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The only meaning of 博眼球 I've been able to come across is the following from a 百度知道 answer:

回头率高，吸引人的意思

but is it really that simple, is that all it means? 'An eyeball-turner?'

What does 博 mean here?

Where did this word originate from?

The pictures associated with this word seems to show that it is of a more perverted nature but it is also used in a more normal fashion elsewhere, e.g.: 漳州：商家为博眼球 促销竟请来"毛主席".

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The word 博 is usually used with another word 得(or 取).

The meaning of 博 here is also the same as 得, which means get, or more precisely to get.

When you translate it into English, I'd use to attract instead.

So the whole sentence could be To attract more eyeballs.

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    or "eye-catching"
    – AngelLeliel
    Commented Sep 16, 2014 at 9:59
  • @AngelLeliel haha good one.
    – Justin XL
    Commented Sep 16, 2014 at 11:26
  • 博 is bet，I think
    – sfy
    Commented Sep 16, 2014 at 14:25
  • @Jacob, nope, I know where you are coming from. But it's not the same as 赌博. Try to think of it as in 博取众家之长.
    – Justin XL
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 0:31
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    @JustinXL Those questions started me thinking Chinese seriously.Though I am from China,many learners knowing Chinese more than me,I am a learner ,too.And this is also helpful for me to learn English.
    – sfy
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 3:12
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Actually, 博 and 搏 are the same word in ancient, it means to fight, to confront with another man, and 博眼球 means confront with others to win eyeball（eye-catch instead）, so it means to draw and win attention from others. And, if you see 搏眼球，that's correct too. Besides, 赌博，here 博 also has the meaning to confront others (or sometime like fate) in the gambling.

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  • 博 and 搏 are the same word in ancient, Where did you get this from??
    – Justin XL
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 1:10
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    I don't know if you can understand this: 实际“博”字是标准的形声字，其本义在金文中和演变过程已经详细考察与研究，为搏斗之搏本字，大通也含义当是一种假借义。后世假借义行，本义废，故造“搏”字代替其本义。
    – user6365
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 2:05
  • Interesting, didn't know that. But still, I think the meaning is more towards 取 in this particular case.
    – Justin XL
    Commented Sep 17, 2014 at 5:24
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博 gamble for

眼球 eyeballs (here means attention)

博眼球 compete for attention

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Get people's attension by some means.

It often use as derogatory sence and your example is this type. 博 means get something with please or powerful way， like joked to let people see him.

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