make book
To accept bets laid on the outcome of some contest, especially a race or sporting event. It doesn't sound like too many odds-makers were going to make book on the race.
make book
Accept bets on a race, game, or contest, as in No one's making book on the local team. This expression uses book in the sense of "a record of the bets made by different individuals." [Mid-1800s]
make book
To accept bets on a race, game, or contest.