Despite handle decreases in slots and table gaming, sports betting jumped from last year.

According to statistics released on Monday by the South Dakota Commission on Gaming, Deadwood’s December 2022 gaming handle was down 17.78 percent over December of 2021, with slot machine handle decreasing by 18.46 percent, when compared to December of 2021. The table game handle decreased by 10.55 percent when compared to 2021 December’s table game handle. Deadwood’s sports wagering handle was up 12.19 percent when compared to December 2021. Deadwood gaming operators rewarded players with $1,554,538 in “free-play” for the month of December, leaving taxable adjusted gross revenues of $8,322,681 for December of 2022.

“The December snowstorms that shut down travel in South Dakota certainly impacted Deadwood’s December revenues,” said Mike Rodman, executive director of the Deadwood Gaming Association.