As the owner of a sports bar, there is no better time to make money than during the big game. It's the one fans have been waiting for all year, and you can bet they are looking for a fun place to watch it. So how do you ensure that they flock to your sports bar, rather than staying home or visiting a different bar in the area? Here are some tips to help you draw in customers during the big game.

Start Posting Early

Start posting about the big game on social media at least two weeks before it happens. This gives your fans at least two weekends during which they can start planning their game-day activities. Encourage your friends to like and share your posts so that everyone in the area knows you'll be open and serving for the big game. You don't want potential customers to wonder if you'll be playing the game or to assume you're showing a different sport that day, and posting early prevents that perception.

Offer Game-Day Specials

One reason why people sometimes stay in to watch the big game instead of going out to the bar is because they assume visiting the bar will cost too much. If you offer some awesome game-day specials and post about them, you'll make potential customers feel better about the cost. Make sure the things you advertise as the specials are foods that people will actually want to eat during the game. Offering half-priced fried appetizers, for example, is better than giving customers a discount on salads.

Open Up the Bar Area

If your bar area is normally pretty cramped with a lot of tables, plan on opening it up more on game day. This will allow customers to mingle about and have more space to socialize, which they will want to do when cheering on their favorite team together. Take some pictures of the opened up space and post about it so customers know there will be room if they come in.

Participate in Game-Day Rituals

Many sports teams have different rituals that their fans participate in to get into the spirit of the game. For example, fans of a certain team may do a certain clap and cheer when the game begins. Participate in any game day rituals that the playing teams call for. This helps make your bar a festive, spirited space where people will have plenty of fun.