Looking to cash in on the March Madness Tournament games this week? Check out how Deadwood sportsbooks are preparing

After the Super Bowl, the NCAA March Madness tournament is one of the biggest events for Deadwood across the six venues that allow sports wagering. In March of 2022 alone, almost $1 million in revenue for the town from betting on the games was recorded. And as the tournament begins later in the week, city officials are preparing for even more wagers to be made. Executive Director for the Deadwood Gaming Association Mike Rodman and Event Services Director for the Deadwood Mountain Grand Resort George Milos talk more.

Mike Rodman

“It is going to be a pretty festive time here in Deadwood,” he said. “And with the big games kicking off Thursday [and] then going into St. Patrick’s Day, it is just going to be a wild weekend here in Deadwood.” Games begin as early as Wednesday, March 15, and with the holiday and related festivities going through the weekend, Rodman is expecting large crowds of people coming into the city and heading in to place a bet or multiple bets. “For the most part, it is straight money bets– when you are picking your team and betting on your favorite team. But there are a lot of folks that like to do parlays and do some of those other types of bets. And so that is why we have them available in our sports wagering catalog and you know we want to have a little bit of everything for everybody when it comes to sports wagering.”

However, with all of the excitement from both events happening at the same time, Rodman also stresses the importance of being safe. “Obviously, we also encourage everyone during March Madness like we do year round to wager responsibly. And that includes setting a budget, knowing the odds, and just coming to have fun.”

George Milos

Like many of the other sportsbooks in town, Dale’s Sportsbook at the Deadwood Mountain Grand Resort will be offering special accommodations to guests in town. From reserved seating in the sportsbook venue, extended betting services, and kiosks for placing bets, he says there will be something for everyone to enjoy the experience. “We will have staff on hand pretty much the whole week starting from morning, noon and night to be on hand for people that maybe have not ever bet before or that want to try it for the first time,” he explained. “Or the experienced bettors that do not want to talk to anybody and just want to hit the kiosk.” As for the amounts of money, he usually sees being placed on bets, he says it is whatever people feel comfortable with. “Anywhere from $5 to $100 is no problem here in Deadwood,” he said. “And they can ask for help or they can go to the kiosk and bet themselves.”