow the volume turnover of third-tier companies in the search for the next reverse-takeover target.’
     • ‘The band had CD pre-sale order forms there for punters to purchase.’
     • ‘Tickets cost 30 Euro and to avoid disappointment, punters are asked to purchase in advance.’
     • ‘That is what happened to the customers who followed a group of wealthy punters into the night club on Bridge Street the other night.’
     • ‘A trickle of punters browsed the market in Parliament Street and department stores were eerily quiet.’
     • ‘But such cowboys are not the worst problem for internet punters and exchange users at the moment.’
     • ‘Then we sell it on old Bury market, and the punters just can't get enough.’
     • ‘Still, Scotland kept the faith, to the severe detriment of the mug punters consuming water here.’
     • ‘Nor will they necessarily be told that they will be discussed with a crowd of punters the following evening.’
     • ‘It is often small things that make all the difference to the loyal punter and inspire repeat business, or not.’
     • ‘But it will be harder for the ordinary punter to call everyday businesses to account.’
     • ‘A lot of venues have predominantly straight customers on some nights, with gay punters showing up on others.’
     • ‘The paying punters on the tour all seem motivated more by curiosity than ideology.’
     Synonyms

     customer, client, patron

     View synonyms
  2. 3.2A prostitute's client.
     More example sentences

     • ‘The law could be changed to make more severe punishment for ‘illegal’ street prostitutes and their punters.’
     • ‘It would take prostitution off the streets and into a safer environment for both the prostitutes and the punters.’
     • ‘Police believe the killer was probably a punter and had used prostitutes in the area before.’
     • ‘I am mystified as to how even the gentlest punters can be considered prostitutes' allies.’
     • ‘Many prostitutes say they have been raped many times by their punters, sometimes by many men at the same time.’
     • ‘Smith and a pal were apparently cruising around the red light area when they pulled up near a prostitute who was speaking to a suspected punter through his car window.’
     • ‘Her left cheek bears a deep and unsightly scar; not the result of a violent punter, but a run-in with another prostitute.’
     • ‘Likewise it must be very offensive for women who are not prostitutes to be approached by a mistaken punter.’
     Synonyms

     customer, client, kerb-crawler

     View synonyms
  3. 3.3The victim of a swindler or confidence trickster.