A tote bag.
"The bettors gathered around the tote to place their wagers on the upcoming horse race."
A pari-mutuel machine; a totalizator.
In plain English: A tote is a large, open bag with handles that you can carry on your shoulder or by hand.
"She left her heavy tote bag on the floor by the door."
To carry or bear.
"The accountant had to tote up all the receipts before filing the final report."
To add up; to calculate a total.
In plain English: To tote means to carry something, usually by hand or over your shoulder.
"She has to tote her groceries all the way up the stairs because she forgot her purse at home."
The word "tote" likely comes from Middle Low German tûte or tǖte, which originally meant a horn or conical paper bag. It entered English with this sense of a container for carrying things, evolving into the modern verb meaning to carry something loosely in one's arms.