[f. as if from a L. *totalizāre to totalize: prob. ad. mod.F. totalisateur (1869 in Littré, in scientific use).] A machine or apparatus for registering and showing the total of operations, measurements, etc.; spec. an apparatus for registering and indicating the number of tickets sold to betters on each horse in a race.
1879. S. Australian Independ. & Presbyt., Nov. The passing through Parliament of the Totalizator Bill—a measure to legalise a certain form of betting.
1881. Standard, 7 Sept., 5/2. ‘Paris mutuals’ … would perhaps be better understood by English people under their other appellation of ‘totalisators,’ instruments much in vogue upon the race-courses of Australia.
1885. Q. Rev., Oct., 455. A board is exhibited, containing the names of the horses starting. A person who wishes to back a horse pays in a pound, or as many pounds as he likes, to the officer in charge of the totalisator. When the race is over, all the money staked is divided between the backers of the winning horse, less ten per cent., which is the profit of the management.
1890. Times, 26 Feb., 5/3. The Lower House of the Reichsrath to-day adopted a resolution in favour of increasing the tax on the totalisator, or parimutuel, used on Austrian race-courses, from 3 to 5 per cent.
