On March 9, less than a year after Gov. Steve Bullock signed House Bill 725 legalizing sports betting in Montana, the first betting terminals were placed inside bars and casinos across the state.
Two days later, the NBA suspended the remainder of the professional basketball season. A day after that, the NHL and MLS suspended their seasons, Major League Baseball canceled spring training and delayed the start to its season, and the NCAA canceled all postseason tournaments, opening the door to a different kind of March madness.