handicapper

American  

[han-dee-kap-er] / ˈhæn diˌkæp ər /

noun

1. Horse Racing.

   1. a racetrack official or employee who assigns the weight a horse must carry in a race.

   2. a person employed, as by a newspaper, to make predictions on the outcomes of horse races.

2. a person who determines the handicaps that will be placed on competitors.

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handicapper British  

/ ˈhændɪˌkæpə /

noun

1. an official appointed to assign handicaps to competitors in such sports as golf and horse racing

2. a newspaper columnist employed to estimate the chances that horses have of winning races

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Etymology

Origin of handicapper

First recorded in 1745–55; handicap + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Interesting and perhaps surprising advice has been flowing from the Democratic Party’s loyal handicappers after this month’s gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Democratic desire to win in 2028 “is very, very strong,” said Charlie Cook, a campaign handicapper who has spent decades impartially analyzing state and national politics.

From Los Angeles Times

“He made performance ratings before there were published Beyer figures. He videotaped gate workouts in the mid-1980s. His overall knowledge of pace, pedigree and European form is unsurpassed. As a public handicapper, he’s the GOAT.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Cook Political Report, another gold-plated handicapper, rates 72 seats competitive or having the potential to be so, with 18 toss-ups.

From Los Angeles Times

Not surprisingly, both parties have made the 13th District a top target in 2026; handicappers rate the contest a toss-up, even as the field sorts itself out.

From Los Angeles Times