LAS VEGAS — Derek Stevens didn’t need to fill out a bracket to become a big winner in the NCAA Tournament. He’s got a $1 million payout waiting if Michigan State keeps defying the odds and wins the national championship.

A bet made in December when Michigan State was 5-3 and seemingly going nowhere will pay big for the downtown Las Vegas casino owner if the Spartans end up cutting down the nets Monday night.

“I thought it was worth the risk,” Stevens said. “Obviously it was a big longshot and it’s still a big longshot.”

Stevens, who frequently stops in at the Golden Nugget sports books as he walks between the two casinos he operates, told sports book director Tony Miller at the beginning of the season that he wanted to make a big bet on which team would win the national championship.

After a few weeks of talking, on Dec. 5 Stephens put $20,000 down on the Spartans at 50-1 odds.

“I thought with a coach like Tom Izzo with such a great track record and the basketball season being a long marathon that it was worth it,” Stevens said.

Stevens is friends with both Miller and Golden Nugget owner Tilman Fertitta, who had to approve the bet because of the size of the payout.