Statistics released by the Liquor and Gaming NSW show poker machines in Tamworth's hotels netted more than $3.3 million in a three-month period.

But the city's hotel pokies made a profit per machine just above half the state average, according to data covering from April 1 to June 30.

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The average Tamworth hotel made $17,542 in profit per electronic gaming machine, well below the state average of $30,968.

Profits were even lower in Armidale, where the average machine made just $11,813, nearly one-third the state average. Armidale statistics include pokies from Bellingen.

The city is also home to some of the state's least-used pokies.

Armidale's Tattersalls Hotel ranked 1,231 out of 1,264 in the state in terms of the profitability of its 15 machines.

The Dungowan Hotel was the least profitable hotel per machine in the Tamworth local government area for its four, ranking 1,142 in the state.

But while some hotel pokies might not be raking in the big bucks, Tamworth's clubs have rarely made more money, according to recent data.

Pokies revenue has recovered dramatically since the relatively lean year of 2020, when many poker machines were switched off.

Tamworth's clubs made $6 million in just two months of revenue between March 1 and May 31, 2021.

On average, each machine in a Tamworth club netted $25,500 during the three-month period to May 31, 2021; far above the state average of $16,207 per machine.

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The state's least profitable hotel poker machines were in the Perisher Ski Centre Hotel, Sydney's Mercure Hotel and the Railway Friendly Bar in Byron Bay.

The most profitable machines were the 30 pokies in the El Cortez Hotel, and the 30 pokies in the Markets Hotel and the Wentworth Hotel, both in Homebush.

Venues were closed for 10 weeks from March 23 to May 31 last year.

Loss numbers are given as a net figure, subtracting winnings by punters from losses, to get net profit.

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