Task Poker machines are devices specially designed to take money from gamblers. They seduce players with bright lights, lots of sounds and enough wins, including the lure of very rare jackpots,

to keep players interested. The mandated minimum 'return to player' for machines in South Australia is 87.5% of the money gambled (Office for Problem Gambling, n.d.). Or, put another way, for every $100 gambled, the player can expect, in the long run, to lose $12.50. However, all is not what it seems when it comes to poker machine maths. A gambler could lose all the money they put into a machine yet would still be considered to have received 87.5% of the amount they gambled even though they walk away with nothing. This last statement probably doesn't make much sense at first glance. The key to the explanation is that the 'return to player' is calculated using the money gambled - not what is actually spent by a player. Refer to the ABC article 'Poker Machine Maths.