In behavioural experiments, if an activity becomes associated with a reward and subsequently the reward is withheld, the activity will eventually cease. If, however, the reward is given randomly for a while (a variable interval reinforcement schedule), before withholding it completely, the activity never ceases. This is referred to colloquially as the "Fruit Machine Syndrome".
Cave digging is rather the same. Once bitten, it is not possible to give up, because the breakthrough might just happen this time.
So, here is the ATLAS fruit machine - it doesn't pay out much, but then it doesn't take any money either. Click 'START' to play.
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