Green’s Dictionary of Slang

the Totalizator, a machine that calculates the number of tickets sold to betters on each horse/greyhound in a race; also attrib.

1890		Bulletin (Sydney) 23 Aug. 17/3: The totalisator will, in all probability, be soon legalised in Victoria. [...] The two leading bookmakers are now in England, but in any case the ‘Leviathan’ does not now oppose the ‘tote,’ which is sure to kill his formidable rival, the ‘Toerag Tommy,’ or small bookmaker.
1907		H. Lawson ‘To Be Amused’ in Roderick (1967–9) II 221: The football match, the cricket score, / The ‘scraps’, the tote, the mad’ning Cup.
1938		J.B. Booth Sporting Times 230: Thanks to the ‘dogs’, the ‘pools’ and the ‘tote’ never has a greater volume of money been used in betting.
1966		J. Holledge Great Aust. Gamble 128: Coulon raised sufficient money to back the dogs not only on the quinella tote but with the bookmakers as well.
1977		G.F. Newman Villain’s Tale 12: At one time the takings from Tote betting had been left in the office safe from the Thursday and Saturday meetings and banked the following Monday.
1996		J. Cameron It Was An Accident 243: Filled out their betting slips and waddled up the tote.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl.