Aah, ok thanks I was a little confused thinking about it... It seems like bookmaking is a little complicated if you are into big action..
The idea is simply to balance your bets so you aren't exposed. Typically a bettor has to risk $110 to win $100. Assuming the bets are even on both sides, the bookie can pay the winner with the $100 from the loser and keep the $10 as profit.
Obviously bets come in uneven, with heavier play on the favored or home team. So, for example, if there is 80k bet on the Pats and only 20k on the Raiders, the bookie is in trouble if the Pats win. So he will call up another bookie and lay off some of the action on the Raiders.
